Work place for deaf?

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MiahTalia

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Hi all, i was wondering if you could help me out, i am HOH and learning BSL level 3, i have a optional assignment for college and decided it would be great to put in my portfolio. I work 3 jobs that have different requirements, i work in a care home, the older generation seem to have hearing loss through getting older and find it difficult helping the old ladies and gents understand what i am saying without having the urge to sign (they do not know any sign) i try to teach them basics, toilet, tea, coffee, hungry and so on, but having most of them with dementia they do forget! but its okay, i have patience.

my 2nd job i work in a restaurant as a kitchen assistant, it is very hard to work here! but i love it! i wear 2 hearing aids and i get a lot of back ground noise from fans, cookers, dishwasher, waiting staff shouting, other kitchen staff shouting to communicate i often find this stressful but my co workers help me a lot, i dont work on my own so i can ask anyone who is with me what is being said and they dont mind tellin me 3 or 4 times, i used to be frightened to ask again after they told me a second time but ive learned that, that doesnt help if you cant hear, ask again until you understand.

my 3rd job is i look after my sister Laura who has cerebral palsy and has no voice, she does not know sign as she has not got the flexibility in her joints to do so. so we make up signs for her to help us understand what her requirements are.

so there is a little bit about me and my jobs, what i was wondering is what is it like in the work place for you? how did you go about finding a job? do you feel comfortable where you work? are you unemployed and find it difficult to find work because you are D/deaf?

anything is helpful!

i have class on Friday and will be filmed for 10 minutes, dont worry i am doing research else where this is just one of my resources that i find useful, and i will reference that what ever i can pick up from this website ill be sure to let the class know and in my video that you guys helped me!

thanks for your time guys, look forward to reading your stories!

Miah
 
Looking for work is difficult because you try to balance the best pay with the most comfortable work environment. I did a lot of security jobs because there was mainly silence involved - in the form of mind blowing boredom. My father had a fire restoration job which I had worked in all my life from the time I was little until 25, when it closed due to the poor economy. I did fine on that job, mainly because the work itself didn't allow for much talking and you worked a room at a time by yourself.

I was limited in more ways than my hearing, I have dyscalculia - a disability with math so anything involving working a cash register was out...that limits you greatly. For several years I was living well below the state definition of poverty level. I went back to federal service in (2005?) and although it went okay, I had to answer the phone all the time, which I hated beyond words. The job that followed I had to be the acting secretary when the woman was out, which was damn near all the time. However, when my hearing went south, my employers were good to me and removed me from that duty, and I rarely had to deal with the phone.

Now I'm in another federal position and it's up in the air still to know how I feel about it. I can't deal with the public, much less hear people through bullet proof glass, so I'll have to deal with that aspect when it happens. I don't use the phone at my desk and I'm not sure how that will go when the time comes, and I can't work well in groups because I can't hear in groups - and that's how most of the training is done. It's not comfortable - but that's the nature of my disability. No one said finding a balance between salary and one's limitations would be easy.

Laura
 
Wow! Laura what a story! this is exactly what i was looking for and you have helped a lot, so a massive thank you!

The work place is sometimes not a comfortable place to be, i can completely understand the situation with answering the phone, i avoid that at work also!

I feel you are a massive inspiration because you "just get on with it" you are a working person and regardless of your disability dyscalculia i think you have done very well for yourself!

Thanks again Laura (nice name, my sister shares that name too!)

Miah
 
You're very welcomed, Miah. Good luck with your assignment in school. I don't miss my graduate days....God do those teachers ever keep you jumping....:)


Laura
 
I started out doing construction/HVAC work after high school, but at that point in time I still had a lot of hearing in one ear. After realizing I didn't want to do that work when I was older, I went to college late and got a degree in Computer Information Systems Engineering. I started doing both Development and Customer Support as I was the only person working on a particular product. As my hearing got worse, I made the jump to do only development.

Yes, I take my hearing into account when looking for a job. I won't apply to be a 911 hearing operator, not a good fit.

In my current job, I don't go to many meetings, but I take an FM system if I do. I work very independently, but the down side is you don't get information as quickly as others and you feel kind of alone. I definitely have less stress, but sometimes you want more interaction.

I've found this work to be the best fit for me and plan on doing it for the rest of my life, short of regaining my hearing.
 
my 3rd job is i look after my sister Laura who has cerebral palsy and has no voice, she does not know sign as she has not got the flexibility in her joints to do so. so we make up signs for her to help us understand what her requirements are.
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Off topic, but has she ever seen an augmentive and alternative communication specialist? They have Dynovoxs, and they're using cell phones and iPads as AAC devices.
 
For me, one of the requirements for my job as a Flight Controller with the Space Program is that I pass an Air Force Class III physical, which includes hearing requirements. As I am deaf in my right ear and HOH in my left, I fail it every time, but have a waiver. For some reason, even though I can tell them my range of hearing without a test, they still insist on performing one! :)

One of the things that I have going for me on my primary job on-console is that people are generally required to talk on loops that require me to have a headset on. Because of this, I can set the volume to whatever I need and will catch most critical conversations with the Astronauts and between other controllers on the ground. Where it is challenging is when I have to talk on the phone or over the airwaves as it is difficult to put the headset in such a position that I can hear the loops while at the same time hear through the phone. I work around this through e-mail and Instant Messaging.

Where things get difficult is when I have office work and meetings. My desk is in a cubical land, so it is difficult to focus with conversations going on all around me. I do use a wireless transmitter to send music from my computer to my HA, but that still only goes so far (not to mention that people can't tell I'm listening to music and can't hear them until I disconnect!). At that point, it just comes down to asking for clarifications when needed.

Sounds like you have a busy plate and looking at ways to work with your hearing difficulties. As with anything, it comes down to adapting to the world around you, with a little help of others around you to accommodate, and you'll succeed!
 
I can seee baz now,, astrounaut asks mission if the coordinates are right to test the new laser guided space bomb,,, baz misunderstands and gives them the coordinates for his work place. Bye baz
 
deafdyke said:
Off topic, but has she ever seen an augmentive and alternative communication specialist? They have Dynovoxs, and they're using cell phones and iPads as AAC devices.
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We, as a family have tried various methods of communication, one recently which involved a touch screen computer but unfortunately she has not got the mental ability to use the computer to its full potential. My sister is a very bright young lady but using a technical way of communication has failed us so far, but i guess she has her own unique way of telling us what she wants.

Thanks for the input! look forward to seeing you around on the website.

Miah
 
bazl0032 said:
Sounds like you have a busy plate and looking at ways to work with your hearing difficulties. As with anything, it comes down to adapting to the world around you, with a little help of others around you to accommodate, and you'll succeed!
Click to expand...

And right you are! The world is a easier place to live when people can help others, even the smallest of things!

what a interesting job you have and a very important one! i enjoyed reading it, now after various emails and messages i have discovered that most HOH D/deaf, they all have problems in the work place but nothing too drastic as they have others around to help them.

i think this is the key point; people helping other people to succeed!

Thanks for the reply!

Miah
 
I was born profoundly deaf in both ears.

My jobs included.

working at a fast food restuarant. Cooked, took orders, cleaned, prepped foods.

Working at a bookstore, filing books, taking care of books, serving customers, and just kept the place clean.

Worked for the office of the Governor doing data entry.

Worked for an insurance company as a mail clear, filing, auto coder, and then auto checker.

Worked for a construction company...filing, courier, getting portfolios organized for the CEOS, typing up reports, making copies, and researching.

Worked for an office that served students with disabilities at a college...front desk work, approved of test accodomations, tactle interpreting, courier, typed up reports, designed bookkeeping programs for the office, and kept an appt book for all the social workers.


worked as an teacher aid for a deaf program at a public school..self-explanatory

worked as a teacher teaching deaf students using the bibi approach.

My deafness was never really an issue in any of these jobs except for in social situations but I did try my best to interact with the hearing people but after trying so hard to accodomate to meet their needs without doing their part, I gave up and just skipped the social parts but worked instead which got me promoted over several of them quickly. :) However, at the fast food restaurant, I wanted to get promoted to shift leader after working there for 3 years but my boss said I couldnt do the job because of my deafness. I walked out on the job. I wasnt going to accept being discriminated in the workplace.
 
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