[nabs-l] Jobs, interviews, resumes...

[Jedi]

Jim,

This is Jedi. When you have a moment, would you contact me off-list? Thanks.


Original message:
> Mr. Orozco,
> Thank you for your reply, and yes it does help some. First, I just want 
> a job, no, I want a career in public land management (I am refering to 
> national parks, national forest, BLM land, etc). I want to be a 
> productive contributor to society. I have no interest in suing anybody 
> for discrimination. I just want to know about the laws so I know what 
> is or isn't possible. For example, I asked 4 different people if hiring 
> a driver was a reasonable accomidation, and I got 4 different versions 
> of "maybe". The only common answer amongst the four individuals was 
> "the agency defines what is reasonable." Yet, according to you and 
> others, I should not disclose my blindness. It is ironic that the one 
> entity with the answer to the question "is a driver a reasonable 
> accomidation?", can't be asked.

> In my opinion, a person should disclose their disability prior to a job 
> offer (actually, it should be disclosed after the interview offer, but 
> prior to the interview). In my opinion,  when a disabled person applies 
> for a job, part of the interview should determine if and how the 
> individual and the agency can work together so that the disabled person 
> can do the job. In my mind, disclosing prior to the interview allows 
> the the individual and the agency to begin a dialouge as to how you can 
> be accomidated, that way when you go into the interview, the 
> interviewer already knows that you can be successfully accomidated; 
> knows the specific limitations of your diability, and as a reult, the 
> fear of hiring a "dud" is lessened. Maybe my views are not realistic, I 
> don't know

> Additionally, it seems dishonest to not disclose prior to a job offer. 
> True, you have a stronger legal leg to stand on if you disclose after 
> the job offer, but is the employer going to be happy knowing that you 
> began the employment relationship on what essentially amounts to a lie? 
> Is the employer going to be willing to go out of his/her way to work 
> with you when you begain the employment relationshiop on a lie? A 
> intentional omission is a lie.

> Regarding my additude towards my blindness, addmitedly it sucks. 
> Blindness is not super-happy-fun-tiime, being blind sucks. Would I hire 
> me? No, I would not hire me. Its not that I wouldnt hire me because I 
> am blind, I wouldnt hire me because I represent an additional burden to 
> the agency that a "normal" person does not.  It is called a DISability 
> for a reason; I lack ability. My blindness doesnt make me "unique" or 
> "special"; my blindness makes me a pain in the ass. Would you hire a 
> hemorrhoid? There is no way to put a positive spin on blindness. You 
> can polish a turd all day, but in the end, its stull a turd. 
> Personally, honestly,  I don't truely believe that there is anything 
> unique about me or my proffessional skill set that overcomes the fact 
> that I am (or will be) a pain in the ass for my employer. I am banking 
> on the fact that my forthcoming Masters degree will give me enough of 
> an edge over my competition that an employer will be willing to
>  accept the extra burden.

> I don't know, maybe I am jaded by the fact that for my whole life I 
> never really concidered myself as disabled. I always denied my 
> blindess; until reciently I was driving and reading unmagnified text. 
> In my mind, I was blind, but not disabled. Then, it reached a point 
> where I couldnt pretend anymore. I am blind; I am disabled. I used to 
> believe that if I worked hard enough I could do anything I wanted. Now, 
> its like "whats the point on trying?" Have I really been reduced to the 
> point of begging for jobs that I cant really physiclly do 100%? Am I 
> really just a charity case? Try as I might, I cant find anything 
> positive that has came out of being blind.

> Thanks,
> Jim

> "Ignorance killed the cat; curiosity was framed."



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-- 
REspectfully,
Jedi

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