How to Focus on Positives When Interviewing for Jobs
You have made it through the resume test, and the company has decided they want to bring you in for an interview.
This is a job you really want, and, of course you are nervous. If you’re an American with a disability, you are worried if that will count against you.
“It’s natural to be nervous when you are about to be interviewed,” said Alan Hubbard, LandAjob’s Chief Operating Officer. “If you have a disability, you may be concerned that the interviewer is going to hold that against you, but it doesn’t have to work that way.”
LandAjob helps Americans with disabilities find employment opportunities and has a job base of more than 600,000 jobs across the United States. They can also help you learn how to get up to $13,000 in job expenses and reimbursements.
“They still experience stigma and prejudice in society and need to prepare for how to deal with it in a job interview,” said Susan M. Dooha, executive director at Center for Independence of the Disabled NY, in a New York Post article. “We want to be seen as whole people who are capable of achieving, not as objects of pity, or as inspirational and unreal.”
Bertram says the key is being prepared for the interview.
1.Research the company and the people who are interviewing. This will impress them and show you have worked hard to be prepared for the interview. If you are a person with a disability this should also let you know how accessible the company is. Another tip is to research the biographies on the company’s site, so you know something about them and whether you have any questions.
“This can make a big difference in an interview,” said Hubbard. “Make sure you are using the information to form questions about the organization.”
2. This is your chance to get in front of the hiring manager, so make sure you are positive and stress why you are a great candidate. Don’t ever speak ill of a former employer. That will quickly leave a negative impression.
“Avoid talking about any problems you have had in the past or any concerns you may have that you can’t do the job,” said Hubbard. “You want to tell them the positives. If they hear those things, a hiring manager will focus on that when deciding to hire you.”
4. Make sure you practice your responses to interview questions and work on your reply to “Why do you want this job?”
“That should be a brief answer, highlighting why you are the best candidate they can hire,” said Hubbard. “You want to avoid going on and on or not having an answer. It’s a good idea to work with a friend to go over your answers.”
5. Make sure you arrive on time for the job interview, but not too early. If you are late, that will reflect badly on you. A practice run the day before or a couple of days before can also be helpful and take away worries you might have of getting lost. Anther suggestion is to use Google view to see what the area is like.
Another tip is to be respectful of the receptionist or any other employee you might meet before or after the interview. There is a good possibility the hiring manager might ask the other staff members about you.
6. Your appearance will leave a lasting impression on the interviewer, so you want to make sure you are presenting a positive image.
7. For an individual with a disability, it is very important to know your rights and what can be asked of you in an interview. Employers can’t ask you questions that may cause you to reveal a mental health issue or a disability, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
“The main thing is that you want to be prepared for the interview by doing your homework and research,” said Hubbard. “You also want to be positive and focus on why you are the best candidate for the job.”
(By registering at www.landajob.org, you will receive access to a database or more than 600,000 jobs and learn how to receive up to $13,000 in job expenses and reimbursements for free.)