Embracing the Elephant in the
Room: Interviewing Ideas for
Applicants who are Deaf
Julia Smith, Ph.D., CRC, LPC
Western Oregon University
Partners Building Bridges: Overcoming Challenges through
Leadership and Collaboration
SCD Conference
August 24, 2010
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What is meant by “Elephant in the
Room”?
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Competition for Employment
• Employment rate for those with
disabilities - 35%
• Employment rate for persons with no
disability - 78% (NOD, 2007)
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Discrimination and Bias in the
Workplace
• Current literature
– Employers have a positive attitude
toward people with disabilities
BUT
– Employers are reluctant to hire people
with disabilities
• 19% of companies employ people with disabilities
• 72% say the nature of their work is too challenging for
people with disabilities
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Laws that Protect Persons with
Disabilities
• EEOC
• ADA
– 20th Anniversary
– Helpful to deaf employees?
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Searching for a Job is a Job
• Four hours a day is recommended
• Keep a consistent schedule
• Focus on the resume
– Customize objectives for specific job
– Chronological is best
– Functional good when there are gaps
– Use same language as the web page or
from an informational interview
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Professional Etiquette
• First impressions are critical
– Present yourself as a professional at all
times
• Understand your role as a job seeker
– Email
– Meeting people at conference
• Ethical considerations
– “Deaf grapevine”
– On-line communication
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Prepare for Interview:
Know the Job
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Employer Concerns
• Lack of knowledge of disability or the ADA
• Don’t know how to interview individuals who are deaf
or hard of hearing
• Concern of how co-worker and deaf or hard of hearing
employee will interact
• Reasons why employers don’t grant accommodations
– Undue burden – too difficult/expensive
– Fundamental alteration – change actual job
– Safety or direct threat
• Lack of exposure to success stories
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What Employer Really
Wants to Know
• What will I need to do differently to
supervise this individual?
• What can I expect from this individual in
terms of production? Will I need to
compromise what I ask her to do?
• Can I use my normal approach to
correct/discipline the worker?
• What else do I need to know that I don’t
even know to ask?
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Interview Preparation
• Always request an informational interview
• Work with others to help develop skills
• “Practice” as much as possible (doesn’t matter
where)
• Go through mock interviews
• Try different strategies
• Understand the ADA and meaning of
“Reasonable Accommodations”
– Example of when you might need an interpreter
– Useable technology
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Interviewing Skills
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Disability Disclosure
“Certainly, if you know that your condition is one
that you know is going to come up it’s probably
a good idea to take the bull by the horns and
maintain control of the information flow and
disclose it as soon as possible.”
*Nancy Starnes, NOD, Director of External Affairs
• Judgment call/personal decision
• Paint picture of who you are
– Disability is only a part of who you are
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ADA - Rules Change During Employment
1. Applying for a job
– Employer limited at interview
– Focus of questions on the ability to do the job
2. Employer makes a job offer
– Rules change
– Must ask the same question to all
– Must be consistent
– Job offer withdrawn only with clear evidence
3. Offered job and begins job
– Employer can ask questions related to disability if
employee is struggling with getting the job done 14
Business and Budget
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Employer Incentives
• Budget is always a concern for
employers
• Most aimed at non-state agencies
with less than $1,000,000
– Reported average return of $28.60 in
benefits for every dollar invested in
accommodations
– Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)
– Small Business Tax Credit: IRS Code Section
44, Disabled Access Credit
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Recognize Disability Fatigue
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• Examine attitude/issues that may come
up
• Find support to help work through
frustration/anger
• Present yourself as fresh and excited
• Be curious and maintain “I/Thou”
relationship
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Sell Yourself
• Coordinate your individual needs and
the company objectives
• Focus on questions of essential function
or ability to do the job
• Show how you can be part of a team
• Build trust/reassurance
• Be powerful about what you are saying
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• Directly address issues
• Show that you can perform at same high
quality level, but that you might get the
job done differently
– Give examples
• Give examples of other agencies who
hire deaf workers
– Have references available
• Remember employers are concerned
about budget, safety, and inclusion
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Julia Smith, Ph.D., LPC, CRC
Rehabilitation Counselor Education
Western Oregon University
Monmouth, Oregon 97361
503-838-8744 (V)
866-724-5141 (VP)
smithj@wou.edu
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References
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