Swimming in the Mainstream

I think we as job-seekers need to stop prejudging others. I myself don't prejudge because that is what I was taught by my parents and others. however, there seems to be a trend among blind people these days, and among so-called VR professionals, to prejudge a blind job-seeker. I think I can speak from experience here. My parents and I had one main goal in mind when I moved out of their house. That one goal was for me to become as independent as i could. I am happy to report that this has been a success for the most part. However, there is one area in which I would like to be relatively independent but cannot be, due to certain issues of extreme power. I am of course referring to my state VR agency when I say this. I have had many VR counselors over the years, and I think only one of them really cared about me. I know this isn't the most positive statement, but sadly it is true. I guess it was no coincidence that he was my last counselor, or so I think. But apparently he was transferred to a different office. I have no proof of this though, because nobody including him ever bothered to tell me. But back to the prejudging thing. In addition to being blind, I have a slight difficulty with motor coordination, and a learning disability. This of course is no fault of mine, but over the years I think most of my VR counselors saw it as my own fault and they didn't hesitate to tell me, in very plain English, that I would not and could not get a job. Yet I ended up being a "floating" receptionist at an Illinois-based nonprofit and I received high praise from everyone in the organization. Why was I allowed this great opportunity? I was allowed it because of my ability to be a friend to others, and because of my ability to answer the phone and have a pleasant attitude. I often wonder, to myself and aloud, how much longer this prejudice in the blindness community will continue. How many more blind people will be turned away from restaurants and other public venues because of their personal choice to use guide dogs? How many more blind or visually-impaired fatalities will there be due to a certain attitude taken that accessible pedestrian signals and truncated domes hurt our cause? When will the NFB and the ACB ever learn to just get along and fight for a common cause? When will there truly be informed choice for the blindness population? My answer is simply this. The only way any of these things will ever happen is if this trend of blind people prejudging other blind people, is brought to an immediate end. There is no reason for this trend to continue. If it does continue, many more people like myself, who just happen to have more than one challenge facing us, will find themselves exactly where I am today, with no job, no way to prove myself capable out in the real world. Thanks for reading and I'll accept any and all responses?

Jake

My comment is that blind people tend not to help each other. Blind people criticize each other, instead of helping one another. I, think that if we could stop criticizing each other, maybe, we would be able to get a better job. Also, we need to educate employers what we can do. We are smart people, and we are no different than anyone else. Lets use our ability, not our disability.

The only thing that I have been able to do about my disability is hide it. Period - end of story. I am head injured and partially blind. Nobody wants that.

You can't expect someone to bake a delicious cake without the ingredients she needs, and you can't expect an employer just to take your word for it that you can do the job. You have to offer something the "job chef" can use to make your cake.

One great way of doing this is to find a way to work with or without pay. There is more than one way to do this. Volunteering is becoming a more and more exciting range of opportunities. Bellieve me, I know, I write on this topic for a living and have for almost 15 years and am editor in chief of one the most respected publications on the topic. Just today I was editing a fabulous series of articles by a fellow named Scott Martin on how volunteering is changing to meet the needs and demands of Boomers, and what is coming out of this change is pure gold.

Of course you can use any sort of volunteering to show an employer that you have a track record of steady successsful work. Or you can go a step beyond that and join a grassroots organization where you can take a larger even leading role.. probably good to do that in something other than disability organizations as an employer might think that they have lower standards.. just a fact of life. Another idea is to start your own organization.. that's one thing I have done. It is called "entrepreneurial volunteering" at least in politer circles, and is a growing response to traditional volunteering's limitations.

You may think employers won't take volunteering seriously.. it's up to you to talk about the experience in a way that shows the value of the work. Say "I worked with a project planning etc. etc." or that sort of thing. Work, steady, well-organized and productive, is work. Even better, you worked because you just like to... not just for the pay.

Another thing.. nothing kills your chances like lack of confidence. If you don't believe in you, no one will. Getting some success under your belt in a volunteer capacity can help you feel more confident and sound it.

Nan

Nan, Jake and others have made some very useful insights into what we ,as perspective disabled employees can do when interviewing for a job.

Firstly be prepared. Not just having the right academic requirements and resume, but with experience. As Nan said you may not have held a paying job, but volunteering or doing community service work helps you gain perspective not only with yourself , but also with others. It also teaches you how to interact with others an invisible job skill that many people lack. You may learn communication skills, group facilitation skills, fundraising skills and pr and organization skills. Ever tried to run a successful bake sale or car wash and get every one to do what they're supposed to do when they're supposed to do it. That's called team work and a big part of most jobs and you learned it in your community service or volunteering experience.

Build a network of all kinds of friends and colleagues, get out in the world. Meet all kinds of different people, not just stick to the same type of friends and neighbours you've always had .NO one says you have to like all of them , or they have to like you, but you'll get people smart. That will help you with your self esteem and self confidence. If you're at ease in most situations you will exude that to your employer, other colleagues , people you come in contact with.

Dress appropriately and be professional when you interivew. Arrive not too early but not late either and if you can work it, be the last one to be interviewed as you will be the last impression they come away with,make it a good one.

Be ready to work, anticipate what obstacles the hr people may have in hiring you and have answers ready as well as show them if possible what adatpive devices you'll need and have the costs ready , especially if vr counsellors are involved.

Take personal responsibility for your life, because it is YOUR life . Mummy and Daddy, the VR counsellor , your spouse are not always going to be there , one day you will be on your own , be ready and willing to take the risks.

You're not going to get every job you interview for . Don't assume it's always your disability geting in the way, in fact never assume anything.
If you don't get it , analyse why. Even go back and ask the hr people why you didn't , then go back and correct what you can. Interviews are a learning experience and at least you made the interview process, if not the job. alot of other people didn't get that far.

Remember too, be kind and mind your manners. If you want to be treated well , treat others well. Remember your manners, say please and thank you, write a follow up note after the interview, thanking them at least for the shot of an interview even if you don't get the job, but asking them to keep your name on file.

Employers today have lots of job applicants with the right credentials, but maybe not the right polish. Go that little step extra, you don't have to be ingratiating , but there's nothing wrong with being polite and kind, in today's society that's what may get you the job.

Liz S

Dear Sir's,

My personal opinion on the job search for this era in time is this. Definately try and make the best resume that you can. And if someone like me that doesn't have any college skills, would out of a miracle, get an interview.

Smiling is an important thing in interviewing (let's them think that you have, even if you may already do, a good personality that's get's along w/ people). And I also think that you should definately let them know what you can and cannot do. Because I've got a back injury that hurts 99% of the time. So in my case, my smile might look a little fake, to the employer?? But, you can still try, and if one job doesn't work out, it's on to the next. And I can't stand or sit for along period of time, so just lay out whatever your disability is right from the start.

Sincerely,

Todd

How we do this is by continuing to seek employment. Showing up for the interviews and for work when we are hired are critical. Our ability to influence employers comes from our persistence, patience and courage.

We are looking for allies and if we look long enough we will find them. They are the ones who will benefit from our talents, skills and abilities. Saddle up folks, it is time to ride.

Barney Mayse
Disability Advocate
The Whole Person, Inc.

It is important as a job seeker to take an inventory of interpersonal skills and qualifications we can bring to the job. I learned from a failed secretarial job that I didn't have all the job skills that I needed from that position. I decided to get some more computer training and decided that I needed to find a way to gain confidence in my skills and myself once again. I was given the opportunit to develop my own Braille transcription business. It has taught me a lot about myself and my own abilities. It has taught me to step outside of myself to deal with customers, business people and find creative ways to get paid for a job well done.

My final thoughts are as follows:

It's so nice to have friends & loved ones in the struggle for job placement for folks with special needs.

Let's minimize the rhetoric and get to the meat and gravy of our goal, ..... a solid job placement!!

Companies, firms, organizations and even specific individuals who claim they hire folks with disabilities are nonexistent.

Do any of these organizations offer corporate employment, technical careers?

I vision myself stranded in the middle of the ocean waiting on someone, anyone to save me but no one ever comes. My limbs are so tired from struggling to stay afloat. I am spent! It's getting dark now!

I have read people's descriptions of their job skills posted here which include spelling and grammar errors. If the person does not proof what he or she submits to this site, what are the chances he or she is proofreading for spelling and grammar errors when writing resumes? Also, I keep reading things like "disabled but ...". as in "disabled but have such and such skills". I would personally leave the disabled part out, and certainly not state it right up front unless your disability is the most important part of you. if it is, you need to focus on that first and later focus on hunting for a job.

I did a little experiment, I sent off six job applications which came from our disability adviser, first I answered the questions truthfully, and stated I had a disability, the replies to these were zero, no replies and no chance, three weeks later I re-applied to the same jobs and did not put any disability guess what i had six replies with a interview, I went and was turned away from two, and two others I knew would not be interested , the last two refused me entry to the interview.

what does that show, well if your disabled the majority of employers are not interested, yet they are looking for people, all my applications were carried out with myself and a disability specialist so the applications were spot on.

After four years of looking for a job I have today given up since the rejection had started to hurt, and I've enough to deal with, but it is sad to think when your willing to work you cannot.