Guides: Employment

Select from the following quick links:

New Horizons Un-Limited Publications

Prepare for Employment
© Copyright New Horizons Un-Limited Inc

This guide is written by New Horizons Un-Limited to assist individuals on how to and options for preparing to work. What can and should you do to prepare for employment? Learn about employment programs, job training, resume development, interviewing and more. Here is a guide on How to Use Your "Ticket to Work," Check Out Social Security Work Incentives, Learn How Working will Affect Your Disability Benefits, Contact Your Local Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Improve Your Computer Skills, Gain Experience Through Volunteer Work, Create/Update Your Resume and Prepare for the Interview.

The Key to Landing and Keeping a Job for Individuals with Disabilities: Soft Skills: Communication
© Copyright New Horizons Un-Limited Inc

While hard skills, which are presented on your resume, will land you an interview, it is often the soft skills that could be a deciding factor between two candidates with similar education and backgrounds. The ability to communicate effectively is always at the top of employers� lists. It involves much more than just speaking however. Communication involves both verbal and nonverbal cues.

The Key to Landing and Keeping a Job for Individuals with Disabilities: Soft Skills: Emotional Maturity
© Copyright New Horizons Un-Limited Inc

While hard skills, which are presented on your resume, will land you an interview, it is often the soft skills that could be a deciding factor between two candidates with similar education and backgrounds. Soft skills include such skills as communication, conflict resolution, problem solving, teamwork, etc. Taken as a whole, your set of soft skills will speak to your Emotional Maturity, more commonly referred to as Emotional Intelligence (EI); they will create an overall impression of who you are and how you handle yourself and others.

Part I: Telecommuting, an Option to Traditional Employment for the Disabled
October 31, 2000

This guide is written by New Horizons Un-Limited to assist individuals toward working from home. Today, many individuals with disabilities are faced with the dilemma of finding employment. With the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, individuals with disabilities were granted their right of equal employment. This alone has not ended the struggle of the disabled to locate, obtain and sustain employment opportunities. There are limited resources for individuals with disabilities to locate positions that are parallel to their needs and skills. In the following editorial, we will discuss the first part of a program that serves as an alternative to the traditional employment of individuals with disabilities, telecommuting.

Part II: Telecommuting, Establishing the Process
January 31, 2001

This guide is written by New Horizons Un-Limited to assist individuals toward working from home. The purpose of this guide is to give individuals and organizations the tools to implement a program and establish the process of telecommuting in your organization. In this editorial, we will describe the steps establishing the process, including an overview of the content that should be contained in a telecommuting program proposal, the method for deciding who should telecommute and what tasks they will complete, and a discussion on the agreement between the employee and employer before actual telecommuting begins. All of the steps described will give an individual and an organization the tools to begin telecommuting.

Links to Publications by Others

Employment Guides for Employers

Employer Resource Kit from The ABLE Trust

ABLE Trust Internship Seminar Initiative offers a free Employer Resource Kit to provide employers with information about interviewing and hiring persons with disabilities, recruiting tips, tax incentives for business, workplace accommodations, and other valuable resources.


Disability Employment 101: Learn to Tap Your "HIRE" Potential

U.S. Department of Education, in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has released this guide to acquaint business leaders with programs and resources available to assist them in hiring people with disabilities. The guide includes information about how to find qualified workers with disabilities, how to put disability and employment research into practice and how to model what other businesses have done to successfully integrate individuals with disabilities into the workforce. The 56-page guide also provides information regarding department-funded vocational rehabilitation agencies, Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers, and Centers for Independent Living. It also includes checklists and various other resources to aid employers as they prepare to employ people with disabilities.

Questions and Answers about Deafness and Hearing Impairments in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has developed a new Fact Sheet that addresses employment rights of people with hearing loss. "One goal of this fact sheet is to counter the myth that individuals with some level of hearing loss are generally less competent, less productive, or would require more attention and supervision than their peers who do not have hearing loss," said EEOC Chair Cari Dominguez. This publication includes many real-life examples that illustrate the kinds of jobs that people with hearing loss successfully perform and the wide range of accommodations available.

Employment Guides for People with Disabilities

2009 Red Book: Summary Guide to Employment Supports

Social Security Administration offers a guide that is available to people with disabilities under the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Programs. This guide is also a great reference tool for educators, advocates, rehabilitation professionals, and counselors that work with individuals with disabilities. The guide outlines several SSA employment-related programs, gives general eligibility information, discusses employment support offered through several work incentives, and much more. This guide is free of charge and can be visited online at the link above.

Bullying and Disability Harassment in the Workplace: What Youth Should Know,

National Collaboartive on Workforce and Disability has an article: that outlines several issues related to bullying in the workplace. The article provides statistical information as well as what to look for and how disability harassment differs from being bullied.

Business Ideas for People with Disabilities

According to the United States Census Bureau, roughly 15 percent of people with disabilities have started their own businesses, and that number is growing. In fact, the percentage of disabled business owners overshadows the 10 percent of non-disabled business owners in the United States. Many people with disabilities are launching successful businesses from home, franchises, and even niche startups. With such a wide range of business opportunities open to people with disabilities, it can sometimes be difficult to decide which one is best. This guide offers resources for Starting a Business, Government Incentives, Business Ideas, Franchises, Financing, and Equipment.

Career Support Center Employment Workbook

Epilepsy Foundation has designed this guide as a workbook that can help you:

  • Decide what type of employment you're looking for
  • Identify the resources at your disposal
  • Organize yourself for the job hunt
  • Write a resume or fill out a job application
  • Perform well in an interview
  • Decide when (and if) to disclose your epilepsy
  • Follow up effectively after meeting with a potential employer

While a portion of this guide discusses employment as it relates to epilepsy, the majority of this guide is very useful to those without epilepsy. This guide can be downloaded free of charge in either Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format.

Common Job Interview Questions and Best Answers (20 Examples)

Best answers to frequently asked interview questions. Prepare before an interview for a dream job! See proven tips to deal with +10 of the most common questions by Natalie Severt from uptowork.com

Employees' Practical Guide to Negotiating and Requesting Reasonable Accommodations

From the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), this article has many links to Resources on the ADA, Requesting an Accommodation and negotiating an accommodation. JAN is a free service of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. JAN consultants have been providing job accommodation information since 1983 when JAN was founded. In addition, JAN consultants have been providing information about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) since 1992 when the ADA went into effect. Over the years, JAN consultants have developed practical ideas to help employees understand the ADA and request and negotiate reasonable accommodations in the workplace. The Employees' Practical Guide to Requesting and Negotiating Reasonable Accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act is a summary of some of the most frequent issues that employees have regarding accommodations and the ADA and JAN's practical ideas for resolving them. As new information is available or new issues develop, the Guide will be updated to reflect the changes. If you have an issue that is not addressed in the Guide or if you want to discuss an issue in more detail, please contact JAN.

Employment: Parent Center Hub Guides

Parent Center Hub page on Employment guides The Parent Center Hub offers 2 pages of excellent information and specific resources that you may utilize in planning for the transition from school to employment, legislation and independent living for the teen.

Finding Employment

This guide is from the Epilepsy Foundation. There are certain things you can do to increase your chances of getting a job. If you are just entering the job market, decide what sort of job you want and take a long look at the qualifications you'll need to reach that goal. The better qualified you are, the better your chances of success. This guide offers advice on Seizure Control, Job Hunting Resources, permissable Medical Exams and Inquiries, and Your Rights.

How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Summary and Profile to Get More Jobs

A guide to optimizing the platform LinkedIn for your job search by Natalie Severt from zety.com with help from Linkedin. Is your LinkedIn profile optimized so that recruiters can easily find you? Follow our quick tips to maximize your chances of landing a job.

How to Make a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide (+30 Examples)

Learn how to write a resume that will land you any job you want. 95 out of 100 candidates make these mistakes. Are you one of them? This guide is by Natalie Severt from zety.com

How to Write a Cover Letter (Complete Guide with Examples)

A complete guide to writing a perfect cover letter that will help you get any job you want. Read more for tips and examples! This guide is by Natalie Severt from zety.com

Job Applicants and the Americans with Disabilities Act

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today released a new fact sheet designed to educate job applicants with disabilities on how Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects their rights throughout the hiring process. The fact sheet covers "reasonable accommodation" for applicants with disabilities who need assistance during the hiring process. It also explains the ADA's rules on when employers may seek medical information from applicants, among other topics.

Job Corps:Find a Center near you

Job Corps currently trains more than 100,000 students at 125 centers nationwide.

Learning a Living: A Guide to Planning Your Career and Finding a Job for People with Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Dyslexia by Dale S. Brown

This is a career guide that provides information on understanding the impact of learning problems, researching educational programs, developing mentoring relationhsips and more. For more information or to order your copy visit on Barnes and Noble.

Military to Civilian Resume: How to Use Your Military Experience

This complete guide will show how to translate your military experience into civilian, and write a perfect resume. Use the samples and tips. This guide is by Charley Mendoza on zety.com.

New Sign New Assistive Technologies Aid Employees with Disabilities

This guide, on the Midstate Independent Living Choices website By Dave Zielinski Dec 20, 2016 Click here for link to the www.shrm.org article It�s a new world for employees with disabilities who require assistive technologies to function in the workplace. The arrival of powerful new apps for use on smartphones and tablets, as well as the continuing evolution of older technologies, is allowing workers with sensory or motor impairments to be more productive and efficient than ever.

No More Job Interviews! Self Employment Strategies for People with Disabilities by Alice Weiss Doyle

This book offers business planning advice for both future entrepreneurs and employment specialists. It discusses the roles of disabled entrepreneurs, necessary resources and training, as well as strategies for making the business a success. The book also contains four successful business plans put forth by individuals with disabilities. To purchase this book either visit the Training Resource Network, Inc. website or call (800) 280-7010.

New Sign Parent Tips for Transition Planning

Planning for your child�s transition from adolescence to adulthood is one of the most important things you can do to pave the way to a successful future. In Minnesota, transition planning and services required by the Individualized Education Program (IEP) begin when your child with a disability is in the ninth grade or before if needed. You and your son or daughter will start learning new skills side-by- side. As your youth begins to take on more responsibility, you will find new ways to provide support. Regardless of physical or cognitive ability, your youth can play an active role in the transition journey, and in determining his or her own life, if you provide encouragement and guidance along the way

U.S. Small Business Administration: Fund Your Business -- A great tool for planning on how much financing your business will take and the best ways to go about funding. Note the section on crowdfunding, because most people would never even consider this route.

A Veteran's Guide to Starting and Financing a Small Business Ready to start your business? Here are the best resources available for starting, running, and financing a veteran-owned business. A �how-to� guide for Vets on getting everything started in their entrepreneurial adventure. Reader-friendly than others you'll come across. It was independently written, so it did a great job at highlighting the best resources available and opportunities. This also has a helpful section on the most advantageous loans and grants available and how to seek them out and qualify.

Working While Disabled: A Guide To Plans For Achieving Self-Support

Social Security Administration (SSA) has prepared this guide for individuals who are receiving SSI or SSDI and are interested in returning to work. An SSA Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS) lets you use your income and/or other things you own to help you reach your work goals. For example, you could set aside money (without jeapordizing your benefits) to go to school, to get specialized training for a job or to start a business. To learn more about applying for a PASS and how it could benefit you, visit this helpful guide.

Working While Disabled: How We [Social Security Administration] Can Help

Via the pamphlet, the Social Security Administration, describes the various incentives and rules for going to work while receiving disability benefits. Contact information is also provided.

-