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How to Get a Job When You Are Blind or Visually Impaired

Landing a job when you have difficulties seeing is a unique challenge, but not an impossible one. Follow these steps and you will find yourself employed.

Steps

1. Focus on your strengths. By turning the attention away from the fact that you are visually impaired, you will gain (or re-gain) the confidence you need for a successful job search.
2. Determine what types of jobs you are able to do. Would you be willing to work in customer service answering questions over the phone or in person? Or perhaps you're an excellent chef in a well-organized kitchen?
3. Network with people who are in the type of business that you are interested in. Let them know you are looking for a job and what you can do. Do this by:
   
   
   • Speaking with your friends, family, and acquaintances. They may not be working in the type of job you're looking for but they could possibly know someone who does.
   • Phoning local businesses (of the type you're interested in) and asking to meet with someone in charge. Note: at this stage your not looking for interviews, just contacts.
   • Create a business card and resume to pass around. I'd suggest braille and standard text on the business card, just so you know what it is.
4. Ask for the assistance of a supportive sighted pal to help you browse through classifieds and the internet (this is assuming you don't get a braille newspaper and don't have any special accomodations to assist you in reading what's on the internet).
5. Continue networking and expanding your knowledge. Eventually you will have a job.

Tips

• Don't look down at entry level jobs. They could be just what you need to get your foot in the door.
• If at all possible, don't let a potential employer know you are blind until you are at an interview. Best to let them see your skills before they pre-judge you because of your visual impairment.
• On the other hand, you may decide that your years of teaching experience (for example) coupled with a recent blindness may place you in that perfect position to teach other vision impaired people how to cope. Use your own discretion depending on the job you are searching for.
• It is illegal to discriminate against someone who is blind. As long as you are capable of performing the task (you won't be able to get a job determining color differences between samples, for example), employers are required to give you equal consideration with other applicants. The larger the company, the more considerations they are required, and able, to provide you. If you feel that you were denied a job simply because you are blind or visually impared, you should contact a lawyer.

Warnings

• Your job search may take longer than it would for an ordinarily sighted person, but if you're determined, you will find a job.

Things You'll Need

• Determination
• Business cards (in braille and standard text)
• Resume (in standard text)
• A trusted sighted pal if you don't receive a braille newspaper or have special accomodations to help you read what's on the internet.