Jobs - Jobsearch - Use an Interpreter
Updated June 10, 2015.
Job-hunting is difficult to do when you are deaf. I know because it took me at least eight months to find a job - in a booming economy.
Effect of No Interpreter in Job Hunt
I applied for many jobs via the web and posted my resume on my personal web site. I tried networking within the deaf and hearing worlds. I got one interview, which I had without an interpreter. I didn't get the job. The only other interviews I had were for deaf-related jobs (came close to getting one of those).
Told to Go to VR
Early on, I was advised by friends to go to my department of Vocational Rehabilitation for help. I mistakenly ignored that advice, thinking that that VR was meant for helping only those with little skill, the severely disabled, or the inexperienced with finding a job. Besides, I had my pride -- going to VR for help would have meant in effect saying, "I'm handicapped and I need help." With my solid educational background and fairly extensive work experience, I thought I would be able to find a job on my own.
VR Provides Interpreter
After eight months passed with no job in sight, I began attending job fairs (something I probably should have done sooner). The first fair I went to, I did not have an interpreter because I found out about the fair too late to arrange for one, and was not contacted by any employers. About the same time, I swallowed my pride and went to VR for help. The first thing the VR counselor said to me was "You should have come to us sooner! You need an interpreter!"
With Interpreter, Positive Employers
Signing up with VR entitled me to taxpayer-funded interpreting services for interviews and career fairs. When the next career fair came along, I printed up plenty of copies of my resume, and attended with an interpreter in tow. It made things much easier. One company's representative even remarked to my interpreter, "We had another deaf job-seeker here the other day and they didn't have an interpreter! We could have used you!"
Did Having Interpreter Help?
Just weeks after that fair, I was summoned for an interview (again with an interpreter in tow) and got the job. Did the fact I had an interpreter make the difference? Maybe. Another possible reason is the fact that one of the people who interviewed me had a deaf relative (which I found out about after I had been offered the job). So maybe it was the "deaf connection" that made the difference. They assured me they were hiring me for my skills, but I still wondered.
Seeing Effect of No Interpreter
While I was there, the company had a deaf job applicant. The applicant did not have an interpreter. I was invited to sit in on the interview, and ended up as the volunteer "reverse interpreter," voicing what the deaf job applicant signed. It made things quite awkward.
Then a few weeks later, another company contacted me. They had a copy of my resume from the same career fair, and wanted to interview me. I cautioned them that I did not have an interpreter. (Because I was no longer working with VR, no longer "officially" seeking work and therefore not entitled to an interpreter provided by VR). They were ok with that, so I went for the interview. I got the job.
Final Lesson: Use an Interpreter
So what did I learn the hard way? I learned that when looking for a job, it is always better to have an interpreter. Unfortunately the only way that I know of to get an interpreter to use throughout the job search is to sign up with Vocational Rehabilitation. The alternative is to pay for interpreting services yourself - and job seekers by nature do not have the money to do that. I was able to find a job - all I needed was an interpreter. The same thing happened to a deaf friend of mine, who was out of work longer. As soon as the friend signed up with VR, the friend found a job with the help of the interpreting services provided by VR.
Job-hunting is difficult to do when you are deaf. I know because it took me at least eight months to find a job - in a booming economy.
Effect of No Interpreter in Job Hunt
I applied for many jobs via the web and posted my resume on my personal web site. I tried networking within the deaf and hearing worlds. I got one interview, which I had without an interpreter. I didn't get the job. The only other interviews I had were for deaf-related jobs (came close to getting one of those).
Told to Go to VR
Early on, I was advised by friends to go to my department of Vocational Rehabilitation for help. I mistakenly ignored that advice, thinking that that VR was meant for helping only those with little skill, the severely disabled, or the inexperienced with finding a job. Besides, I had my pride -- going to VR for help would have meant in effect saying, "I'm handicapped and I need help." With my solid educational background and fairly extensive work experience, I thought I would be able to find a job on my own.
VR Provides Interpreter
After eight months passed with no job in sight, I began attending job fairs (something I probably should have done sooner). The first fair I went to, I did not have an interpreter because I found out about the fair too late to arrange for one, and was not contacted by any employers. About the same time, I swallowed my pride and went to VR for help. The first thing the VR counselor said to me was "You should have come to us sooner! You need an interpreter!"
With Interpreter, Positive Employers
Signing up with VR entitled me to taxpayer-funded interpreting services for interviews and career fairs. When the next career fair came along, I printed up plenty of copies of my resume, and attended with an interpreter in tow. It made things much easier. One company's representative even remarked to my interpreter, "We had another deaf job-seeker here the other day and they didn't have an interpreter! We could have used you!"
Did Having Interpreter Help?
Just weeks after that fair, I was summoned for an interview (again with an interpreter in tow) and got the job. Did the fact I had an interpreter make the difference? Maybe. Another possible reason is the fact that one of the people who interviewed me had a deaf relative (which I found out about after I had been offered the job). So maybe it was the "deaf connection" that made the difference. They assured me they were hiring me for my skills, but I still wondered.
Seeing Effect of No Interpreter
While I was there, the company had a deaf job applicant. The applicant did not have an interpreter. I was invited to sit in on the interview, and ended up as the volunteer "reverse interpreter," voicing what the deaf job applicant signed. It made things quite awkward.
Then a few weeks later, another company contacted me. They had a copy of my resume from the same career fair, and wanted to interview me. I cautioned them that I did not have an interpreter. (Because I was no longer working with VR, no longer "officially" seeking work and therefore not entitled to an interpreter provided by VR). They were ok with that, so I went for the interview. I got the job.
Final Lesson: Use an Interpreter
So what did I learn the hard way? I learned that when looking for a job, it is always better to have an interpreter. Unfortunately the only way that I know of to get an interpreter to use throughout the job search is to sign up with Vocational Rehabilitation. The alternative is to pay for interpreting services yourself - and job seekers by nature do not have the money to do that. I was able to find a job - all I needed was an interpreter. The same thing happened to a deaf friend of mine, who was out of work longer. As soon as the friend signed up with VR, the friend found a job with the help of the interpreting services provided by VR.