Finding an Accessible Workplace: What to Ask
If you’re a person with a disability, you probably know what to look for in terms of what supports you need, what culture you thrive best in, and your own health boundaries. That said, the job market is tough. It’s easy to forgo what you need for the sake of a paycheck.
Here are some tips on how to ensure that you are getting the most out of your networking while also respecting your health and/or disability needs.
1. Verify the company’s culture with current staff members
With respect, company websites are marketing tools. Their job is to show you the best side of the business: the accomplishments, the strong leadership, the wins. No company is perfect, and their website will not tell you that. It is a business point of view.
The way around this is to ask their staff members. Each staff member will also have a skewed point of view. They may love it, hate it, or love and hate it. But they will give you a more realistic viewpoint than any website—Glassdoor, Reddit, and Indeed included. And sometimes, staff members give you even better ideas on how to be considered while still meeting your needs.
2. Ask questions beyond “How do I get the job?”
When networking, it’s easy to think of the golden question: How can you refer me for this role? But when it comes to your own health needs, perhaps a more valid question is: Tell me about the company’s culture. Or even more telling: How do they view breaks during the day? The staff member’s answer says a lot about accessibility.
A couple of other questions that can help you understand: Tell me about a typical day? What are the pros about your company and what do you feel could be developed? If the staff member mentions company or team struggles with communication, you may want to take note.
3. Interviews are not one-sided
Traditionally, we believe that only the candidate must make an impression during an interview. The truth is, it’s both ways. Just as a company interviews you, you interview them.
Here’s an example from my personal experience. I was interviewing for a career coach position, one who supports and inspires. A company asked me, “How do you view competition?” I answered, “I don’t like it; I do better when I’m supporting teammates, and we are winning together.” The slight scowl on the interviewer’s face told me everything I needed to know.
When you are closing an interview, feel free to gather more information: What are the expectations for the first 90 days in this position? The goal of this question is not to turn yourself into the perfect hire, but to give you a way to assess how your needs fit into the company’s environment. How can you meet both your needs and the company’s goals? Take time to mull it over. Once you start the position, you can come up with an awareness plan for your first 90 days with your manager.
4. Research the companies you admire, not only the ones with openings
This may seem counterintuitive, but it is also important to research what environments you like, not only the ones that have openings. From personal experience, I have worked at some great companies and not-so-great companies. It was only after I chatted with a company with great values up close that I could turn down another environment that wasn’t right for me.
Also, chatting with great companies gives you perspective on what is possible.
5. Be resilient with rejection
Ideally, you would present your needs to Human Resources or your manager after you’ve started. With some disabilities, though, that isn’t always possible. I use a wheelchair, so no matter where I apply, I need an accessible commute, a working elevator, and dare I mention it, an accessible restroom.
Know what is essential to you and hold firm on those things. I’ve had companies chase me because of my credentials, then suddenly ghost me once they learned that an elevator and an accessible restroom stall were non-negotiable. (I live in New York City.) For me, if a company can’t handle that, that’s okay! It isn’t the company for me.
On the flip side, I’ve also had companies write a job description around my qualifications, offer me part-time first with the possibility of full-time later, and tell me, “We really like your energy.” If a company wants you, they will find a way.
You are more valuable than what you can or cannot do. When you’re networking or interviewing, let people see what makes you valuable. There will be rejection, and yes, you may have to negotiate some of your needs. But ultimately, you will find the right situation and the right company.
Check out more Top Articles on HERC Jobs.
About the Author: Ellen Chang is an experienced career coach with over 8 years of empowering and supporting diverse talent in the edtech industry. With a strong foundation in coaching and recruiting, she has supported aspiring professionals in software engineering, UX/UI design, AI, cybersecurity, and data science at bootcamps like Flatiron School, App Academy, and TripleTen. She has also recruited for Google’s Early Career Department through Randstad Sourceright. She currently works in BMCC’s Office of Accessibility as a CTE Learning Specialist. In her free time, she enjoys meditation, art, and all things Broadway.
