Disabilities During Job Interviews

by: Michael Neece, CEO, InterviewMastery.com

Today we're discussing the sensitive topic of disabilities when interviewing for a job.

Even though it is unlawful for any organization larger than 15 people to discriminate based on a disability, you and I both know that discrimination occurs every day. Since 1992, more than 272,000 complaints have been filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) (www.eeoc.gov) under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). That's about 20,000 cases per year. In 2008, discriminating organizations paid more than $57 million for violating this law.

In general, interviewers may not ask you directly about the "existence, nature, or severity of a disability." You are not required to disclose the presence of a disability, and organizations cannot ask you about it. For example, if you enter the interview room using a wheelchair, they cannot start asking you about it. What an interviewer can ask you is whether you can perform the required duties of a job with or without accommodations. Meaning, can you do this job?

Throughout this article, you'll hear me use the word "accommodation." When you use the word "accommodation" to reference job modifications you might need, you are informing your interviewer that you understand his/her point of view when hiring an individual with a disability. The key issue for employers is how reasonable are the accommodations they'll have to provide if they hire you.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is a United States government organization that oversees the compliance with federal employment laws. In 1990, the US Congress enacted the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) designed to protect the employment rights of disabled people. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to make reasonable accommodations in the workplace or implement procedures that provide disabled individuals with equal employment opportunities. To learn more, go to EEOC.GOV. From the EEOC web site, we find that, "reasonable accommodations" may include things such as:
- Making changes to facilities
- Restructuring the job; modifying work schedules
- Acquiring or modifying equipment, training materials, or policies

A common disability among office and production workers is "Carpel Tunnel Syndrome," a wrist condition that can lead to paralysis, numbness, or weakness of the hand. Repetitive movements such as computer keyboard work or repetitive manufacturing techniques can cause this type of disability. In these cases, it is common for companies to provide a special desk chair and computer pedestals or other special job aids and equipment to accommodate the professional needs of the person with the disability.

Now that we've talked about some background information, let's focus on how to handle a disability during an interview.

Visible Disability
Let's start by discussing handling a disability that is visible to interviewers. Whether or not you have a disability, interviewers can ask you the following question: "Can you perform the duties of this job with or without accommodations?" They are required by law to ask the same questions of every applicant. Even if they don't ask you, it's best to initiate the discussion when your disability is visible. You simply describe the disability and whether or not you'll need an accommodation to perform the job. When you are proactive in this manner, you are using a technique called "putting the elephant on the table." It means you are putting the issue on the table so people can discuss it honestly and directly. This direct approach avoids the problem of interviewers making assumptions about your ability to perform the job. Being direct also lets your interviewers know that you are an open communicator who is professional and confident.

Several years ago, a friend of mine who is a Vice President of Human Resources (VP of HR), told me about a Senior Product Manager whom his company was trying to recruit from their largest competitor, AT&T. The candidate had engineering and business degrees from prestigious universities and a successful 10-year track record. After two phone interviews, the hiring team wanted to meet the candidate face-to-face to complete the interview process and convince the candidate to join the company. While making travel arrangements, the candidate told the VP of HR that before they meet him, the interviewers should know that he is completely blind and has been blind since birth. The candidate went on to describe that he needed very few accommodations from the company. The only accommodation needed would be assistance when creating PowerPoint slides for his "sighted colleagues." By dealing with the disability topic directly, the candidate put everyone at ease and helped the interviewers realize what was essential to performing this job very well. Communicating directly also helps to prevent interviewers from making assumptions, feeling uncomfortable, or disqualifying a job candidate because the company lacks the experience of working with a person with a disability.

Invisible Disability
Let's now discuss handling a situation where the disability is not visible to the interviewer. If your disability does not require the company to change the job to accommodate for your disability, then you do not have to disclose the presence of the disability provided that you can perform the duties of the job without needing any changes to the position. However, if your disability requires a job accommodation, you should initiate a brief discussion about your disability and the type of accommodation you may need. Taking a proactive approach by initiating the discussion will reduce any fears or discomfort the interviewers might have about your ability to do the job.
For example, let's say you are diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and show no visible symptoms of this disability. In this case, the issue is whether or not you need any job accommodation. If you do not, there's no reason to mention it because it does not interfere with your ability to do a job.

If your disability does require a job accommodation, then you should mention it and describe the type of accommodation you will need to do the job well. You want to minimize the chance of interviewers making false assumptions about the disability and how it might interfere with your ability to do a great job.

Accommodation Needed
The bottom line is if your disability is visible or requires some job accommodation, mention it to the hiring manager. Succinctly describe the disability and the accommodation you will need to perform the job. Use an example from a previous job whenever possible to illustrate your point.

Accommodation Not Need
If you require no job accommodation, then describe the disability and say you require no accommodation to perform all the job duties. Whenever possible, use an example to make your point. Describe how you performed well in a previous position and offer to provide references or past performance reviews as evidence of your talents.

Ask a Question
Be succinct with your descriptions of your disability and the accommodation you may or may not need. After your description, ask the interviewer a question. Ask him/her questions to make sure you've communicated clearly. You might ask a question such as the following:
- Did I give you enough detail?
- Do you have any concerns about my ability to perform well on this job?

Asking a question after you provide some information is an effective way to facilitate an open conversation. The best interviews are conversations, and it is up to you to encourage a conversation by asking questions. You can learn more about this in the Interview Mastery modules titled, "Communications" and "Questions You Ask." Also, the "Downloads" section of Interview Mastery gives you a Podcast titled, "Conversational Interview or Interrogation" that you can download to your cell phone. This discussion will ensure you facilitate the best interview you've ever had.

Remember, the job interview is the most important moment in your job search. The career success you enjoy is directly related to your job interview skills. When you have interview skills, you control your career during the bad economic times as well as the good times.

Communicating directly about a disability and then moving the conversation back to your abilities and talents will help you secure a great job.

Good luck on your next interview. You're going to be AWESOME!

If there is an issue you are struggling with and would like me to create a Podcast to help you, just e-mail me at mneece@interviewmastery.com. And you can always find my contact information at InterviewMastery.com under Contact Us. There you will find my e-mail and phone along with links to my Blog, Twitter posts, and LinkedIn profile.

I'm Michael Neece. Thanks for joining me.