[nabs-l] Job seekers- disclosing disability

Sat Apr 18 14:05:32 UTC 2009

Hi Jedi,
I really like these suggestions. I'm just confused by what you mean  
when you say "I also don't want
them to expect me to act as a sighted person when I'm not." I'm in the  
process of looking for a summer job so I'll definitely take your great  
ideas to heart.
Sarah
Quoting Jedi <loneblindjedi at samobile.net>:

> Hi.
>
> The article provided regards Brittish laws surrounding disability which
> are a little different from American laws. The ADA does specify that
> employers cannot ask you about your disabilities at any point in the
> process. or rather, that they should not. Unfortunately, they often do.
> Here's my philosophy on disclosure.
>
> There are some of us whose blindness will be more obvious depending on
> the job we're asking to fill, our past experience, and any schools we
> attended. for example, if you worked at Random City Society for the
> Blind, and your job experience at RCSB makes you qualified for the job
> you're applying for, it makes sense to mention it. If you attended
> Random State School for the Blind and it's relevant to your resume,
> then mention it. I often add my participation at the Louisiana Center
> for the Blind for two reasons. first, it points to my educational
> experiences. Second, it offers a perfect shoe-in to discuss how I'll do
> the job as a blind person. All this said, it's certainly not a good
> idea to make blindness the central focus of your resume unless it makes
> sense to do so such as in cases where you might be applying to fill the
> post at Random City Society for the Blind.
>
> At the interview. I personally don't find it helpful when employers ask
> how much I can see. I find that the focus moves in a negative direction
> when this happens. They may be curious, but they're also subconsciously
> equating sight with ability. I also don't want them to expect me to act
> as a sighted person when I'm not. I want to make it clear that I am
> indeed a blind person with some residual vision who uses blindness
> techniques, not visual ones. i also want to make it clear that my use
> of blindness techniques will not hamper me. I also personally feel that
> first meetings are not the appropriate time and place to discuss the
> inner workings of a medical condition. so, when an employer asks me,
> "How much can you see?" I  have a few responses ready. If the vibe is
> good, I may ask why they're interested in knowing. Then, I can figure
> out what their real questions are. A lot of the time, the question is,
> "How are you going to do X?" so, I tell them how i'll do X. If the vibe
> is bad, it's probably not going to work out anyway. But, if I'm stuck
> having to educate, I'll simply say something like "just enough to get
> me into trouble, but not enough to get me out." Then, I'll launch into
> a brief explanation about how I'll do the job as a blind person.
>
> I have a strong preference for self acommodation where possible. For
> those of us who use Braille note takers, it's a good idea to pack it
> along in case you're required to do a writing test. If an internet
> connection is available, use it to e-mail the perspective boss the
> writing sample while you're still there. Hopefully, the boss will smile
> upon this arrangement. This is also a great way to show how you will
> solve accessibility problems. Also, for those with reading machines,
> particularly the KNFB Reader Mobile, bring it along since it has
> internet capability that will let you e-mail word attachments uploaded
> from your note taker and since it can read print and help you convert
> anything you may have to read out loud into Braille. If you're good
> with your technology, this process can be really efficient. If you
> don't have said technology, then it may prompt you to disclose your
> disability sooner so you can get appropriate acommodations. Otherwise,
> it may be useful to list your acommodations in your cover letter in
> case the employer wants you to do something at the interview.
>
> A word on blindness skills. I personally think it's a great idea to
> know braille in case one has to read out loud (which can happen). I
> also recommend being comfortable with a cane or guide dog because
> confident travelers look good to employers. My next bit of advice may
> be controversial, but I would not recommend taking paratransit to an
> interview. This arrangement may be just fine when you get the job, but
> I'd start out with a cab or driver to avoid stereotypes. If weather is
> poor, I would also recommend a cab or driver if you ordinarily take the
> bus. That way, you look fresh and nice at the interview. Taking cabs
> may also reduce personal stress. I don't know about you, but I'm a poor
> traveler when I experience anxiety (I get distracted), and I'd hate to
> be late for getting lost. By the way, I also recommend you feel
> comfortable with cooking and serving if you're getting a job in food
> service. again, travel skills are helpful.
>
> A word on appearances. I would highly recommend brushing your dog well
> before an interview and/or making sure your cane doesn't look like hell
> when you show up. Battle scars on canes are great for convention
> stories, but not for job interviews. Wear the best you have provided
> that it's appropriate. I personally don't have a problem with piercings
> and hair dye or tatoos. Unfortunately, others might. It's not a bad
> idea to scope out the place before sending in an application to see if
> your personal style is or isn't going to be a problem. I personally
> think it would suck if you like to wear piercings but can't.
>
> I did some research on job applications and interview practices
> regarding people with disabilities. here are some signs that might
> reduce your chances of discrimination. first, don't set your heart on
> jobs that ask about disabilities or health conditions on their
> applications. Chances are, they're looking at possible insurance
> issues, and they may mistakingly think that you're a liability. Second,
> go for small businesses run by people you have some network with; based
> on my research, don't go for small business owners you don't know or
> haven't got a network with since they're likely to discriminate and
> there isn't much you can do about it. The better bet in general is to
> go for large corperations and institutions with plenty of public
> accountability. They're less likely to discriminate and will receive
> public pressure if they do.
>
> Naturally, much of this is my own opinion. Feel free to agree or
> disagree. This has been a product of my experiences thus far. Any
> additional info would be most welcome.
> Original message:
>> I was under the impression that employers were required to provide
>> 'reasonable' accomidations.  This article seems to imply that they are not
>> obligated if they did not know about your disability when they hired you.
>> the law does not allow for employers to use your disibility at all in their
>> selection process.  In OR i believe that employers aren't even allowed to
>> ask about disabilities.  I imagine that one can extend the law to not allow
>> for preference to be given to disabled applicants either since you would be
>> choosing on non-relevant baseies.  Unfortunatly those of us with physical
>> disabilities have less choice about disclosure then other potentionally
>> disabled applicants.  Joseph has said to me that employers will be more
>> likely to hire you if they can see how you would be able to forfill the
>> position.  Convincing the employer of this can be hard.  It would seem that
>> an interview would be a good place to discuss this, but you would much
>> prefer that the interview focused on your own skills and not details that
>> should not effect their desision.
>> Just my two cents,
>> Bill VP
>> Oregon Association of Blind Students
>> 503-768-8982
>> cassonw at gmail.com
>
>> On Wed, Apr 15, 2009 at 1:24 PM, Jim Reed <jim275_2 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>> Hey all,
>
>>> As the summer-job seeking season is upon us, and as the economy forces
>>> others out of work, I thought the following would be useful to some of
>>> you. It deals with how/when to disclose your blindness to an employer.
>
>
>
>
>>> http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/PublicWebsite/public_jsdisc.hcsp
>
>>> I Hope some find it useful. I have an interview tomarrow with Montana Fish,
>>> Wildlife, and Parks. I guess I will see how it works then.
>
>
>
>>> Thanks,
>
>>> Jim
>
>
>>> "Ignorance killed the cat; curiosity was framed."
>
>
>
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>
> -- 
> REspectfully,
> Jedi
>
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