In my role, I talk to many job seekers with disabilities interested in federal employment. After supporting federal recruitment strategies for agencies looking to tap into the labor pool of people with disabilities, I have determined that the following steps make a difference in advancing from applicant to offer. Step 1: Build a Resume that
The question of when and how a person with a disability should request accommodations is often debated, with advice ranging from not doing so at all, to communicating everything before an interview is requested. For a recent college graduate entering the professional workforce for the first time, navigating this process is often tricky and different
For over 20 years, I have been working with employers to connect them to talent in the disability community. Each time I speak with a new company, department or team at a customer site about hiring people with disabilities, I ask the question, ‘Why?’ Why do you think that unemployment for people with disabilities is
When I was asked to share a message through Joyce’s blog about living with a learning disability, I spent a long time just thinking about what message I wanted to share with others living with learning disabilities. In the end, the message was simple, and I think I always knew what it would be, I
One of the most common questions I receive from employers is how to successfully interview and hire candidates with autism. More and more, employers are understanding the need to be inclusive of the talents of people who are neurodiverse. The stumbling block is that, when employers use traditional interview techniques to identify candidates that best
This week, I am sharing a blog segment from one of my very favorite people, Lisa Krause. Lisa is an IT manager at Highmark Health Solutions and an ambassador for the Careers2B program. The Careers2B program addresses the systemic lack of work experience barrier to competitive employment for people with disabilities. The program allows participants
As we enter the second quarter of 2019, we are seeing more companies talking about disability inclusion and engagement than ever before. Whether its conversations about strategic planning, hiring and retention, or setting up demos for our iDisabilityTM product, it is easy to see that disability is a hot topic for businesses across the United
I have a special admiration for Harriet Tubman, known as the “Moses of her people,” for her work as the “conductor” of the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. She was born into a family of slaves and at the age of five was sent to do domestic work for various households. Many people do
As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month at Bender Consulting Services, I wanted to share the following powerful message delivered by Sarah Blahovec upon acceptance of the 2019 AAPD Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award for her work toward establishing the first campaign training curriculum for people with disabilities who want to run for
It was only a few days after an accident in 1980 that caused my spinal cord injury when I noticed there were only two women on the spinal cord injury unit at Boston University Hospital. I was one of the two. When I mentioned it to my nurse, she said that men are more likely