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Commencing the job-searching
journey can often feel like a complex and arduous procedure for all job-seekers,
including job-seekers with a disability. Identifying personal career pathways,
the demand for complex skill requirements, fierce competition for positions
and varied or limited work experiences are just some of the issues that
face people who are seeking employment.
Job-seekers with a
disability also have to consider the possible or perceived impact their
disability may have whilst seeking and maintaining employment. Job requirements
and the fear of disability discrimination in the workplace are some of
the issues that may impact on the job-searching journey for many people
with a disability.
Disclosure of disability
is an issue that many people with disabilities grapple with when seeking
employment. Disclosure of disability should not be the focal point whilst
developing a career plan and seeking employment. As with all job-seekers,
the emphasis should first be on the person's skills, qualities, abilities
and interests, followed by self-assessment about disability and disclosure.
The following steps identify one process in developing career options
for ALL job-seekers:
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Commencing
The Career Development Journey
1. Self Assessment
The cornerstone of
any job search preparation is self-assessment.
If a job-seeker is
able to describe their personality and values, reflect on the knowledge
gained from previous experiences, and articulate their skills in detail,
then they have the basis of knowing what they want in a job and career.
This is also the basis for addressing the selection criteria in job applications.
2. Identification
Of Work Preferences And Experiences
Identification of
work preferences and experiences that are related to the job-seeker's
interests and personal requirements such as work conditions, preferred
work location, knowledge areas and education levels is required. This
assists ALL job-seekers to create a balance between work aspirations and
lifestyle considerations.
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3. Exploration
Exploration of career
fields, occupations and areas of interests assists job-seekers in formulating
job options. Investigation may include seeking information about:
- occupations - job
descriptions, inherent requirements of positions of employment, qualifications
required to gain entry to careers, and sources of additional and related
information
- industries and
professions - current developments and activities in industries and
professions
- labour market trends
- current and projected labour market demands, recent salaries, and
skills required for employment and
- training courses
- information on the range of courses available through universities,
TAFE, and other vocational education and training providers
- Internet and library
resources
- community agencies
and government and career services
- opportunities to
meet with employers and employees in person.
4. Decision Making
This is the stage
at which job-seeker's begin to prioritise and narrow down their options,
and choose which possibilities they wish to pursue. Careers services,
agencies, friends and family may assist with this process. Time is required
to reflect on choices made.
5. Planning
Having decided on
a career direction, identifying goals and the steps required to achieve
those goals is required. Job-seeker's need to identify possible constraints
or barriers they may have and suggested strategies and resources to deal
with those issues, resources required and the length of time needed to
achieve the goals. For job-seeker's with disabilities, identifying possible
constraints or barriers may also include disability specific issues and
strategies such as:
- does the job-seekers
disability impact on the inherent requirements of the job
- what type of work
related adjustments might be required to meet the inherent requirements
of the job?
- what additional
skills would be required to meet the inherent requirements of the job
such as the use of assistive technology or job re-design
- identification
of additional support services (if required) such as disability employment
services, commonwealth rehabilitation services, counsellors etc.
6. Doing
At this stage, job-seekers
need to act on the information gained, the decisions made and the steps
identified to achieve the identified goals. Typical activities at this
stage of the career planning process include preparing cover letters and
résumés, completing application forms, and also preparing
for interviews. This stage is where much of the information gained in
the earlier steps can be utilised.
7. Disclosure Personal
Plan
Once a career plan
has been established that reflects the job-seekers skills, abilities and
interests, a personal plan that outlines the choices that could be made
specific to disclosure, needs to be considered by job-seekers with disabilities.
Investigation of legislative rights, responsibilities, experiences of
other employees and employers with disabilities, and disability services
and support networks may assist in composing a plan that outlines effective
disclosure strategies. This Resource may also assist job-seekers in developing
a Disclosure Personal Plan.
Access to University
and TAFE careers services and other specialist employment and recruitment
services can greatly assist job-seekers in developing and implementing
an effective career and/or Disclosure Plan.
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Disclosure
Of Disability
Every job-seeker with
a disability is faced with the choice of whether or not to disclose their
disability. Ultimately the decision is a personal one, based on a number
of issues. Below are some of the considerations job-seekers may make at
the time of developing a career plan and seeking employment
Why
Job-Seekers May Choose To Disclose
Ursula is
very keen to work with elderly people who have visual impairments and
she believes her own experiences of managing a visual impairment will
provide a valuable addition to her work. Therefore, she has decided
to disclose her disability when speaking to prospective employers or
employment agencies, to provide evidence of her skills and commitment
to this work.
Job-seekers with a
disability may choose to disclose their disability to:
- obtain disability
specific information to assist in developing an effective career plan
that addresses possible barriers and strategies
- identify disability
specific employment services and support networks
- discuss employment
requirements with recruitment agencies, employment organisations and/or
professional registration boards
- meet with employees
and employers with disabilities to obtain information, experiences and
suggested strategies in seeking employment
- identify and access
disability specific employment and recruitment schemes e.g. Willing
and Able Mentoring Initiative
- assist in identifying
disability specific positions of employment (if the job-seekers career
plan is to work in a disability related employment area)
- discuss disability
issues with prospective employers to determine whether the inherent
requirements of the position could be met, with or without work related
adjustments, and what support services and supports are available in
the organisation
- Obtain information
about an organisation's employment equity strategies.
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Why
Job-Seekers May Choose NOT To Disclose
Sean has decided
to investigate all employment options that are available to him now
that he has successfully completed his degree in Engineering. He has
decided not to disclose his disability, because he feels that through
his course he has developed a range of strategies and skills for assisting
him to complete the broad range of tasks required of engineers. He has
tested these skills in numerous field trips and practicums.
Job-seekers with a
disability may choose NOT to disclose their disability because:
- they believe that
they can manage their career development plan and job seeking activities
in the same way as any other job-seekers
- they do not believe
that disclosing would be effective in developing a career plan or seeking
employment
- they fear that
they may be treated differently or may not receive the same opportunities
as other job-seekers
- they are able to
access information and resources without disclosing their disability.
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What
To Disclose
It is not essential
to disclose specific medical or personal information about a disability.
A persons disability is only important in so far as it may have an impact
on some aspects of the inherent requirements of the chosen career and
to help identify any work related adjustments which may be required.
To
Whom Should Disclosure Occur?
A job-seeker with a
disability may choose to disclose their disability when developing a career
plan and seeking employment. Disclosure of disability may be made to the
following personnel:
- careers advisors;
to assist in the development of an effective career plan and job opportunities
- disability specific
employment services and support networks; to assist in job-seeking activities
and opportunities and/or develop external support networks
- professional registration
boards; to identify professional registration requirements
- employees and
employers with disabilities; obtain specific disability and employment
information, develop mentoring networks and other support structures
- disability specific
employment and recruitment schemes; to take advantage of equal employment
opportunities and schemes
- prospective employers;
to assist in obtaining information about the organisation, the prospective
position, equity programs, support structures, workplace adjustment
schemes.
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The
Purpose Of Disclosing
The main purpose of
disclosure at the point of developing a career plan and job seeking is
to:
- obtain information
about career options, skill requirements and career registration requirements
to determine whether the job-seeker can meet the job specifications of
prospective positions of employment
- assist in identifying
possible work related adjustments that may be required in positions
of employment
- establish external
support structures to be put in place when a position of employment
is made available
- develop mentoring
and peer support structures with employees and employers with disabilities
- access disability
specific recruitment and employment schemes
- discuss a particular
position of employment with a prospective employer to obtain information
about the requirements, organisational structure, and/or support services.
Disclosure is most
effective when people are clear about the purpose and the desired outcomes
of disclosing. This ensures that disclosure occurs with the right person,
in a timely and appropriate manner and with a clear goal in mind.
"Effective
disclosure begins when individuals are knowledgeable about their disability
and are able to articulate both their disability-related needs and their
(skills)" (1)
Job-Seekers:
Rights And Responsibilities In Disclosing Whilst Developing A Career Plan
And While Looking For Work
Job-seekers have
a right to:
- have information
about their disability treated confidentially and respectfully
- seek information
from organisations about equity policies, practices and strategies from
potential employers prior to applying for positions of employment. These
policies and practices may be available from public organisations and
larger private organisations
- choose to disclose
their disability prior to applying for positions of employment to discuss
specific requirements in relation to their disability or to discuss
the inherent requirements of the position and how they will manage them
effectively.
Responsibilities:
- job-seekers need
to be aware that disclosing prior to applying for a position does not
remove their responsibility in disclosing their disability once in the
position of employment IF they wish to implement work related
adjustments
- job-seekers with
a disability need to address the essential requirements of an advertised
position, regardless of the fact that preliminary discussions had occurred
with the prospective employer.
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Other
Parties: Role And Responsibilities When Job-seekers Disclose Their Disability
Whilst Developing A Career Plan And While Looking For Work
Roles:
- for support services,
as identified by the job-seeker with a disability, to meet and discuss
with them the identified issues and inform them about available support
structures, strategies and services
- for support services
to inform the job-seeker about legislative rights and the different points
of disclosure in the employment environment
- where appropriate,
the identified support service may start to develop a 'Plan of Action'
with the job-seeker to develop strategies to meet the identified employment
goals
- prospective employers
and/or recruitment organisations that choose to meet with the job-seeker,
are required to provide information, advice and guidance about employment
opportunities in an objective, non-discriminatory manner.
Responsibilities:
- to keep all Information
confidential, unless the job-seeker has provided written consent to
have information disclosed to other parties such as human resources,
recruitment organisations, other support services or other employment
contacts
- to be non intrusive
and respectful of the job-seeker's right to privacy
- if a prospective
employer chooses to meet with a job-seeker prior to them applying for
a position of employment, it is the responsibility of the employer to
objectively provide information in a non-discriminatory manner. If the
job-seeker then applies for the position, it is the employers' responsibility
to objectively assess their application, as with any applicant, to determine
whether they have met the criteria for the position to warrant an interview.
It is important to
know that it is against Federal and State laws to discriminate against
someone on the basis of their disability. The Federal Disability Discrimination
Act (DDA) 1992 protects people with disabilities from discriminatory treatment
in a range of areas including employment.
An employer's (or
prospective employer's) main obligations under both the Acts are
- not to discriminate
directly by less favourable treatment
- not to discriminate
indirectly by treatment which is less favourable in its impact
- to make reasonable
adjustments where required
- to avoid and prevent
harassment.
For further information
refer to:
Footnotes
(1) Scholl & Mooney,
Undated Draft Document, Disclosure in work based learning programs http://www.cew.wisc.edu/ya/pdffiles/brief3.pdf
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