Over the last few years, companies have become more in tune with the fact that diversity in the workspace is important. And while most people think of race and gender when they hear “diversity,” people with disabilities are absolutely a part of workplace diversity.

“Companies are learning that embracing a broad definition of diversity is not just the right thing to do, but that there are real, tangible benefits that they can derive from working with and hiring people with disabilities,” says Jessica Norman, the vice president of employer partnerships at Inclusively, a new professional network launched to help people with disabilities find work. “Whether that’s increased productivity, higher retention rate or the ability to access untapped talent.”

According to an Accenture study on disability inclusion, companies that actively interact with the disability community see sales numbers grow 2.9 times faster than those who don’t.

So how do you find these employers? Well, there’s one that is easy to reach, and it’s the largest in the country: the U.S. Government. It has positions that are specifically earmarked for people with disabilities, and if you go on USAJOBS.gov right now, you can search for them easily. It is absolutely the first place you should look. Remember to utilize Schedule A Hiring Authority, which streamlines the hiring process for persons with disabilities.

As for finding jobs outside the government? Go where businesses are looking. Take Norman’s company Inclusively, for example. Launched September 2020, it strives to do more than just get companies to hire anyone with a disability. It wants to find the perfect fit between employer and employee with a disability — something that is hard to do on Indeed or LinkedIn.

“The personalization that has penetrated every other industry really hasn’t penetrated the recruitment and job matching space,” says Charlotte Dales, the cofounder and CEO of Inclusively. “With that lack of personalization, it means that people with disabilities can’t really rely on mainstream job platforms because they don’t have enough criteria to filter down efficiently on what opportunities would really be successful for them.”

With Inclusively, users have the ability to list all of the accommodations they need — both in an interview and if they were to get hired. Need specific technology or equipment? You can mark down what it is. Need a modified schedule or additional training? You can mark that down too. It’s all about transparency.

Being up front and transparent can help avoid the awkward situation many people with disabilities run into on their first face-to-face interviews. Mackenzie Clare, a paraplegic job seeker, sums up the problem: “I would get interviews over the phone and they would go great, and then I would go in and meet them in person and it was just a different experience,” Clare said. “It is incredibly discouraging when you go into an interview and you can kind of read their face and see that they are unsure and surprised and awkward.”

Inclusively’s approach removes that problem. Companies are literally paying Inclusively to find you. They have done the research and found what we have always known — that qualified people with disabilities are far more valuable than whatever accommodations they may need.  “People should feel empowered to list their accommodations so that they will be in a better position to have a more successful interview,” Dales says.

That is what it’s really all about. Because taking an interview where you will end up being discounted the second you enter the door isn’t helping anyone. It’s about finding the right opportunity so you don’t have to experience the trials and tribulations of the job market again anytime soon.

Take a moment now to join the Inclusively job matchmaking network by going to inclusively.com/partnerships/spinalpedia. Click on “Join Now” to be a part of the Inclusively and SPINALpedia partnership to get persons with disabilities employed.

Pursuing and securing employment is the first major hurdle — next is maintaining employment. I am passionate about providing one-on-one mentoring and matching you with free comprehensive benefits planning through the Ticket to Work program. You do not have to be alone during your employment journey. If you have any questions, please message me at josh.basile@gmail.com.