Resources for Finding Candidates with Disabilities
Explore resources your organization can use to source candidates with disabilities.
“Where can I find job candidates with disabilities?”
Many employers tell us that one of the biggest barriers they face in hiring people with disabilities, including disabled veterans, is that they have trouble finding candidates. That’s where effective outreach and recruitment strategies come in. Working with state and local service providers, such as vocational rehabilitation agencies, American Job Centers, Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and other community-based organizations, is key to helping you find candidates with disabilities with the skills, experiences and interests your organization needs.
- American Job Centers (AJCs): These centers located in communities throughout the country offer centralized employment and training services to help people both with and without disabilities prepare for and obtain employment. AJCs also help businesses recruit and hire qualified people with disabilities.
- Centers for Independent Living (CILs): These community-based non-profit agencies are run by and for people with disabilities. They provide a variety of services, including those related to employment. They can help employers find qualified candidates with disabilities and provide advice on employment supports, such as transportation and technology, that may impact an employer’s ability to hire, retain and advance people with disabilities.
- Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation/National Employment Team (NET): This is a nationwide network of business consultants that serve as employers’ points of contact for vocational rehabilitation (VR), the primary system of services and resources that specifically addresses the employment needs of people with disabilities. The NET’s focus is helping to ensure that the workforce needs of VR agencies’ business customers are met.
- Employment Networks (ENs): ENs are private organizations or public agencies that have agreed to provide employment and vocational rehabilitation services and other types of support to beneficiaries with disabilities under the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Program. Employers can contact one or more ENs in their area to let them know they are interested in employing people with disabilities and discuss the skills they need.
- Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agencies: These state and federally-funded programs help people with disabilities find, secure and retain employment. They also accept job postings from employers interested in hiring people with disabilities.
The following are job posting websites for employers interested in finding job candidates with disabilities.
- abilityJOBS: Job board that connects job seekers with disabilities and employers. There is a fee for employers to post jobs.
- ABILITY Job Fair: Offers accessibility online job fairs to help employers and job seekers with disabilities connect. Video, text chat, transcription, and American Sign Language options are available.
- AbilityLinks.org: A free job board for people with disabilities and employers. To access the job board and post positions, you must create a user account.
- Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD): This membership organization supports a national network of university-based programs for people with disabilities and their families. It also offers a free job board for employers interested in hiring people with disabilities. For more information, email aucdinfo@aucd.org.
- Bender Consulting Services, Inc.: Provides recruiting support to connect employers with people with disabilities. Also offers training on disability employment strategies and accessible technology options.
- Disabled Person, Inc.: Offers a job board for hiring people with disabilities and provides tips to employers on hiring practices. Account registration is free. There is a fee for employers to post jobs and search resumes.
- Getting Hired: Getting Hired provides information, tools and resources to help employers hire people with disabilities, including disabled veterans. To access the job board and other resources such as training programs and accommodation solutions, employers must sign up to become a partner.
- Our Ability: This job board connects people disabilities and employers. There is a fee for employers to post jobs and search resumes.
- Peak Performers: This non-profit staffing and recruiting agency helps people with disabilities find jobs and employers connect with talent with disabilities.
- WRP.gov: The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a free recruitment and referral program that connects federal employers with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to demonstrate their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.
- The Arc National Convention: A conference that creates opportunities from advocates, disability service professionals, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to discuss topics of such as employment, education, advocacy, housing and criminal justice.
- Association of People Supporting Employment First Conference (APSE): A conference that focuses on competitive integrated employment. Attendees include professionals who provide employment coaching services to job seekers and employees with disabilities.
- Consortia of Administrators for Native American Rehabilitation (CANAR) Conference: An annual conference that highlights issues of importance related to employment of Native Americans with disabilities. CANAR is a key partner of state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies.
- Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) Conferences: CSAVR holds two conferences each year (in the spring and the fall) to provide networking opportunities for VR professionals and others interested in employment of people with disabilities.
- Disability:IN Annual Conference: A global corporate disability employment conference that attracts employers from around the world. Attendees have the opportunity to connect with job seekers with disabilities who are part of Disability:IN's NexGen Leader Initiatives.
- Harkin International Disability Employment Summit: A summit that brings together individuals and organizations to discuss how people with disabilities can achieve their career goals and other topics related to disability employment.
- National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD): A conference attended by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families and representatives of DD Councils throughout the country.
- National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Annual Conference: A conference that provides networking, advocacy and learning opportunities for self-advocates and professionals with disabilities. Members of Congress, government officials and other advocacy organizations also attend.
- Partners for Youth with Disabilities Youth Leadership Forum (YLF): An annual forum that helps youth and young adults with disabilities build leadership skills and prepare for employment, higher education and independent living. YLF is held annually in Massachusetts and other states across the country.
- Project SEARCH Annual Conference: A conference that helps employers learn about best practices and tools to improve and expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
- TASH Conference: An annual conference that brings together disability advocates and others to discuss best practices and network.
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E): This service helps employers across the country fill workforce needs with pre-screened disabled veterans who are trained, educated, and experienced. VR&E also provides recruitment assistance based on employers’ specific qualification requirements.
- Hire Veterans: A job board for hiring veterans. There is a fee for employers to post jobs and search resumes.
- Job Opportunities for Disabled Veterans: A nonprofit job board for hiring veterans with disabilities. There is a fee for employers to post jobs and search resumes.
- Military.com: A resource center, forum and job board for hiring veterans. Learn more about the benefits of hiring veterans, tax credits for employers, how to post jobs and more.
- Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) Conferences: CSAVR holds two conferences each year (in the spring and the fall) to provide networking opportunities for VR professionals and others interested in employment of people with disabilities.
- National Veterans Foundation Jobs for Veterans: This nonprofit organization provides resources to veterans and their families and offers a free job board for employers interested in hiring veterans. To post a job, email admin@nvf.org.
- U.S. Department of Labor Hire Veterans Website: Has resources for employers interested in hiring veterans, including a an employer's guide to hiring veterans (PDF) and information on where to get one-on-one assistance. Learn more about posting jobs.