Getting a good job is not exactly the easiest thing to do nowadays.
This statement is true for disabled and non-disabled persons alike. On the balance, however, getting a job as a disabled person is decidedly trickier.
This is not only due to disabled persons’ limited physical abilities, but also the fact that they often have to face persisting social stigmatization and discrimination.
In today’s world, however, advancement in technology has opened up new doors of opportunity for disabled persons.
With the right blend of determination and knowledge, one can achieve great heights in a wide and ever-growing variety of jobs.
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Legal Protection for Disabled Employees
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 strictly prohibits any act of discrimination based on physical disability meted out to disabled persons in the workplace or job selection processes.
Related: Is It Legal for a One-armed Person to Drive? (Answered)
10 Easy Jobs for One-Handed Persons
Here are some great jobs to consider as a one-handed person.
1. Voice-Over Artist
You can voice programs and presentations made on radio or TV.
These programs may include product adverts, jingles, and other commercials. If you have some acting skills, you can get yourself a role in radio plays and comedy skits where you can alternate your accents to play various characters.
Moreover, you can provide the voice for characters in video games, animations, and cartoons.
The good thing about voice-over jobs is that there are absolutely no formal educational qualifications required to land yourself a role. You may take some voice training or acting courses anyway, to hone your skills.
You can expect to earn anywhere between $100 and $10,000 for your work, depending on your client. A TV commercial for a big company’s products will certainly earn you more than a jingle produced for a local radio station.
2. Journalism
If you have the proper qualifications as well as strong communication/writing skills, you can get a job in any of the various areas of journalism.
Depending on their roles, journalists discover and collect stories of public interest, investigate them and present them to the public through various means. These means include radio, print media, web media, and the likes.
The pay for journalists is around $50,000 every year.
3. Call Center Customer Care Representative
Public relations is a key consideration for businesses.
Companies and organizations need to interface with their clients to know and resolve their grievances and produce better products and services.
A one-armed person can work as a customer care representative saddled with the duty of receiving complaints or other feedback from customers and providing them guidance on a company’s products and guidelines.
This interaction may take the form of phone calls, emails, or other means. You can earn around $36,000 every year as a customer care representative.
Related: Can a Deaf Person Work on a Construction Site? (Answered)
4. Software Programming
With the advent and continuous evolution of computer technology, programming has become a viable source of income for many. Programmers create, maintain, protect, repair, enhance, and upgrade computer software applications.
Several tech firms rely on programmers to write the code for their apps. You could also teach others to program software for a fee. Programmers earn around $30 per hour in the US.
5. Writing/ Editing
If you have a passion for books, you can turn your passion into a source of income.
Good writers are in demand across a wide variety of niches and areas. You can become a novelist, writing and publishing fictional and non-fictional works of literature.
Furthermore, you can become a freelance blog post or SEO article writer, offering your services to websites, companies, and others. There are no academic qualifications required for you to kick-start your career as a writer.
If you’re a bit of a grammar nerd, you may start a proofreading/editing business and help people improve their writing and rid it of grammatical errors. As a novelist, you can earn around $50,000 or more annually, depending on how successful your books are on the market.
6. Artistic Painting
A one-handed person can make a living by painting. Work with companies and brands to design logos, banners, and the likes for their publicity campaigns.
You can get a job with a publishing house, serving as a book art illustrator/cover art designer.
Motion picture companies use these services.
If you wish to go independent, produce unique pieces and have them marketed in art exhibitions and galleries.
You may also be commissioned to make personal portraits of people, pets, or objects of interest. As an art painter, expect to rake in around $25 per hour for your services.
Related: Can I be a Foster Parent If I Am on Disability? (Answered)
7. Driving
Get a driver’s license as a one-armed person as long as you can prove that you can effectively control a car. You can work as a personal chauffeur, driver for transport or delivery companies, among others. Drivers can earn around $16 per hour.
8. Blogging
If you would prefer a more flexible and independent job, then consider starting a blog.
Choose a niche or topic that interests and appeals to you. This could be politics, sports, relationships or just sharing your personal experiences.
Blogging allows you to be your boss and work from the comfort of your home. Bloggers in the US make $30,000 per year on average. This figure, of course, gets higher as your blog gets more successful.
9. Teaching
Consider becoming a teacher if you have advanced educational qualifications. You can get teaching jobs at any level of education based on your qualifications. Your salary can be upwards of $30,000 annually as a primary or high school teacher in the US.
As a University lecturer, you most likely would earn above $50,000 per year.
10. Door Greeter
Door hosts/greeters welcome customers to a business place.
They give patrons any information that they may require about the products and services on offer, directions around the neighborhood, and so on. Furthermore, they may be required to conduct guests to their tables.
A door greeter may work in a restaurant, bar, or other business.
Importantly, you don’t require any special skills or educational qualifications to become a door greeter. You can earn around $11 per hour working as a door greeter.
