You should apply for a job at a government IS department. They have quotas to fill, and by hiring a "handicap" person they will do so, even if they are less qualified. I've seen it myself, not for physical reasons but for racial reasons, but the logic is the same - and that's my point. If you work on computers, you only need to be able to type, you don't need to be mobile.
I used to work for a place that specialized in remote network management. I remember recommending to the boss that we look for a paraplegic computer whiz, only because they would be less likely to quit. We had a problem with people being hired, learning skills, then moving on. The job didn't require mobility, so I recommended that we look for somebody like you, because they would not be as likely to quit. Problem was, we didn't come across anybody with the right skills. Do NOT give employers a reason to not hire you, especially in today's market, instead search out the right type of employers and be honest. Don't think in black and white, as in you're either lying or telling the truth; instead look for the middle ground. Don't apply for a physically strenuous job, instead apply for one that you can perform even with your disabilities. Unless your ADD is serious, you can probably handle a tech support job. After all, it requires being able to juggle many things at once. So think of it this way: by the time you loose focus / interest, you will have something else to worry about anyhow!! Separate topic: David: I did a search for that email list you mentioned, and didn't find anything. I'd like to see for myself the proof that Microsoft is going to include magic lantern into windows. Also, anybody who's worth a damn installs the windows updates from CD, not for these reasons but because Microsoft's online update is screwed up, it's workstation (not server) centric, it doesn't install important server-only updates, only workstation specific updates. I found this out the hard way: I lost a client. I'm sure they've fixed it by now, but my point is that anybody who does OS updates online is asking for trouble. -----Original Message----- From: chat-admin at freenetproject.org [mailto:chat-ad...@freenetproject.org] On Behalf Of krepta at juno.com Sent: Monday, January 14, 2002 10:31 PM To: chat at freenetproject.org Subject: Re: [freenet-chat] self description On Mon, 14 Jan 2002 12:54:56 -0800 (PST) "Mr. Smith" <borealis_meme at yahoo.com> writes: > --- krepta at juno.com wrote: > > I can't do that, that would be dishonest. Even if I > > didn't tell them, my > > work would be affected very badly by my condition > > and they would > > eventualy find out and fire me. I don't want to be > > a dishonest person, > > at least not when it affects other people. > > Employers are not (legally) allowed to discriminate > based on disability, provided that disability does not > preclude doing a job in the first place. If you were > applying for a job doing heavy lifting construction, > then the fact that you have bad knees would be a valid > reason for not hiring you, or firing you. Ah, but my bad knees make my vulnerable, basicaly all the time, to knee cap dislocations that take me out of commision completely for at least 3 weeks. During which time I must stay in bed as much as possible for my knee to heal. I would say that is reason enough to not hire me, and more than enough reason to fire me if I am dishonest about my condition when applying or being interviewed. :) > > Assuming that you are applying for jobs you actually > feel you are capable of performing, there is no > logical reason to include that information in an > interview. Even if it does affect your job > performance, provided you are still able to perform > within acceptable parameters it is really none of > their business. If you feel compelled to honesty, > don't lie, but there is nothing in a job interview > that requires you to paint a negative picture of > yourself by disclosing your every shortcoming. I have applied to jobs that I didn't think I could do. I applied at Whataburger. They asked me what I could do there. I told them I don't know. They asked me if I have any physical or mental handicaps that would effect my work, I told them I did, and explained what they were. They, and I, wondered what the heck I was doing trying to get a job there. They didn't want me. I left. I cannot function within acceptable parameters when I must be at a job site on time, every day, for the majority of the time I work there. I can function if my schedule is flexible enough to accomidate periodic knee cap dislocations, but, most businesses do not accomodate those kinds of things. Most people think that my knee problems are just minor irritations for me. They compare it to a stubbed toe, or an itch, or a pimple or something. Thats like compareing an LED bulb to a bon-fire. My knees, when they go out, cause so much pain that I actualy experience trauma, as in I go into shock. I have nightmares about dislocations. Most of my nights are filled with nightmares about various things, and some of them involve me haveing a knee cap dislocation. I could just be walking on a sidewalk, getting the mail from my mailbox, and anything, like a car splashing water on me real hard, or a dog running past and bumping into me or something, could cause a dislocation. I could dislocate my knee and fall into the street and get run over by a car. I could dislocate while walking across the street fast enough to get to the other side before the lights change. And sooner or later my knee braces will stop being usefull. They wear out, and they are expensive to replace. The point is, I could be an invalid, and even be killed, any time because of my knees. And that is a very good reason not to want me working for you. Tell me, guys, be honest. Knowing all that you know about me, if you were employers, would you hire me? Say the job is an office or secretarial job. Forget the heavy lifting stuff, that isn't even in the picture. Concentrate now. Would you hire me? I can not blame anyone for not hireing me. I wouldn't hire me. ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. _______________________________________________ Chat mailing list Chat at freenetproject.org http://lists.freenetproject.org/mailman/listinfo/chat _______________________________________________ Chat mailing list Chat at freenetproject.org http://lists.freenetproject.org/mailman/listinfo/chat
