What would you do for a job?

Long before the recession, people with disabilities have faced an uphill climb to  get a job. It's not only about choosing a career path that fits, getting an education, and acing an interview. There's also the sometimes insurmountable obstacle of overcoming discriminatory hiring practices. What's most frustrating to me is the elusiveness of discrimination. It's so tangible and so obvious that you can feel it from the moment you roll into the office. People have become more sly and cautious about their statements though so we're rarely left with any concrete evidence that disability was the underlying reason we weren't hired.

[Photo caption: Man in wheelchair dressed in suit and carrying briefcase on his lap shakes the hand of an able-bodied man in a suit.]

Daniel Ruben is a new grad with a disability that has taken a nontraditional approach to landing his first job out of school.  Faced with the looming need to return to his hometown, which has far fewer accessible opportunities for wheelchair users, Ruben has been sitting on street corners holding a sign that reads, "Temple Grad. Looking for work. Have resumes." Ruben graduated with honors with a degree in sports journalism. A few of his professors provided comments for the article to support Ruben's skills, dedication to his career, and energy for life.

At first glance, Ruben's approach looks extreme. It's certainly humbling, but what if it's effective? My own recent experiences searching and successfully landing jobs has proven that the traditional routes frequented by people without disabilities looking for employment might not work for us. Right now, I'm balancing three part-time jobs in addition to my growing writing business. On Labor Day and every day, I'm extraordinarily thankful for my opportunity to work. I love ALL of my jobs and that, too, is an incredible gift.

My personality and my field of work wouldn't fit well with Ruben's approach, but I do think he's onto something! We have to step, stomp, and roll outside of our comfort zone to encourage other people to get outside of theirs and hire us! Here's what has worked for me:

1. Joining community organizations and committees related to my field. Making valuable contributions, networking, and then stating your desire to find employment.

2. Get the word out! It can feel embarrassing when a job hunt drags on but keeping your wish for work a secret will only hurt yourself. By letting friends, family, and associates know, I was the first to find out that a friend was leaving their position for a promotion. The very next morning I cold called the friend's supervisor and sold myself for the position.

3. Apply. Apply. Apply. Just as there's usually something going on behind the scenes of our interviews, job boards aren't as clear as they seem these days either. Many jobs are posted but the funds for that position are frozen. I've only recently heard from a few positions I applied for months ago. One of these resulted in a job that I'm really enjoying. I'm thankful that I didn't stop applying because I didn't get an answer from the vast majority of places to which I applied.

My only criticism of the article on Daniel Ruben is the bit where he's quoted to say, "I'm definitely better off than other people with disabilities. I can walk a short distance with crutches." Besides the argument I routinely make to people that I'm much quicker and able to do more in a wheelchair than my walker (with which I could easily be confused for a slow-moving turtle), it's a sad state when we have to sell each other out in an attempt to be considered competent. Maybe Ruben was misquoted. It's happened to me when interviewed. Or maybe he believed that this clarification would push him further from us and closer to them. Either way-this mindset isn't helpful for people in favor of equal employment opportunities.

I hope that Daniel Ruben is hired-not based on his identity as a person with a disability, but because he seems well-qualified and is enthusiastic to work. I admire his tenacity and believe we all have a place in the workforce.

So how about it...would you be willing to stand on a street corner with a sign for a job? For a day? Week? Year!?

Here's more on jobs from Disaboom:

Put Yourself in the Path of Opportunity