Chapter Six:
Finding Employment as a Veteran with a Disability
Until only recently employment was seen as the last step in rehabilitation for wounded veterans. In the past, treatment providers and therapists worked to treat disabilities first and then found jobs for veterans only after they were “healed.” But new developments and changes in thinking about disabilities are changing that sequence so that employment is now considered part of the rehabilitation and treatment program for virtually all types of disabilities.
Research is starting to show how employment can provide positive feelings of “self-efficacy” to counter the negative feelings of “learned helplessness.” Employment can help a veteran continually reframe negative thoughts by demonstrating competence, providing meaning to life, and providing a daily network and social support. And thanks to assistive technology and changes in attitudes, people with disabilities can work in more types of job than was thought possible in the past.
As the previous chapter demonstrated how a veteran with a disability
can return to military service, this chapter will show you how you or your friend or family member can find a great job. This chapter also describes the benefits that military service and disability can bring to a potential employer and how a veteran can overcome questions and issues that might come up about military service or a disability.
This chapter takes you through the steps of looking for a job with a disability from determining what they want to do and which skills they want to use to finding a job that appreciates them and their disabilities. It also highlights the benefits that military service and disability can bring to a potential employer and how veterans can address issues that might come up during interviews. Information about starting your own business is also included.
Author:
Nathan D. Ainspan, Ph.D., is an industrial psychologist in the Washington, DC area. He has conducted research and written on issues impacting the employment prospects of people with disabilities, especially veterans and returning service members with disabilities. Dr. Ainspan was previously with the Office of Disability Employment Policy at the Department of Labor in Washington, DC. He has also led numerous seminars and workshops on finding employment. We hope that you will find this chapter helpful in your own successful job search, so that you can enjoy the rehabilitative and other benefits of a great job.
