Use the following resources to help you in your job search. As you review these resources, keep in mind that these are guidelines and areas for you to begin the job search process. Consult our Job Searching and Networking tip sheets to further assist you with your job search.
Disability-specific Job Boards and Organizations
- EARN – Employment Accessibility Resource Network: employment resource for people with disabilities, employers and service providers in Ottawa and the National Capital Region.
- Magnet: a social innovation designed to address unemployment and underemployment of Canadians.
- Lime Connect: matches university students and alumni with disabilities with full-time, co-op, internship and scholarship opportunities with some of Canada’s top corporations.
- Career Edge: offers 4-12 month internships for current students and alumni with disabilities in a variety of industries.
- Specialisterne: connects individuals on the autism spectrum with jobs in a variety of industries in Canada.
- Diversity Canada: a job posting site dedicated to encouraging workforce diversity.
- Job Opportunity Information Network: a community-sponsored job board for persons with disabilities in Ontario.
- Link Up: an employment agency for persons with disabilities featuring a job board for positions typically in the GTA.
- WORKink: provides career guidance and job postings for Canadians with disabilities.
- Canada’s Best Diversity Employers: recognises and lists employers across Canada that have exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs.
Finding an Inclusive Employer
Identifying organisations that already practice inclusive hiring is a good start in your job search, especially if you are concerned about discrimination. Recruiting a diverse workforce is on the agenda of many organisations. You will see equal opportunity statements similar to “We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from visible minorities, people with disabilities, women, etc.” on job postings. However, it can be difficult to know if these values are actively practised or if they’re there to look good on paper.
Do some digging and research the company’s diversity projects. Do they have things like working groups for employees with disabilities or awareness initiatives? Is there an HR representative who specifically works with minorities? What is the company’s policy on discrimination? Keep in mind that even if an organisation does have good diversity policies, individuals within the company may not be as open so it’s a good idea to understand how the organisation reacts to discrimination if there ever is a problem. Of course, the best way to get to know an organisation’s culture is to get to know the employees themselves. Use your network to see if they know anyone in the company, or reach out to a new contact and ask about conducting an informational interview.