{"id":4174,"date":"2014-11-15T08:20:01","date_gmt":"2014-11-15T12:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=4174"},"modified":"2014-11-15T11:46:27","modified_gmt":"2014-11-15T15:46:27","slug":"8-tips-for-disabled-jobseekers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=4174","title":{"rendered":"8 Tips for Disabled Jobseekers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?attachment_id=4175\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-4175\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"4175\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?attachment_id=4175\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kerryhannon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Purpose-Prize-Winner-Helps-the-Blind-Get-Hired-Kate-Williams.jpg?fit=640%2C360&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"640,360\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Purpose-Prize-Winner-Helps-the-Blind-Get-Hired-Kate-Williams\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Kate Williams, photo courtesy of Encore.org&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kerryhannon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Purpose-Prize-Winner-Helps-the-Blind-Get-Hired-Kate-Williams.jpg?fit=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kerryhannon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Purpose-Prize-Winner-Helps-the-Blind-Get-Hired-Kate-Williams.jpg?fit=640%2C360&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4175\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kerryhannon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Purpose-Prize-Winner-Helps-the-Blind-Get-Hired-Kate-Williams.jpg?resize=150%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Purpose-Prize-Winner-Helps-the-Blind-Get-Hired-Kate-Williams\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kerryhannon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Purpose-Prize-Winner-Helps-the-Blind-Get-Hired-Kate-Williams.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kerryhannon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Purpose-Prize-Winner-Helps-the-Blind-Get-Hired-Kate-Williams.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kerryhannon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Purpose-Prize-Winner-Helps-the-Blind-Get-Hired-Kate-Williams.jpg?zoom=3&amp;resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>Kate Williams has a smile and a positive energy that lights up a room. For her, attitude is everything. That\u2019s a lesson Williams\u2019 father instilled in her at a young age with one caveat \u2014 it\u2019s <em>your<\/em> choice every day to make that attitude a good one.<\/p>\n<p>Williams, 72, is blind, due to a progressive congenital eye disease that began to slowly erode her vision at 47. \u201cIt was devastating to me,\u201d Williams told me. \u201cBut I realized that I just had to learn to do things differently if I wanted to keep working.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Today, Williams runs an employment program at<a href=\"http:\/\/lighthouse-sf.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired<\/a> in San Francisco, Calif. to help the blind find jobs. \u201cI have an opportunity to let people know that life is not being defined by your disability, but your <em>ability<\/em>,\u201d Williams told me.<\/p>\n<p>(<strong>MORE<\/strong>: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nextavenue.org\/blog\/purpose-prize-winners-doing-great-work-after-60\">Purpose Prize Winners: Doing Great Work After 60<\/a>)<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed wp-block-embed-youtube is-type-video is-provider-youtube epyt-figure\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\"  id=\"_ytid_92049\"  width=\"640\" height=\"360\"  data-origwidth=\"640\" data-origheight=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zfGLI1q2dkY?enablejsapi=1&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=0&cc_lang_pref=&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&rel=1&fs=1&playsinline=0&autohide=2&theme=dark&color=red&controls=1&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Winning The Purpose Prize<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Her awe-inspiring work is why Williams last night was one of six people receiving The Purpose Prize \u2014 awarded to Americans age 60 and older who are making an impact \u2014 at a ceremony in Tempe, Ariz. (Next Avenue blogger Richard Eisenberg recently <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nextavenue.org\/blog\/purpose-prize-winners-doing-great-work-after-60\">wrote about all the Purpose Prize 2014 winners<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>The Purpose Prizes are given by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.encore.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Encore.org<\/a>, a nonprofit that\u2019s building a movement to tap the skills and experience of those in midlife and beyond who are improving their communities and the world. Now in its ninth year, The Purpose Prize 2014 came with $100,000 apiece for two winners and $25,000 each to Williams and three others.<\/p>\n<p>While all of this year\u2019s Purpose Prize winners\u2019 stories are impressive, I was especially taken with Williams\u2019s and spoke with her about her career path, her current work and her advice to others with disabilities hoping to find jobs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/nextavenue\/2014\/10\/30\/purpose-prize-winner-helps-the-blind-get-hired\/\">\u00a0More: Read Story on Forbes<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Williams knows intimately how it feels to have people treat you like an outsider once you start using a cane and to have duties taken away when your boss thinks you aren\u2019t up the job because you can no longer see. She spent nearly three decades as a human resources professional, mostly working as an executive recruiter for top pharmaceutical and technology companies. But in 2009, when her employer shut down, Williams had the sinking feeling that she wasn\u2019t employable.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Starting Her Encore Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, she picked herself up and kept moving. At 67, she began an <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nextavenue.org\/article\/2014-08\/how-dip-your-toe-encore-career-waters\">encore career<\/a> to help people with a disability like hers by redeploying the expertise she\u2019d gleaned in her previous occupation.<\/p>\n<p>Williams started working as an employment specialist for <a href=\"http:\/\/adaptivetec.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Adaptive Technology Services<\/a> (a provider of computer technology services for people who are blind and visually impaired), designing an employment-training program for the blind. Within a year, the San Francisco office of the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired asked her to create an employment-training program for them.<\/p>\n<p>(<strong>MORE<\/strong>: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nextavenue.org\/article\/2011-02\/assistive-technology-helps-people-age-place\">Assistive Technology Helps People Age in Place<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>The Employment Immersion Program that Williams initiated trains people to pursue jobs in finance, industry, government, nonprofit and other sectors. Its seminars cover everything from personality assessment testing to resum\u00e9 and LinkedIn workshops to mock job interviews. The program also connects participants with visually-impaired mentors.<\/p>\n<p>So far, the program has worked with 100 blind job-seekers and produced a 40 percent placement rate. And, as Williams told The Purpose Prize ceremony audience, \u201cit has led to $1.6 million in salaries for people who never had a salary before.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I asked Williams what employers are afraid of when they think about hiring a blind person. \u201cIs there going to have to be tape on the floor to help them get from their desk to the bathroom?\u201d she replied. \u201cWho is going to take them to lunch? And the big one: How are we going to afford this? They think there is a big expense, but almost always the local Department of Rehabilitation will pay for that equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Her 8 Tips for Disabled Jobseekers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here are Williams\u2019 eight recommendations for disabled jobseekers, and particularly for the blind and visually impaired:<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Start with a positive mindset.<\/strong> \u201cYou have to get out of the \u2018I can\u2019t do it. I\u2019m not capable\u2019 mentality.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Pinpoint a company where you really want to work<\/strong>. \u201cThen, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nextavenue.org\/article\/2013-06\/how-network-successfully-when-youre-over-40\">network<\/a> to find someone you know who works there or has a connection.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Skill up.<\/strong> \u201cIn many cases, if you\u2019ve lost your vision, you will probably have to go back to school for re-training, because you will be shifting careers. It\u2019s your responsibility to become qualified for the job with the right certifications and training. If you don\u2019t add the education, you\u2019re not going to be hired \u2014 not because you are blind, but because you aren\u2019t qualified.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>(<strong>MORE<\/strong>: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nextavenue.org\/blog\/pivot-second-act-purpose\">Pivot to a Second Act With Purpose<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Find a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nextavenue.org\/blog\/rewards-mentoring\">mentor<\/a>.<\/strong> \u201cIt\u2019s best if you can connect with someone who is blind and doing a job that interests you. Ask them how they got their job and how they make it work with their disability. The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.afb.org\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">American Federation for the Blind <\/a>is a good resource. You may also be able to connect with someone through a local blind association in your town.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. Disclose your disability to a potential employer<\/strong>. \u201cThere are different viewpoints within the blind community on the timing of this disclosure. Everyone agrees, though, that you should never disclose your disability until you have secured the interview. My opinion is that you should always let your interviewer know in advance, after the interview date is set. If I walk in with cane or guide dog, all the person will be thinking is blind, blind blind\u2026 I want the hiring manager to look at my skills and my talents. If they\u2019re prepared ahead of time, they can focus on that when they meet you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>6. Make eye contact. \u201c<\/strong>You have to connect with your interviewer; this is true for all jobseekers. And the first thing you need to do is look him or her in the eye. That\u2019s not so easy when you\u2019re blind. So I teach them to \u2018look at the voice.\u2019 That tells you where the person is. Then, you know that about three inches above the voice, there are going to be a pair of eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>7. Watch your body language.<\/strong> \u201cBlind people tend to rock or sweep with their bodies. This movement makes people uncomfortable. It frightens them. And blind people often talk with their hands moving constantly, usually look down or are stooped. Repeat to yourself: shoulders back, head up. This gives you a look of confidence and shows how you feel about yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>8. Tap into the federal government job board.<\/strong>\u00a0&#8220;Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usajobs.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\">USAJobs.gov<\/a> and then click on the <a href=\"https:\/\/help.usajobs.gov\/index.php\/Individuals_with_Disabilities\" target=\"_blank\">link for individuals with disabilities<\/a>. You can set up a profile and receive job alerts for jobs specifically for the disabled.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>And Williams had one parting tip. \u201cIf you have a guide dog, make sure you give him a bath the night before you go on an interview,\u201d she said with a laugh and a sparkle in her eye.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media_embed\"><\/div>\n<p>posted by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nextavenue.org\/expert\/kerry-hannon\">Kerry Hannon<\/a>, \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nextavenue.org\/expert\/kerry-hannon\">More by this author<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"contentpartner\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nextavenue.org\/sites\/default\/files\/img\/expert\/kerry.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Kate Williams\" \/>Kerry Hannon has spent more than 25 years covering personal finance for Forbes, Money, U.S. News &amp; World Report and USA Today. She is the author of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0425271471?ie=UTF8&amp;creativeASIN=0425271471&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;tag=kerrhann-20\" target=\"_blank\"><em>What&#8217;s Next? Follow Your Passion<\/em><\/a><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0425271471?ie=UTF8&amp;creativeASIN=0425271471&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;tag=kerrhann-20\" target=\"_blank\">and Find Your Dream Job in Your Forties, Fifties and Beyond<\/a>;<\/em> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1118203682?ie=UTF8&amp;creativeASIN=1118203682&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;tag=kerrhann-20\" target=\"_blank\">Great Jobs for Everyone 50+<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Suddenly Single: Money Skills for Divorcees and Widows<\/em><\/a>. Her website is <a href=\"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">kerryhannon.com<\/a>. Follow her on Twitter <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/#!\/KerryHannon\" target=\"_blank\">@kerryhannon<\/a>.<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - http:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-small.png?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top:5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"StumbleUpon\",\"Digg\",\"Reddit\",\"Bebo\",\"Delicious\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"small\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"8 Tips for Disabled Jobseekers \";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kate Williams has a smile and a positive energy that lights up a room. For her, attitude is everything. That\u2019s a lesson Williams\u2019 father instilled in her at a young age with one caveat \u2014 it\u2019s your choice every day to make that attitude a good one. Williams, 72, is blind, due to a progressive [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - http:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-small.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top:5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"StumbleUpon\",\"Digg\",\"Reddit\",\"Bebo\",\"Delicious\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"small\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"8 Tips for Disabled Jobseekers \";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4175,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[59,259,62,57,63],"tags":[350,293,112,134,294],"class_list":["post-4174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-careers","category-job-interviews-2","category-next-avenue","category-non-profit-work","category-women-and-money","tag-careers","tag-disabled-workers","tag-encore-careers","tag-next-avenue-2","tag-purpose-prize"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kerryhannon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Purpose-Prize-Winner-Helps-the-Blind-Get-Hired-Kate-Williams.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3YFQS-15k","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4174"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4174\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4182,"href":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4174\/revisions\/4182"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}