My tips for disabled people looking for work

My job hunting experience

The experience I have had of job hunting is I went on Indeed and had a look for lunch time organising jobs in Manchester. I found two I was interested in and applied for both. I was successful with the application and got offered two interviews.

The first interview, I did it, but unfortunately, I was not successful. The interview only lasted five minutes, and it seemed they had already made their minds up about who was getting the job. It wasn’t me, but I didn’t let that put me off applying for another job. I was successful in the second interview, and they offered me a job. I was thrilled to bits as it’s hard for people with a disability to gain employment. 

Why I found working with children rewarding

I also had an interest in working with special needs children. One of my friends was looking after a boy with additional needs but needed someone else to do it, so she asked me if I wanted to work with him, and I said yes.

Someone else I knew was also looking for someone to help look after their little girl with additional needs. I said I would be interested in it so I started looking after her. 

I really enjoyed looking after the two children with complex additional needs and found it very rewarding. The children also really enjoyed me interacting with them, playing with them, and singing songs. 

My current job

What has led to my current role at Venture Arts is I have known them for a long time as I used to be a participant there and do the classes. As well as doing the classes, I also taught art to young people in school, volunteered at Manchester Museum and helped with events like Hulme Where the Arts is. Through doing this, the staff at Venture Arts released my potential. Doing the volunteering really boosted my confidence. 

Venture Arts recognised I had excellent skills, so Amanda (director) asked me if I would be interested in applying for the job of a public engagement assistant. I said I would be really pleased to have the opportunity to do this. I love my job as a public engagement assistant and build good relationships with the staff and participants there.

My five key tips for people with a disability looking for work

• Make sure you read through the job description to check your suitability and the person specification to see if you have the right skills for the advertised job. 
• Do some interview preparation, so you know what to expect when you go to your interview. See if you can identify anyone who can support you with this. 
• If you’re on employment support allowance, check how many hours you can work without affecting your benefits. 
• Get your interview outfit ready the night before. Make sure you know where you’re going and how you will get there.
• Believe in yourself that you can do it, and don’t let your disability stop you. Everyone with a disability has great strengths and can offer something valuable in the workplace.

I hope these tips are helpful when you apply for a job and hope you get the job you want and don’t give up and keep on trying.

Getting paid experience is helpful because it lets employers know that you’re a reliable and a hard worker.