Challenged but not disabled.

It's tough breaking into the job market when you're physically challenged. However, with planning and persistence, you can overcome barriers to your success.

SINCE GRADUATING FROM WILLIAM PATERSON 

University a year ago, Howard Jenkins, a 26-year-old communications major form Newark, New Jersey, hasn't had much luck landing a job that will place him on the career track of his dreams. In fact, he hasn't been able to get any decent full-time job so far.

Although his job search hasn't been much different from that of thousands of recent graduates, Jenkins believes that his disability--a mild case of cerebral palsy--may be blocking his way. Cerebral palsy, which affects some half a million Americans, is a motion disorder caused by brain damage that often results in poor muscles control or coordination, muscle spasms, speech problems and other complications.

"When people [employers] find out that I have a disability, turn away," says Jenkins. "They try to be nice about it and say that they're not hiring right now, but the message I get is that [they feel] it would be waste of time hiring me."

This thinking set in last March, when Jenkins ventured into a temp agency and filled out an application for employment. According to him, a worker gawked at his crutch and said, "We'll see what we can do, but I don't think that we can find anything for you." Jenkins was so certain his handicap was a sticking point that he never called the agency back. Nor did the agency call him. Although he continues looking for a decent entry-level position in his field, he can't shake the feeling that he's not really wanted.

Jenkins' experience is familiar to thousands of African Americans with disabilities who feel they are barred from good jobs for reasons beyond their control. The most recent Census numbers tend to support this belief. According to the 1994-95 U.S. Census Bureau's Survey of Income and Program Participation data (the latest numbers available), there are approximately 4.2 million disabled blacks in America, only 28.3% of whom are employed full time. The white disabled population numbers more than 22 million, and nearly half of that group is employed full time. Our search for subjects to profile for this story--conducted with the help of organizations such as the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities in Washington, D.C.--yielded relatively few black people with disabilities employed in professional jobs within the private sector.

Monica Robinson, 40, president and founder of African Americans with Disabilities Inc., based in Pittsburgh, is certain that racism plays a major role in keeping African Americans with disabilities locked out of the job market or relegated to marginal positions.

A paraplegic, she says she was discouraged by her state's Office of Vocational Rehabilitation from seeking a four-year degree in communications/journalism, on the grounds that her two-year associate's degree in court stenography was "all she needed to be employable."

"If you're disabled, this office will pay for the education you need to find a job. Although, somehow for us, they often assume the minimum is good enough," says Robinson. "And they tend to steer us into low-paying jobs with no future." Most of the blacks who attend her organization s support meetings earn $5-$7 an hour or work only a few days a week, whether they have degrees or not. "Employers tend to see our race first, then the disability," she says.

"We tend to be on the fringes of the support available to others and dismissed too quickly by companies that still operate with a fear of full diversity," says Sylvia Walker, Ed.D., director of the Howard University Research and Training Center for Access to Rehabilitation and Economic Opportunity, in Washington, D.C. She points out that employers also mistakenly believe that accommodating a person with a disability can be costly, or that the person will have attendance problems or be a drain on healthcare budgets. "The average cost of a job accommodation is approximately $300," she says. "And people with disabilities actually have better attendance records, on average, than able-bodied employees and use the same amount of medical benefits."

One goal, according to Claudie Grant Jr., program manager for the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, is to mobilize the black business community to employ more black people with disabilities, and to increase access to employment services and support. Blind since birth, Grant works tirelessly to convince various advocacy groups, including the National Urban League and the NAACP, to take more creative approaches to extending their services to the black disabled community.

ADA-MAKING IT EASIER?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 to ensure that the disabled have equal opportunities in employment, government services and access to public locations. Robinson remembers how it was before the ADA. After misdirected gunfire left her paralyzed from the chest down in 1977, she worked as a data transcriber for the IRS from 1982-88. Robinson recalls the horror of not having a restroom on her floor that she could get into with her wheelchair. I fought that and other battles, to no avail, for four years. I finally had to leave," she says.

Under the ADA, companies with 15 or more employees are required by law to provide reasonable accommodations in the workplace. "Employers now know they can't discriminate against the disabled without consequences," says Grant. "[This] has opened a few more doors although not as many as we would like."

Psychological barriers are also tough to overcome. "Despite all the evidence to the contrary, some people continue to equate physical disabilities with intellectual disabilities," says Deb Horsley, human resources associate at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Greystone Park, New Jersey. "Others feel uncomfortable around people who act, sound or look different from what they're used to seeing and prefer not to have them on the team."

From the standpoint of diversity, this attitude represents shortsightedness on the part of large companies and small businesses. "Companies that are truly diverse understand the value of having as many perspectives and experiences as possible represented on their team," Horsley explains. "It stimulates creativity and helps them reach a wider range of customers with the best possible products and services."

While obstacles do present a challenge to those with disabilities, the law is on their side, and so is a growing awareness that a truly diverse workforce should include the skills, talents, expertise and perspectives of a wide range of people, including the physically challenged. If you are an African American with a disability, have the right stuff and know how to market yourself, you can find a good job. As with all job seekers, it takes planning and persistence. An extra measure of positive attitude can't hurt either. Here are nine steps you can take to land the job of your dreams.

1. Start with an able attitude. As a child, LaVerne Eason, 44, contracted pneumonia, which caused her to lose much of her hearing. She says her functional limitation has never deterred her from reaching her goals. Twenty years ago, after earning a master's degree in business administration at Ohio State University, she joined Xerox as a financial analyst in Rochester, New York. Today, she is the controller in Xerox's Customer Business Unit in Houston, responsible for all of the unit's financial accounting.

Much of the advice Eason offers centers around having the right attitude-knowing that "you can achieve whatever you want." Her motto is "a disability will not stop you if you have confidence in yourself" She advises, "Go the extra mile because there's no substitute for hard work and preparation." Eason also tells people not to be ashamed of their disability. "This is the way God made you. You are unique," she says. "You may have to stretch a little more, but it will make you stronger in the end."

2. Get that piece of paper. If you're a job seeker with a disability, your first stop should be your state department's office of vocational rehabilitation, which will pay for the education and training you need to attain your employment goals. As Robinson discovered, some offices are more helpful than others, so be persistent in your requests for help. "Don't be pushed into a six-month training program that really isn't going to help you. If you have a bachelor's degree and now want a master's, pursue that with your vocation representative. Aim for the highest level," she says.

Before selecting a school to attend, visit several campuses to see how accessible everything really is. Also, stop by the office that handles disabled affairs at the school to see what support would be available to help you maximize your college experience. Talk to other students with disabilities to see how they feel about the school.

"Remember that employers want to see applicants who are self-starters, well rounded, show drive and initiative and have the capability to get the job up and running," says Juan Menefee, president of Juan Menefee & Associates, an executive search consulting firm in Chicago. One way to prove yourself is to take part in campus or community activities that showcase your technical, artistic or leadership skills. Take advantage of every opportunity to prove what you can do.

Billy Allen of Minority Search Inc. in Dallas tells students to join organizations that are specific to their chosen profession, such as the National Association of Black Accountants. "This will allow the student to network and receive job announcements from the organization's newsletters," he says. "The networking is particularly important because people get to know you and your capabilities, and focus on that instead of your physical disability. This can lead to key internships and referrals down the line."

Also, attend job fairs. Get to know able-bodied people who work at companies you are interested in. Learn what you can about their employers and use that information to position yourself as a candidate for the jobs they have available. (See "Get a Job--After College," this issue, for more tips.)

3. Get help with your resume. In 1987, Michael Linyard's life changed forever. The victim of a near-fatal shooting, he was left a paraplegic. After three years of medical rehabilitation, Linyard enrolled at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York, and earned his bachelor's degree in business administration. Like Jenkins, he was greeted over and over with the mantra, "Sorry, but we're not hiring right now." While searching through the want ads one day, Linyard, now 33, ran across Just One Break (J.O.B.), a New York-based nonprofit agency that places qualified disabled applicants in Fortune 500 companies. After restructuring his resume, the agency placed Linyard at a branch of the accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he currently works as an accounts payable clerk.

Kathryn Croft, director of operations at J.O.B., offers this advice:

* Make sure your resume is well written, on quality paper and free of errors. Stress your accomplishments. Avoid any reference to your disability or disabled or ethnic organizations to which you belong, unless they are relevant to the position you're seeking.

* Make sure you direct your resume to the right person. Get their exact job title and spell their name correctly.

* Send out a ton of resumes. A general rule of thumb is that you'll get 10 interviews for every 100 applications or resumes you send out.

Nancy Forest, acting executive director of Mainstream Inc., a Bethesda, Maryland-based agency that provides career counseling and placement services for people with disabilities in the Baltimore and Dallas areas, adds a firm reminder about disclosure. At no point up until a job offer has been made are you obligated to disclose your disability. "Not in your cover letter, not in your resume, not anywhere," she states. "As long as you are able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without accommodations, you're a viable candidate."

4. Enlist the best search team. If you have a degree and experience in a certain professional field, and your vocational counselor insists on steering you toward "low-income, no-future" jobs, find another advocate, experts advise.

Al Couthen, president of National Black Deaf Advocates, located in Laurel, Maryland, suggests that you primarily seek out organizations that work on behalf of African Americans with disabilities. If you're not sure, ask about the agency's success rate in helping to place minorities who are disabled, specifically black people.

Never get discouraged. Continue contacting employment agencies and job recruiters until you find the one that's right for you. Include job search firms that don't specialize in placing people with disabilities but focus on the most qualified candidates (see our "Executive Recruiter Directory," this issue). Also enlist the help of relatives and friends. They'll be happy to pass along leads and other useful information.

5. Ace the interview. Prepare for your interview by researching the company. Know the company's mission, how it's organized and what kind of year it just had--information you can find in the company's annual report. Also, if you're not sure, check with a secretary to see if someone in a wheelchair can access the building.

By law, the interviewer can't ask you if you have a disability, but you can opt to bring the subject up during the interview to find out how the company would accommodate you should you accept the position. If the company seems uncomfortable with your needs, then you'll probably end up feeling uncomfortable working there. If you choose to reveal during the interview that you have a disability, explain how certain aids help you to compensate and then quickly move the discussion back to your abilities.

Remember the basics: dress conservatively, bring breath mints, go light on the perfume or cologne and bring extra copies of your resume. Send a thank-you note to your interviewer immediately after the meeting, reminding him or her of why you are the best candidate for the job.

6. Focus on the right companies. The right companies are those that have a good reputation for hiring and accommodating the disabled. WE magazine, a lifestyle publication for people with disabilities, recently compiled a list of the top 10 companies to work for if you have a disability.

According to Charles A. Riley, editor in chief of WE, criteria for inclusion included how many employees were willing to identify themselves as having disabilities, what the company did to accommodate them, how the company helped employees return to their jobs after becoming disabled and efforts to recruit, hire and advance the careers of those with disabilities. Making the list were IBM, Marriott, AT&T, Hertz, Nabisco, Ford, Prudential, Colgate Palmolive, Amway and Northwest Airlines. (Two others frequently cited by agencies who place people with disabilities are UPS and MCI.) Companies that understand "the disability dividend," as Riley puts it, are the best places to focus your job search efforts.

7. Ask for what you need. What happens once you've gotten the job? Make it fit your needs, say experts. Eason, who wears two hearing aids, uses a specialty telephone that features padding, a handset and a speaker to get her work done. She and others advise those requiring special accommodations to make their requests as reasonable as possible. Present a strong business case to your employer by showing how the modification or acquisition will improve your job performance and productivity.

8. Level with co-workers. Walker suggests that you try to put your co-workers at ease with your disability by communicating openly with them about it. Tell them exactly what you will need them to do--or what you will do--to make it easy to work together. For instance, Walker, who is legally blind, asks people to present written information in a form she can see. "If you're deaf, ask people to please face you when speaking. In other words, let them know the best way to give information to you," she advises:

Take the strain off your co-workers by making sure you have at your fingertips all the support services, data and other resources you need to work efficiently. After the first couple of weeks, you should know where to go for what you need.

To guard against the possibility that your boss or co-workers may have low expectations of you because of your disability, Walker suggests that you document your achievements and present them during your annual reviews. Don't be afraid to blow your own trumpet when necessary.

If you're perceived as a talented and reliable team player and as a valuable resource with a positive influence on others, you should have little or no trouble moving up the career ladder.

9. Hire yourself. As with the able-bodied, not everyone is cut out for the corporate world. Also, how successful you are at finding employment often depends on the nature of your disability. "A person who has just become disabled will have different challenges to overcome than the person who has been disabled since birth and has learned to function smoothly with aids," says Betty Tate, director of employment services at Mainstream Inc.

"The first person may no longer be able to do the work he or she was doing before and unable to find anything comparable. This person may need career counseling and, in most cases, retraining." Tate cites the case of a young lady who became blind and had to give up her job as a systems analyst because her company couldn't accommodate the adaptive technology (voice activation) she needed to do her job. "She decided to live on disability and now supplements her income by training people who are visually impaired to use adaptive technology," says Tate.

Other African Americans with disabilities have found a different door to success. Many opt to work for public service or nonprofit organizations, often those that advocate for or support the physically challenged. Others go into business for themselves.

Theodore A. Pinnock, 35, a graduate of the University of Connecticut in Storrs, was denied acceptance at the University of Bridgeport Law School because the school felt his cerebral palsy rendered him incapable of performing the duties of an attorney. Pinnock went on to Western State University's College of Law, where he earned his law degree. Upon graduation, he was unable to find a job with a law firm. So, in 1991, he started his own, Pinnock & Kelso in San Diego, with the revenue he obtained from writing two books, The ADA Employers Handbook, and How to Get That Job (both $18.99; 619-689-1750).

Pinnock is a member of the Disabled Businesspersons Association, based in San Diego. The 12,000-member organization provides information and assistance to disabled entrepreneurs. "My disability does not impact on my ability to perform in court," says the fiery attorney, who moves around in a wheelchair and uses a translator in court. (His speech is altered by the cerebral palsy.) He advises people, particularly those starting out, to "follow your dreams no matter what obstacles await you."

And Howard Jenkins is still hopeful. He sends out four to five resumes a week, determined to land the job of his dreams--working for a radio station in production and ultimately as an on-air personality. "It hasn't happened for me yet," he muses, "and I've started rethinking my strategy a little, you know, broadening my thinking to include other options." One would be to take a job as a counselor at a local organization that works with kids, something he did years earlier as a volunteer. "At the same time" he says, "I'll just keep following up on leads until I get the job I really want."

RELATED ARTICLE: HELPING HANDS

Organizations, agencies, and website that offer assistance to the disabled, including job search, advocacy and business advice

African Americans with Disabilities Inc.

P.O. Box 86291 Pittsburgh, PA 15221 Monica Robinson, pres. & founder 412-392-4407

A grassroots organization that helps enrich the lives of people with disabilities in the areas of housing, employment and services.

Disables Businesspersons Association SDSU Interwork Institute 5850 Hardy Ave., Suite 112 San Diego, CA 92182-5313 Urban Miyares, pres. 619-594-8805

Provides free business information and assistance to enterprising people with disabilities.

Just One Break (J.O.B.)

120 Wall St. New York, NY 10005 Mikki Lam, executive dir. 212-785-7300 (voice) 212-785-4515 (TTY)

Nonprofit employment agency that finds competitive employment for people with disabilities.

National Black Deaf Advocates

142 27-32 Jib St. Laurel, MD 20707 Al Couthen, president 301-206-2802 (TTY) Karen Adeeb Anderson, PR dir. 501-296-1635 (voice) 501-296-1670 (TTY)

Comprises 25 chapters across the country that provide information about employment opportunities.

President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities

1331 F. St. NW Washington DC 20004 202-376-6200 (voice) 202-376-6205 (TTY)

Federal agency that facilitates public and private efforts to enhance employment of people with disabilities

In Touch Network (Radio)

15 W. 65th St. New York, NY 10023 212-769-6270

News reading service for the visually impaired. Call station for list of national affiliates.

WE Magazine

372 Central Park W. New York, NY 10025 800-WEMAG26 (800-936-2426)

[e-mail] A lifestyle consumer publication for people with disabilities

WEBSITES

World Association of Persons with Disabilities

According to their mission statement: "A beacon of knowledge and refuge for the world's largest minority." www.wapd.org

Job Resources for the Disabled Inc.

Provides interviewing and resume tips, plus a job bank. Posts resumes for free. www2.interaccess.com/ netown/announcements/ jrdpromo.html

Disabled American Veterans 

Government agency employing national service officers. Provides services free. www.dav.org

The Equal Employment Oppotunity Commission (EEOC)

Call 800-669-4000 to connect with your local EEOC office www.eeoc.gove