[Nfb-science] Discussing Blindness While Job Searching

[Chris Emborsky]

Christine,

	I've actually just recently went through a very similar recruitment
process with very similar concerns.  As you might imagine, there are lots of
opinions out there about how to handle such disclosures since so much of the
job application process has been automated and made electronic.  Human
interaction or face-to-face interviews often don't happen until later in the
process which makes it difficult to educate potential employers and your
application could easily be filtered out early on before any real person
would actually read your resume.  My personal approach was to not discuss or
indicate it during this application and recruitment process prior to getting
an in-person interview request.  I wanted the employer's opinion on
considering me for the position to be based on my achievements and
experience (not to be their poster guy for diversity or excluded based on
bias' or stereotypes they'd never admit to: both situations I've experienced
before).  If it was an on-campus interview, I'd have someone in the job
placement office that I'd already spoken with about how I wanted it handled
to simply notify the interviewer the day of my interview that they'd be
speaking with a blind interviewee so they wouldn't be surprised by it and
lose focus on my qualifications for the job.  While I did end up taking a
position in industry, I was also considering several post doctoral positions
as I was finishing my PhD.  In those cases, I found it supremely important
to develop a level of communication with the primary investigator (PI) I
wanted to work with.  I'd initiate this through either e-mail or a phone
call centered largely on the availability of positions in their group, the
type of research work that I'd be doing, and how my background would
compliment that work.  Then, provided they continued to show interest in me
joining their group, I'd introduce blindness in follow-up discussions.
	In either case, come prepared with several specific examples of the
ways you've navigated your years of education to adapt things in ways to do
the excellent work you've done.  As I'm sure you've encountered yourself
many times, despite having my BS, MS, and PhD in chemical engineering,
people in several of my interviews still couldn't comprehend how I was ever
going to be able to do the quantity of work to the quality they'd require
(much less handle simple tasks like navigating their office space, getting
to work, using a computer, or not somehow compromising my safety and the
safety of those around me if I were to work in an operations role at a
chemical plant or refinery).  Whatever you choose to do, make sure you take
the lead on how it's going to be discussed rather than letting someone else
tell you how to do it.  It's nerve-racking enough trying to sell yourself to
these people without being further stressed out by being forced into an
uncomfortable position.
	Feel free to contact me directly if you have any further questions
or concerns.

Best wishes,
Chris Emborsky

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christopher Emborsky, Ph.D.
Research Technologist, Shell Global Solutions
E-mail:  drembo81 at gmail.com
Cell:  317-752-9963

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-science-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-science-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Christine Szostak
Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2012 2:07 PM
To: NFB Science and Engineering Division List
Subject: [Nfb-science] Discussing Blindness While Job Searching

Hello,
  I am currently preparing to enter the job market (I.e., I will be ready to
begin seeking positions in late Jan as I will be graduating in June). My
question is this. As a totally blind scientist, I am wondering when and how
to best bring up the issue of vision, especially with respect to seeking a
potential postdoc opportunity.
With warm regards,
Christine
Christine M. Szostak
Doctoral Candidate
Language Perception Laboratory
Department of Psychology, Cognitive Area The Ohio State University Columbus,
Ohio szostak.1 at osu.edu _______________________________________________
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