How to Be the Ideal Job Candidate

Finding a job can feel impossible at any stage in your career.

Adults with disabilities face persistently low employment rates. To overcome this challenge, you need to be the best candidate for a position that you can be.

Below, we're taking a look at how you can be the ideal job candidate.

Attitude is Everything

This is same advice we'd give to any job candidate: arrive with the right attitude.

If you turn up to the interview glum, hostile, or defeatist, you're unlikely to get the job. Employers look for motivated, can-do people. You need to show you are one.

Give the impression that you want to be there. Ask questions and show your engagement. You might even laugh and joke if it's appropriate.

Negativity will only damage your chances, so leave it at the door.

Show Your Stuff

If you have sought-after skills, many employers won't second-guess you.

Take the time to highlight exactly what you can offer your employer. If you have experience others lack, make sure they know about it. Lead with your qualifications and expertise.

Prepare a few scenarios in advance that you can adapt to fit almost any question. Times you've worked in a team, overcome a problem, or dealt with criticism are all great starting prompts. Once you know your examples back to front, you'll find they slot into many lines of questioning.

Prepare for Questions

Interviewers will always ask questions of job candidates. Sometimes those questions might get very specific.

Prepare yourself to answer questions about your work history. Often, they'll ask these questions with positive intent. They may want to find out what adaptations they can make, for instance.

Sadly, it can mean preparing for insensitive questions, too. Try to control your temper if someone asks an inappropriate question. Assess the situation. Is this a chance to educate, or does it communicate some deeper problem with this employer?

Don't let your emotions get in the way, no matter what you're asked. You need a clear head to judge how things are going and decide on the appropriate response.

Stay True to Yourself

Just a note: Trying to avoid the truth during an interview will only hurt your chances of securing a job. Be honest with your experience, availability etc…

If wrongly asked, you don't have any obligation to disclose a disability during your interview, (Employers cannot ask you if you have a disability). If you are applying for a position through our site: www.disABLEDperson.com, you will be voluntarily disclosing the fact that you are a person with a disability. Unless you need a work accommodation, you should say nothing more than you are a person with a disability.

If you have a visible disability or you simply decided to talk about your disability, do so in a positive manner. Remember, interviewers, are looking for that special someone for the job. You do not want to be negative.

Be the Ideal Job Candidate

Employers who post jobs on our site: www.disABLEDperson.com have initiatives to hire from our community. However, employers are always looking for the ideal candidate for the job. That job candidate is motivated, confident, and skilled. If you can show you hit all these requirements, the job will likely be yours.

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