How to find a job when you have an Intellectual Disability

Would you love to find a job, but feel a little scared at the thought?

Wanna know a secret?

Everyone feels like that. (Shhh!)

And when we say everyone, we mean it.

Those living with an intellectual disability and those who aren’t.

We all get nervous.

Looking for work, fronting up to job interviews and meeting new people can make your tummy flutter like crazy.

It’s totally normal!

Here’s the thing, though; there are so many great reasons to get a job.

Read our blog called “4 Reasons to get a Job if you’re living with an intellectual diasbility”

AND there are lots of jobs for people with an intellectual disability waiting for fantastic people …just like you.

A wise man called Zig Ziglar said this:

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

Of course, you can apply that to any part of your life.

But, it’s especially relevant when you’re hunting for work.

So, let’s get started – together!

We’re sharing our Top 3 tips on finding a job.

Tip 1

Know what you’re looking for

You are a unique person. So the job you’re best suited to probably won’t be the same as your Mum, friend or neighbour (though it might be – and that’s great, too!).

Before you kick off your job search, sit down (either by yourself or with someone you trust) and think about:

• Your strengths (what you’re good at)
• Your skills (what you know how to do do)
• Your interests (what you like doing)
• Your challenges (what you find hard)
• The environment you’d like to work in (indoors, outdoors, quiet, noisy..?)

Once you have a better idea of what you want, you can narrow down your search.
It might seem like a tricky task. But it’s worth it.
You’ll get a much bigger buzz from work if you enjoy what you’re doing

Tip 2

Know where to look

Firstly, never be afraid to ask for help!

There are lots of tools (or supports) to help along the way.

Tap into one or some of the following.

The Internet

You can find anything and everything on the Internet!

Scour job sites for opportunities, research companies you like the look of and sign up to any newsletters that look helpful.

Or, take the plunge and become a Me Plus More member.

There’s a whole raft of learning streams on the website. These cover topics like hygiene, time management and Internet safety.

The more information, the better!

Friends and family

A job might be closer than you think.

Ok, maybe none of your friends or family can give you the job of your dreams, but they might know someone who can.

It’s certainly always worth asking!

And you know what you often find? People are only too happy to share their thoughts, offer advice and put you in touch with others who can help.

Yes, it’s scary to put yourself out there. But, it can really jump start your job journey.

Your Disability Employment Services (DES)

If you sign up to DES, you’ll meet with an employment consultant. That is, someone who has experience in helping people prepare for, find and keep jobs.

You’ll spend time together so they can discover:

• Who you are
• How you live life with a disability
• What you want in a job

They’ll also give you tip top advice on:

• Your career (the path you might want to take and how you can get there)
• Writing your resume (so employers know what you can do and where you’ve worked before)
• Preparing for interviews (surefire ways to ensure you make a fabulous first impression)
• Training to step up your skills
• Hooking you up with job opportunities (that suit you!)
• How to keep a job you love

Tip 3

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!

Once you’ve found a job that suits you – and applied for it – you may be asked to attend an interview.

First things first: don’t panic. 

An interview is simply a chance for someone from the organisation to meet you. They want to see if you’re right for the job and whether you’ll be happy there.

Importantly, though, it’s an opportunity for you to ask questions and decide if you even want to work there.

You can ask the person interviewing you questions about the role, what your tasks will be and where you’ll be working (and any others you have!).

In turn, they will want to know:

• How you’ll add value to the company
• Your strengths
• Any obstacles you might see for yourself

That’ll be a breeze for you, though.

You’ll have already thought about all of these things before even applying for the job!

Even so, track down your trusted person again. Spend some time:

• Thinking about how you’ll answer interview questions
• Practicing being in a job interview (the other person can pretend to be the interviewer)
• Researching the company, so you can talk confidently about what they do (that will also give you a chance to think of some questions you’d like to ask)

There’s a job out there for you!

Living with an intellectual disability doesn’t change how you apply for jobs.

And nor should it. Because you have lots to offer a company! And so many places are keen to hire people with a disability. 

If you want a little extra help along the way, sign up below for the Me Plus More newsletter.

It’s heaving with handy hints all about finding and keeping jobs… and having fun along the way.