Career Resources for Individuals with Disabilities

The internship and job search process can be overwhelming for students. The Career Center at Purdue University Northwest supports students with disabilities throughout their career exploration and planning process.

Students with a documented disability should be sure to familiarize themselves with etiquette regarding disclosure, familiarizing themselves with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and their rights under the ADA, as well as when seeking employment.

Disclosure

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) states that disclosing your disability during the interview process is up to you.There is no right place or time to do so, however, be sure you do it in a confidential setting and that you allow time for the employer to ask questions.

ODEP also suggests that you weigh the pros and cons of disclosure at each point of the job search/hiring process.Only disclose your disability on a “need-to-know” basis, and discuss how it applies to any work-related accommodations you may need.

For more information on disclosure, please see the following link to the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s article on disclosure.

Your Rights

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals with a disability who want to work and who are qualified to work must have an equal opportunity to work. For more information on your rights, protection, and additional content, please see the linked Guide for People with Disabilities Seeking Employment as written by the Social Security Administration, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.

Resources

Job & Internship Resources

• Handshake: Open to all students & alumni of Purdue University Northwest, Handshake is the campus job & internship posting system.
• Eskenazi Health’s Fehribach Center: The Gregory S. Fehribach Center empowers Indiana college students with physical disabilities to find gainful, sustainable and equitable employment by engaging qualified students in comprehensive and diverse internship opportunities that build skills, confidence and work history to maximize competitiveness in the workforce.
• Autism2Work: Brings individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder into the workforce.
• Summer Internship for Students with Physical Disabilities.
• Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP): The WRP is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private sector employers nationwide with college students and recent graduates with disabilities with job and internship opportunities. The program registration begins in August of each year and ends around November.
• American Association for the Advancement of Science Entry Point: Entry Point identifies and recruits students with apparent and non-apparent disabilities studying in science, engineering, mathematics, computer science, and some fields of business for internship and co-op opportunities.
• Bender Consulting: This organization is a recruitment service that assists individuals with disabilities in obtaining positions within the private and public sectors. They host 2 online career fairs a year- one in the fall and one in the spring.
• American Foundation for the Blind: A listing of jobs nationwide, by category. The AFB CareerConnect site links job seekers to career exploration and planning resources as well as to a network of blind and visually impaired people who offer first-hand information and advice about job experience and the assistive technology they use to other blind or visually impaired individuals, rehabilitation professionals, teachers and parents.
• HireDeaf.com: A job search engine, free for its users, that also includes an option to post a résumé.
• Deaftek USA: A job board that focuses on employment opportunities for individuals with hearing impairments, as well as those who serve the population.

Additional Resources

• Learning Disabilities Association of America: Provides resources, both career and non-career related, for individuals with learning disabilities, including tips on how you can make your disability work with you, and not work against you, on the job.
• Employment & Other Options- Autism: An article for individuals with any form of Autism Spectrum Disorder (or for family members of someone with the diagnosis) on preparing for employment by Autism Speaks.
• Job Accommodation Network: International toll-free consulting service that provides information about job accommodations, the employability of people with disabilities, and other information regarding the ADA.
• Careers & the Disabled Online: Created by Equal Opportunity Publications, this is an online resource that contains articles, their own career center resources, and information on career expos.
• Department of Labor Disability Resources: The U.S. government has compiled information about your employment rights, job banks and resume-building sites, and work incentives for Social Security recipients.