Looking for work
We're working to help people with sight loss overcome the barriers they sometimes face when looking for work. If you're looking for work, this section can provide information to help.
Starting a job search can be a daunting task. There are a bewildering number of job roles in the labour market and sometimes it can be hard to know what you could and should be applying for. It is worth remembering that you are protected under the Equality Act 2010, which applies to the whole of the recruitment process. Employers have a duty to anticipate your requirements at every stage, from accessing vacancies, filling out application forms, to interview tests.
The most important thing to remember in your job search is that there is support available to help you from organisations like RNIB and Jobcentre Plus.
A new RNIB course for jobseekers
RNIB's new free online jobseeker course has been designed to help people with sight loss decide the next steps to take when thinking about employment. We've called on the experience of our professional employment advisors to put together their top tips for a successful approach to looking for work. The course has been tested by people with sight loss to make sure it's easy to use, addresses their job search queries and is fully accessible.
The online course is packed full of practical advice, including:
- What you need to do before applying for jobs and where to find opportunities
- How to complete a CV and the best way to fill in an application form
- How to tackle interviews
- Behaviour and safety in the workplace
- Where to get help
You can choose to do the sections most relevant to you, or do the whole course. If you do the whole course, it will take you around 50 minutes. You can start and stop, skip forward or backwards and take as much time as you need to complete it. Once you sign up the course will be available for you to revisit any time you want to refresh your job search skills.
Note: For the best user experience, we recommend using the most up-to-date versions of Chrome, Edge, or Safari. Other browsers, including Internet Explorer may affect the running of the courses.
Work with a Visibly Better Employer
Visibly Better Employer is an RNIB programme for employers, designed to help them become better and more inclusive for people with sight loss, by committing to our quality standard. When an organisation signs up for the Visibly Better Employer quality standard we help it put in place practices which will enable it to become an inclusive employer for anyone with sight loss.
Click the button below to find out what working for a Visibly Better Employer could mean for you, discover the organisations which have achieved our quality standard and visit their recruitment pages to see what opportunities might be available.
Support to Work: Scope, the disability equality charity in England and Wales, have created Support to Work. It's a free online and telephone support programme for disabled people in England and Wales, who are looking for paid work. Support to Work advisers will listen to your challenges and give specific advice for your situation. With in-depth knowledge and experience they can support you with many aspects of looking for paid work.Together you'll create a personal and flexible 12-week programme with tasks to complete such as:
- reading work and careers advice
- writing a CV or cover letter from a template
- preparing for interviews.
Your Support to Work adviser will be on hand to help throughout the 12 weeks. At the end you'll still have access to all resources in your personal online portal. You will also have access to vacancies through the Support to Work online job board from partner organisations, recruiters, and employers who are committed to employing more disabled people.
Find out more about Support to Work by emailing [email protected] or call 0300 222 5742 to discuss whether it’s right for you.
Thomas Pocklington Trust: Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT) Employment service supports blind and partially sighted people wanting to start, restart or progress their careers. It has produced a series of inspiring films showcasing the employment stories of people with sight loss working in a range of roles and sectors. Select a story below to watch the TPT We Work films on YouTube:
- Callum Stoneman is a Network Designer at BT
- Breandan Ward is a leadership coach and disability lecturer
- Alex Lee, Journalist, tells us about his life working on his “dream job” at Wired Magazine.
There are more films in the We Work series. You can view them all and learn more about Thomas Pocklington Trust Employment services by visiting the TPT website.
RNIB Factsheets: We have also produced a series of detailed factsheets about looking for work, covering all of the topics contained in this section in more detail:
How we can help
This is your future - a career guide for disabled students, by disabled students
This guide - produced by Leonard Cheshire Disability - provides you with the information that you need to kickstart your career. It was written by and for disabled students.
Leonard Cheshire's internship programme
Leonard Cheshire run an internship programme which brings together the UK’s top employers and talented disabled students. Details of the programme can be found at the Leonard Cheshire website.
DWP guidance for young disabled people looking to find and stay in work
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) have produced a guide to help young disabled people find and stay in work. It includes advice on role models, careers advice, Disability Employment Advisers, workplace training, adjustments in the workplace, higher education, work experience and more.
Visit the GOV.UK website to download a copy of the help and support for young disabled people to find and stay in work guide.