Accessibility service
Career planning and application
Career planning and starting a career are topics that sooner or later play an important role during your studies. Students with disabilities, chronic or mental illnesses in particular often need additional clarification regarding their disability or illness in addition to the many unanswered questions about the application process.
We recommend that you consider your professional orientation and how to deal with your own disability or illness at the same time. In the following, we would like to give you some initial food for thought, information and addresses of counselling centres.
Disclose disability in the application process?
At the latest during the application process, graduates with a disability, chronic or mental illness are faced with the question of whether they want to disclose this to their future employer and, if so, how openly they want to deal with their own health impairment vis-Ã -vis the employer or in the workplace. In principle, applicants and employees do not have to disclose a chronic illness, disability or severe disability to their employer.
There is therefore no one-size-fits-all recommendation and for many of those affected, this key issue can be a very personal matter. Finding the right individual strategy is often a process for which students should take their time. If necessary, this topic can be addressed during a counselling session with independent counselling centres or discussed with the relevant representative for severely disabled employees at the potential employer prior to the application.
Depending on the situation, the following information can support individual decision-making:
- If you want to make use of your rights and entitlements as an employee with a recognised disability, severe disability or equal status, the employer must be informed. However, this enables, for example, a disability-friendly workplace design or, if necessary, additional leave. Here too, you alone decide whether you only want to disclose your legal status in a professional context, share your diagnosis or simply discuss the workplace adjustments that are necessary for you.
- Think about actively emphasising the skills and competencies you have acquired through your experience with your own disability or illness in the application process. These may include, for example, your motivation, organisational skills and resilience.
- If you need modifications for the interview due to an illness or disability, e.g. an inductive hearing system, you should inform the employer in advance so that the interview can be organised in a way that is individually accessible and you can concentrate fully on the interview situation.
- Being open about your own illness or disability can also be a relief, as hiding an illness or disability can drain your energy.
- If it is important to you that the company where you will be working in the future reacts positively to your health situation and that you can work there with a sense of well-being, it can be helpful to address this topic from the outset.
- Researching the company culture and Philosophy can help you decide if and when to bring up a disability or illness.
- Contacting the representative body for severely disabled employees at the desired company, if one exists, can also provide helpful information.
- If you are applying for jobs in the public sector, it may help to know that they are obliged to invite applicants with a severe disability or equal status to an interview if they are professionally suitable and to give preference to non-disabled applicants with the same professional qualifications.
- If your disability or illness does not play a role in your working life and you do not feel comfortable sharing this very personal topic with others, it may be the right decision not to bring it up in the application process. You are allowed to keep your private life and work separate.
Exceptions: When must a disability or illness be disclosed?
In cases where applicants are only able to perform some or all of the tasks expected of them due to their illness or disability, the employer must be informed of this before the contract is concluded. The same applies if a disability or illness has a safety-relevant impact on the performance of the desired job.
Example 1: A staff member, people cannot climb ladders due to a chronic knee condition. If this person now applies for a job that involves regular and frequent ladder climbing, they would not be able to perform this task. In such a case, the employer must be informed of the knee condition.
Example 2: As a result of an accident, an application can only carry out their office work for a limited number of hours per day. Here too, the employer must be informed promptly in order to make appropriate arrangements such as specific workplace equipment or temporary part-time employment.
When and where in the application process can I declare my disability or illness?
Applicants who have decided to disclose their disability or chronic illness during the application process, because they are unable to perform the required tasks or because the job they are applying for could affect their safety have several options for doing so:
- Applicants can actively highlight skills and competences that they have acquired as a result of their experience with disability or illness and that they consider particularly useful for their future job in their letter of motivation. These could be, for example, organisational talent and particular resilience.
- If the desired company has a representative body for severely disabled employees, applicants can contact this body and draw attention to their situation. This can be helpful, for example, to ensure modifications are made during the job interview. The SBV must be involved in the application process. However, they must be aware of their disability or equal status.
- Applicants can also include an entry about their disability or illness or the official statement in their CV under personal details.
- Applicants can draw attention to their disability or illness in the application interview. It can be worthwhile to think carefully in advance about where and how this should be communicated and to prepare for different reactions and questions. It may be advisable to practise such an interview in advance with other people (e.g. family members, friends or other familiar staff, people you know).
Severely disabled person's pass and equalisation
People with disabilities, chronic somatic or chronic mental illnesses should consider the possibility of having a degree of disability (GdB) officially recognised.
Depending on the degree of disability, (future) employees with a GdB are entitled to various forms of support and disadvantage compensation in working life and beyond. Signs of severe disability also entitle you to different disadvantage compensation or support benefits.
It is good to know that the employer does not necessarily have to be notified of an application and, if applicable, an official determination of a severe disability. It may therefore be worthwhile to submit an application so that, in case of doubt, you do not have to apply for an officially determined disability or equalisation if there is an acute need for disadvantage compensation or, for example, a job reorganisation measure.
People with a GdB of 30 or 40 can be treated in the same way as severely disabled people under social law if their disability specifically impairs their participation in working life. Equalisation is about securing or obtaining a suitable job and the employer can become aware of such an application.
Find personalised advice!
Given the complexity of health-related issues and the legal questions that may be involved, it may be advisable to contact a suitable counselling centre to support individual decisions and to know your own rights and obligations. In addition to trade unions, social associations, Supplementary Independent Participation Counselling (EUTB) or self-help organisations, students at Bielefeld University can also contact the Career Service and the university team at the Federal Employment Agency of Germany.
For general career guidance and questions about career planning, Bielefeld University's Career Service and the Federal Employment Agency of Germany are the first points of contact.
Career Service
The Career Service supports all students at Bielefeld University in developing career prospects and pursuing career goals early on in their studies. In addition to individual counselling, students can take advantage of various workshops on the topics of 'Applying with a disability, chronic or mental illness' (in cooperation with the ZAB), 'Identifying skills', 'Job search and application' and 'Goal and decision making'.
The Career Service also offers individual counselling, events and workshops for doctoral candidates and postdocs aiming for a career outside of academia.
University team of the Federal Employment Agency of Germany
The university team at the Federal Employment Agency of Germany supports students and graduates of Bielefeld University with career guidance, applications and career entry. The offer consists of various counselling formats such as brief counselling, counselling series and coaching for career entry. Workshops and small group seminars as well as lectures complement the individual counselling.
Central International Placement Services (ZAV)
Severely disabled academics can also take advantage of the individual and personalised advice provided by the International Placement Services (ZAV), which focuses on severely disabled academics. Here you can find out about opportunities for support and financial assistance and receive support in your skills-oriented and applicant-centred job search. The ZAV also offers advice on application strategies and tips on the design of application documents.
Inclusive expert network (iXNet)
The inclusive expert network (iXNet) by and for academics with disabilities aims to empower academics with disabilities through network knowledge, information events and a career planning advice team. iXNet is a digital service of the "Employer Service for Severely Disabled Academics of the Federal Employment Agency". The virtual information and event portal is strongly orientated towards wishes and needs and is characterised above all by its peer support character.
Further tips:
Did I say it?
There are also offers on the internet to support employees in making their own decisions. The website Sag ich's offers tests and information to help employees gather arguments in favour of and against being open about their disability or illness in the workplace and to initiate reflection processes. The website also provides useful information and materials on the rights and obligations of employees with disabilities, chronic illnesses or mental illnesses. Jobseekers will also find food for thought here.
MyAbility
MyAbility.jobs is a job exchange that specialises in presenting apprenticeships, internships, trainee, part-time and full-time positions from companies that are particularly committed to inclusive workplace design.
Financial support
The Federal Employment Agency provides people with disabilities or health restrictions with financial support from the placement budget, for example, if they are looking for a job.