Finding work can be a challenging process, and people living with a hearing impairment or hearing loss may find that they’ll face their own barriers to finding work.
This can be because of communication issues, inability to access workplace modifications, as well as employer attitudes.
However, finding work is possible and following these few great tips to help you on your job seeking journey can help you find a great job that suits your passions and your circumstances.
Find out what you’re interested in
People who have complete or partial hearing loss have successfully flourished in the workplace, and this can be helped by the provision of the right support and workplace adjustments.
This means that there is a role out there for you that aligns with your interests and skills: it only takes a little bit of self-assessing to figure out what roles you’d like to do!
Being able to pinpoint the types of roles you’d like to apply for also makes it easier to figure out what workplace modifications you may need in order to thrive in the position.
Oftentimes, being able to provide an easy to understand explanation of what accommodations you may need to be able to fulfill your tasks can help an employer plan practically when hiring you.
Consider taking further training and reskilling
There are a lot of government-funded training programs that may be a great fit for your needs, and if you take the time to look through your options you’re sure to find a program that suits your requirements and keeps you engaged.
Prepare and plan for your interviews
If you’ve got an interview booked, it’s just as important to make sure that you’re prepared for your job interview.
It’s no surprise that interviews can make everyone a bit nervous or anxious, but for those living with hearing loss, it can be even more daunting especially when thinking about how to communicate your skills and strengths, as well as your need for an accessible workspace.
If you live with a hearing impairment or degree of hearing loss, it can be especially hard considering interviews and hiring managers may not be able to communicate in sign language, or Auslan, if this is your primary mode of communication.
Sometimes, if interviews are being conducted remotely, you can request a video interview, or a written interview instead of a phone interview to help you communicate and understand better.
Make sure that you have planned what you need to say when talking about what accommodations you may need to fulfil your tasks.
If you have an in-person interview, you might even want to demonstrate how you use assistive technologies during the interview in order to show that you’re able to complete essential job tasks as required.
Make use of government funding and services
For those who are living with a hearing impairment, you may have your own preferred communication method.
This can range from lip reading, Auslan, written communication, or a mixture of these.
Having difficulties with hearing can make communication challenging, however, there are technologies out there as well as support available.
For some individuals, hearing aids can be subsidised by the government, making acquiring it more accessible.
There is also government funding available to help implement workplace modifications that enable you to do your work well, as well as the National Relay Service (NRS) which helps a person who is deaf communicate with a hearing person over the phone.
There is also the Video Relay Service (VRS) which helps a person who speaks Auslan make phone calls to hearing people.
Work with an employment consultant
Employment consultants from your local disability services provider can help you not only in finding jobs for people with a disability and in sourcing suitable roles for your skills and interests, but are also able to help you access the needed support and funding to help you thrive in your career.
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