[Blindtlk] Possibilities of the Blind

[Peter Wolfe]

Julie!


    Thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to respond to this
thread! I could be ultra sensitive or inferring from others of the
blind community that the attitude is that the majority of blind people
are lazy which isn't true at all. Generalizing isn't intelligent
anyways cause using generalizations that all people of color or
minority status are criminals isn't true nor warranted either. So, I
appreciate not taking offense just am saying from my feelings that is
how sometimes it comes across from general advice in seeking
employment.

    While much of what you said was general, I still find it useful
for reiteration for blind people. You did mention something
interesting like being familar with databasing and all. What
databasing are you talking about exactly? Lots of these programs like
Excell just were becoming accessable as I was going threw college and
so was impart flushed with academics and deep family ties. That isn't
here nor there just now that I have the time that I can finally tackle
some of these programs in ernest. I don't think twice a day at a
regional center is going to do it nor a puny fourty minute Jaws
tutorial will be sufficient either. Anyways, any advice on this would
be nice to know. lastly, any online recommendations on tutorial
affordable Jaws or Microsoft tutorials would be appreciated too!

    Yes, I'm aware that you cannot be fully prepared being a blind
coworker at work but you can get the day to day operations done
thoroughly enough. Much of the blind professionals that I've met need
to deal with unideal situations on coping skills whether asking for
sighted assistance or unconvential means like adaptions unique to that
individual. Still you might need to ask the job be altered for you
because of your sight loss or some jobs can't be done by the blind.
Considering and doing all of your options with experimentation is also
a good thing. Realize too hat failure is part of the equation can also
help people cause many people fail not as many recover and shrug off
the dust and keep going in my opinion. Countless blind people work in
the industries for making sewing with bachelors in arts degrees that
to me is uncalled for and a waste of governmentt money. This is among
many reasons why that I won't be that stereotype that is all to common
in my state.


    Thanks and I'll continue to eagerly await anymore advice on what a
social science-general degree can be helped by a entry level job in
the government. I think having realistic expectations like anybody
like relocation should also be in the picture. Also, picturing
yourself as a normal worker with blindness can help frame yourself.
Look at it threw the prospective of the employer like what does the
employer want can help. If they want a seasoned vetern or rookie that
shapes their prospective. jDon' look at everything personally just
keep going onward. Yes, I'm apart of the NFB Jobs listings that is
currently assistant professors and such but every once in a while they
have a position open up and I'm glued to it as well. The AFB.org
mentor connect can also be equally as helpful even more helpful in
some industries that NFB Jobs listings. Thanks to all and didn't mean
to come across as pessimistic or anything.


Thanks,
Peter

On 3/4/13, Julie J. <julielj at neb.rr.com> wrote:
> Peter,
>
> I find it interesting that you keep bringing up laziness as a reason for
> unemployment.  I haven't seen anyone else suggest that laziness is the
> reason blind people don't have jobs and I know I haven't said that.
>
> the bottom line is that you have to do what you have to do.  This will
> probably mean that you have to apply for a lot more jobs than a sighted
> person would before you get hired.   You will have to learn alternative
> skills that a sighted person doesn't.  You have to learn to advocate for
> yourself when you need an accommodation at work.
>
> So here's what I'd suggest because you asked.
> firstly honestly assess whether or not you're ready for work.  Can you
> comfortably use your preferred technology to do routine tasks?  What
> that technology is and what the routine tasks are will vary widely and
> depend on what sort of work you want to go into.  I'm understanding that
> you want to go into an office type of job.  So perhaps a screen reader
> with word processing, spreadsheets and data bases is most important.  If
> you are comfortable doing these skills with a particular type of
> software, it will be easier to change to other software if you're
> employer uses something different.  the chances of being able to learn
> all the software before starting the job are pretty slim.  You need to
> be flexible and adaptable, learning as you go.
>
> Are your other non core work skills where you feel they need to be?  If
> your boss or co workers ask you to make the morning coffee would you be
> comfortable doing that?  If a meeting is announced at the last minute
> that is in a different part of the building where you've never been or
> in another building all together, do you have the ability to get there
> without undue stress?
>
> Next, I'd think about my strengths and what I like to do.  Do you like
> working with people, researching, doing the same things all day or a lot
> of variety, creating things, etc.  For myself I need a balance of alone
> office time and time with individuals or small groups.  I need a variety
> of responsibilities that aren't overly repetitive.  I need the freedom
> for my job to be flexible and allow me to create new programs or adapt
> existing ones to meet the changing needs of the people I work with.  I
> also need the opportunity to attend training events a couple times per
> year.  Your needs may be entirely different.  It may also be that some
> trial and error is necessary to figure out what works and what doesn't.
> I once thought that I wanted to work with statistics and research, until
> I got a job doing that and it about drove me nuts in a few months.  It
> was a learning experience though.   I wouldn't know how important direct
> service to people is to me if I hadn't had that experience.
>
> I'd then think about where my strengths are.   I'm good at grasping
> concepts and explaining those to people in an understandable way.  I'm
> good at working with young people.  I'm good at presenting to
> individuals or small groups.  I'm good at planning and organizing.
>
> Next fill in the gaps.  After assessing your work readiness and
> strengths and wants there are probably things you've identified that you
> feel you need to do to be really successful on the job.  Learn as much
> as you can, but realize you can't learn everything.  Hadley is a great
> resource.  They have a wide variety of offerings, quite a bit of it is
> directly transferable work skills.  I'd also suggest joining a community
> organization, group, club or volunteering somewhere at this point.
> Something like 60% of jobs are filled by word of mouth connections.  If
> you're out there meeting people, showing your talents and getting some
> experience you are much more likely to meet someone who knows someone
> who is hiring.  Using this method will also give you a boost in
> addressing the blindness issues.  You will have already demonstrated
> your ability to do meaningful work and you will have someone who will
> affirm your abilities to the potential employer.
>
> Being out in the community, making those connections, will start things
> rolling on the next phase, which is finding and applying for jobs.  I'd
> highly suggest broadening your search beyond strictly federal
> employment.  The more open you are to a wide variety of opportunities
> the more likely you will be to finding a job.  It's just math, if you
> apply to 100 jobs your more likely to hit the jackpot than if you only
> apply for 1 job.    I like indeed jobs.com for finding relevant job
> listings.  You set it up once and then they send you an email daily with
> all the available jobs meeting your criteria.   There's lots of
> information on the internet and in books about cover letters, resume's
> and the like.  I'd only mention two things, have someone else look at
> your resume and offer their honest opinion.  I'd also highly recommend
> writing an original cover letter for each job your applying for, adding
> in specifics about that particular company.
>
> All of that said, I think the absolute most important thing is
> attitude.  My husband and I just hired a farm hand not quite a year
> ago.  We had specific things that were needed to do the job, farming
> experience, a CDL, mechanical skills etc., but the thing that kept us
> looking was attitude.  This would be a person that my husband would be
> working with on a daily basis for a long time.   We had to find a person
> that was excited about the opportunity, who was creative, who was
> willing to learn new skills, who was willing to take direction and who
> had a strong work ethic.  Farming is a lot of independent work.  We had
> to have someone who could take a set of directions and carry them out
> independently, knowing when to ask for help or further directions.  It
> took close to two years to find this person.  BTW we never placed a job
> ad in the newspaper or did interviews or anything like that.  It was
> entirely by personal reference and word of mouth.
>
> I know your not interested in farming, but the same principals apply.
> My teenage son got his job at a bakery using the same methods.  He went
> to the bakery, complimented the owner on her excellent carrot cake,
> asked lots of questions about where she learned how to bake and
> expressed his desire to be a chef.  Six weeks later she hired him to
> work part time.
>
> Anyway this has gotten really long.  I'm sure others will have job
> search ideas.  Also there is an NFB list specific to jobs that would be
> another excellent resource.
>
> HTH
> Julie
>
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-- 
Cordially,
Peter Q Wolfe, BA
cum laude Auburn University
e-mail: yogabare13 at gmail.com
"If you don't stand up for something your willing to fall for anything"
Peter Q Wolfe
"Stand up for your rights"
Bob Marley