I know that speaking to anyone you don't know can seem daunting but it's great that you're thinking about talking to employers and how to approach these conversations.

There are disability inclusive employers who want to connect with talented and ambitious students and it's important to feel confident in advocating for yourself and honing your public speaking and networking skills which are key employability skills employers seek out.

Confidence in what to say, understanding your rights and what kinds of adjustments to ask for will help you start the conversation from a level playing field. Try and draw a line in the sand on any past negative experiences and look forward. There are so many more opportunities open to you and there are inclusive employers who want you to have a great candidate experience.

So how do you become more confident in talking to employers? Here are 5 key steps:

1.     First find Disability Inclusive employers!

This is really foundational - check out employer websites, are people with disability represented in case studies? Do they have a disability or inclusivity statement on their website?   Do they have a staff Disability Network or Disability Officer whom you can ask questions to re their disability recruitment and support?  

2.     Seek out allies and get those burning questions answered!

Reach out for informational interviews.  Research LinkedIn and your network to find industry professionals with a disability in roles and organisations you want to target and ask them how they navigated their career journey, what kind of onboarding and support was available to them - they could become a mentor for you.

3.     Where to find opportunities to speak to employers

Use any opportunity to get in front of an employer- including virtual events.

Find out what disability related career events your uni is running, check out professional associations for events, resources and contacts, and find out which employers run insight days specifically for student with disabilities- your Career Service and Disability Service can help!

4.     What should I be saying?

If you are applying for roles: Put together an Openness Statement which is a concise and simple statement clarifying the adjustment, you need for the recruitment or interview process.

If Networking, attending careers fairs or career events or even prepping for an interview: Develop an elevator pitch- Who you are, what you study and your career plans as well as why you're motivated to see your future with that organisation or in that sector. Focus on your strengths, what you can do, including those strengths and transferable skills you've developed managing your disability- employers want problem solvers and having to manage the social model of disability every day means you're an excellent problem solver!

5.     How do I prepare?

Practice, practice and practice what you want to say about yourself until you're comfortable, and it feels authentic. Edit it according to the audience and context. Remember, you choose whether and what to share re your disability.

Advocating for yourself is a key part of your career development.  Preparing well will give you confidence in asking for adjustments you need, and communicating who you are professionally and academically showing why you're a great candidate.

Remember, the more you speak to employers, the more comfortable you'll get. It doesn't have to be perfect, it will get better every time you deliver it!

Suggested Resources

Online Disability support MyPlus Students' Club - for disability inclusive employer reviews and events and job postings.
Article A guide to writing your elevator pitch

Inclusive recruiters and employers:

• Clu
• Auticon
• GOV.UK Disability Confident Scheme
• Business Disability Forum
• The Valuable 500
• Evenbreak

By Anna Gordon - Certified Business Coaching Psychologist ABP CBCP