October 2008
Monthly Archive
Disability & Work – Gaps Strategy #3
admin 31 Oct 2008 | : Interview Strategies
A job seeker can explain gaps either in the main body of a resume or in a cover letter. If a cover letter is used, a job seeker should take care to communicate a positive and confident attitude. By explaining the reason for the gap up front, an employer will not be left wondering and possibly dismiss the resume due to lack of information.
Job seekers may also adapt the format of a resume to emphasize their skills and abilities while placing less emphasis on a detailed career history. A “functional resume” format does not outline a career in reverse chronological order, but groups experience under appropriate skill sets. Examples of skill sets includes marketing/sales, budget/finance etc. A functional resume can also be combined with a regular reverse chronological resume. By using this hybrid format, a job seeker will first draw the attention of the employer to their skills. A chronological account of his or her career will follow only after the employer has already been impressed by their ability.
Disability & Work – Gaps Strategy #2
admin 28 Oct 2008 | : Interview Strategies
Some gaps are trickier to explain. These include periods of unemployment, which may or may not be related to disability or illness. If the mentioning of gaps can’t be avoided, an explanation is preferable to simply ignoring it – leaving employers to draw their own conclusions. Even if time away from work was related to an unexpected and negative event, a job seeker may still be able to turn this into a positive by reflecting on lessons learned and how these could be helpful in the workplace.
Disability & Work – Gaps Strategy #1
admin 24 Oct 2008 | : Interview Strategies
Keep in mind that not all gaps need to be mentioned. These include gaps that lasted for a couple of months or occurred long ago. In such cases, it is often easiest to give only the years, rather than the months of a job seekers career history. If the gap in employment was used constructively, the job seeker may consider including it in his or her resume. Often, time taken out to travel, study or pursue a dream could be used to a job seekers advantage. Many people have gaps in their employment due to maternity or paternity leave. Such details can also be mentioned and it may be useful to reassure employers that all childcare arrangements have been made for your return to the workplace.
Disability & Work – Explaining Gaps in Employment
admin 21 Oct 2008 | : Interview Strategies
When it comes down to business, employers want to hire reliable people committed to their jobs. For this reason, most employers check for a progressive path through education and work and are sensitive to gaps in the resume of a potential employee. If such gaps remain unexplained, employers will often assume the worst. However, by offering positive explanations of the time spent away from work a job seeker may turn a gap into an asset and reassure an employer of their reliability and skill.
How a job seeker decides to explain gaps in his or her career depends, to a large degree, on the reason behind the gap. The key, however, is to keep it as positive as positive as possible. Whether the gap is due to a disability or another reason, the next 5 posts will contain strategies for effectively dealing with gaps in employment.
Disability Etiquette – Tip #7
admin 17 Oct 2008 | : Disability Etiquette
Tip #7 – Be Sensitive to Hidden Disabilities
If a person makes a request that seems out of the ordinary, it may be related to a hidden disability. Hidden disabilities including a variety of conditions such as a learning or psychiatric disability. Be sensitive to needs that may not be apparent.
Disability Etiquette – Tip #6
admin 14 Oct 2008 | : Accessibility, Disability Etiquette
Tip #6 – Ensure Accessibility
Ensuring your facilities are safe and accessible to a wide variety of persons is one of the best ways to communicate an open and accepting attitude towards persons with disabilities.
Disability Etiquette – Tip #5
admin 10 Oct 2008 | : Disability Etiquette
Tip #5 – Use Empowering Terminology
Always use person first language when referring to someone with a disability. Say “person with a disability” not “disabled person”. Avoid negative disempowering words which focus on the impairment rather than the individual – such as “wheelchair bound”, “crippled” or “handicapped”. Some persons with disabilities dislike jargony euphemistic terms like “physically challenged” or “differently abled”. If you are unsure of which words to use – ask.
Disability Etiquette – Tip #4
admin 07 Oct 2008 | : Disability Etiquette
Tip #4 – Communicate Effectively
Always address a person with a disability directly. Don’t speak to his companion, assistant or sign language interpreter. The use of common expressions such as “see you later” or “it was good to hear from you” are also perfectly acceptable. When communicating with a person who is blind, make sure you keep them well oriented. If you are providing directions, be specific. If you are in a group, verbally introduce everyone so that the person can take part in the conversation and always let them know before you leave their side.
When speaking to a person utilizing a wheelchair or to a person of short stature, the conversation will be much more comfortable if you face them on the same level. You can pull up a chair for longer conversations or kneel down.
A person who is deaf or hard of hearing may use a combination of lip reading and / or American Sign Language (ASL). While many individuals who are Deaf utilize ASL, it is not used by everyone and is not universal across cultures. For instance, someone in Mexico may utilize a different type of sign language than someone in the United States. When speaking, make sure to face the person during a conversation. Speak clearly and be sure not to cover your mouth or shout.. If the person is hard of hearing, their hearing aid will be calibrated to normal voice level. Your shout will only distort it and also make you look foolish. If a sign language interpreter is not available or the person is not a native signer, a low cost and immediate alternative, if the customer is comfortable, is to type back and forth on a computer or to use instant messaging.
For those individuals that have difficulty speaking, never pretend to understand what someone is saying. Ask them to repeat their sentence. Most people won’t mind and will appreciate your effort to listen.
Disability Etiquette – Tip #3
admin 03 Oct 2008 | : Disability Etiquette
Tip #3 – Respect Private Space
Persons with disabilities consider their equipment part of their personal space. Don’t touch any assistive device or push a wheelchair without permission. If a person uses a guide dog, don’t pet or distract the animal. Remember, the animal is working. If you need to make physical contact in order to assist a person, always ask first. Never grab a person without warning as this may cause them to lose their balance. In the case of a person who is blind – offer your arm rather than taking his.
