What Are the Best Jobs for People With Disabilities?

There are more obstacles and hurdles for a disabled person when it comes to being a job seeker. As a result, people with disabilities can find it more challenging than others to find the right job.

At Careers with Disabilities, we want to help remove and break down some of those barriers for disabled job seekers. We want to support all disabled people in getting the jobs they want and deserve.

In today’s blog, we are going to discuss the best jobs for people with disabilities. Hopefully, you will get a better idea of what jobs to look for and what criteria to use throughout your job search. 

Flexible Jobs

Flexible job opportunities are great options for people with disabilities. Having a disability of any kind means that you have different needs and requirements throughout the working day than a non-disabled person. These could involve medication, treatment, appointments, pain management, rest, and so on. 

Having a flexible job means that you can balance your needs as a disabled person while working at the same time. You don’t need to compromise a full or part-time salary while prioritising your health and well-being at the same time.

There are different options when it comes to flexible working. These include Flexi-time, job sharing, compressed hours, hybrid working-from-home/office contracts, and more. Whatever way works best for you will depend on your individual circumstances. That being said, overall, flexible jobs for disabled workers are one of the very best options.

Remote Work

Recently, we’ve seen a massive increase in the number of full-time jobs that allow people to work from home than ever before. And although many workplaces have returned to a traditional office-based workplace, many others have embraced the change and moved entirely online. This is highly beneficial for disabled job seekers. 

Working from home allows disabled people to control their own working environment in the way that best works for them. It’s easier to take breaks and rest when needed while working at home too. It also helps to cut down on commuting which is notably difficult for physically disabled people and those with anxiety, PTSD, and learning disabilities. 

Remote work for disabled people is full of potential and should be highly considered throughout your job search. 

Part-time Work

Many disabilities include an element of fatigue and/or exhaustion. Many disabled people find themselves unusually tired after doing normal activities and they can take longer to recover from days at work. As such, considering part-time work for disabled people is a good option.

Part-time work allows you to stay in active employment while also taking care of your health and not overdoing things. It also gives you time to attend appointments and treatment if your disability regularly requires this. 

Sometimes you will be entitled to benefits that help you top up your part-time salary with extra financial compensation. To check out what you are financially entitled to as a disabled person, check out our information on finding financial help in your area. 

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships can be a great way for disabled people to enter fields and industries without a formal education background. They allow people to learn while they work and get paid at the same time. This makes it a manageable way to enter a new field of interest as an adult. 

There are many different types of apprenticeships in different industries and sectors. To find out more information about becoming an apprentice, check out our sister site Employing an Apprentice. 

Jobs with a Work Trial 

Some disabled people find that their biggest hurdle in securing a job is passing a traditional interview process. Interviews can be highly inaccessible for many people. This keeps many disabled people out of jobs they would succeed in purely because they aren’t best suited to classic interview formats.

As such, jobs that offer a work trial instead of a traditional interview process can be great options for disabled people. Work trials allow you to demonstrate your practical skills in a real-time environment, giving you a much higher chance of securing the job you want.

Take a look at the government page on work trials for more information.

Self-Employment/Freelancing

Freelancing can be a great career option for many people with disabilities. Being your own boss allows you to do things in a way that works for you. Your workspace, your projects, your needs, and all aspects of your job will be under your control. 

Many of the above points fall under this category, as you’ll be able to work from home part-time with as much flexibility as you need. 

However, self-employment is not for everyone. Certain aspects of being self-employed can take a toll over time. These include the stress of keeping your business running, inconsistent paychecks, isolation, and a lack of company-sponsored benefits. As a result, we highly recommend you do your research into the viability of this option for you in advance.

Find Accessible Jobs with Careers with Disabilities 

For an entire range of jobs that will suit people with disabilities, head over to our disability-friendly job board to see all of the live job opportunities we have right now.

We only work with disability-friendly employers and accessible companies to bring you a wide range of jobs that will be suitable for people with a wide range of disabilities. 

We believe in supporting disabled people to find the jobs of their dreams. If you need any more support or information on your job search, check out all of our guides for disabled job seekers on our main site Careers with Disabilities.

Happy job hunting!