Tim Sullivan ⋅ North Kingstown, RI PepsiCo ⋅ 31 years experience

Jed,

Your situation resonates with me. I was in a similar position 40 years ago. My disability was the result of having my right leg torn into 4 pieces and reassembled through 16 procedures over 3.5 years. During my recovery I went back to college. I was on crutches the entire time, up till the month before graduation.
My advisor suggested including the phrase 95% recovered from a full disability. I still had a pretty bad limp and used a cane. I sent out 100's of resumes, and had a half dozen interviews all ended with the hiring manager or recruiter commenting on the leg and saying they'd get back to me (which they never did). I was pretty bummed.
A friend introduced me to a recruiter, for higher level jobs than I was qualified for, but he talked to me anyway. He was a former military chaplan in Vietnam. He ripped my resume to shreds. He told me to take the disability language out! He said the jobs your applying for require your brain. The leg is your business not theirs. Don't get defensive and don't let them take the interview away from focusing on your capabilities. I took his advice and his attitude on board. I got hired at the very next job that I applied to.

My experience my not align with yours, but that was the best advice I every got.

Kind regards,
Tim Sullivan

PS: you can contact me directly if your wish to discuss. The ACP folks can give you my contact details.

Kamie Hughes ⋅ Lebanon, PA U.S. Air Force, Senior Airman ⋅ 8 years served

No, do not add your disability to your cover letter... that is not the purpose of a cover letter. There is a time and place to address your disability, if you so choose. The company will ask you specifically in your application if you self identify as disabled and if you require any additional equipment. Legally, a company is not allowed to discriminate based on you having a disability but we all live in the real world and know that when there are 40 applications for a position, only the spotless cover letters will go through. A cover letter should address WHY an employer should hire you. Save the information for the interview and at that point you can address any challenges you feel you've overcome based on your disability.

Rob Gasperetti ⋅ Locust Valley, NY Piping Rock Club ⋅ 24 years experience

I wouldn't add it. Some companies have a rule that states that no resume will be accepted if it includes a photo or any other information that may identify you as a protected class, such as marital status, age. I would think that disabled status would fit also.
Additionally, you don't want to walk into an interview and have that be the first thing on their minds. Best of luck in your search.

Lowell Summers ⋅ Glen Burnie, MD U.S. Air Force, Master Sergeant ⋅ 8 years served

Your resume is your sales brochure. Nothing negative belongs in it! It's purpose is only to get someone to call you.

George Wilhelmsen ⋅ Rochelle, IL Sargent & Lundy ⋅ 38 years experience

Jed,

I wouldn't list it. It isn't their business. Can you do the job? Can you do the job well? That is what an employer needs to know.

I have several ex-military people who I have worked with or who work with me, and some of them have disabilities. They get the job done, and that's what's required.

So, lead with your strengths. Show them you can do the job.

Everything else will come.

George Wilhelmsen

Michelle Muckenthaler ⋅ Castle Rock, CO National CineMedia ⋅ 9 years experience

There is no reason to make a statement of disability in a cover letter or resume. It isn't a potential employers' business until they are seeing you as a candidate. Employers are expected to make reasonable accomodations for employees with disabilities. Get yourself familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Know what is and isn't required of the person with disabilities to disclose and/or provide to a (potential) employer to prove medical need for those accomodations.

Jose Roman ⋅ Norfolk, VA Military Resource Center Regent university ⋅ 8 years experience

Let me ask you this, do you believe your disability is relevant to the position or work you are interviewing for?

If it is, by all means include it in your resume if not then it really does not serve a purpose on the resume or cover letter.

Mike Grayson ⋅ Mckinney, TX FTI ⋅ 45 years experience

Do not include any medical information, especially since your medical privacy is protected by numerous federal laws including HIPAA.

mike gordon ⋅ Tendon Mfg ⋅ 35 years experience

I agree, I would not mention a disability at all. But one thing I always tell people who are covered by VA benefits, is to casually mention it in an interview especially if you are applying to a smaller firm. An employer can't ask that question but if a perspective employer knows you don't need medical it's a $6-$12 thousand bonus in your favor.

Phillip Batson ⋅ Tacoma, WA U.S. Army Reserve, Staff Sergeant ⋅ 18 years served

I would not include it in your resume, nor cover letter if you use one. Caveat to that is if it it a Federal Resume that you are applying under one of the authorities such as VRA. But even with that, I only put VRA eligible candidate near the top, and nothing more. And like I said, that’s only for a Federal Resume. I will do the same if I am applying for a state job, but only if there is preference given for your status. California uses the phrase 10 - Point Veterans Preference, so I use that, just use the exact wording for any signal of preference, but nothing more. Past that, like others have said, if it in an issue that does require mentioning, do that in person as a last note after selling yourself as an asset to the company.

Phil

Rex Conger ⋅ Gilbert, SC Perry Memorial Hospital NR NH Pensacola ⋅ 50 years experience

I also would not include disability information.

You are trying to attract positive attention - need to put out the most accurate "positive bait!"

Then watch them bite.

Rex Conger ⋅ Gilbert, SC Perry Memorial Hospital NR NH Pensacola ⋅ 50 years experience

I also would not include disability information.

You are trying to attract positive attention - need to put out the most accurate "positive bait!"

Then watch them bite.

Jo Prabhu ⋅ San Rafael, CA International Services Group ⋅ 20 years experience

Hello Jed, you may find my answer surprising but take it for what its worth!
I read through all the answers and I suggest you start with defining what is relevant to your own situation.
Throughout my career as a Recruiter, I have not been a fan of applicants not revealing facts as they truly are. Employer’s have a right to know an applicant’s capabilities, disabilities, strengths and weaknesses as they have to prepare their organization, their workers and work environment to accommodate your disability while also providing the necessary insurance to cover it.
I know that people neglect to include items on their resumes with the idea that once they get in the door, they can reveal the actual situation. But time is money, both theirs and yours and upfront disclosure is far better than not disclosing facts as they truly are, as has been done in the past. In Real Estate they have a saying: Let the Buyer Beware which means every disclosure should be made up front prior to the Buyer purchasing the property.
I suggest you start with understanding yourself, and apply only for jobs you are fully capable of performing with your disability. Then write up a candid cover letter to describe how you have or can overcome your handicap while also being a role model to others. Be proud to mention that you have incurred this while serving your country and you may even try suggesting a lower salary or a temp-to-hire basis until you prove your worth! How can an employer not want to meet you?

Howard Robinson ⋅ Elizabethtown, KY Humana ⋅ 25 years experience

Hello, Jed. The short answer to your question is no. Generally, there is no reson to discuss a disability with potential employers. Addendum conversations unrelated to the job you're seeking may make for what I call "employer pause."
Conversely, if the duties you expect to perform can be directly affected by the nature of your disability it is probably worth mentioning: but only in an in-person interview. This will give you an opportunity to be impressive before you drop the bomb. Moreover, you can mitigate the perception an employer might have concerning performance restrictions.
I wish you the best, my friend.

William Smith ⋅ Suffern, NY Right Management ⋅ 25 years experience

Hi Jed,

I think it depends on the severity of the disability. You don't want to give a reason for someone to pass on your resume if its not necessary.

You should check out the website military .com this is an organization that provides various types of assistance to vets including job search. They have relationships with companies that give preference to vets in hiring.

Good Luck

Bill Smith

Drew Schildwächter ⋅ Wilmington, NC Salesforce ⋅ 8 years experience

Jed: I feel that it is a tactical decision on the part of the applicant. If the employer needs to make some accommodations for the applicant (e.g. type-to-text, screen reader, etc.) then maybe they should know about the disability during the process, but when to disclose depends on the situation.

If the applicant can mention it face-to-face (and how they overcome it now) with aplomb then that might go a long way, but some disabilities (maybe those more severe) might bear mentioning earlier in order to address what might be an elephant in the room or create a poor reception if not at least mentioned.

I would encourage your protégé to consider the company's history with similar issues (if any info can be gleaned about that) or potential to accommodate. Here's a link to the DOL page with a legal POV: https://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/ydw.htm

John Green ⋅ Cary, NC Information Technology ⋅ 40 years experience

Your question is interesting on several levels.

1. Resumes are electronic and therefore, we don't use cover letters anymore. Recruiters don't read more than they have to and your lucky to get a five second attention span on your resume. The one exception that would be if you send hard copy of your resume through the mail.

2. I would include a short reference to your disability after the education statement in your resume. Two or three words. No more than that. If you are asked about it on an interview, that would be the time to elaborate; but I would not introduce that topic of conversation on any interview unless you are asked about it. Putting it on your resume gives you the ability to point-back to it later if someone fails to discuss it with you in the interview.

3. Regardless of the nature of your disability, you have to be able to accomplish the tasks assigned to that job. For example, if you are physically injured and not able to perform heavy labor like construction, you should not apply to construction positions. If you have tools you use to enable you to perform tasks, you should list those on your resume in the spot next to your self-identification of disability. For example, if you have a seeing impediment, you should list the computer-aided utilities you use to help you read the computer screen.

Hope these suggestions help you. Best wishes.