Do you usually state your disability in your cover letter/resume?

[marvelous123]

I'm just curious. I'm currently applying for my first job (the job I had before only needed a resume, and the organization knew me fairly well already) as a camp counsellor. I've done it before, and I do enjoy it (its like going back to my camp days minus the carefree-ness and add the mega stress lol). So I think that it would be a decent job for me to look into. Anyways, this is kind of a controversial topic. Ive heard some people say, yes, state it, and others that say wait until you get an interview. What do you think? The due date is tomorrow, so i need to write this fast. :/ And if I state it, how do I phrase it, really? It just seems like kind of an awkward topic to put on paper...

[Kate*]

Personally, I wouldn't. Even though they can't legally deny you hire because you have a disability, in my mind, it makes it too easy for them to do so and then, if pressed, give another reason for it. If you require accommodations, then it will need to come up, but wait to talk about it with them in person so they get to know you before learning what is different about you and assuming what that means.

[Music]

If you require accommodations for your disability I say yes, if not then it's none of their business. You don't need to tell them legally so why put your future opportunity at risk?
I've never told any employer about any of my disabilities, and I probably never will.

[WhisperingSilence]

I dont tend to state mine in my CV but I do sometimes state mine on my cover letter.

[CorrieUSMC]

Like others said, unless they need special things to have you work there, I wouldn't. BUT a way you could sort of tell them, is too state it in your cover letter and say how you're a better worker because of it, that you've learned to adapt and overcome situations because of it. A little smart way of saying, "Yes I have this, but it doesn't hold me back, it has made me better because of it."

Hope this helps

Take care,
-Corrie

[Philomath]

I would talk about my accommodations with my employer in person. Depending on the job I am applying to, I may need more accommodating than for other jobs or different accommodating so I cannot really put my disability on my resume, that would exclude me from being employed possibly.
Plus, although they are not supposed to, employers can and have denied people jobs due to their disability because they have a view that someone who is disabled may not be able to perform as well as someone that is not disabled which makes no sense but the world has a long way to go in some areas....
Better to discuss in person than try fitting it in a resume.
This is definitely a debatable subject because some people will say to go for it but others say not to. There are a lot of reasons for both arguments but here is a great article from Monster.com that may help.

[Ghost On The Highway]

Absolutely not, though my "disability" isn't very debilitating (diabetes T1). I do require accommodations, but consider them reasonable -- extra bathroom breaks, drinking gatorade on the floor, etc.

[WhisperingSilence]

With mine like I said before I do tend to do so I also declare on them application if they ask. As with mine eye contact is hard for me as I have a form of autism and feel this is something I need the interview to know before the interview so that they can make a few little allowances for things such as the lack of eye contact and the misinterpretation of things. Of course it's ultimately up to you whether or not you declare them on your C.V/Resume. Though I usually find it useful to declare them on the application and the cover letter simply so the employer / interviewer is aware / prepared for my needs etc.

[LlamaLlamaDuck]

Any "disability" I have would be mental health related and at this point, I've been told I have 3 different types/severities of depression, likely schizophrenia (but apparently I was meant to get over that when I was 17), serious paranoia, and social anxiety. None were actual diagnoses I don't think, so no one knows what's up with me.
I've only ever mentioned it on an application for a college course and that was so they'd be able to set me up with a support worker in the college and I'd be able to get help from them if I needed it.
In terms of work, my current employers know nothing about my health in that sense and apart from being pretty jumpy at times, it's never caused a problem.

If anything were to get worse in future and it would affect me work/require some accommodation then I'd mention it then.
If it doesn't cause any problems with your ability to work, then don't mention it if you don't want to. As far as I know, the only thing you have to mention by law is anything on your criminal record.