Once upon a time, society had few options in terms of careers for young adults with disabilities. Today, however, due to advances in disability awareness, as well as the increasing ease with which employers can accommodate persons with disabilities, career opportunities for disabled adults are quickly growing. One area of the market that seems to be particularly accessible is business. If you are a young adult living with a disability of any kind, a career in business may be your ticket to financial success and long-term security. Begin laying the foundation for such a future today with the following tips.
1. Give Yourself an Edge With a Business Degree
Though not every successful business person has a degree under his or her belt, a specialized education does not hurt, according to the Association of American Colleges & Universities. Advanced education can help you develop new skills and sharpen existing ones. Most importantly, a degree can set you apart from others in the workforce and tell employers that you have the dedication, stamina, and capacity to make it through school despite whatever challenges you may have encountered along the way.
Which degrees can prove most lucrative? While the answer depends on what type of career you’re looking into, an MBA program can help you develop and hone your skills in areas such as human capital management, accounting, corporate finance, and economics. With these skills, you have the groundwork to pursue a vast range of job options, including a business manager, real estate broker, financial analyst.
While you should not rule out in-person education, an online program may be ideal for you. Online programs offer flexibility and accessibility and can allow for a better work-life balance.
2. Take on an Internship
Regardless of a person’s abilities, when the time comes to find a “grown-up” job, everyone faces the same paradoxical hurdle of trying to obtain an entry-level position that requires some experience. With internship experience under your belt, you don’t have to worry about this requirement. Even if the job you have your eye on does not require previous experience, internship experience can still prove valuable, especially if you are up against candidates who may not face the same challenges as you.
3. Take Advantage of the Resources Available to You
Regardless of your degree, experience, and capabilities, the fact is that you may face several challenges when trying to enter the workforce that young adults without disabilities may never encounter. For this reason, it is crucial that you understand your rights and familiarize yourself with all the resources available to you.
Perhaps one of the best resources you will come across is the USA.gov website. On this site, you can find resources that can help you do everything from developing job-related skills to finding jobs to asserting your rights in the workplace.
There are also job platforms that cater specifically to persons with disabilities. Though the services that these sites offer vary, many post jobs from some of the most accommodating companies in the U.S., offer career counseling and resume help, and boast dozens of resources that pertain to legal rights, education, and more.
Disability does not equate to a lack of opportunities. You have more opportunities available to you now in the business world and elsewhere. You just have to start looking and take the steps necessary to maximize them. Begin with the above steps today.
The “Just Ask” Talk Show is dedicated to assisting individuals with disabilities and their families in securing life-sustaining resources. Find your local airtime!
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