ClearSky

What have you found to be the best way to reach an interviewer when they leave you a message or call you about an application that you filled out?

It doesn't matter which way. If you used the phone, webcaptel, relay, vrs, text messaging, e-mail, etc., feel free to post.

Thank you for your opinion.

Deafness

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JClarke

Email is the best communication to avoid third parties.

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ClearSky

Interesting. Do you explain to them that you have a hearing loss? The reason I am asking is because, what happens if they say, "call me to set up an interview," and they don't know you're deaf or hard of hearing.

Do you tell them right away you're deaf or hard of hearing?

Dismal Shadow

He got a point and by the time you emailed them explaining them regarding you are deaf or HoH, they rejected you by not responding your email back. Discrimination?

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ClearSky

Yes, I thought this was a possibility. I have tried to e-mail one time, I am just remembering that now, and I felt I was discriminated because that person already knew about my hearing loss. It just wasn't direct discrimination to be reported. I asked my VR counselor, but she said it's not easy to prove.

I thought, so how do we get around explaining to them about our hearing loss without having to tell them why you don't want to call them?

I thought that by creating this e-mail, we could find the best way for deaf and hard of hearing people to search out the best way to be reached.

Sosie

ClearSky, you can write something like "I am looking forward to hearing from you. I prefer being contacted by email but you also can leave me a message at (555)-927-4455. Thank you for your consideration."
Just a thought.

ClearSky

That might work to say, "I prefer," then give another choice just to not leave any other thoughts to ponder.

Jiro

If they left message on my voicemail, I return the call via relay/captel. Before I started, I explained that I am HOH and he/she usually says - "that's absolutely NO problem at all. Do you need any accommodation for interview?"

Same for emails. Some jobs replied back via emails. I reply back with the same introduction as above. I did have some jobs not bothering contacting me any further after I replied back. Oh well - at least I know that jobs are the one I should avoid.

ClearSky

So you are saying that you always respond via CapTel not texting relay?

Does CapTel have a delay? I have heard how great it is because they won't know of a third party, but does the relay have a delayed response when texting back using CapTel?

Jiro

oh no no - I just got captel about 2 month ago or so. I used internet relay service for the whole time when I was job-hunting. I tested it out with my hearing friend - the delay in Internet Relay Service is about.... 10-15 seconds and the delay in captel is about... 3-5 seconds. Not bad!

I have some people (customer reps) asking "hello? are you there?" when I used captel. Most of time I use internet relay for customer service calls because you know how it takes a while till you get to next available agent so it's just easier to let OP do the waiting for you while I giggle away on AD

I use captel just for quick calls... ordering food.... etc....

ClearSky

LOL.

That sounds much better with CapTel being 3-5 seconds. Sometimes I get the, "are you there?" i711 relay service. I am like, "is the OP there?"

It's about 90 dollars to get CapTel.

It looks like it's good to be upfront about your hearing loss. Sometimes saying hard of hearing might work easier for some. Don't know about saying deaf as they might freak out as I think they think you can't hear at all, but with hard of hearing they imagine you hear some.

Thanks a lot.

Jiro

(OP you there?) LOL. Yes it's $90 out of your pocket but DVR can pay for it.. depending on certain qualification. For ie - your income is "low" - I think less than $45,000 a year and/or you live off on Social Security fund.

I feel that it is absolutely important that you disclose your disability status truthfully to them to avoid any awkwardness and potential harm. I was being truthful of my limitation like... "if it's one-on-one, yes I can hear and communicate just fine.... however if it's a group setting, I cannot follow conversation well." So my boss accommodated me by having a colleague to write a detailed summary for me. She works for me as well but sadly.... she quit last week for new job last week... she's a very cool person.

ClearSky

There ought to be an article about employment and deaf people. I think your answer is helpful as well as Sosie.

If more deaf and hard of hearing discuss in a thread about a more detailed way of finding employement better, then we might find a pattern of what works best.

I know it's hard to accept a change when someone who's a naturally great team player leaves for another company.

JClarke

I always mention my deafness in whatever situation that is. I don't care if they discrimate within my communicaiton. They are just too stupid to be amazed that I can communicate VERY well.

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ClearSky

Great attitude! I am glad you shared how you introduce yourself. Discrimination probably can't be stopped, but I guess you could improve on it.

Jiro

there were several articles about it. There was a list of well-known companies who are very disability-friendly. IBM and AT&T are on the list. I'll try to find it but I'm quite busy at work at this moment.

VamPyroX

You can always say that you don't have a phone.

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ClearSky

LOL. Have you done that for real?

ClearSky

Sure. If you find them, I'd like to read them.

life2hear

they would email
call them back with 711 thru TDD is not a problem as all

life2hear

to be honest yourself to them
show them your ability
if you can talk then speak up
if you can lip read then let them know
if you can understand or ask repeat
if you have a skill show to them
if you have a better knowledge share with them

open yourself with your ability to let them know who you are
that all the key let them trust you from your ability and your skill

until you get in this job interview upon six month if you pass then you get in as long as the job would hold you until your skill become perm. that only key out there looking for your trust, honest and support. 3 keys part of powerful

Mrs Bucket

I am quite honest about my DeafBlindness & prefer to be upfront about it as well.

I explain that email is best for both the person emailing me and the person receiving my message. No misunderstanding or miscommunication and so on.

It does work this way. I also have a text phone and give our text phone to others who call us. We explain we will not be able to hear but ID the number & call back using VIABLE.

mandy

I think it is better to be honest from the beginning because then you don't waste interviewer's time, and if they are going to discriminate against you because you Deaf, then you don't want to work for the bastards anyway.

ClearSky

Thank you guys. You have been rather helpful.

sablescort

If I see a phone nbr show up on my BB, I just call that nbr back by relay. Most of the time I put my BB number on the app then if I look the caller ID I just go to my ip-relay on the AIM and return the call.

ClearSky

What is BB? Also what do you mean by app? Sorry, some people just aren't sure of every abbreviations made today.

Jiro

BB = BlackBerry

JClarke

and...app = application

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Fozzy

Try working for the government the acronyms can be quite maddening.