Alternatives to Traditional Resumes for Jobseekers with Disabilities: A Brief Report

Abstract

Background

Finding employment is a complex task and traditional means of job seeking such as submitting a traditional resume may be ineffective and inaccessible for some people with disabilities.

Objective

Identify the scope of literature related to documenting any outcomes associated with using alternatives to traditional resumes for people with disabilities. Method: A scoping review was conducted, and studies that met inclusion criteria were coded for information on participants and context, type of resume alternative utilized in the study, research design, research quality, and findings.

Results

Seven studies identified in the scoping met full inclusion criteria. Most studies were non-experimental, focused on the use of video resumes or video CVs, and did not meet American Psychological Association's journal article reporting standards. Results also suggest there are benefits for people with intellectual disability to participate in the process of creating a video resume.

Conclusion

Challenges securing adequate employment persists for people with disabilities. Research on any benefits of using a resume alternative for people with disabilities is in its infancy. Findings from this scoping review cannot, in conglomeration, confirm that there are benefits when implementing these alternatives, however, findings from this review suggest the use of resume alternatives warrant further investigation.

Keywords

jobseeking video resume video CV representational portfolio visual resume

Introduction

People with disabilities have a right to work and having a job can enhance one's social networks, self-determination, and overall quality of life (e.g., Blustein, 2019; Voermans et al., 2021). However, obtaining employment remains a significant barrier for many people with disabilities and this disparity is evident across the lifespan. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024), youth with disabilities, aged 16–19, are less likely than their peers without disabilities to participate in the labor force (i.e., 27.6% versus 37.4%); and participation rate and discrepancy further drops into adulthood with only 24.2% of adults with disabilities employed compared to 68% for those without disabilities. Recent US policy efforts, such as Employment First, emphasize that all individuals, regardless of disability, should have opportunities to pursue competitive, integrated employment (Association of People Supporting Employment First, n.d.). In line with this vision, educators and the Rehabilitation Services Administration provide pre-employment transition services to prepare youth with disabilities for the workforce. These services include: (a) job exploration counseling, (b) work-based learning experiences, (c) postsecondary education counseling, (d) workplace readiness training, and (e) instruction in self-advocacy (Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act, 2014).

Despite policy and practice efforts, barriers to employment exist and persist across the job seeking landscape. The traditional job-seeking process often includes applying to the job, often with an electronically submitted resume, which may serve as a barrier for people with disabilities. Biases rooted in misunderstandings regarding the abilities of individuals with disabilities may perpetuate continued exclusion as resumes may highlight factors such as lack of employment history, employment gaps, or difficulties to communicate one's skills in written form in addition to concerns about written disclosure of disability, and (e.g., Bonaccio et al., 2020; Dean et al., 2022; Glazko et al., 2024). In response, some jobseekers are pursuing alternative methods to better communicate their skills and abilities than a traditional written resume (e.g., video resumes, portfolios, visual resumes). Video resumes, for instance, allow applicants to present themselves to employers and share their job specific competencies, qualifications, and previous work experiences (Gissel et al., 2013). Non-traditional formats may offer advantages over traditional resumes, both in terms of showcasing specific skills and helping employers better match applicants to job tasks (Moore & Fris, 2014; Richter, 2007).

Educators, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and employment specialists continue seek evidence-informed tools and strategies to improve hiring outcomes for people with disabilities, and a clearer understanding of one critical component of the employment process—the resume—is needed. In addition, as accessibility practices evolve in the recruitment process, synthesizing research on resume alternatives is both novel and timely. This study aims to examine the existing peer-reviewed research on alternatives to traditional resumes for jobseekers with disabilities through a scoping review. Our research questions are:

What are the characteristics of peer-reviewed research on resume alternatives for people with disabilities?

What types of alternatives to traditional resumes are currently being studied?

What outcomes are documented when a person with a disability uses a resume alternative, and do outcomes vary based on type of disability?

Method

To address our broad research questions, a scoping review framework (i.e., Hadie, 2024) was implemented after a preliminary search did not identify any reviews of this topic. A scoping review, in this instance, is an appropriate framework to “examine the extent, range and nature of research activity” in a targeted area (Arksey & O'malley, 2005, p. 21).

Search terms (see Table 1) for this scoping review were designed to be less restrictive than a traditional systematic review (Munn et al., 2018). To be included in this review, studies met five criteria: (1) include an alternative to a traditional resume as a component of investigation, (2) include individuals with disabilities in the sample, (3) was peer-reviewed, (4) are written in English, and (5) report results that inform one or more of the research questions. Due to the exploratory nature of this review, no studies were excluded because of research design or certainty of evidence associated with the results. There was no requirement related to publication date.

Table 1.

Scoping Review Search Terms.

Terms for Resume Alternatives	+ Terms Used for Disability Label
“video resume” “video CV” “video curriculum vitae” “visual resume” “infographic resume” “person-centered resume” “representational portfolio”	disabilit* “special education” exceptionalit handicap* impairment “special needs”
	intellectual disabilit” “intellectual disorder”, “developmental disabilit” autism, ASD IDD, “mental retardation”
	blind, “hearing impair”, “vision impair,
	“emotional disturbance”, “emotional disorder”, EBD, “behavior disorder”, BD
	“health impairment”, ADHD, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADD
	TBI, “brain injury”, “orthopedic impairment”, “motor skill”, “multiple disabilities”, “physical disability”, “wheelchair”,
	“learning disabilit*”, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, “learning difference”

Note. For this scoping review Deaf was considered a linguistic minority, not a disability (Charrow & Wilbur, 1975; Manning et al., 2022).

Search Procedures

First, we conducted an initial search to confirm a similar review was not available. Then, we used two primary concepts to identify the keywords to implement in the searches: (1) alternatives to traditional text-based resumes, and (2) participants with disabilities. Our search was conducted in January 2025 across four electronic databases: ERIC, PsychINFO, Academic Search Premier, and Google Scholar. Each cluster of terms (see Table 1) was each searched by two authors. In addition, an ancestral search was conducted by reviewing the references for articles that met inclusion criteria.

A total of 15 articles were identified and reviewed for full inclusion criteria. Any disagreements for meeting full inclusion were resolved by a third author which led to seven articles included in the review. Articles were excluded for reasons such as (a) resume alternative was not developed for employment purposes (e.g., Wood, 2021), (b) participants with disabilities were not part of the sample (e.g., Waung et al., 2014), or (c) focused on Deaf individuals and was excluded due to Deaf identification as linguistic group, not a disabled group of people (e.g., Kelly & O'Brien, 1992).

Results

Included studies were coded and data was extracted on the following: (a) participant demographics, (b) research context, (c) resume alternative, (d) research design, (e) results, and (f) design quality based on American Psychological Association's (APA) Journal Article Reporting Standards (JARS) for qualitative and quantitative research (APA, 2020). A summary of findings is provided in Table 2.

Table 2.

Summary of Results.

Citation	Age, Gender, Disability	Context	Alternative	Research Design	Results	Research Quality
Bellemare et al. (2023)	(n = 1), NR, F, wheelchair user played by an actor	US, Job seeker applied to 1,788 secretary and reception openings	Video Resume	Experimental; cover letter w/ and w/o disclosure, video resume showing disability.	Video resumes increase call back rates equally for the actor with or without a wheelchair. But a general negative relationship between disability disclosure and callback rates.	1. NR 2. FR 3. FR 4. PR
Bonello et al. (2022)	(n = 10), NR, NR, ID; Project Team (n = 4), NR, NR, 2 w/ ID	Malta, The CaVetta ghall-Futur Program	Video CV	Qualitative reflections	People with ID enjoy the process of making a video CV. Researchers noted they focus on positives and expands how productivity is defined for employers.	1. PR 2. NR 3. NR 4. NR
Callus et al. (2024)	(n = 17), NR, NR, ID Project team (n = 4), NR, NR, 2 w/ ID	Malta, Video CV created by those with ID with testimonials	Video CV	Qualitative, reflexive thematic analysis	Highlights qualities clearly with a focus on positives and shows contributions to a team. Video CV challenge stereotypes and look towards the future.	1. PR 2. PR 3. PR 4. PR
Caslin et al. (2024)	(n = 11), ages 16–20, NR, LD¹	Special school, England. Comedy-based activities to develop video CV.	Video CV	Qualitative, descriptive	Participants reported they enjoyed the activities, and the process helped show what they can do, develop confidence, and believe the videos will challenge biases. No outcomes of the video CVs were reported.	1. PR 2. NR 3. PR 4. NR
Condon and Callahan (2008)	(n = 1), between 14–21, F, “significantly impacted by disability”	Montana, Individualized Career Planning Model to create a portfolio	Representational portfolio	Program description, case study for one person	Case Study: RP was used to help a person get a job. Full study: Agencies reported they appreciated the full model as it provided important information about people with significant support needs.	1. PR 2. NR 3. NR 4. NR
Farkas et al. (2021)	(n = 24), NR, NR, autistic jobseekers + non-autistic people	NR, Video CVs created with autistic jobseekers	Video CVs	Descriptive analysis of perceptions of the video CVs	Video CVs were accessible and effective to convey key personality traits and employability skills. Viewers knowledgeable about autism also had positive ratings of employability.	1. NR 2. NR 3. NR 4. NR
Wang et al. (2010)	(n = 249; HR managers), NR, 55 m, 188 f, 90% White	US, 14% from West, 20% from Midwest, 22% Northeast, and 44% South.	Visually formatted vs unformatted resume.	Survey research, one of four experimental conditions	Findings indicate the importance of the format of visual resumes. Participants perceived to be blind were rated as more conscientious and agreeable by HR managers yet were not associated with more favorable hire-ability evaluations.	1. FR 2. PR 3. FR 4. FR

Note. NR = Not reported, ID = Intellectual disability, CV = curriculum vitae, LD = Learning disability, FR = fully reported, PR = Partially reported. Research quality: 1. Were participant characteristics reported?; 2.Were sampling procedures reported?; 3. Was the research design and data collection procedures reported?; 4. Was an analytic strategy provided? ¹ After reviewing the characteristics, this is an instance where LD is used to describe ID, which is common in the United Kingdom.

Characteristics of Research

Publication date ranged from 2008–2024 with most studies (n = 5) published between 2021–2024. Three studies were published by researchers from the US. Four studies focused on alternatives for individuals with I/DD, one focused on wheelchair users, one on blind jobseekers, and one study focused on jobseekers with autism. Most studies did not implement an experimental design (n = 5). The two studies that implemented an experimental design focused on jobseekers who are in a wheelchair or blind.

Resume Alternatives

Resume alternatives identified in the review predominately included a video resume or video CV (n = 5). The specific details about the components of the video CV or resume varied across studies, however, studies did not report the components of the alternative with replicable precision. One study investigated if representational portfolios (an analogue version of a video resume) improve chances of getting hired, and another study focused on visual formatting (i.e., headings, indentation, text alignment across content) of a written resume and association with human resource manager ratings of the applicant.

Documented Outcomes

Included studies documented a variety of outcomes including increased callback rates, increased perceptions of employability or reduced stereotypes and two studies documented benefits for individuals simply by engaging in the development process of creating a video resume. Based on the limited number of studies and types of studies identified in our review, we cannot definitively document any major themes related to employment outcomes. In addition, due to limited demographic reporting of included studies, we were also unable to answer if outcomes varied based on disability status. Furthermore, when reviewing each article for APA JARS research quality indicators, characteristics of participants were only partially reported across five studies, sampling procedures were only fully reported across three studies, and research design and data collection procedures were only reported with precision across two studies. Finally, sufficient description of the analytic strategy, based on research methodology, was fully reported for one study. In summary, most studies did not report on the research context, procedures, and analysis with replicable precision, which impedes on any generalization of findings.

Discussion

While the current evidence base for using resume alternatives for people with disabilities remains thin and limited by methodological quality, this scoping review serves as a starting point to identify a gap in inclusive employment research. As vocational rehabilitation and education professionals continue to search for strategies to support more equitable employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities, these findings signal an opportunity for increased research and improved rigor when exploring alternative ways to apply for a job.

Implications for Research

First, future research should provide comprehensive demographic information on participants and details about the employment context. The lack of detailed information across studies hampers the ability to assess how resume alternatives perform across different groups and settings. Next, findings demonstrate the need for increased methodological rigor of future research including (a) listing research questions, (b) improving the precision of reported procedures and analysis, and (c) designing the study with attention to rigorous design standards to ensure validity and generalizability of findings. In addition, future research should implement experimental designs to explore if alternatives to traditional resumes are positively associated with improved employment or job-seeking outcomes for people with disabilities (i.e., invitation for interviews, offers of employment). In addition, barriers to implementing an alternative should also be identified (e.g., compatibility for non-traditional formats with online application systems). Third, future research should prioritize a replicable description of the resume alternative so that others can reproduce the alternative and, if applicable, replicate the process to develop the alternative. This would include information about any required technology and software, the role of support personnel to guide jobseekers with disabilities through the process, and duration, content, and other descriptors of the final product. Future research could also explore other innovative resume alternatives, including online portfolios or social media-based resumes. Finally, future research should seek to determine any indirect benefits in the process of creating an alternative resume may have on employment outcomes. For example, does building an alternative resume build workplace readiness skills or self-advocacy in people with disabilities?

Conclusion

In summary, this scoping review identified that more research is needed to fully understand any benefits of creating and using alternative resumes during the job-seeking process. As people with disabilities continue to experience lower employment compared to non-disabled peers, creative alternatives to traditional resumes have the potential to offer some benefits that could ameliorate these persistently discrepant outcomes.

Footnotes

Acknowledgement

N/A

ORCID iDs

Christen Knowles

James Sinclair

Yen K Pham

Katherine W Bromley

Christopher Murray

Ethics Statement

N/A, not human subjects research

Informed Content

N/A, not human subjects research

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

References

American Psychological Association (2020). Journal article reporting standards. In Publication manual of the American psychological association (7th ed, pp. 217–220). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000 .

Arksey

O'malley

(2005). Scoping studies: Towards a methodological framework. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364557032000119616

Association of People Supporting Employment First. (n.d.). APSE fact sheet: Employment first. Retrieved from: https://apse.org/home-v2-2/employment-first/

Bellemare

Goussé

Lacroix

Marchand

(2023). Physical disability and labor market discrimination: Evidence from a video résumé field experiment. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 15(4), 452–476. https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20210633

Blustein

D. L.

(2019). The importance of work in an age of uncertainty: The eroding work experience in America. Oxford University Press.

Bonaccio

Connelly

C. E.

Gellatly

I. R.

Jetha

Martin Ginis

K. A.

(2020). The participation of people with disabilities in the workplace across the employment cycle: Employer concerns and research evidence. Journal of Business and Psychology, 35(2), 135–158. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-018-9602-5

Bonello

Borg

Callus

A. M.

Grech

(2022). Reflections on the implementation of an ongoing inclusive research project. Social Sciences, 11(6), 234. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11060234

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, January 5). The Employment Situation – December 2023 [Press release]. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

Callus

A. M.

Borg

Grech

Portelli

(2024). The story of my life at present: Video CVs as a showcase for persons with intellectual disability. Scandinavian Journal for Disability Research, 26(1), 259–271. https://doi.org/10.16993/sjdr.1092

10.

Caslin

Georgiou

Davies

Spoor

(2024). Humour can open the door to conversations’: Exploring the role of comedy in breaking down barriers to employment for young disabled people. Journal of Applied Youth Studies, 7(1), 97–115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43151-024-00116-3

11.

Charrow

V. R.

Wilbur

R. B.

(1975). The deaf child as a linguistic minority. Theory into Practice, 14(5), 353–359. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405847509542599

12.

Condon

Callahan

(2008). Individualized career planning for students with significant support needs utilizing the discovery and vocational profile process, cross-agency collaborative funding and social security work incentives. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 28(2), 85–96. https://doi.org/10.3233/jvr-2008-00407

13.

Dean

E. E.

Garrels

Sigstad

H. M. H.

Wendelborg

(2022). Employer willingness to hire people with intellectual disability: The influence of employer experience, perception of work, and social responsibility. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 57(1), 85–95. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-221201

14.

Farkas

T. N.

Kargas

Mendy

(2021). Autism and employment: Challenges and strategies for a bright future. In Emerging programs for autism Spectrum disorder (pp. 285–302). Academic Press.

15.

Gissel

A. L.

Thompson

L. F.

Pond

S. B.

(2013). A theory-driven investigation of prospective applicants’ intentions to submit video resumes. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 43(12), 2449–e2461. https://doi.org/10.1037/e518362013-662

16.

Glazko

Mohammed

Kosa

Potluri

Mankoff

(2024, June). Identifying and improving disability bias in GPT-based resume screening. The 2024 ACM conference on fairness, accountability, and transparency, (pp. 687–700). https://doi.org/10.1145/3630106.3658933

17.

Hadie

S. N. H.

(2024). ABC Of a scoping review: A simplified JBI scoping review guideline. Education in Medicine Journal, 16(2), 185–197. 10.21315/eimj2024.16.2.14 https://doi.org/10.21315/eimj2024.16.2.14

18.

Kelly

J. F.

O'Brien

E. H.

(1992). Using video resumes to teach deaf college students job search skills and improve their communication. American Annals of the Deaf, 137(5), 404–410. https://doi.org/10.1353/aad.2012.0361

19.

Manning

Murray

J. J.

Bloxs

(2022). Linguistic human rights in the work of the world federation of the deaf. In The handbook of linguistic human rights (pp. 267–280). Wiley.

20.

Moore

W. A.

Fris

J. M.

(2014). Alternative to standard job search process. Journal of Applied Research for Business Instruction, 12(4), 1–12.

21.

Munn

Peters

M. D.

Stern

Tufanaru

McArthur

Aromataris

(2018). Systematic review or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping review approach. BMC medical Research Methodology, 18(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-018-0611-x

22.

Richter

S. M.

(2007). Impact of cultural and linguistic diversity on self-determination skills and perceptions. Multicultural Learning and Teaching, 2(1), 52–60. https://doi.org/10.2202/2161-2412.1016

23.

Voermans

M. A.

Taminiau

E. F.

Giesbers

S. A.

Embregts

P. J.

(2021). The value of competitive employment: In-depth accounts of people with intellectual disabilities. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 34(1), 239–249. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12802

24.

Wang

Barron

L. G.

Hebl

M. R.

(2010). Making those who cannot see look best: Effects of visual resume formatting on ratings of job applicants with blindness. Rehabilitation Psychology, 55(1), 68–73. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018546

25.

Waung

Hymes

R. W.

Beatty

J. E.

(2014). The effects of video and paper resumes on assessments of personality, applied social skills, mental capability, and resume outcomes. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 36(3), 238–251. https://doi.org/10.1080/01973533.2014.894477

26.

Wood

(2021, July). Promoting inclusive practice: Video CVs as a teaching & learning tool in the language classroom. 7th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'21), (pp. 753–761). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València.

27.

Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act. (2014). Competitive Integrated Employment (§361.5(c)(9).