Monday, November 14, 2011

Should You Disclose Disability On Resume Or To the Employer

should you disclose disability
Should you disclose your disability on resume or to the employer?

Many times the question arises in the minds of the disabled job seekers whether to disclose their disability or not when they apply for any job position. Disclosing the disability in the job application is the hotly debated topic among professionals and disability services. As per the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), the job seekers with disabilities are not forced to disclose their disability as it can directly question on their performance in the job.The disabilities can also lead to job gaps in your career and so you should know the means to handle them .

When can you talk about your disability?

If you have certain disability, see whether you can work efficiently and perform the necessary functions for the position you are applying for. See if you need any adjustments to work comfortably. Keep in mind that adjustments do not mean in any case for lack of knowledge or skills. You will be hired only if you are appropriate for the position. If your disability is such that it can affect your efficiency at job, you will certainly not be hired for the position.
You can disclose the details of your disability to the employer when you know that it cannot  stop you from performing essential functions of the work.

Disclosing your Disability:

Disclosing your disability can sometimes benefit you while it can sometimes force employer to think of your work efficiency and reject your application. Disclosing these details can be disheartening. Some recruiters may reject you just because of the set notions about the disabled people. On contrary, disclosing the details of your disability can secure you under the discrimination of Americans Disability Act. It can allow you to speak openly with the employer regarding the accommodations and adjustments.
It is a very sensitive issue to handle in your resume. Hence, it is important to follow proper tips and consider various things before you list your disability on CV.

When you wish to list it on your CV, make sure about
  • How clearly you can discuss it with the employer?
  • What will be the effect of your disability on your work?
  • Whether it will affect your performance?
  • What is employer’s attitude towards disabled?
  • Your own comfort and trust levels
  • Accommodation, if required
Consider all these things before you disclose the disability to the employer.

How to disclose your disability?

When you are applying for any job position, the disability disclosure letter should accompany your resume when you send the application. This should include the details as follows:
  • Basic information about the disability
  • Positive and negative effects of disability on the work performance
  • Type of accommodations availed in the past
  • Expected accommodations
Disclosing your disability to the employer is your personal choice. No one is going to force you for it. If you think that your disability cannot affect your performance in job, but mentioning it in the application makes it harder for you to get the interview call, you can surely avoid disclosing it. It is also not a good idea to hide it completely from the employer. Instead, you can discuss about it with the employer during the face to face personal interview, where you can also convince them that this disability will not affect your efficiency. You can take a glance at  open office resume template .

1 comment:

  1. Yes one should not disclose his disability on resume or during the interview

    Resume Examples

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