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Application Process

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Home What We Do Employability and Civic Participation We Can Work Resources for Employers Application Process

Application Process

There are common barriers in the early stages of the recruitment process that can be avoided. This section raises points to consider when developing a role profile to make sure that disabled people are not excluded from applying. Sometimes it may be the advert itself that doesn’t provide enough clear information. Below we show how these barriers can be minimised and how you can encourage disabled applicants. 

Role Profiles

When developing a role profile it is important to consider a wide range of potential applicants.

Firstly, think about what is being asked for. It can be useful to focus on the desired outputs rather than the way in which you expect the task to be carried out. People with a variety of impairments may have adapted their approach to how they work, and the application process should account for this.

Secondly, it is helpful to include a person specification so the applicant knows what the employer is looking for. Some roles are advertised without a list of qualities and skills that applicants will be assessed on. This adds more time for the applicant and the employer to communicate about what the expectations are, and in some cases applicants will skip over the advert altogether. It can take a bit of confidence to approach an employer to discuss your skills before applying if you have been receiving knock backs. Also, certain websites may make it more difficult to contact the employer directly.

Thirdly, we would recommend writing the role profile in plain English and avoid the use of jargon. There are apps and websites which can help you determine how “readable” your document is. Making sure the role profile is clear is a benefit to everyone, the applicant has a better idea of what is expected and in turn you are more likely to have applicants who really fit the role.

Finally, there are some skills that are commonly listed in person specifications that may exclude some disabled people. Please consider whether it is a genuine occupational requirement of the role before including points such as the following

  • Drivers License: This may disadvantage people who are visually impaired, are taking certain medications or have other impairments which mean that driving their own car is not an option. Also, requesting that applicants have access to a car can be a financial barrier for disabled people who may be on a lower income or may be returning to work after some time out. At present there are also issues around access to Motability cars which are adapted to suit the needs of disabled people. We advise highlighting the need to travel in a less specific way such as “willingness to travel”.
  • Verbal Communication: This is commonly listed in person specifications but may alienate people with speech impairments or those who communicate via alternate means such as Deaf sign language users. Reasonable adjustments in the workplace can support people for whom expectations around verbal communication can present barriers. “Good communication skills” gives the candidate the opportunity to discuss examples of their good communication without that emphasis.
  • Able to cope under pressure: It is important that if a role includes a varying work schedule, competing demands and a fast pace that the individual should be able to demonstrate that they can prioritise and delegate effectively. However, the words “cope under pressure” can potentially lead people with mental health impairments or those on the autistic spectrum to rule themselves out of applying. It may leave people wondering what support would be available to them if they needed it, or if the onus would be on them to manage their stress in work. It can be helpful to be more specific about the pressures, and reflect this by saying things like “managing deadlines”, “prioritising”, “time management”, etc.
  • Levels of education: You can open up your recruitment to a wide range of disabled people who have not obtained the formal education you would usually look for in applicants. There can be barriers in education that leave talented disabled people disadvantaged and potentially with lower grades or degree classifications than their peers. Also, some may become disabled later in life and need to change their career direction. By being broader with the educational requirements disabled applicants can demonstrate their strengths and transferable skills for the role.
  • Paid work experience: Many people build their skills and confidence through volunteering and can demonstrate a wide range of skills and qualities developed through unpaid work. Also, if an individual has less paid work experience they may have transferrable skills from other areas of their life not limited to volunteering including; parenting, caring, managing household budgets, etc. Also, disabled candidates may show a great deal of resilience from navigating an inaccessible society and may wish to reflect on these experiences where relevant.

These are a few aspects of role profiles that have been raised with us through our work with interns. There are likely other possibilities. It may be helpful for someone involved in the recruitment process to take some Disability Equality Training so that they can assess role profiles with access in mind.

Advertising

So you have finished your role profile and are ready to advertise. Here are some things to consider at this stage.

  • Again, plain english is useful for making the advert clear and accessible.
  • Make sure that the advert includes all the important details. Rather than listing “part time” be more specific about the hours being offered. Same goes for salary. This may be negotiable to an extent but there should be an indication of the range that the salary may cover. When disabled people are applying for work they need to think about how different working patterns and pay grades will fit in with their lifestyle.
  • If job sharing is an option then highlighting this in the advert can encourage some disabled people to apply.
  • Highlighting that you are willing to make adjustments to the recruitment process for disabled people can be reassuring to people who may need flexibility. Offer space in the application form and give additional contact details to for informal discussion. Be clear that information will be used in a supportive manner and will not influence shortlisting.
  • If you are looking to hire more disabled people to your organisation you may find it useful to build links with organisations that support disabled people to find work in your area. Organisations such as Enable, SAMH, IntoWork and Remploy may be working with people who are ideal for your opportunity.
  • Inclusion Scotland has a weekly newsletter where we advertise external opportunities submitted by employers. Contact us if you wish to advertise with us.

Application forms

Application processes can vary between employers, but there are general tips that can be applied to make sure that disabled people can submit their application. Certain types of applications may present barriers to disabled people and are highlighted below.

Application forms 

  • Application forms should be clear about what is expected of the applicant. It can be helpful to give clear instructions on what information they need to give, how much detail they need to go into, approximate word count per answer etc. Sometimes people are unsure of how much to write and don’t fully sell themselves as a result.
  • Include a space to allow the applicant to detail any adjustments for interview, or things they wish to be considered when shortlisting relating to their impairment.
  • Make sure that there are plain text versions of the form available for people who use screen readers.
  • Detail on the form that you are willing to discuss alternative means of application where the standard form is a barrier. For example, people who use sign language may feel more comfortable applying with the support of an interpreter as English may not be their first language.
  • Some disabled people feel forced to disclose impairment related information where forms state “please account for gaps in employment giving reasons” or similar. This is particularly true where people have had to take time out due to ill health or have lost their job due to discrimination and lack of support.
  • Similarly, disabled people may feel uncomfortable about giving references from their most recent employer or their university. Be flexible with reference requests. Some disabled people may not have recent references and may need to use character references. Often, employers state that character references will not be accepted. Since references are usually only checked for the successful applicant after interview, it may be worth considering removing the requirement for references in the early stages.

Online systems

  • Online application systems should be checked for accessibility. Consider how people who use assistive software can access your system.
  • Some online systems have “time out” functions and these can be frustrating for applicants who have difficulty filling out the questions within the time given. If it is impossible to overcome these issues then you should offer applicants the questions in a word document so they can formulate answers in their own time and copy into the form or send separately.
  • Psychometric testing can be a barrier for disabled applicants. Some employers allow disabled applicants to bypass this part of the process as a reasonable adjustment.
  • As noted above, references may present barriers but often online forms cannot be sumbitted without these boxes being filled in.

CV and cover letter

  • Where the application is by CV it can be helpful to detail in the advert what specific skills and qualities the role requires so that these can be highlighted in the cover letter.
  • Some people who have gaps in their employment history may structure their CV slightly differently to make their relevant experiences most prominent. Assumptions may be made about gaps in employment history but remaining open minded will ensure disabled people are treated fairly.

Contact Information

Ask the applicant for their preferred contact method. That way you can ensure that any communications with them are by a means that is accessible to them. For example, a deaf person has a mobile phone but only accepts texts. The employer calls them and can’t get through. Had the candidate had the opportunity to state they preferred email contact this confusion could have been avoided.

This will be important for inviting candidates to interview, and more detail on making this part inclusive is available in the interviews section.

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