Overview

In an effort to understand the low employment rate of students with

disabilities while they are in college, Disability Resources conducted one-onone interviews between graduate students and students with disabilities. A
total of 7 students were interviewed. Six students had never been employed,
and one student had been employed several times and spoke about his
experiences. We did not control for the type of disability, age, or academic
year. Below are summaries of the questions we asked the students.
Why have you not sought employment?
The reasons for students not seeking employment varied. One student said
their disability made them nervous, and another student said they didnt look
because they didnt have to. Two students said the thought just never
crossed their mind. Another student had been actively seeking employment
for four years and had only received one interview.
With the variation of reasons for not seeking employment, no overarching
theme was present. Other factors to consider on this topic are the influence
their friends and family make on their attitudes toward employment, their
concerns about their disabilities, and how prepared they feel as a result of
their postsecondary education.
Conversations with friends/family/professors
There was a split between students when it came to parental support in the
job search. Three students reported being encouraged by family, where as
the other three students reported their families encouraging them to put
their academics first. When there were interactions with friends, more than
half of the students interviewed being encouraged to seek employment.
Students rarely had conversations about employment with professors unless
conversations referred to internships that were a mandatory part of their
curriculum.
Disability Related Concerns
Three of the students only referenced reasons specific to their disability (not
being able to lift boxes, vision loss, fatigue), but did not speak about
conversations with their employer about their disability. The other three
students said they werent sure how to go about having conversations with
employers about their accommodation needs or how to express they have a
disability. This was present in conversations with students who had both
visible and hidden disabilities. Transportation was also an issue that came up
multiple times.

Understanding of skills necessary for employment

Every student had an answer for what skills are necessary. Some students
listed basic skills such as proper dress, effective communication and
understanding of the position and company. Others listed skills that were a
little more in depth. Those included knowing what job is going to make you
happy, having prior experience, being personable, and being able to cater
their skills to specific jobs.
Additional Help
Every student said they would like to see more resume workshops and mock
interviews for students who are going through the interview process for the
first time. Each student said they would like the workshops to be specifically
for students with disabilities. They wanted more information on how to dress,
how to prepare, and how to have conversations with employers about their
disability. One student mentioned wanting to see someone in career services
that help with the career search.
How will you prepare for your first job?
We asked students how they have been preparing for a job while they have
been earning their postsecondary degree. Answers varied between actively
searching for work and not concerning themselves with preparing for
employment. The students who had previous internship experience because
it was a requirement for graduation were able to use that experience toward
skill building for future careers.
What has been the most important help you have received?
Students were pleased with their experiences with Disability Resources.
Overall, students who felt they were supported felt that they were receiving
the most help. Only one student said they did not receive any help, but they
placed responsibility on themselves. Students who had attended workshops
in the past said they were helpful, but suggested they partner with Disability
Resources to provide help on topics the typical student wouldnt need.
Overview of interview with student who had been employed
previously:
- Held five jobs Moved to Michigan for one
- Family was supportive of his independence until they saw how difficult
it was for him to find employment
- Found Jobs through Arc of the mid-south, online, through a friend
- Eventually stopped putting wheelchair bound on applications
- Suggests we reach out to families to educate them on what it means to
look for a job with a disability

Found that not every employer is willing to accommodate as much as

he needed
Companies that try to find jobs with people who have disabilities only
find them menial work dont find jobs that play to their strengths.
University outreach to those companies would be beneficial
Completely wipe out of your mind that you have a disability before
going into an interview, your disability doesnt disqualify you for a job
SSI people on SSI are below the poverty level. Use it while you have
it, but dont rely on it
Has lost job because of the transportation system

Over-all analysis
Responses varied across each student. Factors that could use more
consideration in the future include:
- Type of disability visible and hidden disabilities brought different
concerns when applying for jobs
- Intended career I found that it depended on what the student was
studying. Some curriculums demand an internship, other curriculums pay
less attention to what experiences the students are getting outside the
classroom
- SSI it played a factor in about half the interviews, but more direct
questioning may be needed to understand the role SSI plays in their
decisions
- Family impact differed for each student, but did not seem to be the
deciding factor for most students
- It felt as though this may have been the first time students had been
asked specific questions regarding their employment. This could play a
large role in their level of preparedness for employment. Having these
conversations earlier may have gotten them to make more of an effort.
- Transportation did not come up as often as we would have guessed. This
may be because students did not see its relation to employment. Maybe
more direct questions about transportation would be helpful in the future.
- Almost every student said workshops designed specifically for students
with disabilities would be beneficial
Suggestions for future research
Focus groups may have allowed students to feed more off of each other. If
one student had mentioned their trouble with transportation, we might have
seen more students agree. Also being in an atmosphere with other students
who have the same difficulties with employment would have made them feel
more comfortable and would have offered that level of support the students
were seeking. It may also be beneficial to do a comparison study between
students who have been successfully employed and students who have not.
Controlling for type of disability or level of how intrusive the disability may be

during a job would help categorize answers so you are comparing feedback
on an equal playing ground.