[Job-Discussions] Disclosing about your visual impairment

[Dick Davis]

Hi Everyone,
This is an interesting discussion.  Jess, being from Hong Kong, is facing a
different culture and different laws than those of us in this country, so
her methods may need to be different.  But there are some things that can be
distilled from this discussion:

1. Under the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act, a jobseeker is not
required to disclose their disability to an employer.
2. I usually recommend disclosing your blindness when it helps you and not
disclosing it when doing so would hurt you.  For example, many employers in
the U.S. have federal contracts and are obligated to hire persons with
disabilities as part of their workforce, across all job categories.  That is
one case in which disclosure in a resume and cover letter is highly
beneficial, as you will be screened in, not out.
3. Sometimes it is a shock to an employer to see a blind person come in for
an interview with no prior warning.  You can avoid this by confirming your
interview the day before and then telling the employer that since you don't
like to surprise people, you wanted to let them know they will be talking to
a blind person.  At that point, ask them if they have any questions for you.
Doing this shows you are considerate. But confirm the interview first.
4. Anticipate questions the employer may ask, especially about how you would
do the job, and answer them during the interview. It helps to say, "If I
were you, I'd be wondering how I can do this particular job.  Here's how."
5. Make it clear that most of the things the employer has been told about
blindness are misconceptions, "old wives tales", or whatever term  you want
to use, and that if they want to know something, just ask.
6. Sighted people trust other sighted people, so give the interviewer
someone sighted to talk to.
7. Avoid legal language or jargon, except the kind the employer uses.  Use
lots of that, so they know you understand what they do.
8. At the end of the interview, ask for the job if you want it.  Oddly,
nobody ever does that.  Ask, "Would you like to give me a try?"
9. Ask good questions throughout the interview.  It shows you are interested
in the job.
10. Give them examples of situations in which you solved a given problem or
got something difficult done. Blind people are great problem solvers.

Anyway, that's enough from me.  Not everything will work in every situation,
so just play it by ear.

Dick Davis, Chair
NFB Employment Committee

-----Original Message-----
From: Job-Discussions <job-discussions-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of
Karen Rose via Job-Discussions
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2021 11:12 PM
To: Job Discussions internet Mailing List <job-discussions at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Karen Rose <rosekm at earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [Job-Discussions] Disclosing about your visual impairment

I have often compared the question about whether to disclose my blindness
with the question of whether or not to disclose my race, religion, or sexual
orientation. If an employer would not ask me about these other factors, and
would not consider it a violation of integrity to fail to disclose those
facts about myself, then I do not understand why an employer would find it
necessary for me to disclose my blindness?

Karen Rose MFT/LPCC www.career-therapy.net

> On May 19, 2021, at 8:27 PM, Jess Shek via Job-Discussions
> <job-discussions at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Thank you so much everyone for your thoughts.
>
> Regarding Sandra's view, yes I thought about the perspective of being
> rude by not disclosing the visual impairment upfront. However, in Hong
> Kong, people's mindset are still not that open enough to think of
> hiring a person with a disability. And from my experience, when I
> disclose my blindness upfront when first contacted by recruiter, they
> hesitated, and ended up I would not hear from them anymore even though
> I follow up with them. Also I think a job applicant has the
> responsibility to think about if they can really do the job before
> making their application. For example, as a totally blind person, I
> will not apply for jobs such as driver, hairdresser and so on :)
>
> Yes I agree with Nicole and the other's views that it's a personal
> decision. Really thank you so much everyone for sharing with me your
> thoughts. Indeed, I will check the relevant laws here in Hong Kong to
> see if job seekers must disclose their disabilities. My friend ended
> up lost her offer, as the employer thought that it's a problem for her
> not disclosing her disabiility, that they were in doubt with her
> integrity.
>
> Thank you everyone once again, and happy to hear more of your thoughts.
>
> Cheers,
> Jess
>
>> On 5/20/21, nmpbrat at aol.com <nmpbrat at aol.com> wrote:
>> Jess,I really think it is a personal choice and know of people doing
>> it both ways.  I have always chosen to disclose at the interview for
>> the very reason you described in your message... that the employer
>> would feel as though I was not honest with them.  I felt that even
>> though I'd have the job, it could put a damper on the new relationship
>> between myself and the employer.
>> I also felt that if an employer really didn't want me because of my
>> visual impairment and couldn't see past it to see all that I could
>> offer them, then I didn't want to work for them anyway. I want to
>> work for people who can at least respect me for the person that I am and
>> can see past the disability.
>> When I disclosed, I always tried to put a spin on it that would
>> hopefully put them at ease and encouraged them to ask questions so
>> that I could deal with any misconceptions they might have.  I also
>> understand why many people are hesitant to disclose, as I am also
>> keenly aware of the fact that there


_______________________________________________
Job-Discussions mailing list
Job-Discussions at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/job-discussions_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Job-Discussions:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/job-discussions_nfbnet.org/ddavis%40blindinc.org