[blindLaw] Interviewing whilevisually impaired

Fri Mar 10 00:01:28 UTC 2023

It's sad that with all the screaming about diversity, equity and inclusion, we are still lef tfar, far behind.

----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Harpur via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
To: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Paul Harpur <paulharpur at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2023 09:39:56 +1000
Subject: Re: [blindLaw] Interviewing whilevisually impaired

> If you are blind the law firm, government or NGO will probably want to
know how you operate.  so I ask for a separate interview to discuss
the how I operate being blind.  so I take the disability out of the
interview 100% by putting it into a separate interview process.  it
gives me the advantage of meeting people, sometimes before the other
interview.  thatis really neat incidentally.  you get to meet the ITS
person, perhaps a lawyer or partner or director.  you get a relaxed
opportunity.  then in the work interview you have some of the
relationships you can build upon.
hiding is understandable, but the problem is you get the firms that
may not hire someone with a disability.
If you can, get contact with partners before applying.  grad jobs are
harder obviously, but that is still viable.
also talk to your profs about thier contacts during the degree.

On 3/10/23, Jen Barrow via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 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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>>>
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