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it’s october National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)a time to celebrate the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities, past and present, while working toward equality with this year’s theme, “Disabilities: Part of the Equity Equation.”
At Microsoft, we believe that people with disabilities have a positive impact on our company culture, work environment, and the way we serve our customers. Through partnerships in the disability community, we work to help reduce the unemployment rate for people with disabilities around the world. As of today, we are the hosts Neurodiversity hiring events, created an inclusive interview process, coached and trained our teams on disability etiquette and we have provided a set of interview conditions to increase the diversity of our teams and positively impact our workplace culture.
However, there is much more to do. I recently spoke with Susan Lang, CEO of Lime Connect, the largest global network of high-potential students and professionals with disabilities. Susan and I share our answers to the “top 5 questions” from job seekers.
1. What should I look for in a disability inclusive employer?
Susan Lang: Finding the right company can be just as important as finding the right role for your skills and experience. To better understand the company culture and how they view disability inclusion, you can learn a lot on their website. Look for disability employee representation and any information on disability employee resource groups. Does their diversity statement include disability? If you apply for a role on their careers site, is it easy to find information on how to get an interview placement?
Neil Barnett: Many employers have hiring programs specifically for neurological candidates or candidates with disabilities. To find lists of employers focused on disability inclusion, look for partnerships with organizations like Lime Connect and Damages: IN. We share the latest accessibility news at Microsoft and resources to learn more about our hiring programs Microsoft Accessibility site.
2. What conditions can I request for an interview?
Susan Lang: It is helpful to first understand as much as possible about the structure of the interview. This includes the number of interviews per day, the length of the interview(s), the types of questions (behavioral, technical) and the format – telephone, video call or in person. Ask the recruiter questions to get a better idea of what to expect. Having this information will help you determine what accommodations to ask for, allowing you to focus on demonstrating your skills, strengths, and fit for the position.
Neil Barnett: We want you to shine in interviews so Microsoft engages in an interactive process with the applicant determine efficient, sensible devices. We strive for our candidates to feel prepared for success so they can have a barrier free experience sharing your skills and experience. Some of the most common accommodation requests we receive include extra interview time fewer interviews after a day to be able to uI use your own device, longer breaks between interviews, time for online technical screens, sign language interpreter and TROLLEY/° Сappionwith.
3. Why would I want accommodation when applying for a job?
Susan Lang: It’s about success on both sides of the equation. Asking for accommodations during the screening and interview stage sets you up for success during the process and allows you to focus on sharing your skills and abilities without having to worry about whether your needs will be met. The employer shows that they are invested in you and want you to succeed. This is a good opportunity to assess your potential employer and how well they will support employees with disabilities in the workplace.
Neil Barnett: Interviewing is a two-way process. By offering accommodations during the screening and interview process, the employer shows that they are invested in you and want you to succeed. This is a good opportunity to assess your potential employer and how well they will support employees with disabilities in the workplace. During a recent Abilities Summit session, Hiring talent with disabilities: An opportunity to stop the talent drain, two Microsoft employees shared their experiences with requesting accommodation during the application stage.
“I would advise the candidate not to be shy. I always say that the disability is not so much in the person as in the environment. Companies must have a commitment to creating an accessible environment for all employees and applicants. Never hesitate to ask for the accommodations you need.”
– Juanjo Montiel, Senior Software Engineer, Microsoft
4. Do I need to disclose my disability or provide documentation to request accommodation for interviews?
Susan Lang: Each employer may have a different process or request different forms of documentation. As a member of the Lime Networkyou can schedule an appointment with a career coach to discuss whether disclosure is right for you and develop an action plan to navigate the placement request process with each company and throughout your career search.
Neil Barnett: When you apply to Microsoft, you don’t need to disclose details about your disability when asking for accommodations, but it’s important to identify your needs so interview teams can provide a collaborative and inclusive experience. Microsoft does not require you to disclose your disability or provide medical documentation to accommodate an interview.
5. How and when should I disclose/talk about my disability during an interview?
Susan Lang: Once you have decided that you will disclose your disability, the timing of communication will often depend on the reason you are disclosing. If you need to request an interview accommodation, you’ll want to have this conversation well in advance of the interview to make sure there’s time to get the accommodation in place. If you’re looking for an opportunity to highlight an achievement or the skills you’ve developed as a result of living with your disability, you can look for a question during the interview itself that allows you to share these examples. Regardless of the reason, you should only share the details of your disability that are most relevant to the conversation, and remember to keep it simple. If you want accommodations, focus on identifying your needs and highlighting tools or accommodations that work for you in other settings. You probably know what works best for you, and you can work together with your future employer to come up with solutions that lead to your success. We love using metaphors or stories when disclosing, and be sure to practice your disclosure conversation with a friend or Lime Connect career coach so you feel confident navigating any discussion about your disability.
Neil Barnett: Deciding whether to disclose your disability is a personal choice. As a person with a disability, you bring unique strengths and skills to your prospective employer. You may also have experiences or perspectives that help inform how to make products, services, and companies more accessible, which would be an added value to any company.
If you’re interested in learning more about working at Microsoft, you can join one of our monthly Inclusive Hiring webinars. Each webinar is hosted by recruiters and members of the Microsoft Inclusive Hiring team and focuses on the process of applying for employment and requesting an interview accommodation. Attendees also have the opportunity to hear from members of the Microsoft Employee Disability Resource Group (ERG) about what it’s like to work at Microsoft. Register by visiting aka.ms/InclusiveHiringWebinar.
Additionally, students and professionals with all disabilities are encouraged to explore the Lime Connect site and join The Lime Network for access to a full range of programs and services that provide tools, confidence, community and connections that help people with disabilities to achieve their dreams.
To ensure that distability is part of broader equity discussions and efforts, accelerated commitment will be needed from all corners, the business community, government agencies, service providers and non-profit organizations works towards eventually got better representation of people with disabilities in the workforce.
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