Advertising jobs and vacancies

Often applicants with skills and experience feel they are unable to apply. They might not know they can ask for reasonable adjustments, such as reduced or compressed hours.

Our Recruitment toolkit looks at this area in more detail. But here are a few simple steps to widen the pool of talent available to you.

Advertising vacancies

Advertise the guaranteed interview scheme. This means disabled applicants will get an interview if they meet the minimum criteria for the role.

Does your recruitment policy encourage or discourage applications from disabled applicants?

Encourage people to ask for reasonable adjustments in the recruitment and selection process. This can encourage more applications.

Think about the recruitment agencies you use. Are they providing an inclusive candidate pool?

Increase your exposure to disabled candidates by trying:

• Scope’s employment services and jobs board. Tell your account manager of any vacancies and we’ll share them.
• Disability Jobsite
• Disabled Workers Co-operative
• Diversity jobs
• EmployAbility
• Evenbreak
• Incluzy

Job adverts

Also consider the language you use in job adverts, for example:

Wording of skills and competencies

Standard wordings can make candidates with some impairments discount themselves before applying. ‘Excellent communication skills both written and verbal’ may put disabled people off.  To be inclusive just say ‘must have excellent communication skills’. There are lots of ways of communicating.

An inclusive job description should state what needs to be done, not how it needs to be done.

Salary details

Some organisations do not advertise pay or salary details. This may put off candidates on benefits, who may not apply without this information in advance.

Plain English

Use clear language to make sure everyone can read and understand your adverts. This helps a range of people, from neurodivergent candidates to those with sight loss.