Questioned About My Hearing in a Job Interview

[Pythias]

Today I had a job interview. I was acing it- the two guys were really into me. I was a great fit, qualifications-wise, as well as personality-wise, with the team. The immediate supervisor and his boss were both talking about where they would like me to move after a few months, and it was a very nice interview. On the way out, the big boss, a man probably in his late 60's, said, "I'm going to do something that we aren't supposed to do, but I have a personal question. You have...?" and he pointed at his ear.

Now, I have big old BTE hearing aids with bright blue earmolds, so they aren't subtle. I've been HOH since I was 3 years old (I'm now in my late 20's), and I don't have emotional issues wrapped up with my hearing status. I am very accustomed to making hearing people feel comfortable with my deafness.

Without missing a beat, I launched into my chat about how I've been HOH my whole life, so I'm not having to acclimate to anything new, that I'm good at lip-reading and still have some hearing, that cell phones are a problem for me, but otherwise, I function with no problems (this is largely true, but of course I need people to face me, speak clearly, etc).

The younger guy had initially just stared at the older guy with a real "Oh crap" look on his face, but once I'd started, he asked some nice, conversational questions like if I ever learned ASL (in progress :-P) and commented on how well I communicated (Impressive, since I've only been communicating with hearing people all my life~ :-P).

The older guy, then made a comment about how, unlike me (3 years old = post-lingually deaf), Deaf people usually have a "speech impediment, either a very noticeable or not so noticeable one." This threw me. The other questions and comments had been very innocent and curious until this part, where it was... weird. Different. Not good.

I am fairly certain I will be offered this job, and it is the highest paying that I have interviewed for (I'm just now graduating from grad school and really need the money).

I don't really have a question. It's just weird. I'm pretty sure I'll be offered the job. Would I be offered the job if I'd had scarlet fever one year earlier, and had a deaf accent? I don't think so. The big boss seemed awfully put off by that. The immediate supervisor didn't seem discriminatory at all, and the big boss is "from another time," so I get that he maybe didn't understand how inappropriate that is.

Anyway, thanks for listening to my ramble. Things like this just make for a weird head space all day.

 

[Bottesini]

You should really just tell them that under the ADA they are not allowed to ask you that question.

 

[Reba]

Today I had a job interview. I was acing it- the two guys were really into me. I was a great fit, qualifications-wise, as well as personality-wise, with the team. The immediate supervisor and his boss were both talking about where they would like me to move after a few months, and it was a very nice interview. On the way out, the big boss, a man probably in his late 60's, said, "I'm going to do something that we aren't supposed to do, but I have a personal question. You have...?" and he pointed at his hear...

He's right about that.

Regardless, it did get everything out in the open. I hope you get the job.

...The immediate supervisor didn't seem discriminatory at all, and the big boss is "from another time," so I get that he maybe didn't understand how inappropriate that is.

Yeah, some people are set in their ways/beliefs. You would think that someone who got to be a "big boss" would be alert to the changing times.

 

[Moondancer]

show them deaf CAN do anything except can't use the phone to speak.

 

[A Nihilist]

Anyway, thanks for listening to my ramble. Things like this just make for a weird head space all day.

Yeah some people are stuck in the "deaf and dumb" limitation. If you don't get the job offer due to the hearing problem it's a mixed blessing because you don't want to endure small-minded people.