[Job-Discussions] How and When to Disclose Disability

Tue Apr 26 21:21:46 UTC 2022

It depends on context.

The standard practice is to not disclose until you have too, either when you get the job offer, or fi you need accommodations for the interview.

In some cases, such as if the company is actively recruiting employees who have some sort of disability, in this case blindness, it is more helpful to disclose.  Blindness seems to get the short of the stick when ti comes to other disabilities, so unless I new the employer was blind friendly, I wouldn't just automatically disclose. 

I usually would suggest not disclosing just because the overwhelming evidence for what I have personally seen, heard about third hand from this list and other lists, and from my experiences with consumers in the field is that  it usually leads to discrimination.  

If you have been successful in a market, and you have momemtum and networks in the field you are in, then maybe because you have authority and power on your side, and I've met the occasional person who can spin anything so that it sounds good.  But for the most part, disclosing at the beginning without any reason is relying on the employer having an open mind and deciding to give the blind person a chance rather than counting them out and giving a fake interview.   

With the right experience interviewing, and with enough confidence, you can describe how blindness and your ability to adapt can be an asset, but I've found that requires the employer being on board for conversations like that, and is better done in a business networking environment rather than an interview if you want to get the most out of it.  For me, if it ever came up in an interview, I would acknowledge the blindness and weave my  blindness skills and accommodations back in to the job.
For me, even in life, I emphasize my skills, and I speak as little about blindness as possible.

That includes a job interview.

I'm excited to see how the rest of you handle this situation.

Justin

-----Original Message-----
From: Job-Discussions [mailto:job-discussions-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sandra Gayer via Job-Discussions
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2022 6:00 AM
To: Job Discussions internet Mailing List <job-discussions at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Sandra Gayer <sandragayer7 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Job-Discussions] How and When to Disclose Disability

Hello,
It depends on how you treat the topic. I do not see it as letting a potential employer know my dirty secret. I use my disability as part of why I would be an asset to the team, why this makes me the best candidate for the job and why I'm better than the rest. Not what you sell but how you sell it. Needless to say, I do this at the very beginning. It means I can portray my disability on my own terms.

HTH,
very best wishes,
Sandra.

On 4/26/22, Michael Walker via Job-Discussions <job-discussions at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi Claudia,
>
> I think of the disclosure process in the virtual world as I would if I 
> was meeting an employer in person. Disclose when you feel it is 
> appropriate. I don’t disclose unless I feel I have to. I’m that way, 
> even if I have a job interview in person. I don’t want to emphasize a 
> Blindness. I am for size my job skills.
>
> Mike
>
>> On Apr 25, 2022, at 4:59 PM, Claudia Del Real via Job-Discussions 
>> <job-discussions at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> In this new world of virtual interviews via Teams and other 
>> platforms, how do you all handle disclosing your disability?
>> I have had 3 Microsoft Teams interviews since December.
>> For the first two positions, I did not disclose my disability, until 
>> after having received a job offer.
>> For the most recent one, I disclosed, at the end of my interview 
>> today, because I felt it might be relevant. It was for a federal 
>> position, equivalent to what I'm currently doing, at the state level, 
>> so I wanted to emphasize that I'd been successfully doing this 
>> position for 10 years already, even though I am totally blind.
>> After having had this interview today, I feel like I blew my shot, 
>> due to having disclosed so early in the process and not waiting until 
>> if and when, I'd received an offer of employment.
>>
>> Claudia
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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