[nabop] Advice on performing general office tasks

[Lynch, Christy M]

Hi there!

     I'm an Administrative Assistant for a bank here in Jersey.  How I perform my tasks.  1, I use Jaws 14, on my computer which the company purchased for me.  2, I use open book for scanning.  3, to print labels, I have the capabilities to load the labels into the printer tray and print them out.  My slate and stylus?  Definitely be lost without it.  I developed my own system with my slate and stylus and 3x5 cards that I staple on folders with the names of what documents are in which folder.

     One of my responsibilities is I'm in charge of inventory for the entire bank.  Which means, that I use microsoft excel to keep track of my inventory for budget perpaces.  When I need to ship items out?  I know where to put labels, because as soon as the shipping labels are printed, they go right on to the box being shipped out.

     I still use dymo tape.  I find that extremely helpful.  

     My husband is legally blind, so the black tape was a nightmare for him!  I had to revamp my system and use clear tape on my oven, microwave, etc.  Haha.


Christy Lynch






________________________________________
From: nabop [nabop-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Brown, Debbie via nabop [nabop at nfbnet.org]
Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2015 8:57 AM
To: 'National Association of Blind Office Professionals'
Cc: Brown, Debbie
Subject: Re: [nabop] Advice on performing general office tasks

Judy, your post proves that older technology is reliable.  I am curious about how you are keeping your optacon--and even your typewriter-maintained.

Also, if you put labels on anything sighted people use, make sure to use clear material.  I made enemies around here putting black tape on the microwave, and I have to help the sightlings find the buttons.  Serves them right, but it might be diplomatic to avoid that.

Debbie Brown


-----Original Message-----
From: nabop [mailto:nabop-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Judy Jones via nabop
Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2015 9:54 PM
To: National Association of Blind Office Professionals
Cc: Judy Jones
Subject: Re: [nabop] Advice on performing general office tasks

Hello, Min,

Part of my job is that of being an administrative assistant.   The most
important thing I do is to use a Perkins brailler to braille on the bottom of any paper that comes across my desk, since I am responsible for all office communications and ordering, filing, billing etc.  One of my colleagues in Lewiston said it, every hard-copy the office deals with lands on our desks, and we make the final decision what happens to that paper and where it goes and how quickly.

I use a typewriter to address envelopes, make individual labels as needed, write sticky-notes to colleagues, and fill in occasional text on a hard-copy document.  I use an Optacon to help with this, about the Optacon in a minute.

Most definitely I use a computer with Jaws that is totally accessible with the work sites.  I could use the computer to print labels, but is time consuming for the individual label.  I also use the typewriter to write deposit slips, since I am in charge of our supplies store.  I had a reader for the first month on the job to help me get set up in the office and store, and she helped me map out how many lines down from the top, spaces from the left, backspaces from the right, lines down, etc.

I have a scanner with OpenBook, plus I use Epson Scan to create image docs for colleagues if they are needed.  Our agency is not yet scanning directly into any online database yet, but are getting there.

Now for the Optacon.  It is a piece of older technology that is still around that allows the blind person to directly read printed material through use of a hand camera and a display that raises the print letter.  As you scan the camera across the page, you can read what is on that page.  It will tackle things that a camera and app can't touch.  If I need to sign my name, I mark the signature line with a stylus dot, make a crease straight on the line, and know where to sign or use my signature stamp.  I also make this crease so I know where to fill out with typewriter when I need to.

I use the Optacon for spot-checking and disseminating mail, paying bills, proofing layout of a newly created document, and sometimes have used it on my computer screen when Jaws hasn't been working properly.  If it were not for the Optacon, I would be needing reader hours.  I can even read cursive as long as it is neat and not over anything else on the document.

I have my own case load but manage a second case load as well, and all those files have braille labels on the back of each folder tab.

The first thing I would say is that braille skills are essential!  I could find ways of doing the job if I didn't know braille, but my productivity would be way down.  It has been said that although 70% of blind people are unemployed, approximately 90% of those employed use braille.  Those stats speak for themselves.

You must also have good written and communication skills.

About scanning.  You will want to investigate whether or not the office uses image scanning, or if their system will be accessible to you.  As you need to scan in, you will also more than likely be needing to retrieve documents as well.

You will also want to make sure your screen reader interfaces properly with their system.

One part of the issue is having the skills to do the job.  The other part is having the systems and software in place that will allow you to do the job.
One thing that can help is job trading.  For instance, if there is a certain task that is not accessible to you, maybe you can take on someone elses work that is accessible, freeing them up to do your inaccessible task.

My productivity equals that of my sighted counterparts, and this is what you will want to strive for.

Let me know if you have any further questions, and best wishes.

Judy

-----Original Message-----
From: minh ha via nabop
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2015 10:12 PM
To: nabop at nfbnet.org
Cc: minh ha
Subject: [nabop] Advice on performing general office tasks

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all doing well. I subscribed to this list in order to get some tips and tricks on how you all perform office tasks as a totally blind person. A little bit about me: I am currently a junior at Boston College double majoring in Applied Psychology and Sociology.
I am also from the Central Massachusetts area. I have an interview for an administrative assistant position in my university's Corporate and Foundations Relations office coming up this week and I want to be prepared to answer questions they might have regarding how I can perform the outlined tasks. I've pasted the job description below:

And a basic job description for our position is: Provide administrative support to the Corporate and Foundation Relations team in University Advancement.
Responsibilities will include updating alumni database; uploading and indexing electronic filing system; scanning and copying; online research/projects; monitoring and reporting on CFR twitter account; working with Development Assistants for data reports and clean-up; conducting on-campus errands, proofreading documents, and other general office projects. The position is 15 hours a week.

Most of the tasks described I can do with ease, but stuff like scanning, copying, indexing electronic files and general office tasks, I've never had any experience with. If I could get some suggestions on how you all go about doing these jobs, I would greatly appreciate it.

Best,
Minh


--
Minh Ha
Boston College | Lynch School of Education '16 minh.ha927 at gmail.com

"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. Lawrence

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