Ask HN: What is a physiically disabled person to do in this job market?

[amathew]

I am a 39 year old with cerebral palsy (use a walker due to mobility issues) who lost their job in late January 2025. I worked as a senior data scientist in the past and have been applying to analytics, business intelligence, and data science roles.

Six months later and I am still without a job.

How have those of you with disabilities overcome the difficulties in this market?

I'm totally lost and don't know how to proceed.

I've rewritten my resume and do get interviews

There were 4 instances where I went through the entire process and they ended up hiring another one of the candidates

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abraham-mathew-21221b29/

[scarface_74]

You mentioned you had CP and you walk with a cane. But didn’t mention if it affects your speech or your hands.

You know this I’m sure. But most people don’t know that CP affects different people differently. I have left hemiparesis CP that really only affects my left hand and very slightly my left foot - i walk with a slight limp. But properly conditioned, I’ve run a 10 minute mile up to a 10k.

I’ve been working professionally since 1996 across 10 jobs from everything from startups, to boring enterprise jobs to BigTech and full time for consulting companies. My last three jobs have been remote as have been the interviews. No one had the slightest clue about my having CP since going remote.

Why do you think it’s your CP and not just the market sucking for everyone right now?

Why do you have that you are “physically disabled” on you LinkedIn profile? Don’t do that. You are giving people a reason to discriminate against you unlawfully.

Second point: if you are just blindly submitting your resume to job sites/ATS’s you have already lost. I’m very credentialed in my field and I heard crickets from fire bombing my resume in 2023 and last year when I was looking for a job back to back. But that was my plan C while I was going through the interview processes based on my network and a targeted outreach where I had the exact set of skills and specialized experience that were looking for and responding to inbound recruiters.

But if your skillset is generic, you have to lean on your network, every open req gets hundreds of applications within a couple of days - LinkedIn shows you.

[xena]

Please do not abbreviate Cerebral Palsy.

[scarface_74]

Am I really being chastised for abbreviating something I’ve been dealing with personally for 51 years?

Please don’t tell me you are one of the “allies” making sure we engage in “right speak”.

[DeepSeaTortoise]

IMO it's a joke. Like Rossmann refusing to call his wiki the "Consumer Protection Wiki".

[muzani]

unfortunately the abbreviation is shared with many others

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cp

[scarface_74]

I’m sure in context people know I wasn’t talking about cheese pizza…

And the abbreviation is used by Easter Seal - the very organization that helps people with disabilities - including me when I was a child in the 80s.

https://cpfamilynetwork.org/resources/resources-guide/easter...

[Moomoomoo309]

Yes, because "cp" is code for "child porn".

[scarface_74]

Anyone can understand what CP is in context.

Should UCP (https://ucp.org/) change its name?

So this is the same performative “allyship” BS that I found disgusting when I worked at BigTech (I am very much a minority, FWIW).

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cp

And Easter Seal - an organization to help the disabled (including me when I was a child), uses the abbreviation “CP”

https://cpfamilynetwork.org/resources/resources-guide/easter...

[segmondy]

you are weird, when I see cp the first thing I think of is the copy command.

[Moomoomoo309]

Internet brain rot does what it does. Call me weird all you want, but my comment isn't the only one pointing this out, is it?

[leakycap]

Even during great hiring times, the roles you're seeking are often slow to hire and sometimes don't get filled even when there are qualified applicants.

There has to be a hand-in-glove fit to the team for these roles to be effective, which means interviews often get delayed because someone key can't be there... then later, another key person is out, and the cycle turns into a crisis and finally interviews happen and the role gets filled.

But, as you know, AI has seriously cut into your niche and hiring has been very minimal for over a year in data-related roles. Non-data people can do so much more with the help of an AI that can read CSV output from common data sources that I'm seeing people get more benefit from directly being able to work with the sources themselves and ask questions rather than get a report made from the BI team.

I would consider widening your search into other domains, adding AI to your workflow and make it front-and-center.

I clicked on your LinkedIn profile and you are wearing the most casual outfit I have ever seen on a LinkedIn profile, so I would consider finding or taking a photograph that looks like a typical job seeker. I would then remove any recent activity from my profile: without logging in, your first post is about difficulties you are facing and the third is a "hot take" that some companies would not appreciate. I'd cut all personal information that wouldn't get me hired.

Lastly, I'd make a more memorable and higher resolution main graphic. Right now, if this is an example of the quality of your work output, it is very blurry on my 15" laptop and doesn't give a great impression in that regard. None of this is a complaint or attack - I heard your desire for input and am sharing my feedback as a person who has been in hiring roles for 2 decades.

[scyzoryk_xyz]

I would not follow the advice on changing photos because since when does that matter in software related work.

But not seeing that profile myself, and assuming you don’t look like dogshit, the rest of the above advice definitely rings true. “Difficulties” and “hot takes” sound like the profile directs someone’s first impression of you in a sour direction. With LI it’s all about conformity and optimism.

[codegeek]

"since when does that matter in software related work."

It matters for people like OP who are already at a disadvantage. Yes this may not matter to many who are privileged to have a great job and do great work and their employer may not care. But when you are asking to be hired by another company and they don't know how great you are, you need to be presentable in a professional setting.

Overall, we need to stop normalizing being too casual in professional setting. Yes, even as Software Engineers. If all things are equal, I will always pick someone who cares about looking professional for work than not.

[leakycap]

> I would not follow the advice on changing photos because since when does that matter in software related work.

Then you say you didn't see the profile. Why bother typing all that without even bothering to click? Do you opine on everything you hear other people talking about without looking.

[scyzoryk_xyz]

I’m sharing a contrasting view in a conversation. And it is a perfectly valid one to take into account by OP - not everyone thinks particularly highly of folks who overdo their appearances on LI.

Seeking work puts people in a vulnerable spot and it can be intimidating when someone says “change this” and “change that”. “When I hire people blah blah blah”.

And I’ll take the downvotes over that - I’m not shaming or judging anyone for “bothering to type” something they think brings value into a conversation.

[shlant]

> when does that matter in software related work.

There is essentially no downside to taking a more professional photo. There is absolutely potential downside to having too casual of a photo (even if it's a silly truth)

[scyzoryk_xyz]

Honestly, for better or for worse, and I think some hard working folks here will agree with this: I don’t want to be invited by companies which prioritize appearances over merit. At least not to that extent. It’s a vibe thing. And too much pro photography can also send a certain message: vanity, narcissism, ambition.

OTOH I did get a sales gig a while back and I do look good in my profile. So I’m not advocating bad photos. You should simply look like someone everyone would like to work with and get along. I used a bright city-vacation photo in which I look happy because I really am happy.

But if I were to get a higher position, more responsibility, then a serious conservative professional studio photo might become more appropriate.

[shlant]

> I don’t want to be invited by companies which prioritize appearances over merit

I don't think that is what is necessarily (or likely) happening. Humans have many subconscious biases, and preferring more professional photos when looking to hire is probably a common one.

[codegeek]

"I don’t want to be invited by companies which prioritize appearances over merit"

Easy to say when you may be employed and have a good job. Tell that to OP who is looking for every possible way to get an interview with an employer.

Appearances absolutely matter in a professional setting and even though it should not be the 1st criteria to select someone, it is important.

[scyzoryk_xyz]

So that’s literally the first thing I “opined” here on - I wouldn’t prioritize the photo unless it’s something god awful.

I recently had to endure a job search and did not have a “good job” for longer than I would like. So I’m speaking from recent experience of thinking about the appearances I give off.

[badestrand]

About the profile photo you said it yourself, conformity is important and the photo is part of that.

[scyzoryk_xyz]

There is a lot of nuance in a profile photo.

Like, it’s clear to me that someone on an executive/salesy biz dev brand will probably present best with a professional studio headshot in a suit. That’s the look. But then someone who is being hired to say, code, that same choice may give off the wrong vibe.

Reason why I’m pointing it out is that on LI folks will over-compensate. You’ll see kids presenting themselves with magazine cover headshots that sort of thing.

So yeah, conformity matters - but it’s very context specific and nuanced. It’s worth asking the question who is looking at this and what should they think at first glance? What are the values?

[hall0ween]

Current data scientist here, working for a cloud consulting firm. Two things stand out from my experience: (1) my company isn't hiring, while the DS team is doing fine revenue wise, the rest of the company is doing poorly; so uncommunicated moratorium on hiring; (2) I interviewed at an AI company that I'm currently subcontracting under - and they like me - and I didn't get past the first round because their requirements are so high right now (aka I did mediocrely on one interview and that was enough to tank me).

All this is to say, GenAI is booming but there's competing factors going on for businesses to hire.

Also a different take, look for contract jobs. As with (1) above, my company isn't hiring FT but they're open to contractors.

I wish you luck.

[phyzix5761]

The market is very difficult right now from my experience. Some people I know have been out of work since the start of the year and still haven't found anything.

I think once IRS section 174 is overturned the market will get better.

[silisili]

I thought it was overturned with passage of BBB and retroactive even, is that incorrect?

[satvikpendem]

That is correct.

[bigyabai]

My anecdotal experience has been that the demand for data science/analytics jobs has cratered for the past couple years. Probably has something to do with AI, but even before ChatGPT it felt like the data science demand was vastly inflated. Financier capital in America is over, the era of lean startups is here to stay for quite some time.

Unless you're interested in applying your statistics knowledge to the military industrial complex or AI market, I'd probably recommend diversifying a bit. My honest $0.02.

[mixmastamyk]

Really? I see lots of posts still, though they could be fake I suppose. Was thinking of taking a machine learning course. Will it be another disappointment?

[buggy6257]

I do not have the same physical situation as you but was out of work for 7 months with similar experience level and got to the “offer or no” with 10 companies Before I finally got a job thanks to a referral and good interview.

What I’m saying here is that (a) your time in the market isn’t absurd for this current economy, and (b) it’s also not provably due to your disability so don’t go blaming that without proof or you’ll talk yourself into giving up. Shits HARD right now man just keep trying and focus hard on networking and referrals. It seems the only way to get a job right now

[omgwtfbyobbq]

I'd reach out to recruiters/agencies. It'll also be a pain, but I've had more luck doing that than cold applying the last time I was looking.

You can also try pivoting to something adjacent like data engineering and I've read a few people had luck by focusing a lot of time/energy on companies they like as opposed to specific positions/roles, but I'm not sure how well that would work because I've never tried it.

[avani]

Are you familiar with Tapia: https://tapiaconference.cmd-it.org/ ? It is a reasonable place to grow your network and find leads.

Also, it helps, in my experience, to be incredibly up front. "This is my diagnosis. This is the prognosis. Here are my achievements." You shouldn't have to reveal anything, and certainly no one can ask, but it breaks the ice.

[FlopV]

You post your resume link?

[billy99k]

Why do you think you aren't getting past the interview process?

[amathew]

There were 4 instances where I went through the entire process and they ended up hiring another one of the candidates

I don't the interviews are going bad... it's just super competitive so companies have so many options on who to hire

[leakycap]

> it's just super competitive so companies have so many options on who to hire

Yes, it is this and not likely related to your abilities or disabilities so much as the natural flow and quality of the interview.

Having interviewed a lot of people, some candidates really make an awesome impression and stand out. If we don't have one of those stand-out, hire-them-now candidates, we don't hire. So I would work on being the person they can't wait to send an offer to -- in addition to skillset, this most often comes down to charm, a sense of "getting it" or clicking with the overall role/company, reading the room, and excellent natural back-and-forth, which is super hard over video calls.

The key here is numbers. In a tough market, you probably need 10 interviews to get hired. Figure out what got you those first few interviews and lean in and make many more happen. You'll find the people you click with and your experience of going to multiple interviews will give you great practice in the meantime.

[giantg2]

"What is a physiically disabled person to do in this job market?"

Same thing as a person with a social-emotional disability - get screwed. I'm being pushed out of an early career role even though I'm overqualified and producing similar numbers as my peers. I'll end up working at Walmart. Good luck.

[bluefirebrand]

Please don't give up and just go work at Walmart

If you have the skills, please do your best to keep applying them at a new job

It's really important not to let this wear you down and defeat you. You're worth it

[th_1002]

I've been looking since 2024 layoff. Was lucky to set aside a year of emergency savings ... and now that year is up, nothing to show for it

Network did not get me enough interviews. I think this was fatal. Resume blasting is useless but I only kept doing it to not feel the despair of "doing nothing" each day, that was the only purpose. Menial jobs in-person just tell me to apply online

I got rejected from Walmart and related jobs (stocking/janitorial/cashier) even hiding/dumbing down all my tech experience. And it's been going on for months

Paid too much for therapy and insurance.

I now believe the market has concluded that they aren't looking for someone with my skills, too generic or something. Too intelligent for minimum wage, not skilled enough for industry. I work on certs but I figure what's the point if it isn't the difference between interview or no interview, a literal phone screen (setting aside an actual offer). It costs money and I'm following in the footsteps of an industry that offers me no path forward to survival. I have specifically been rejected on the basis of my employment gap regardless of explanation, all the shit I've attempted to make up for it. It's meaningless punishment for already being unemployable

Persistence is the key, but at some point you just gotta admit to yourself that enough is enough and no amount of screaming at a wall will change reality. I needed a win at some point, but I didn't get anything, zero. Lamenting the death of my career daily. This is not a feeling you can medicate or counsel away. Have all but accepted that homelessness is approaching for me and I'll soon have to downsize my life goals

[amathew]

I would be unable to walk from one corner of Walmart to the other in less than one hour. I use a walker because walking is hard. ( as mentioned in original post )

[RandomBacon]

I'm not familiar with Cerebral Palsy or your circumstances, so hopefully this isn't ignorant of me:

Assuming it doesn't affect your typing, develop a shtick in case your Cerebral Palsy comes up in an interview, maybe say something that people could consider humorous such as: "It doesn't affect my ability (analyze etc) and (type out reports etc). If Usain Bolt had to run a race using his fingers, he would have to get used to being in second place behind me (and smile showing it's okay to laugh)"

You mentioned you use a walker, would a wheelchair (just for in-person interviews) be doable? I think people are less likely to be negatively judged for using a wheelchair than a walker. Seeing a younger person in a wheelchair is far more common than seeing a younger person use a walker. Seeing something strange (uncommon) will be treated negatively subconsciously. If you can locomote faster in a wheelchair, than people will subconsciously equate that with your ability to work faster, especially if you can roll faster than other people can walk.

If you do the wheelchair thing, and you get a job working in-person, use the wheelchair for a week or two, but tell people a white-lie such as your doctor says you can transition to a walker in the next week or two, which will help strengthen your leg muscles. Always spin stuff positively. That way when your coworkers see you using a walker, they will be supportive and think positively to themselves rather than thinking how terrible that must be.

(Just be sure to have a complete backstory ready to go for things like when people ask, how long have you been in a wheelchair. Or maybe have a reason why the wheelchair was just temporary and you used a walker beforehand.)

Hmmm... Would that be considered a "hack" good enough for Y Combinator's application? It's been a few years since I looked at their application.

[scarface_74]

How is one post so full of bad advice.

1. No don’t say some lame joke

2. Any company that even asks about your disability during a job is a red flag. The company is unprofessional and doesn’t know how to interview.

3. You only have so much time to impress people during an interview. Don’t waste time talking about it. Besides no company with any interview training will talk about a disability during an interview.

You admitted that you don’t know anything about cerebral palsy. Just sit this one out.

[RandomBacon]

I understand you have Cerebral Palsy, I would prefer OP's thoughts. Thank you for your feedback, I hope it helps OP.

OP, if you're not already, perhaps join some communities for people with Cerebral Palsy and ask them. As the comment I'm replying to makes obvious, we might be too out of touch to provide advice.

I suppose it also depends on your attitude. People can have different attitudes about the exact same affliction, and get experience different outcomes because of the difference in their attitudes.

[giantg2]

I mean, I'll apply. It's just that there is little chance for me when everyone else is laying off and shipping jobs overseas. A mid-level dev from a non-tech company will lose out to a senior dev from Facebook or Amazon every time. And that's without the disability concerns.

[brudgers]

Your professional network is your best resource. The people who you have worked over, under, and beside you know your work so talk to them. Even if they probably are not hiring at the moment, maybe they have a lead. Even if they don’t, maybe they will in the future.

This is exactly the same approach anyone else should take. Good luck.

[downrightmike]

write a book, consult on book

[leakycap]

I have never heard someone unironically recommend writing a book as a way to make money. I'd believe someone made money selling cutco knives before I would believe they lived off book-sourced consulting in 2025.

[tolerance]

Elaborate, please.