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

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

#11
"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.

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

#12

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.

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

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

#13
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

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

#14
post #11

"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.

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

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

#15
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.

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

#17

write a book, consult on book

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.

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

#18
post #9
post #7

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

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

> 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.

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

#19
post #11

"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.

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

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 )

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

#20
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.

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