Category: Jobs and Employment
Hey there people,
So I'm a new blind graduate of high school. And looking for a job at this time. Sadly enough, I have thought, like so many others, that if I get on ssi, and attend a school for the blind, (Voc rehab is suggesting I take ssi, this way, I can go to a center for the blind, and ssi can help them pay for it, however this very thought is killing me, and I need to find work or something I can do, quickly enough. I'm honestly thinking, screw this, and let me try to find work on my own. Let me fall on my face, a couple of thousand times, and save up the money I earn, to make myself better.
This being said, I have no actual skills. So many people say, attend college! Ok, I would be ok with that, except for a, I have not a lot of money for college, and b, I'm not really a classroom kind of person. School is hard for me, and while I do like learning, I find that my personal opinion of the education system, at least where I come from, is flawed, and doesn't actually teach people. Not everyone who works, has attended college. Same is said in reverse, not everyone who has attended college, has a job either. But that's a topic of another discussion.
Anyways, I don't have any skills. I use windoweyes, a braille sense, and an Iphone.
Is there anyone here who was able to get a job, even if it was minimum wage, after they graduated, who is blind? I understand I'm not prepared for the real world, I get it, but I'd rather start doing something on my own, rather than receive government assistance.
Would love to know your thoughts.
Thanks for any assistance.
Hello
A couple of years after graduating high school I did secure a job at a call center here in Canada. I worked there for four years. Circumstance and who y ou know are key ingredients to getting a job when you first start out. This is doubly true when you have a visible disability. Now, a note about social assistance. You appear to be a driven individual. With that in ind, may I suggest not being so hasty about disregarding it altogether. If it can help you live, gain skills and go to school, it's a good thing. As long as you're motivated to move forward and aren't satisfied living cheque to cheque every month, it can be a useful resource. If you can use it to fund your training at a center - something I have never done myself - to gain independance and useful skills, I'd highly recommend it. Certainly you can learn things on your own, but a kickstart never hurts.
I've been trying to find a job for years. Went to college for 3 semesters and did not like it.Thought that was what VR was pushing me to do.
Hi, first, you should evaluate whether or not you need independence skills such as daily living, budgeting tips, mobility ETC.Or do you just want work-related skills. If you choose the latter, maybe talk to your Voc counselor about maybe getting some volunteer work or an internship. Also, don't rule out college altogether. I am glad you're thinking about work now. I got my bachelor's degree right of high school. It took forever. In the meantime, I did a lot of volunteer work, landed an internship as part of my coursework, and then joined AmeriCorps after I graduated college. You might also want to consider a situational work assessment if your state/province offers them. You might have to really start slow, learn some computer skills, work on getting to/from a work sight, fulfilling your responsibilities ETC. I have worked for four years in the Case Management Dept for an agency which helps the developmentally disabled. I think one of the most crucial assets to being a blind worker is flexibility. I am happy to read that you're willing to work. If you are going to rule out college, sorry to say, this could severely limit your job opportunities. I'm glad you realize that just because you go to college doesn't mean you'll find a job. I think it is crucial to have a good balance of education and experience. If education isn't in your future, then you will need to have lots of experience. Start small. I wouldn't rule out SSI either. While I'm not a proponent of long-term use of the program, It could help you survive while you're trying to gain valuable skills. PM me with any questions/concerns.
I know the origional post is pretty old, but as this topic has been bumped, I figured I'd offer my two cents. I offer my story as advice, as a sounding board, as one possible path to take. Nobody told me how life worked when I got out of high school, and I learned some hard, scary lessons. Skip to the end of the post for my general thoughts.
I was pushed to go to college by VR, by family, by VI teachers. I had no clue what to do, and I flailed around, got lost, went hungry, got very sick with anxiety/depression, left college, lost my way, kicked my butt back into gear, struggled through an online class, and started over at a new university. Nobody was pushing me now except my own guilt. I had to go back to college. School was all I knew, and how could I work if I didn't go to college? I went on to earn a pretty useless English degree and graduated with a 3.7 GPA. In my final year, I lived in an apartment with three other sighted girls, and that was a life lesson all on its own. My college experiences, hard and terrifying as they were, taught me a lot about how life works. I don't think you can get that kind of "Slap in the face" experience from an independence center. For me, college made me grow up in a huge way, and I never stopped growing, never stopped learning. College taught me a world of useful things outside the classroom. That said, college isn't for everyone.
English degree in hand and with no plan, I moved to Colorado with the bright and shiny idea of finding a job. I was still with North Carolina VR who was doing absolutely nothing for me. (Colorado VR was on a waitlist at the time). So if I wanted to work, I had to find jobs, apply, and interview on my own. I had zero relatable experience save for some volunteer work, a year's worth as a student secretary. You learn to turn that into a slightly fictionalized truth for your resume. I had some really, really embarrassing interviews. I didn't know what I was doing. I found an hourly job as a virtual tutor for an online writing lab. I didn't work for the company, I was just one of the many hired slaves. They would put up student papers, and you could accept and complete assignments whenever you wanted. I worked there for about three months, all the while agonizing over my inability to get interviews, to get job offers, to hear back from anyone. Two months after a horrible receptionist interview that sent me home to a glass of tiquila, I saw a position at the community college for an hourly English tutor. I have an English degree, I tutored with the virtual place, so I interviewed. The woman had worke with a blind person before, and by some twist of fait, she hired me. I've worked as an hourly tutor there for the past year and a half. But I couldn't live on that job. Five hours a week during peak times and no pay over the summer? I rarely even made $100 a month, but I was gaining "Customer service experience."
Finally, Colorado VR got me on board. There was a federal position looking specifically for disabled people, and VR applied me. I did okay at the phone interview, but I resigned myself to tutoring another semester. I didn't do that great a job. I just had so little experience, and I was trying so hard to answer their experience related questions. Couple weeks ago, the federal position called me to extend a tentative offer. I'm supposed to start working a fulltime job in the next two weeks. I couldn't be more relieved, scared, and grateful.
In my experience, companies want experience over education. I'm sure that degree doesn't hurt, but in interviews, they ask you questions like, "Describe a time when you've had a high volume of tasks to complete on a deadline. How did you prioritize the tasks to meet the deadline?" Call centers want you to have demonstrated you can remain calm in escalated situations. They want strong verbal communication skills. They want tech experience and typing speed. They are very concerned with how you, as a blind person, can use the software. The path you take now depends on where you want to end up. my scant employment history allowed me to land this position. I really don't know what kind of an interview a call center would put you through. My suggestion would be to look into volunteer experience. If college really isn't your thing, then the best thing you can do is gain work experience. It's going to be hard to just get a job at a company off the bat. Employers really do discriminate, even if they never say so. They're freaked out by your blindness, at least in my experience. It's hard to make them give you a chance. You need some kind of leading edge over the competition.
I don't know what you've done in the last year, but as others have said, there's no shame in using SSI while you're looking for work. I live on my own, I have bills to pay like everyone else. I always think volunteer work experience is an awesome idea, and maybe that's the path to go. My only caution is that if you intend to work in a mainstream company, try to do something non-blindy related. I'm probably going to get hated on for that, but it's true. Get outside the blindy box.
finding work is hard, blind or not always look outside the box. Don't always stress about the qualifications for a job because experience does count willingness and ability to learn counts and flexability. Working at a call center can be tough, especially if your in sails. I've worked in one for four years now and while I'm almost a superviser I wouldn't recommend this job for everyone, though I don't reccomend i stay in it either lol it does pay the bills. Flexability willing to work any hours day shift night shift weekends helps a lot those stuck in the mindset of 8 to 5 monday threw friday and there's a lot of them will miss out on a job over you. Get experience anywhere you can doing anything it all counts. Blindness organisations are fine if they can find you work factery call center tech wise whatever but if its not threw an organisation then its all about celling yourself. Clean shaven *if applicable* clean clothes showered good hair cut talk politely calmly etc. You are blind, def, whatever, but don't dwell on it, "hi my name is joe I'm blind and because of that i can bring these skills I've honed to your company" atention to detale focus in noisy environments, whatever your skills are. Learn who you are what you can do and how you can grow as quickly as possible :).
Remember we all fail at times, don't let that stop your application or atempts somewhere else.
sorry for spelling, clearly its not my strongest atribute lol. message if you have questions.
I would agree that doing something non-blindness related is a good thing. We live in a sighted world, and blind-related skills aren't going to mean much to a sighted employer. I agree volunteer work is a great way to get your foot in the door. While doing some volunteer work, try to work with your VR agency and discuss career paths. Don't like your counselor? Get a new one if possible. I know VR isn't everybody's favorite agency, but if you go in there, explain your situation, what you want and what skills you want, they may be able to help you. I understand a college degree isn't an asset in some work such as a call center. I work in the human services field, where a degree works wonders in addition to experience. I agree with the last poster, get whatever experience you can, when you can. To the poster with the federal job, congratulations. You sound a lot like me when I got my job offer four years ago next week. I was so relieved, happy, and scared. Also, to the OP, try to stay current when it comes to technology. This is something perhaps a VR counselor could help you with. If you choose not to go the VR route, have as many sighted peers as possible help you in your job searching process. It's okay to ask for help, even if it's find the door to an agency, interview tips, or outfit/hair/makeup suggestions. The interview questions described above are very typical. A few more benefits to getting work experience are: to rule out what you're not good at, and to help you learn your assets and limitations as an employee, communication styles and preferred work environments. To the poster from CO, does VR still have a waiting list? I live in Co, and am not looking for a job, but would like to know should I need them in the future. Also, did you work with a Business Outreach Specialist? I did, and she was awesome.
I had a lot ofailures because of other medical problems. But, I wasn't much on college. I had several unidentified problems, and, if I could, I'd do some things differently.
I just completed Certified Peer Counseling training, and passed. With Rehab insisting I have to have a guaranteed job, I'm not getting much help. So, I'm struggling.
Like someone else, forgot who, I had a couple emotional breakdowns. But, I got through it. And, because of the nature of the breakdowns, am able to use my experience to help others. Which I've wanted to do for a long time.
Knowing I won't get much support, but from friends and family, I have to way, think outside the box.
I'm going to apply for a volunteer internship, at a local Disability program. It's a center for all with special needs: deaf, blind, developmentally disabled, those with mental health issues, and people with a mix.
No, it won't be easy. But, taking that class, with no help from rehab, and much support from friends and family did help.
I'm certified for my state, and intend to do something with it. Because of my limits, I won't be able to work fulltime, right now. I hope someday, but even if I don't, I feel I've come a long way.
The only problem I'm in, is being able to keep my state medical. I'd have to be rich, to deal out the bucks for my medicines. I hate feeling dependent, and am fighting it with ttears, ttantroms, and I really want to get in a different situation. But, because of things, it might be just the way things are.
I hope some day, things will be better. But, I won't give up my dream to be off the system. Even, if now, I have to accept it.
Blessings,
Auntie Hot Wheels
Although I don't have and haven't applied for a job, I do have a few volunteer positions and some thoughts. After high school, I took a year off because that wasn't a good experience; during that year, I found out about a training center for the blind through a friend who was going there and decided to go. This was a wonderful experience; without the adaptive technology and academics training I got their I would be willing to bet all the money in the world that I would have failed out of college; I don't even like to think about what my life would be like today if I hadn't gone there. I deffinatly recommend it even if you don't go to college. Speaking of college I think it's better to go than not; you truly learn and grow so much; if your not the classroom type, consider something more hands on. If you do decide to go to college, before you go or as early as possible, think about what you like, what your passionate about etc., and how you can turn that in to a career. If you don't go to college or if you just want to work for a while before going, and if you are really good with your adaptive technology, you might consider becoming an instructor. You would need to search regarding what options you have as far as who you could do it through without a college degree, what sertifications you would need, and how much they cost etc., but if you were able to and it didn't cost to much, it might be a good way to earn some extra money. The last thing I want to say is that because there are a lot of employers who do discriminate, you'll be much better off if you can find ones that already hire people with disabilities; I know that can be hard, but there is a very good reason I say this. Since you don't have any skills, it is going to be very hard to sell yourself to the ones that won't hardly give you a chance because of your disability. However, if you do find ones that hire and want more employees with disabilities, and if you have found lots of strengths and positives from your disability like myself and many others, I think you will have a better shot at selling yourself with these.
When I graduated, back in 1991, I was pushed from all directions to go to college. I knew, even then, that I'd be better off going to some specialty training type place, I can't think of the word that I need here. (Vocational school, perhaps?) so while I thought about what I wanted, I went to the training center in Arkansas and stayed there for almost a year. it was a blast. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot of stuff. No, it's nowhere near what it used to be. This was in 1992. Eventually, I moved to Nashville in late 1993 and went to work at a textile factory. Sure, it was classed as a sheltered workshop, but I was fast with my hands and could make some decent money. It paid the bills and got me off sSI. eventually, there wasn't enough work to go around, so I left. They wanted sighted people to work there, so in order for one sighted person to be there, they had to employ 3 blind people. That was their ratio. They wanted blind people who weren't all that fast. I could do the work of 3 or 4 blind people in most sinarios, so I was no longer what they needed. I worked there for 12 years. I wanted to pick a job that I could do, even if I lost all of my hearing. My doctors all agreed that I would just wake up deaf one morning, and that it would happen before I turned 21, so for a long time, I was scared to death.
Anthhony, no shame in that at all. If you want a career where you need college, by all means go. It used to be that employers looked upon a college degree with enthusiasm. Now, for the most part, unless it's a field where you get a specific degree for it, all they want is experience.
Thanks so much, everyone, for sharing your experiences. I feel my story lies somewhere in the midst of the spectrum. I went to college right out of high school, volunteered like crazy, was offered a job at the disability center where I volunteered but beat out by a sighted person (imagine that!), and went into a horrible, horrible funk. I kept volunteering with other orgs and started creating work for myself as a freelance editor, writer, and transcriptionist. None of that made enough bank for me to get off of SSI, though--in fact, it reduced my SSI income so that I barely broke even between the two and paid self-employment taxes besides, but my intention was to gain experience to present to the many jobs I applied for in that three-year time frame. My VR helped with training but was sadly extremely lacking in vocational assistance, so I was ultimately on my own. I faced discrimination from small businesses, large corporations, and disability orgs alike, and it was incredibly disheartening. My family thought my editorial and transcription work was child's play and that I should be trying harder, so that stung. Finally I found my current employer. I work in a call center handling auto claims, and while it's a wonderful opportunity, it's a difficult job with mandatory overtime and inadvertent discrimination throughout it. Numbers are a big thing in call centers, but when you can only see one window at a time and your peers can see several windows tiled across two monitors, I think there should be a bit of leeway there, lol. Sometimes I feel very unhappy doing what I do, so I've been keeping an eye out for other jobs, whether in quieter departments of the same company or at another altogether. I will say it's ultimately rewarding because my SO and I were finally able to afford to move in together and each get away from some toxic situations in the process. So while it's not my dream job, it helped make another dream come true--financial independence, a safer place to live, and the start of a new phase of life with my partner. There, my own ramble on the matter.
Leo is right to say that despite what many people will and do tell you, nowadays, a college degree is not only unnecessary, but the number one thing that employers want is experience. Not experience going to college, but experience out in the workforce, where you can develop skills, and otherwise grow as a person.
Something that no one has mentioned, is the fact that voc rehab agencies will not pay for people to volunteer. They will only pay for a guaranteed job, so if volunteering is something you wanna do, you have to do it on your own.
Someone here posted that you can't get slap in the face experiences at a training center the way you can in college, but I strongly disagree--as someone whose gone to a few different training centers throughout my life, I can say that they each brought something different to the table, and slapped me in the face via many different avenues.
So, if you know college isn't for you, great!! It isn't for me either. I'm in my late 20s and have owned my own transcription business for several years, all because I was not willing to buy into the claptrap that it would be damn near impossible for me to succeed without a college degree. Now though, I've decided that I'm ready to work outside my apartment, and get a job that allows me to fully support myself financially. I will likely be doing this by going to a trade school that will train me in customer service work--I've always been great with people, so a job like this would be a dream come true.
So, all this to hopefully encourage you that whichever path you feel lead to, is the one you should take. You can be self-made, if you have the determination and the resourcefulness to do so. You have every right to like what you do.
Best of luck to you; if I can be of any further help, let me know.
I'm sorry, but a degree sometimes can make the difference if you get the job or not.
If you're just sitting around, why not have the extra something.
Mostly not nowadays, unless you're just old school. It's fine if you are, but the key word here is "sometimes." Not just that, but it depends on what you wanna do, because as I said, there's multiple ways of doing things. College is not the answer many still claim it is.
Might not be the answer, but it sure is worth the time spent.
Lets say you are a blind person from a family that can't afford all the tech you need for daily life.
You spend a bit of time in college, and not only will you receive it, you'll receive instruction on how to use it if you require.
College is good for you socially as well, if you get out and try to meet people.
It gives you something to do, and some self worth, and teaches you how to deal with others especially if you've only been around your family and pier group.
It puts a bit of money in your pocket for these extras you like too.
Do it right, and it can be a good experience.
Come job time, you've got that, and even can get some experience in the market while in school in intern ships.
I will say, although there are many jobs out there that don't technically require a college degree, employers are looking for that a lot now. I can't tell you how many entry-level positions I applied for that expressed preference for a two or four-year degree (or incentivized the acquisition of one post-hire). I also sometimes was turned down because I didn't have more than a bachelor's. It seems nuts, like the master's is becoming the new bachelor's, but then again that may truly depend on the field and be very specific to my personal experience. Higher education is useful, an asset even, but we know that application and talent are also valuable, with or without a degree. All of that said, depending on what you want to do, as a person with a disability it could be advantageous to consider adding higher education to your career plan. At least where I live, there seems to be a lot of resistance toward blind employees still, and if you live in a similar area where people's attitudes haven't quite caught up with the law, a degree could potentially boost your your appeal alongside sighted applicants. Now hopefully I won't step on any toes here, because clearly I see all sides of the issue and am not about to tell anyone how to live their life, lol. But just some scales to play with.
It all depends on what you want to do. I feel the need to tell my own story. After high school, I went to a trade school and got certified in programming and web design. I struggled to find work for a while and tried the college thing. It wasn't for me. Today I have my own business. What I am trying to say is that you need to pave your own way in life.
Though college is not for everyone, and though some people do very well in some fields with no college, it is a well established fact that having college increases your pay potential and increases the liklihood of being hired, especially if you have a disability. I am not saying this is good or bad, or fair, but it is true. I've seen very recent studies on this, so this is not out of date information.
Well far be it from me to say anything remotely negative about the education system but I personally stick to the pave your own way philosophy.
Can you pave mine too please?
My way seems a little country road lately.
Laughing.
Then I suggest you get a camper. Ha ha.
Laughing.