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May 21, 2008
Needed: Advice for Mandy
This eSight Case Study focuses on Mandy in Oregon.
Mandy has her B.A. degree and has worked part-time for the past 15 years so she could be available for her three children and support her husband as he moved up the ladder in his career. She figured her time would come.
But, after a divorce, she is now struggling to get back full time in the work force with a livable wage.
Mandy does public speaking and has an impressive volunteer history. She has highly developed office, bookkeeping and computer skills. But she can't seem to land the job.
During job interviews, she is repeatedly asked these same two questions: "Why have you not worked full time in so long? Do you think you could handle full-time work now?”
Mandy thinks those questions are really directed at her visual impairment and her guide dog. She’s in her early 40s, vital, strong, and healthy. She asks, “Why else would interviewers ask these two questions?”
Some people have suggested not to bring her guide dog to job interviews; others say don't deceive. Still others tell her not to discuss her disability. But she feels that doing so seems to put the interviewers more at ease.
Mandy says she feels confused about what is right, what is wrong and how best to help herself at this juncture in her life. She needs your advice.
During her job interviews, what can Mandy do to break through some of the barriers she outlines in this case study?
Posted by Jim Hasse at 09:28 AM | Comments (14)
May 14, 2008
How to Remember Names
One of the most valuable business skills is the
ability to remember people's names, says Nicholas
Aretakis, author of "No More Ramen: The 20-Something's Real World Survival Guide" (Next Stage Press, 2006).
Name recall will boost your image, earn you respect
and differentiate you, he explains.
After all, your name is your badge of individuality.
Hearing your name is the sweetest sound in any language.
Aretakis suggests making names visual, oral and
tactile. When you're introduced to someone, picture
his or her name spelled out in print, he says.
Also, he advizes, ask for a business card and record
where and when you met the person.
That’s easier said than done –- especially if you have
a visual impairment or other physical disability.
But, I think Aretakis would agree with Dale Carnegie.
Remembering names is more of a mental exercise
than a physical one.
In 1960, Carnegie wrote:
"We must keep in mind that what we really want to do
is remember people -- their names are secondary. So it
is important to give people your total attention,
become genuinely interested in them and want to
remember them. Remembering names is only an offshoot of the desire to remember the people behind the names."
Carnegie maintained there are three concrete ways to
remember a person's name: by getting a clear, vivid
impression of the name and the person; by memorizing
the name through repetition; and by associating the
name with some aspect of the person which will trigger
your memory.
I'll give you some examples of each of these three
methods.
First, to get a vivid, clear impression of a name,
listen. When you're first introduced to a person,
concentrate on getting the name right. If you don't
get it the first time, ask for the name to be repeated or even have it spelled for you. Tell yourself, "I want to remember this person's name, and I will."
You also need to get a clear, vivid impression of the
person. If you can't see the facial characteristics or
size of the person, concentrate on listening carefully
to the voice. Is it deep, high, low, resonant or clear?
Second, to memorize the person's name through
repetition, repeat it often. When you're first
introduced, repeat the name immediately. Use it
several timees in your conversation. Repeat it
silently to yourself while the other person is
speaking.
If you are introduced to a group of people at one
time, concentrate on each name as you hear it. Between introductions, repeat the name to yourself rapidly. And, then, go back and review by person (to yourself) after the introductions have been completed.
Review the names of the people you met today before you go to bed tonight.
And refresh your memeory of people's names immediately before you are to see them.
If you are working with a large group of names, work
with only a few at a time in short bursts of
memorizing.
I read about a principal in a high school of 1,000
students who used this technique. He knew the name of every student in the high school and was recognized nationally for his leadership in bringing an "at risk" educatioal institution in Wisconsin to a level of excellence.
Carnegie's third recommendation: Make an association
between some aspect of the person and the person's
name.
He writes:
"The strongest bond you can form in remembering names is to have an association between the facial impression (or general appearance) and some picture the name suggests."
Again, that may be a little tough when you have a visual impairment, but consider these options: associate the person's name with his or her business, occupation or location; make a person's name rhyme with some charactersitic of that person; divide a complicated name into exaggerated word pictures; and associate people with similar names (the Smiths who both like to fish).
All of these potential techniques for remembering
names can become ingrained habits once you sell
yourself on the importance of following them, Carnegie
points out.
But, his suggested techniques are by no means
exhaustive.
In the light of your particular disability,
how have you learned to best remember names of people
you meet?
Posted by Jim Hasse at 11:12 AM | Comments (3)
May 06, 2008
How Do We Show We Are Capable?
eSight member Pam MacNeill writes:
"As a blind woman in a third-tier management role
looking to take the next step into tier two and on to
a Chief Executive role within the next five years, I
think the issue is one of belief (or rather the lack
of belief in our capabilities demonstrated by
employers -- time after time).
and use a guide dog in my resume, so those ‘short
listing’ for the role are not surprised to meet me, if
I am interviewed.
of 10, and often it's pretty obvious I'm being
interviewed to satisfy EEO principles or because of
down-right curiosity to meet this blind woman who
manages staff and a multi-million dollar budget.
that's fine because I then have the opportunity to
demonstrate my communication and lateral-thinking
skills etc.
answer the standard interview questions posed to me.
Then I usually advise the panel that I am happy to
discuss my blindness, thus putting them at their ease
regarding their curiosity about this.
blindness is on top for these people because their
questions usually come in rapid bursts.
heard any of my presentation and/or answers to the
standard interview questions.
decided to find a way to incorporate how I manage my
disability into the interview answers as early on as
possible. I feel it's important that I bring home to
the panel the fact that I am a very able person, who
uses adaptive technology and a guide dog. I'm
different and I often do things differently, but that
doesn't mean I'm unable to perform a high-level,
strategic management role.
on the part of employers, I have a question of my own:"
How do we show employees that we are real, capable
people who can contribute much of value to their
businesses?
Posted by Jim Hasse at 12:27 PM | Comments (6)