Swimming in the Mainstream

Transportation is a big issue for me these days too. I have always lived where I could walk or bus everywhere but middle age and a desire to improve quality of life has me now about two blocks from a sidewalk - those two blocks on the shoulder of a busy and dangerous state highway. There is something to be said for thinking this sort of thing through before moving.

While I was working at the U. of Washington my husband would drop me off at a nearby transit center which happened to have a bus that was practically to the door of my office.

But this complication means that in my business I cannot really attend meetings or do live in-person training any more. What I have done about needing transportation for my business is simply gone entirely online. I train via the phone. All meetings are via chat or messenger. I have a knack for making this not look like an disadvantage but rather a distinction. The secret is "never explain or apologize". A lot of people with disabilities really mess themselves up by apologizing or sounding timid ore self-deprecating. If you are cheerful and outgoing and simply act like something you do differently is an "of course" you strengthen your position considerably. And I don't berate or act mad either.. just confident. I encouraged the image of being more cyberspace literate and the result was I was seen as someone with advanced know-how rather than someone with a problem.

I find that both technology accessibility and transportation issues must be given serious thought when searching for a job and considering any offer of employment. I live in Tempe, Arizona which is part of the Phoenix metro area known as the East Valley. Though we do have an improving public bus transit system and will have a light rail system in the future, I am largely unable to take advantage of these forms of transportation. Since an auto-pedestrian accident in February of 1997, I have been unable to cross major streets independently. My job search is thus limited primarily to those employers in the coverage area of East Valley Dial-A-Ride. I am thus effectively unable to take a job in about half the Phoenix metro area.

Once offered a position, I must then immediately consider whether or not the technology is immediately accessible to a screen reader. If not, I must make the necessary adaptations. If this isn't possible then I don't have a job. I am very fortunate that, with my employer, I am simply moved to a project that features accessible technologies that work with JAWS. The current customer I am supporting will soon be suspending service with my employer, so I will need to move to another project. At some point, I could run in to a brick wall where I have run out of accessible options. I am considering myself very lucky that I have an employer who sees the value I add to the company and does not simply throw me away because of my technology inaccessibility problems.

Happy New Year to all eSight members, staff and bloggers. This is a perfect time for discussing snags because tomorrow and next Friday I'm meeting with a new job coach. The snag that is slowing down my job search is rehab. I hadn't heard a word from my current rehab counselor or his supervisor since I moved to this apartment. Actually the counselor called me and said he or his supervisor would get back to me, but they never did. My apartment mate and I met with another rehab counselor this week, and she said she'd try and follow up to see what's going on with our cases. She said to call back tomorrow, but I doubt she'll have heard anything.

Jake,

I think many of us make the mistake of leaning too heavily on vocational rehabilitation agencies while failing to take our own initiative. I am enjoying a degree of employment success. My career in the technology industry is now ten years long. At no time did a vocational rehabilitation agency place me in a job.

I am not saying that you should not use the services provided by VR agencies. Get the assistive technology you will need to perform the duties of a job. At a bare minimum, this would probably be a screen reader such as JAWS. Try to get this assistive technology and associated training before you start seeking employment. Assistive technology is obviously essential in order for us to be employed. If you need something that VR won't provide, go ahead and escalate the matter within VR but also try to find other sources of funding. You should also use the services of VR agencies to obtain training in blindness skills and the skills required to obtain and retain employment. You'll need to be able to write exceptional cover letters and resumes. You'll also need to learn and practice the skills required to conduct a successful interview. Of course, you must also be otherwise qualified to perform the duties of the jobs you seek. This might mean you need to attend college or a technical school.

Once you are all set with your blindness skills, education, job skills and some basic technology to make your world accessible, get to it! Don't wait for your VR counselor. Write your resume. Ask family and friends to proofread it for you. If you have professional colleagues whom you trust, ask them to proofread your resume. Once you are satisfied with your master resume, get started in the job search. Network, network, network! Let your friends, family and other associates know that you are looking for a job and always emphasize your abilities and the reasons why you're the best candidate for any opportunity! Utilize online job search resources such as CareerBuilder.com. Respond to any openings that meet your qualifications. Write those convincing cover letters and get those resumes out the door. When you start getting interview offers, do NOT mention your blindness on the telephone! Dress professionally and Get yourself to those interviews. Until you have obtained paid employment, volunteer, volunteer, and volunteer some more! Community service activities are a recognizable way of showing that you're active and are not just sitting at home waiting for that phone to ring. Keep going with this cycle until you have achieved success!

There are, indeed, serious issues that impact us when we attempt to obtain or retain our employment. They involve accessibility, transportation and negative social attitudes about blindness. But, there are also people who see our value and will give us that opportunity. I have talked with lots of blind people over the years about employment. My findings? Most blind people don't have a job because they don't take most of the necessary steps to achieve success. They are sitting at home on Social Security and other public assistance waiting for their VR counselor to do something! When you take the initiative and act for yourself, you show the world that you have what it takes to effectively perform the duties of that job you seek!

Hi Darrell and thanks for this positive and encouraging message. For some reason, my parents seem to be the only ones now who want me to keep persisting with my current VR counselor. I think they must have gotten some wrong information somewhere along the way, because as much as I've persisted and persisted nothing has happened. My parents don't even want me pursuing this matter with my state Client Assistance Program or any other legal authority. I'm beginning to sort of understand where they're coming from, because I know they love me and want the best possible outcome for me. On the other hand, I agree with you that relying on state VR agencies is not always the answer. In a couple hours my apartment mate and I are having another meeting with a job coach who has started her own agency. This weekend I'm going to my parents' house to do several things. Among these is to try and convince them, once again, that nothing is happening with my VR case. I guess I'm in sort of a quandary here.