[geeks] Bad monster. No donut.

[velociraptor]

On 11/9/06, Phil Stracchino <phil.stracchino at speakeasy.net> wrote:
> velociraptor wrote:
> > I would also suggest that anyone who has a disability of any
> > type--which includes Aspergers afaik--get advice about how to job hunt
> > in this situation.  Employers legally cannot discriminate based on
> > disabilities, but if you give them some other opportunity to
> > disqualify you from consideration, they'll take it.
>
> Oy vey, I know.  I'm physically disabled, the Asperger's diagnosis is
> actually only about a month old (it is the opinion and conclusion of my
> therapist and of the psychologist who did the neuropsychological testing
> that I've had Asperger's all my life, and probably had PTSD since I was
> 18 months old, but neither of those was actually diagnosed until last
> month), and I've had lots of job interview processes that seemed to be
> going swimmingly until they saw me in a face-to-face interview and
> realized I was disabled.  And then the whole thing would go *POOF*,
> sometimes for the strangest of purported reasons, or for no reason at
> all, or I'd just never hear another word from them again.
>
> But of course, I can't *prove* any of them were because I'm disabled.

And this was my point--you need to find out how to work around the
problem by getting the advice of people who have dealt with the issue
from both sides (i.e. hiring and legal compliance).  For instance,
after receiving management training a handful of jobs back, I know
there are some questions that should not be asked in an interview (by
the hiring manager or anyone else).  Those same questions should not
be answered by an applicant if they are asked.  Likewise there is
certain information that should not be volunteered prior to accepting
an offer of employment.  For instance, school graduation dates or
military discharge dates.

I know this will rub you the wrong way, but I suggest applying for
government jobs.  There are more people with disabilities @
$curr_gov_job than any other work site I've ever been at.  Which I
find pretty cool, though it is a sorry statement on every other
job/employer I've ever had.

> I can't, quickly or easily, and frankly I don't want to.  I'm *tired* of
> moving around the country involuntarily.

That advice wasn't really directed at you, just a more general
"enhancement" to my previous suggestions.  Even I know anyone who puts
"Free Stater" in their .sig is unlikely to relocate. ;-)

Perhaps another tactic is to avail yourself of some of that psych
testing and find out where your disability might actually be a job
benefit, and then get retrained to do that kind of work.

=Nadine=