Getting a job

Local job centres are funded by the government and can help deaf young people find jobs.

• In England, Wales or Scotland, visit Jobcentre Plus.
• In Northern Ireland, visit Jobs and Benefits office.

Most job centres have Disability Employment Advisors (DEAs). DEAs give specialist advice to disabled people and employers. Lots of deaf people do not consider deafness to be a disability. However, deaf people are entitled to support from a DEA.

DEAs can share information about disability-friendly employers in the local area. They can refer on to schemes which help disabled people find work. These schemes provide advice and training to help disabled people apply for jobs and get ready for work.

Job centres can also help with applying for benefits, like Universal Credit (GOV.UK). Universal

There are Government-run schemes to help young people find jobs.

Scotland

In Scotland, the Young Person's Guarantee means everybody aged 16 to 24 can be connected to an opportunity, such as a job, apprenticeship, education or volunteering.

Wales

In Wales, the Welsh Government has the Young Person’s Guarantee (gov.wales) in place. This guarantee means everybody under 25 can access support to:

• get a place in education
• access training
• find a job
• become self-employed.

Careers advisors help jobseekers explore career options. They can help you understand the range of jobs available, and the qualifications needed for specific jobs.

Students may be able to see a careers advisor through school, college or university.

Careers advice services

• England: National Careers Service
• Northern Ireland: Careers Service
• Scotland: My World of Work
• Wales: Career Wales

Some careers advisors may not know a lot about deafness. They may not have advised a deaf young person before. If a careers advisor says something that makes you feel bad or like you’re being discriminated against, please contact our Helpline.

• Deaf Careers is a job search tool designed for the deaf community. It has BSL videos and accessibility features.
• Deaf Unity lists job opportunities from organisations committed to inclusivity and diversity.
• Careers with Disabilities lists jobs from disability-friendly employers.

You may be worried about telling an employer about your deafness or hearing loss. It's normal to be concerned but there are laws in place that protect your rights to equality. Deafness is classed as a disability under all equality and discrimination laws in the UK. Even if you do not consider yourself to have a disability, your right to be treated fairly is protected.

You do not have to mention you’re deaf when you apply for a job. However, declaring a disability on a job application can be beneficial. Some organisations are actively seeking to improve the diversity of their workforce.

If you do not mention you’re deaf when you apply, telling them before your interview can help. You can request communication support or other access arrangements you might need.

Some employers may have never hired a deaf person before. They may not be aware of technology and communication and financial support available. You might need to help them understand your rights and what they need to do.

Tips for talking to an employer about your deafness

• Know and understand your legal rights. Think about what reasonable adjustments might help you.
• Learn about the different tasks and activities you’ll be expected to do in the job. Is there anything that might need to change because you’re deaf?
• Learn about other deaf people’s experiences at work. The adjustments and support they’ve had may also help you.
• Look at the different equipment available that can help at work. Read about how other deaf people use technology to support them at work.
• Tell employers about Access to Work. It can help pay for equipment or services, like communication support.

Before you're offered a job, employers are not generally allowed to ask questions about your health or disability. In certain situations, employers may ask questions:

• to monitor if they’re attracting candidates with disabilities (this will usually be on an application form with other diversity questions, and you do not have to answer)
• if the job needs someone with lived experience of a particular disability
• if the employer has a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants.

Employers can ask you questions about whether you can do essential parts of the job. How you would communicate with customers, for example. However, they cannot turn you down because of your disability. They must consider all the reasonable adjustments they could make to support you to do the job.

It’s a good idea to tell your employer you’re deaf, either when you get an interview or once you have secured a job. This will provide you with legal protection. If an employer claims they didn’t know you had a disability, then you may have less of a case for discrimination.

Find out more about your legal rights at work.

Lots of deaf young people struggle with reading and writing (literacy). This is particularly the case if English or Welsh is their second language. The level of literacy you will need depends on the job you’re applying for. Employers shouldn’t ask for a high level of literacy skills unless it’s necessary for the role.

Even if you’re applying for a job that does not require a high level of literacy, you may still be worried about writing an application. You can contact the employer before you apply and let them know that you’re deaf. Explain that your level of written English or Welsh may not be as high as other applicants. As it’s not a requirement for the role, it would be a reasonable adjustment for them to overlook this.

Lots of deaf people get adjustments or communication support at job interviews. If you need them, tell the employer ahead of time so they can make arrangements.

Think about what the interview involves and what support you might need. You could request:

• the interview to take place in a quiet room to avoid background noise
• more time for any work-based tests or tasks
• a copy of their questions to refer to during the interview
• communication support, such as a sign language interpreter or communication support worker.

Access to Work will fund communication support for interviews. You can apply for this funding online (GOV.UK). You can find the communication support yourself. Alternatively, you could let the employer know you have Access to Work funding. They can then find and book communication support for you.

Interviews may be in-person, over the phone or on a video call. For phone interviews, you could ask to use a text-to-speech service like Relay UK or a sign language relay service like Sign Video. For video calls, make sure you let them know if you need accessibility features enabled, like multi-pinning or live captioning.