Seeking Help Again??

[EmilyRyan]

Is there anywhere I could work at that'll help with performance standard accomodations??

[EmilyRyan]

Anyone else have more to add that can be helpful in getting employers to understand my condition??

[EmilyRyan]

Anyone??

Yeah I like been searching extensively for jobs I could do but am having trouble finding employers that would be friendly toward disabilities.

Any more ideas/suggestions??

[MirnaMinkoff]

People have offered lots of good advice, but you are going to have to do this on your own. 

If you want some honesty no employer is going to hire someone who sits down and starts detailing all the special accommodations they will need to do a job.  Why would they?  They are running a business and want to pay someone to do a job as specified, you can't expect an employer to try and change their needs to accommodate your very particular set of circumstances when they can hire 100 other people that don't need those accommodations.  (Unless you want to go the route and get employed via a special program where they send a "helper" with you, but that's for people with MR or severe DD. Your posts indicate you are intelligent and don't have an issues server enough to engage such services. Plenty of people with learning disabilities manage to excel in the workplace.)

If I was you I would concentrate on improving what you know are trouble spots for you.  If you had trouble keeping up the pace due to not finding things at your old job, the best thing do to would be to take the time on your own hours to study the stock layout so you could do better when your on the clock.  This is true for any person with any job, you always look for ways you can improve yourself and make yourself more valuable to a employer.

I think colleges give a lot of students a false impression of the real world. Schools and colleges go out of there way to try and accommodate the needs of all kinds of students for almost any issue - because they are getting paid tuition to do so.  You will not find that to be the case with people who you want to hire and pay you.  If you want something besides stocking shelves or Goodwill training, you will have to focus on ways you can overcome your particular set of issues - not expect an employer to accommodate them.  (It's best if you can prove yourself a valuable employee, and only after that, go to a manger and explain since you excel at X but not so much a Y, then maybe keep me only working on X so that my time is used most wisely.  Once you prove your value to an employer you might find they are willing to accommodate certain issues because you have proven your worth to them.)

Being trans already makes getting hired more difficult in many cases, don't add more hurdles by detailing all the things you can't do/ need special treatment for.  Focus on listing the skills and good things you can bring to a job, not the things you "can't do" or need accommodations for. 

Lastly, you might want to look into learning a needed skill where you could be self-employed if you don't think you can handle the demands of a typical 9-5 and boss/manger.  Being a house painter, upholstery, cleaning/organizing houses, pet sitting, etc... any services that are needed by people and that you think you can provide.   

[Gertrude]

Universities and colleges are open to people with disabilities and it's a protected class, at least at the school I work and it's not fast paced compared to the private sector.


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[EmilyRyan]

People have offered lots of good advice, but you are going to have to do this on your own. 

I don't know how

If you want some honesty no employer is going to hire someone who sits down and starts detailing all the special accommodations they will need to do a job.  Why would they?  They are running a business and want to pay someone to do a job as specified, you can't expect an employer to try and change their needs to accommodate your very particular set of circumstances when they can hire 100 other people that don't need those accommodations.

Because it's the right thing to do because many like myself struggle to find employment and most are in poverty because of attitudes like this??

If I was you I would concentrate on improving what you know are trouble spots for you.  If you had trouble keeping up the pace due to not finding things at your old job, the best thing do to would be to take the time on your own hours to study the stock layout so you could do better when your on the clock.  This is true for any person with any job, you always look for ways you can improve yourself and make yourself more valuable to a employer.

I do make efforts to overcome and focus on what I can do and what I'm good at but sadly in the workplace that isn't enough people need to be more understanding.

I think colleges give a lot of students a false impression of the real world. Schools and colleges go out of there way to try and accommodate the needs of all kinds of students for almost any issue - because they are getting paid tuition to do so.  You will not find that to be the case with people who you want to hire and pay you.  If you want something besides stocking shelves or Goodwill training, you will have to focus on ways you can overcome your particular set of issues - not expect an employer to accommodate them.  (It's best if you can prove yourself a valuable employee, and only after that, go to a manger and explain since you excel at X but not so much a Y, then maybe keep me only working on X so that my time is used most wisely.  Once you prove your value to an employer you might find they are willing to accommodate certain issues because you have proven your worth to them.)

Whats wrong with having workplaces helping with job performance?? Would you rather me be working with accommodations or living off disability??

Lastly, you might want to look into learning a needed skill where you could be self-employed if you don't think you can handle the demands of a typical 9-5 and boss/manger.  Being a house painter, upholstery, cleaning/organizing houses, pet sitting, etc... any services that are needed by people and that you think you can provide.

I have neither the know how and resources to do this plus over-saturation where I live.

[Elis]

Agree lots of people here have given you good advice. All you can do now is apply for loads of entry level jobs and hope for the best. If you get an interview explain what you have difficulties with but if you don't get the job; that's fine. You will get one eventually although it'll likely take a long time. And if you do get a job and don't like it; try to stick with it as long as you can because it's still good experience.  But if you really can't stand it leave and try again. If you're at a place for only a month you don't need to add it onto a CV.

Sorry to sound blunt but this is simply been my experience of job hunting. It's demoralising, pointless and soul destroying but unexpectedly you'll move forward.

[Gertrude]

I don't know how
Because it's the right thing to do because many like myself struggle to find employment and most are in poverty because of attitudes like this??
I do make efforts to overcome and focus on what I can do and what I'm good at but sadly in the workplace that isn't enough people need to be more understanding.
Whats wrong with having workplaces helping with job performance?? Would you rather me be working with accommodations or living off disability??
I have neither the know how and resources to do this plus over-saturation where I live.

Emily, I agree with your feelings, but many employers, particularly if they have no mandate of law with regards to gender as a protected class, don't do the right thing. I think that it's best to target companies that do. That said, old school corporate culture runs on fear, and uses it to manipulate and control the workforce. It's changing, but not fast enough. I have found the writings of Liz Ryan to be fabulous and helpful with regards to the workplace. She's a huge proponent of ridding fear from it. She used to be an HR executive and now has a consulting business helping people be all they can be with regards to work. The HRC (Human Rights Campaign) has a CEI (Corporate Equality Index) database that rates companies and municipalities. You should consult it in any job search. I would also say that colleges and universities tend to have progressive policies in regards to gender identity and would be a good place to look. I work at one of the largest public universities in the country and not only is gender identity protected, but so is autism and depression.

[EmilyRyan]

Emily, I agree with your feelings, but many employers, particularly if they have no mandate of law with regards to gender as a protected class, don't do the right thing. I think that it's best to target companies that do. That said, old school corporate culture runs on fear, and uses it to manipulate and control the workforce. It's changing, but not fast enough. I have found the writings of Liz Ryan to be fabulous and helpful with regards to the workplace. She's a huge proponent of ridding fear from it. She used to be an HR executive and now has a consulting business helping people be all they can be with regards to work. The HRC (Human Rights Campaign) has a CEI (Corporate Equality Index) database that rates companies and municipalities. You should consult it in any job search. I would also say that colleges and universities tend to have progressive policies in regards to gender identity and would be a good place to look. I work at one of the largest public universities in the country and not only is gender identity protected, but so is autism and depression.

Thank you glad someone agrees and understands

It's a shame most don't seem to and I don't get it why would anyone not want businesses/employers help those who may need help in the workplace so as long they can do the job to a certain degree what difference does it make?? What difference does it make say someone works at a distribution center as a picker, where they go around picking items to be processed for delivery, and say they have to pick 100 items every hour and they, due to having a learning disability and/or are on the spectrum, etc., only are able to pick about 50-70 items every hour but they don't slack off, call out unless severely sick/injured, come in late, and don't get an attitude with management why should that person be fired?? Sadly there are people that think they should be

Oh here in Tennessee there's a bill that's been filed that's gonna outlaw anti-discrimination laws and that also includes those with disabilities.

As for colleges/universities what can they hire me for that doesn't require a master degree and I only have a two year degree??

[Denise]

At any/every college:
   Clerical office type work
   Library help
   Maintenance/custodian
   Book Store
   Cafeteria
   Student support services
   Tours/admissions
   Special events
   Print shop
How about
   local parks and recreation department
   Are you good with kids?  How about local daycare provider
   Retail?  Places like Home Depot have opportunities for advancement and are "T" friendly

These jobs might not sound like much but I work for a large bank and one of the cafeteria cashiers is not a manager in one of the customer services area.  She started out barely speaking English but was friendly with everyone in the cafeteria and she learned people's names and talked to them while ringing up their lunch.  She eventually moved to a teller's position then to managers of the tellers.  It wouldn't surprise me if she ends up running everything.  Baby steps.  Be nice.  Don't burden potential employers with your problems - they don't care.

[EmilyRyan]

Burden?? What do you mean?? A disability isn't a burden??

[FTMax]

I don't get it why would anyone not want businesses/employers help those who may need help in the workplace so as long they can do the job to a certain degree what difference does it make??

Because there are other people out there who don't need help who can do the job and also won't slack off, call out, come in late, or have an attitude. Especially if it's something quota based like the distribution center job you mentioned. When they hire someone, they are looking for someone that can meet the standard in place. If you can only do half of the standard with accommodation, that means that they would need to hire another person to do the other half of your work, or your coworkers or supervisor would need to do extra work to make up for what you can't do. It is very tough to justify that.

I hire people in my company for hourly positions. They need to be able to move quickly and meet or beat the clock on the work they are assigned. If it takes them too long or they are inaccurate, my salaried guys will not want to work with them because they end up having to pick up the slack. And frankly, I pay those guys too much to have them spending their time on that - I'd be having people whose time is worth $100/hour doing the work of a person whose time is worth $15/hour. It's not profitable for the business and it puts more stress on the people who are actually bringing money in. At the end of the day, the function of a business is to deliver a profit to its shareholders. As much as we might like to be inclusive or hire someone that needs accommodation because it would feel good to do so, it would only feel good until I get fired or I get more work piled on because the person I hired can't do what we need them to do.

Denise has a good list there about college positions. Even a small community college likely has some openings like that you could get into.

My honest advice is to stop thinking so much about why you couldn't do a certain job or work in a certain business/field. Just apply. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. Any job is better than no job.

[EmilyRyan]

Because there are other people out there who don't need help who can do the job and also won't slack off, call out, come in late, or have an attitude. Especially if it's something quota based like the distribution center job you mentioned. When they hire someone, they are looking for someone that can meet the standard in place. If you can only do half of the standard with accommodation, that means that they would need to hire another person to do the other half of your work, or your coworkers or supervisor would need to do extra work to make up for what you can't do. It is very tough to justify that.

I hire people in my company for hourly positions. They need to be able to move quickly and meet or beat the clock on the work they are assigned. If it takes them too long or they are inaccurate, my salaried guys will not want to work with them because they end up having to pick up the slack. And frankly, I pay those guys too much to have them spending their time on that - I'd be having people whose time is worth $100/hour doing the work of a person whose time is worth $15/hour. It's not profitable for the business and it puts more stress on the people who are actually bringing money in. At the end of the day, the function of a business is to deliver a profit to its shareholders. As much as we might like to be inclusive or hire someone that needs accommodation because it would feel good to do so, it would only feel good until I get fired or I get more work piled on because the person I hired can't do what we need them to do.

I still don't get why wouldn't give people a chance that need it.

Why are you against this??

Denise has a good list there about college positions. Even a small community college likely has some openings like that you could get into.

I appreciate what she's done to help now if only I can get my college to hire me for something I can't even get a student job there

My honest advice is to stop thinking so much about why you couldn't do a certain job or work in a certain business/field. Just apply. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. Any job is better than no job.

I am focusing on my strengths and what I know I'm capable of doing but I can't ignore the shortcomings my disability brings that's how you get false assumptions from managers, supervisors, and co-workers alike it happened on both jobs I had and I'm not letting it happen again. 

[FTMax]

I think you're underestimating just how much competition there is in the job market right now, even in minimum wage or entry level work. The older generation is taking longer to retire than expected, so you have a lot of overqualified young people stuck in these low level jobs until something better opens up, and every year more and more are coming out of college and taking what they can find as administrative assistants, retail workers, fast food managers, etc.

Annually, I have one entry level opening. For that one opening, I can easily get 500 resumes. That's 500 people who want the 1 job I will have available all year. I want the best of the best from that 500. Someone who can do the job I have available, fit in with the team I already have in place, mesh with the company culture, and grow into other roles. From that 500 I interview 10 people only, and I need to be 100% confident that the person I hire can do all of the things above.

Literally all 500 of those people would love a chance, and many of them need it. But my responsibility is to my company's owner, his partners, our clients, and the staff I currently have in place - not an applicant. If someone says to me before they're even hired that they aren't going to be able to meet the bare minimum, I can't in good faith hire them because it would not be a good decision for the business as a whole. It would be much different if I've already committed to this person and they come to me after being hired and tell me that they're having a rough time. I would not be happy about it, but I would try to make it work for them because obviously I thought they were a good enough fit to hire in the first place.

That is the difference. I wholeheartedly do not recommend taking what you probably see as a proactive approach in letting people know up front that you have concerns about your ability to do the work. Get someone to like you first and hire you, then try your best. If your best is not good enough, then have that conversation. By telling them up front, IMO you are sabotaging yourself.

[EmilyRyan]

Then how are those with disabilities supposed to get a job?? Some of us need to be up front of our limitations that doesn't mean we can't do the work it's that there needs to be an understanding that while we're not perfect we can be productive

Majority of us don't want to live off disability 

[FTMax]

Don't make this about people with disabilities in general. This is about your specific case that you still require advice on. From everything you personally have said here, I do not think you need to say anything to a potential employer about your ability to do work.

And again, I would recommend that you don't say anything until after you're hired and have tried doing the job as expected for a period of time. What if it turns out that you wouldn't have needed any accommodation whatsoever, but they had other candidates so bringing it up in advance meant you never got the job in the first place?

I'd also recommend again that if you really want to work and all that matters to you is becoming employed, to actually start applying to jobs. All the jobs. Every single one that you are qualified for, with no overthinking about what you can and can't do.

If you google "jobs for persons with disabilities" there are several job boards that cater to that population. Companies have to pay to post on these places, so if they're posting there, they are open to hiring people with disabilities and will have the means to support them.

[EmilyRyan]

I'd also recommend again that if you really want to work and all that matters to you is becoming employed, to actually start applying to jobs. All the jobs. Every single one that you are qualified for, with no overthinking about what you can and can't do.

And what should I do after applying and applying and nobody hires me or I get constantly get fired due to job performance?? I need to know

Any services to recommend that can help me get and keep a job can I do supported employment??

[Gertrude]

Thank you glad someone agrees and understands

It's a shame most don't seem to and I don't get it why would anyone not want businesses/employers help those who may need help in the workplace so as long they can do the job to a certain degree what difference does it make?? What difference does it make say someone works at a distribution center as a picker, where they go around picking items to be processed for delivery, and say they have to pick 100 items every hour and they, due to having a learning disability and/or are on the spectrum, etc., only are able to pick about 50-70 items every hour but they don't slack off, call out unless severely sick/injured, come in late, and don't get an attitude with management why should that person be fired?? Sadly there are people that think they should be

Oh here in Tennessee there's a bill that's been filed that's gonna outlaw anti-discrimination laws and that also includes those with disabilities.

As for colleges/universities what can they hire me for that doesn't require a master degree and I only have a two year degree??

Most jobs are degree plus experience. My job only requires   7 years education and experience. I have a masters plus 23 years.  There are plenty of things you'd qualify for where I work.


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[EmilyRyan]

Do you know of any jobs I can qualify for?? Anyway you could provide a list of companies that maybe I could work for that'll offer support whether they're in Tennessee or not?? Please and thank you

[EmilyRyan]

sigh

Some the responses I've gotten are some the reason I feel worthless all the time

And what is wrong with inclusion??