I recently asked my friend Rob for job interview advice for people with disabilities. Over the past 12 years as a recruiter for two Fortune 100 companies, Rob has interviewed over a thousand job applicants, more than 50 of whom had disabilities. Unfortunately, most of these candidates with disabilities did not get the jobs. Rob believes that, while companies still need to become more welcoming to workers with disabilities, job applicants with disabilities also need to prepare more thoroughly to achieve success at an interview. Rob's first suggestion is to learn as much as you can about the company before going for the interview.
Many corporations have websites which offer an abundance of information, including annual reports.
Make sure to bring more than enough copies of all documents to your interview. Don't ask your interviewer to make copies of anything. Although opinions vary on this issue, Rob advises that if your disability requires additional accessibility measures, interpreters, or alternative forms of communication, to notify the employer so that they can prepare in advance for your interview. Also inquire about accessible entrances to the building, and the best route once inside to get to your interview, if this is an issue for you. Rob's next tip is to dress appropriately.