Embracing the Elephant in the Room: Interviewing Ideas for Applicants who are Deaf

1. Embracing the Elephant in the Room: Interviewing Ideas for Applicants who are Deaf Julia Smith, Ph.D., CRC, LPC Western Oregon University Partners Building Bridges: Overcoming Challenges through Leadership and Collaboration SCD Conference August 24, 2010

2. What is meant by “Elephant in the Room”?

3. Competition for Employment • Employment rate for those with disabilities - 35% • Employment rate for persons with no disability - 78% (NOD, 2007)

4. Discrimination and Bias in the Workplace • Current literature • Employers have a positive attitude toward people with disabilities BUT • Employers are reluctant to hire people with disabilities • 19% of companies employ people with disabilities • 72% say the nature of their work is too challenging for people with disabilities

5. Laws that Protect Persons with Disabilities • EEOC • ADA • 20th Anniversary • Helpful to deaf employees?

6. Searching for a Job is a Job • Four hours a day is recommended • Keep a consistent schedule • Focus on the resume • Customize objectives for specific job • Chronological is best • Functional good when there are gaps • Use same language as the web page or from an informational interview

7. Professional Etiquette • First impressions are critical • Present yourself as a professional at all times • Understand your role as a job seeker • Email • Meeting people at conference • Ethical considerations • “Deaf grapevine” • On-line communication

8. Prepare for Interview:Know the Job

9. Employer Concerns • Lack of knowledge of disability or the ADA • Don’t know how to interview individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing • Concern of how co-worker and deaf or hard of hearing employee will interact • Reasons why employers don’t grant accommodations • Undue burden – too difficult/expensive • Fundamental alteration – change actual job • Safety or direct threat • Lack of exposure to success stories

10. What Employer Really Wants to Know • What will I need to do differently to supervise this individual? • What can I expect from this individual in terms of production? Will I need to compromise what I ask her to do? • Can I use my normal approach to correct/discipline the worker? • What else do I need to know that I don’t even know to ask?

11. Interview Preparation • Always request an informational interview • Work with others to help develop skills • “Practice” as much as possible (doesn’t matter where) • Go through mock interviews • Try different strategies • Understand the ADA and meaning of “Reasonable Accommodations” • Example of when you might need an interpreter • Useable technology

12. Interviewing Skills

13. Disability Disclosure “Certainly, if you know that yourcondition is one that you know is goingto come up it’s probably a good idea totake the bull by the horns and maintaincontrol of the information flow anddisclose it as soon as possible.” *Nancy Starnes, NOD, Director of External Affairs • Judgment call/personal decision • Paint picture of who you are • Disability is only a part of who you are

14. ADA - Rules Change During Employment 1. Applying for a job • Employer limited at interview • Focus of questions on the ability to do the job 2. Employer makes a job offer • Rules change • Must ask the same question to all • Must be consistent • Job offer withdrawn only with clear evidence 3. Offered job and begins job • Employer can ask questions related to disability if employee is struggling with getting the job done

15. Business and Budget

16. Employer Incentives • Budget is always a concern for employers • Most aimed at non-state agencies with less than $1,000,000 • Reported average return of $28.60 in benefits for every dollar invested in accommodations • Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) • Small Business Tax Credit: IRS Code Section 44, Disabled Access Credit

17. Recognize Disability Fatigue

18. Examine attitude/issues that may come up • Find support to help work through frustration/anger • Present yourself as fresh and excited • Be curious and maintain “I/Thou” relationship

19. Sell Yourself • Coordinate your individual needs and the company objectives • Focus on questions of essential function or ability to do the job • Show how you can be part of a team • Build trust/reassurance • Be powerful about what you are saying

20. Directly address issues • Show that you can perform at same high quality level, but that you might get the job done differently • Give examples • Give examples of other agencies who hire deaf workers • Have references available • Remember employers are concerned about budget, safety, and inclusion

21. Julia Smith, Ph.D., LPC, CRC Rehabilitation Counselor Education Western Oregon University Monmouth, Oregon 97361 503-838-8744 (V) 866-724-5141 (VP) smithj@wou.edu

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