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June 29, 2005
Not a Sell Out
Some interesting thoughts from you both, Barney and Roger.
I agree with you that socially approaching the world from a "them" and "us" vantage point can be self-defeating. Social integration is a whole separate issue, and, yes, being uptight and always emphasizing our differences is not going to hack it.
But, competing for jobs with other candidates who don't have to explain how they would get things done because they have a disability is another story.
We need to directly address employer concerns stemming from our disabilities with candid, believeable answers about why we can do the job.
It's difficult to change a hiring manager's entire belief system about disability, but, if we can get him to see that one of his myths about disability may not always be true (that we are an "exception to the rule" and can do the job), then we start on an even keel with the other job candidates.
This just means that we've removed that one barrier (which may be an over-riding concern at first) in the hiring manager's mind and can now draw his attention to why we are best qualified for the job.
I don't see this as a sell-out. We're helping to educate that one hiring manager so we can gain access to a mainstream job and an opportunty to change the false perceptions of many other people during our careers.
So I see playing golf (having a good time with the guys or gals) and selling ourselves during the job interview as two different games. But it's not always easy to shift gears between the two.
Jim Hasse
Posted by Jim at June 29, 2005 12:02 PM
Comments
Fortunately I have never had an employer doubt my abilities, but if I ever do I would borrow some of that employer's time and set the record straight. However, in the process of looking for work my abilities have been undermined by the area supervisor for the Bureau of Blind Services here in Illinois. Back before I moved into this apartment, I explained the mission of the agency with which my family and I have become involved, and she immediately intimidated me by asking what this agency had to do with anything. Even after going through with her my goals and what I would like to accomplish with or without the assistance of the Bureau of Blind Services, she still does not appear to want to do anything at all. Yet it seems my counselor, the one under that supervisor, might be a bit more understanding about everything. My roommate, on the other hand, just got a new counselor because his case was apparently closed. This new counselor really seems to believe in my roommate and his abilities. I certainly support him, because he used to be a neighbor of mine and we've known each other for several years. I'm unsure at this point what will happen with regard to my VR case, but I definitely don't want want to work with someone who doubts my abilities. The good part in all this is that everyone at Center for Independent Futures supports me in all my efforts.
Posted by: Jake Joehl at June 22, 2005 03:54 PM
Addendum to my previous entry: My case VR case has been closed, but tomorrow morning my mom and I are going to meet with my counselor to sort things out. The field supervisor will probably want to come, which seems to be the case always. I don't really know for sure whether this will be good, but I really think it will provide me more opportunities to look for employment. I honestly believe in freedom of choice to the maximum ability of each individual situation, and I think this closure of my case will allow that. As far as getting O&M services, we might just have to have my tutor take care of those. She is married with two little kids and has her hands full, but she seems to be the only resource now. In the letter I received it was indicated that I had initiated the closure of my case all on my own, but my counselor had in fact spoken with me and suggested closing my case since I didn't find employment.
Posted by: Jake Joehl at June 29, 2005 03:03 PM
Amen, Jim...! I am always trying to get my clients to reach out and engage the world.
I have several blind and visually impaired mentors who are people who generally never needed the help of an employment organization or only minimal help because they developed the personal interaction skills to pursue life and careers of their own.
The folks I work with have (frequently) not yet gotten to that point of maturity. While you can model it and teach some parts of it to people, life experience is always the best teacher.
Posted by: Mari-Cay at July 5, 2005 05:27 PM