Is it a good idea to disclose my disability or specific learning difficulty on job application forms?
Many students ask us this question. Legally, employers cannot discriminate against disabled people and it is advisable to let employers know if you have a disability that may affect your performance at an interview; for example, if you are visually impaired they will need to send the directions for the interview electronically or in large print. Keep in mind that a potential employer may be worried about how to support a member of staff with a disability, so they’ll be looking to you for advice. If you have an existing strategy which works – e.g. if you need to use specialist software to hear text read aloud, let them know. You are then providing them with a ready-made solution. Completing a degree course with a disability will tell a future employer that you have worked hard and shown creativity and initiative by working around obstacles.
