Networking Forum

Delighted to hear you got the veterans counsellors job! Way to go. I'm sure the National Federation of the Blind or the American Council for the Blind will be able to help you with screen readers. I'm learning Jaws, but there is also Zoom text and the Kurzwell Reader as well. That's next on my list of things to learn. Congratulations again. It's great to hear good news amongst all the bad news nowadays.

Congrads Brenda! One insightful comment heard from my clients who are Federal/State/Local Government and Non-Profit Employers, "Whenever a New Hire is brought on-board, what is the tangible value the individual adds to my organization?"

Getting the position is only the first step. While all levels of Government Employment are adding employees (nearly 200,000 since November 2007), with the economic downturn, Managers are constantly on the "Hot Seat" to do more with less resources. In practicle terms, this means, how can I add value to my organization with the "Human Capital" I possess?

I believe it critical on your first day to sit your Manager down and ask, "One year from today, what will I have needed to accomplish to merit an 'Outstanding Performance Rating' from you?"

This will immediately give you recognition as a "Team Player" who is focused on the organization's Mission and demonstrates your willingness to perform at the highest level of proficiency to insure the organization is effectively using its resources.

Your personal gratification is seconary to that of your Manager. He/She's already on the "Hot Seat" to insure resources are efficiently expended and "Human Capital" is optimumly managed. When you make his/her job easier, you increase your value to the Manager and will become the "Go To" person when he/she is seeking assistance in the myriad of actions needing his/her attention each day. In short, you increase your overall value to the organization and secondarily this becomes a source of your professional fulfillment and personal satisfaction, knowing the service provided your organization is adding value to the assistance being provided to the client base.

Greetings all,

I fully agree. Staying positive and never loosing sight of your beliefs no matter how hard something is critical to staying success full during unknown and unsafe times.

No matter what happens, one always has and can find strength in themselves or others. Be both positive and inspiring and let those inspire you and remind you of your strengths especially during uncertain times or when one feels week.

Take care and the best of luck to all of those on this board.

New jobs' ought be viewed as a set of new opportunities.

The major challenge is age old.

Personality clashes and Inter/office politics is the challenge.

My name is Marisa and I have been afflicted with Stargardt's Disease (a juvenile hereditary retinal form of macular degeneration) since the age of 21 in 1990. At the time of diagnosis; I was discouraged to pursue my dreams of becoming a teacher of special education.

It was suggested that I learn Braille instead and look for a different career path. I was forbidden to student teach(in which I had to persuade the Dean to give me a chance).

Through my persistence and perseverance; I graduated making Dean's List and was given the honor of being one of the best student teachers in the program.

Since that time; I have taught for the past 16 years in many capacities. I have made a true and noteworthy difference in many lives of my previous students.

I was nominated nationally as Who's Who among American Teachers during the years 2004, 2005 and 2006. Though I feel rather accomplished in that venue of my life; I have also been discouraged during recent interviews as I have felt the pains of discrimination.

Taking some time to enroll in a graduate program for counseling; again; I was mocked since I have a disability. Through this pain; I am now on a mission to reach out to others speaking in schools/organizations to educate people on visual impairments and blindness.

I am currently establishing an commerce business for the blind and visually impaired entitled www.mostlymagnifiers.com and am working on an inspirational line of jewelry to raise funds for various not-for- profit organizations.

I write as a hobby and have several of my poems and short stories published and am hoping to have my first young adult fictional novel out on the shelves within this year.

It is my belief that opportunities are gained through pain. We grow and learn with each experience no matter how unpleasant it was. Doors will close, but new ones open . . . each one a bigger and better door.

It's good to look for the light through the keyhole, but peeping through the small space gives one a whole new perspective (a bigger picture).

Keep moving forward and looking up!

Hello from Arun in India,

I receive your network news articles on a daily basis, and I really enjoy reading them. It gives me so much motivation and encouragement and it drives me ahead given so many negative thoughts and negative people in this world. It is also practical and not making any out of the world suggestions.

I really enjoyed the saying of Fernando Botelho and it makes so much sense not to give up something you are persisting. Although everyone knows about these things, the important thing is to keep listening to such messages time and time again to drive you ahead. I sincerely believe that the world is not made up only of roses and everyone is happy and contented and there is no trouble at all. The fact is that the majority of the population is struggling for one thing or another and fighting it out.

Great! Keep it up!

Regards, Arun