[nfbcs] University Engineering Career Fair: How to discuss my vision

[John G. Heim]

I am not sure there is an answer to your question. If there is, I'd go 
with Tracey's suggestion of getting a white cane. Before I started using 
a cane, I did get kind of good, at least in my own mind, at bringing it 
up casually in job interviews. "I do have a bit of a vision problem."

But what I really want to mention is that I strongly disagree with the 
HR people who told you not to mention it. I think that comes off as 
challenging the employer to not hire you because you're blind. To some 
degree, it depends on the size of the company and the level of 
professionalism of the recruiter. Some recruiters are going to know that 
the standard advice is to not  talk about your disability. But in most 
companies, where the boss does the hiring or at best, someone who got a 
degree in Art History is the HR person, not talking about your 
disability comes off as daring them to not hire you because you have a 
disability. They may already be uneasy about offending you and even 
worried about the legal ramifications of turning you down. By not 
mentioning it, you're just driving home the point that it's a taboo topic.

This is all just my opinion, of course. But it comes from actually 
asking small business owners what they think when an applicant doesn't 
mention their disability. I mean, I have actually sat down with small 
business managers and discussed it with them. They don't care that you 
are not legally required to divulge that you have a disability or that 
you don't have to talk about it. I am sure that if these businessmen 
had their lawyers sitting right next to them, they'd have been told to 
shut up.  But if you can get them to be honest, that's what they will say.

Hiring is all about who you like.  A manager will ignore just about 
anything on a resume if they like the candidate enough. Avoiding 
something as huge as a disability is no way to strike up a friendship 
with a recruiter. You have to *tell* them that your disability is not a 
thing. They are not going to spontaneously come to that conclusion on 
their own.

In my opinion, the best thing to do is to get them to think they happen 
to be instinctively good at addressing  a person with a disability. The 
best thing is if you can get to the point where you can say something 
like,  "Wow, I am really impressed by how comfortable you are around my 
disability. A lot of people make such a big deal out of it." 
Admittedly, it can be difficult to get to that point. And you don't want 
to trigger their BS meter. But you'd be surprised how easy it is to 
convince most people that they are truly wonderful human beings. When 
you tell most people they seem unusually comfortable around  you, 
they'll  say something about having a second cousin once removed who 
wears really thick glasses so they are used to it.




On 09/28/14 22:04, Suzanne Germano via nfbcs wrote:
> Hi
>
> I will be attending the ASU Engineering Career Fair and the Grace Hopper
> Celebrating Women in Computing Career Fair. I am looking for some insight
> on whether or not to mention my visual disability.
>
> I am not ashamed or want to hide it but need to find the correct segue to
> bring it up.
>
> I do not use a cane so the fact that I am legally blind is not obvious. I
> do squint, as I am severely light sensitive, and wear red contacts. Also,
> if I am looking at anything I am holding it very close to my face. I know
> that people are aware and notice these things but tend to make incorrect
> assumptions. Some of the things people have thought about me or others who
> are low vision that I know include being sleepy or up all night or on
> drugs. I feel it is better to acknowledge my disability vs having them make
> assumptions.
>
> I was hoping to casually find a way to include it in my introduction (30
> second speech).
>
> I consulted with someone at ASU who was reviewing my resume and she asked
> two HR recruiters and they said absolutely do not mention it in
> conversation or indicate it on my resume.
>
> I believe my resume and 4.0 GPA should show the person at the career fair
> that my disability does not have a negative affect on my ability in
> computer science.
>
> What are your thoughts?
>
> Thank You
> Suzanne
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