Applying for senior roles with a disability

[geek84]

Hi Folks

I have a disability and have applied for several senior roles such as team leader & management in my related career area which is finance.
On every occasion, I seem to be overlooked. Whenever I ask the reason for the rejection I always get the standard reply that there were other candidates who had more experience/better qualifications for the job role advertised.
I think one of the reasons for rejection might be because of my disability, or am I being paranoid?
Has anyone else experienced this or know of anyone who has?

Thank You

[anonymous-user]

when you apply do you mean externally or at your curent place?

Edited by Thesprucegoose on Saturday 1st February 17:16

[anonymous-user]

Have you tried the Disability Confident employer scheme? Quite a few employers have signed up for it.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disabili...

[williamp]

Undoubtedly there are some businesses out there who will fear it. Wrongly of course, but impossible to prove. I agree about finding secyors who are disability friendly. Public and health sectors are two, but they have... other drawbacks compared to private sector of course

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geek84 said:

Hi Folks

I have a disability and have applied for several senior roles such as team leader & management in my related career area which is finance.
On every occasion, I seem to be overlooked. Whenever I ask the reason for the rejection I always get the standard reply that there were other candidates who had more experience/better qualifications for the job role advertised.
I think one of the reasons for rejection might be because of my disability, or am I being paranoid?
Has anyone else experienced this or know of anyone who has?

Thank You

Nowadays it's common practice in larger organisations for HR not to release the Equal Opps form to anybody on the interview panel. So your name/age/school/ethnic origin/disabilities won't be known to them, precisely to avoid any accusations of discrimination. [In fact AIUI some organisations will definitely invite you for interview as long as you meet the minimum criteria]

Are these internal or external?

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wormus said:

Have you tried the Disability Confident employer scheme? Quite a few employers have signed up for it.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disabili...

Sadly (like the IIP award) i think the reality can be somewhat different to the Theory. Just because HR have managed to convince an external assessor that they're "Disability Friendly" doesn't actually mean that the Managers who do the recruiting are....

[anonymous-user]

I've got a job term illness, need blood testing and drugs from hospital along with appointments. Worked for a DA company, first chance they got they ended my contract even though I never rasied any issues, never a day off. It is lip service. Companies make profits and non working people impact them.

Edited by Thesprucegoose on Saturday 1st February 20:29

[Jasandjules]

It is certainly possible I am afraid. Whether consciously or subconsciously disability discrimination is rife in the real world.

[geek84]

Hi Folks

Many thanks for your replies.

I have also looked into the disability confident employer scheme but unfortunately no luck.

[anonymous-user]

Have you challenged them on how they are discriminating against you. It's hard to offer advice as the details are very sparse, but there are disabled charities that can support you with challenging your perceived discrimination.

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Thesprucegoose said:

Have you challenged them on how they are discriminating against you. It's hard to offer advice as the details are very sparse, but there are disabled charities that can support you with challenging your perceived discrimination.

Other than the OP’s gut feeling there’s no evidence to prove that he IS being discriminated against.

[Timbergiant]

In applying within my own organisation I have been overlooked and initially taken to one side and told that they weren't going ahead with my application due to not having lego on my CV, that was the actual response for not going ahead, its clearly a disability discrimination case but after three or four of these I've just stopped even looking within the company.

[geek84]

So sad to hear that Timbergiant

[anonymous-user]

Timbergiant said:

its clearly a disability discrimination case but after three or four of these I've just stopped even looking within the company.

Why not challenge it. As i've posted there are free charities that will help, and the law is there.