Finding Candidates

Connecting to the talent pool

Connecting with talented and qualified candidates with disabilities is easier than you may think!

There are a number of ways companies like yours can identify and recruit talented candidates with disabilities.

• Identify and collaborate with employment service organizations that assist people with disabilities to advance their careers. Some of these organizations include the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission and the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
• Consider training and recruitment services at One-Stop Career Centers. These centers are open to serving all job seekers in Massachusetts and offer a range of services.
• Work with local staffing agencies to identify candidates with disabilities.
• Be sure that your company website is accessible, especially if it has an online application feature. To learn if your site is accessible, click here.
• Advertise job openings in disability-specific publications and websites.
• Make certain that any recruitment literature highlights your company’s commitment to hiring people of all abilities, including candidates with disabilities.
• Design your marketing materials to reflect the diversity of your workforce — and in particular, for people with disabilities. Make materials available in alternative formats such as large print, audio and Braille.
• Develop job descriptions that focus on the core duties and essential functions of a job rather than how it is to be achieved.
• Provide hiring managers with access to information and resources about developing inclusive, non-discriminatory position descriptions.
• Contact other businesses that have successfully employed people with disabilities. You can view a list of these companies by clicking here.

Design your marketing materials to reflect the diversity of your workforce — and in particular, for people with disabilities. Make materials available in alternative formats such as large print, audio and Braille.

Next Steps

• Get involved with the Business Leadership Network (BLN), the only national business-to-business organization that recognizes and promotes best practices in hiring, retaining, and marketing to people with disabilities.
• Reach out to community organizations to join their Business Advisory Council (BAC). To identify local existing BACs, contact state vocational and community rehabilitation programs in your area.
• Identify and use existing resources within your company and recognize qualified candidates with disabilities for promotion and career advancement.
• Establish mentoring activities and internships that target youth and college students with disabilities. Doing so will help cultivate talent for your company now and in the future.

Resources

The Office of Disability Employment Policy at the U.S. Department of Labor has links with more information about recruiting people with disabilities.

National Youth Leadership Network
NYLN’s large listserv of young people with disabilities can be a ready distribution mechanism for your job announcements.

The Employer Assistance & Recruiting Network
EARN is a one-stop resource for disability employment information, including recruitment and management tools to help you find the right person for the right job.

ABILITYjobs.com
Companies can post jobs, access candidates and learn more about opportunities to diversify their workforce.

National Business & Disability Council
A leading national corporate resource for hiring, working with, and marketing to people with disabilities.

DisabilityInfo.gov
A website that provides information on employment rights, laws and regulations. Also a resource for employment programs and job accommodations for people with disabilities.

Tips for Designing Accessible Web Pages from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN)