[blindLaw] Interviewing whilevisually impaired

jlynnbarrow at gmail.com jlynnbarrow at gmail.com
Thu Mar 9 20:08:48 UTC 2023


I in theory agree with the wisdom of not disclosing blindness prior to an interview. But, just a note to add that the considerations may shift when applying for positions in the nonprofit legal sector. In practice, I have ended up disclosing either disability generally or blindness specifically in many of my cover letters for public interest positions. It's of course an individualized assessment based on each job announcement.

-Jen 


-----Original Message-----
From: BlindLaw <blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Angie Matney via BlindLaw
Sent: Thursday, March 9, 2023 12:41 PM
To: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Angie Matney <angie.matney at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [blindLaw] Interviewing whilevisually impaired

I have generally had better luck  when I chose not to disclose my blindness prior to my first interview. This was the approach I took when interviewing with my two previous firms. Things were different with my current position because several colleagues from my prior firm lateraled to my current firm before I did, so people knew about my blindness from the get-go. I generally ask interviewers if they are interested in the technology I use. Sometimes, they ask for more information, though resulting discussions are generally pretty high-level.  Other times, they say that my experience demonstrates I can do the job. I would disclose blindness prior to the first interview if I thought doing so would be advantageous, but I probably would not do so in most cases. Interesting to read the different prospectives of others. 



Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 9, 2023, at 12:20 PM, Aser Tolentino via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Good morning,
> I think it’s a fine line to walk when it comes to addressing the subject and will very depending on the circumstances. If the conversation goes in that direction naturally, demonstrating your comfort with adapting to new systems can go a long way toward addressing any reservations, however inappropriate they may be. The priority first and foremost is to show off what you as a person bring to the table. For some interviewers, I’ve found that a conversation about assistive technology turns into a dialogue about diverse perspectives, or an opportunity to discuss how technology can improve on productivity more generally,and sometimes it never comes up.
> 
>> On Mar 9, 2023, at 8:58 AM, James Fetter via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> I think it’s fine to disclose pre-interview. And while I agree that the focus of the interview should be on your credentials and ability to do the job, it’s always a good idea to signal openness to discussing accommodations and how you might handle various situations. The interviewer won’t know anything about accessibility of firm software, but if you blow them away, they’ll find a way to make things work. 
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>>> On Mar 9, 2023, at 10:14 AM, Rod Alcidonis via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi Sara:
>>> 
>>> Other than sharing briefly with the interviewer that you are visually impaired to avoid uncomfortable camera situations, in my view, the interview is not the time to discuss any of those issues. You need to convey that you are able to perform the job with or without reasonable accommodations. The examples you share in your responses should be evident of your ability to perform the responsibilities of the position.
>>> 
>>> If you are just entering the workforce, you may need to practice with a trusted colleague to get you to perform at that level, but I personally do not believe it will be to your benefit to turn your interview into a blindness assistive technology education.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Rod,
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Rod Alcidonis
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: BlindLaw <blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Sarah Badillo via BlindLaw
>>> Sent: Thursday, March 9, 2023 9:18 AM
>>> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
>>> Cc: Sarah Badillo <sbadillo100 at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: [blindLaw] Interviewing whilevisually impaired
>>> 
>>> Hello, I was wondering if anyone had any tips on job interviews while visually impaired. I know that with each job interview, it’s necessary to explain your visual impairment, and there may be a shock to the interviewer upon discovering this fact. When and how do you think is the best time and method to broach the subject with them. I think the biggest question for them is whether the applicant can perform as an attorney, whether they can handel a large volume of cases and for us, whether the software they use will be accessible with jaws. Any advice would bee appreciated. Thanks in advance. 
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPhone
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>> 
>> 
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