[nfbcs] Career Advice
Bryan Schulz
b.schulz at sbcglobal.net
Fri Oct 12 05:46:26 UTC 2012
hi,
i have read several messages talking about skills but not much about the
supervisory chain.
what happens when you are good but are forced to close a business due to one
or two supervisors stacking the deck of clients in the favor of another
specific vendor?
Bryan Schulz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
To: "NFB in Computer Science Mailing List" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2012 9:28 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Career Advice
> David,
>
> Perhaps I am wrong, but I think you missed the point on the "extra work"
> language. In many jobs now, everyone works after hours which could be
> called
> extra work in a way, but that isn't what I was thinking about. I think
> the point that some of us are making is that to keep up, we need to do
> work that is
> beyond the work that our sighted co-workers do in order to stay even.
> That isn't meant to sound like a complaint, it is rather a plan to achieve
> success. I
> have seen blind people not willing to do that and it usually means they
> won't achieve the success they could achieve, and can even bring about
> failure. I
> also think we have to be honest with ourselves. If we're in a field that
> is interesting, it can be fun, but sometimes it isn't fun but is a
> necessity. I do have to
> keep my skills up to stay even with those of my co-workers. However, I'm
> probably the only one of my co-workers who knows what needs to be done to
> bring up Lotus Notes in basic mode which is more efficient with screen
> readers. Most if not all of my sighted co-workers select text on a
> terminal emulation
> screen to include in an e-mail with the mouse. While I can do that, it
> isn't real efficient for me. I took the time to learn the emulator's
> scripting language so
> I could define a key to select specific amounts of text. I, and I'm sure
> others, could list a number of other things like this where we need to
> spend some of
> our own time to learn things that make us more efficient on the job. I
> think this aspect of our jobs is very important to convey to people
> starting out. Often
> the process of learning these extra things not only makes us more
> efficient, but can result in having knowledge that can benefit others or
> bring a different
> solution to a problem.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Steve Jacobson
>
> On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 21:02:43 -0500, david hertweck wrote:
>
>>You know this talk about keeping your skills up. I work in the R&D
>>department and everyone does extra work and works on their own time, that
>>is
>>just the norm. I find it stimulating to keep up with my sighted caleegs .
>>Do not look at it as extra work look at it as an opportunity to learn and
>>grow. For me I want to always move up and be doing different things.
>>.
>
>
>
>>depart your s
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: John G. Heim
>>Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2012 1:21 PM
>>To: 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List'
>>Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Career Advice
>
>>I pretty much agree with everything you say below although I might not
>>paint
>>quite such a dark picture. But, yeah, I feel I've been successful in my
>>career by working harder than everybody else, putting in extra time to
>>make
>>up for being slower than the sighted guys, and doing a lot of research on
>>my
>>own time.
>
>>I also agree with the point about keeping your skills up. There is this
>>phenomenon I call "backwatering". New technologies tend to be inaccessible
>>so a blind technologist doesn't get the assignment of working with them.
>>Slowly, he becomes less and less crucial to his company because he's
>>working
>>with old technology. Then when layoffs come around, he's the one to go.
>>And
>>in some ways, that's only fair. After all, he is the least important
>>member
>>of the team.
>
>>IMO, its important to be very aggressive in pursuing new technologies. I
>>taught myself on my own time almost all the skills I use in my current
>>job.
>>I am sure there are jobs where that isn't necessary but they are few and
>>far
>>between. Also, to some degree it depends on what you want out of your
>>career. I work for the University of Wisconsin and they don't layoff
>>people
>>very often. But a few years ago, I went to my boss and said I thought my
>>skills were being wasted and that I could do a lot more, he said, "What's
>>your problem? You're still getting paid, aren't you?" But I wasn't
>>satisfied
>>just pulling down a paycheck. Plus, I figured that eventually they'd get
>>around to getting rid of me. So I switched jobs and got into a different
>>department.
>
>>----Original Message-----
>>From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of majolls at cox.net
>>Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2012 11:31 AM
>>To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
>>Cc: Tracy Carcione
>>Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Career Advice
>
>>Working in the computer field is a challenging experience, especially for
>>a
>>blind person (well partially sighted in my case). Here are some things to
>>consider:
>
>>Know your craft thoroughly. Be as prepared with your programming
>>languages
>>as you possibly can be. Corporations are looking for people that can
>>solve
>>a problem quickly and who know where to go look when they donG?Tt know the
>>answers. Therefore, you need to be as knowledgeable as you possibly can
>>be
>>in whatever programming languages you decide to work in.
>
>>Know your weaknesses and have solutions in place before you go get the
>>job.
>>ItG?Ts a competitive environment out there and the people that can get the
>>job
>>done right in the shortest amount of time at the least cost are the ones
>>that seem to rise to the top at least in my company. You need to know any
>>limitations your disability places on you and you need to have a solution
>>BEFORE you go to the job so it doesnG?Tt hurt you in your career and you
>>can
>>keep up with the normally sighted people. For example, my reading speed
>>is
>>about 130wpm. A normal person reads at about 250wpm. You can see it will
>>take me twice as long reading as someone else. In my daily job, IG?Tm
>>constantly reading code on the computer monitor. So you can see how a
>>normal person without any vision issues will finish things before me.
>>Doing
>>your best in this case is not good enough because youG?Tll always be
>>coming in
>>last. And that equates to less money at your performance review. Trust
>>me,
>>I have 30+ years of experience to back me up on this. If you think
>>Braille,
>>for example, will help overcome slow reading, or using programs such as
>>Jaws, learn it BEFORE you get to the job so thereG?Ts no chance of
>>supervisors
>>forming opinions of how you work.
>
>>Know that the job will eventually change, and sooner than later. In my
>>job,
>>new technologies are always coming up. The company is looking for faster
>>and better ways of doing things. And that means theyG?Tre trying new
>>programming languages, new things to make us meaner and leaner
>>programmers.
>>And that means that you have to learn quickly, and probably more often
>>than
>>you would like. You may be required (not by your employer but just by the
>>fact that you have to keep up) to spend extra hours in the evening
>>learning
>>if you donG?Tt have enough time during the day. The years of learning a
>>few
>>things for your job and doing that for 5-10 years are gone. Figure on
>>having to relearn your job every couple of years depending on what new
>>thing
>>is coming out. You have to ask yourself if you feel like keeping up like
>>that all the time, or if your disability will put limitations on you
>>there.
>>You are definitely under pressure in these situations.
>
>>Be prepared to work overtime. If youG?Tre in a professional job such as I
>>am
>>and youG?Tre not as fast as others, itG?Ts going to take you more hours to
>>do
>>the same work in a time-frame that an employer considers normal. IG?Tve
>>come
>>to the conclusion I can probably never please my employer. Or, if you
>>have
>>to do the training thing, you may not get it all done in the course of 8
>>hours. In my job, an 8 hour day is the thing of the past. I work more
>>like
>>a 10 hour day just to stay even .. to make up for my poor eyesight. Even
>>with technology such as screen magnification and speech, and Braille, I
>>still work a 10 hour day. With the demands of the job, itG?Ts just the
>>standard.
>
>>So consider all these things. Perhaps you can assess your situation and
>>justify going into computer programming. It is a good career, but to keep
>>up and compete is a challenge. ItG?Ts even moreso with a vision
>>disability in
>>my opinion.
>
>>I don't want to throw cold water on things, but I've had a lot of
>>frustration in my career. It's no fun when you come in second most of the
>>time and people seem to move ahead of you and nothing seems to work.
>
>>---- Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net> wrote:
>>> When I was looking for work with my programming certificate, I got an
>>> offer from the IRS, but the salary was very low, and any programming
>>> would have to be approved by head office in DC. I declined the offer,
>>> and soon got a much better one. Even though I started at a low,
>>> trainee salary, it was still significantly better than the IRS was
>>> offering. Though perhaps IRS salaries are the same across the country,
>>> and only low when compared to average New York salaries.
>>> Tracy
>>>
>>> > I googled tfor info on the program. A link is below. A one paragraph
>>> > summary is as follows...
>>> >
>>> >> Program Description: The Programming curriculum prepares clients to
>>> >> work
>>> > in a wide range of programming
>>> >> environments including .NET and JAVA, and other application
>>> >> projects as
>>> > well. Certification exams for JAVA and
>>> >> Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) are offered
>>> >> through the
>>> > program. Some prior programming
>>> >> experience is helpful, but not necessary to be successful in this
>>> >> course.
>>> > This program often offers the opportunity to get
>>> >> a commitment for employment with the Internal Revenue Service.
>>> >
>>> > http://lwsb.org/index.php/general-overview/vocational-catalog/#conte
>>> > nt
>>> >
>>> > Wasn't it this list where we just had a huge debate about java? I'm
>>> > thinking java programming might be making a huge comeback in writing
>>> > apps for mobile phones. But I'll admit I don't really know what I'm
>>> > talking about. I would note, however, that the link above indicates
>>> > that the Lions web site itself is written in php, not .net or java.
>>> >
>>> > -----Original Message-----
>>> > From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy
>>> > Carcione
>>> > Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2012 9:38 AM
>>> > To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
>>> > Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Career Advice
>>> >
>>> > Hi Daniel.
>>> > I got a programming certificate, after I found I was going nowhere
>>> > with my college degree. I looked around, and found a certificate
>>> > course that taught the languages employers were looking for at the
>>> > time. It was local, not out-of-state.
>>> > If you do go to Lions World, try to make sure that they are teaching
>>> > languages that will actually be in demand.
>>> > Learning programming was a very good move for me. I have a secure
>>> > job that pays well, and is usually interesting. I'm not sure if the
>>> > IRS job pays well, or is interesting.
>>> > My brother is also a blind programmer, working for subcontractors to
>>> > the government. He gets paid OK, but gets laid off every few years.
>>> > So your results may vary. But I think he'd rather be programming
>>> > than having a rather dull but secure IRS job.
>>> > HTH.
>>> > Tracy
>>> >
>>> >> Hello Everyone:
>>> >>
>>> >> I hope this is the appropriate forum for this question.
>>> >>
>>> >> I am legally blind with a background in engineering and
>>> >> manufacturing.
>>> >> After
>>> >> talking with many blind engineers, I find that many of them are
>>> >> thriving computer programmers.
>>> >>
>>> >> I am now trying to decide whether to go to Lions World in Little
>>> >> Rock to take their 10 month computer programming course. My
>>> >> counselor at my states agency for the blind wants me to go to Lions
>>> >> World but to take one of their IRS courses, which would in essence
>>> >> be a guaranteed job with the Feds.
>>> >>
>>> >> I am the type of person who could do any job, at least that is what
>>> >> my aptitude tests tell me.
>>> >>
>>> >> What is life like for blind computer programmers? Do most work for
>>> >> employers or as freelancers/contractors? Are there any languages in
>>> >> particular I should focus on? Are there any other ways of learning
>>> >> computer programming as a blind person than going out of state?
>>> >> Learning on my own is just not working for me.
>>> >>
>>> >> Any advice you can give would be appreciated.
>>> >>
>>> >> Regards
>>> >>
>>> >> Daniel Garcia
>>> >> Northville, MI
>>> >>
>>> >>
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>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
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