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Archive => Archives => Topic started by: Survival Nate on August 18, 2006, 02:00:52 pm

Title: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: Survival Nate on August 18, 2006, 02:00:52 pm

WARNING BAD SPELLING (deal with it) :P

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Well Hi everyone. ;D

Most of you know how I am by now and know that I had a small AN (by small I mean big). I have the balance of a one legged giraffe walking across the desert. ;) I have been self-employed since my surgery (working on computers at my own pass). But I'm moving to Kansas City where my wife and I are going for Corp. jobs, and Im a little nerve racked about getting in fast pasted work area.

My  questions to all of you is how do you do it? And what do I tell a employer at the interveiw (that I walk like a drunk ::) ) ???

Words of advice and wisdom will be most appreciated.  ;D

Thanks

(http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:CZqc05Ec1DLTZM:http://www.tucom.ch/images/computer_repair_large.jpg) Nate the PC Tech

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: Captain Deb on August 18, 2006, 02:10:35 pm

Don't know what the heck to tell ya dude as I'm self-employed meself, but I love the scrolling butt-crack! ;D :o
Capt Deb 8)

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: Battyp on August 18, 2006, 02:22:02 pm

what are you going to do with the peace corp?  Why would you want fast paced?  Oh yeah you're a lot younger than I  ;)  From what I know about hiring they can not ask you if anything would prevent you from doing the job.  You are asked to self identify but usually that is after you have the job.  They are not allowed to discriminate.  They are not allowed to ask your age either.  Best of luck to you!

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: Survival Nate on August 18, 2006, 02:28:39 pm

Not the peace Corp ---- Im getting a corprat (corp) Job

Thanks tho  ;D

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: Kathleen_Mc on August 18, 2006, 03:09:34 pm

Nate: I have been with the same employer through all of this, actually since I graduated college. I have had some additional part-time jobs now and then and during the interview I don't say anything about my health and nothing has ever been asked. Are you limited in your work abilities or what may be asked of you to do? If not "Mum's" the word and it's nobody's business, if you have limitations and they ask during the interview I guess you'll have to disclose them. I myself have never found cause, even as a nurse being half deaf and off balance I function very well (better than half my co-workers).
Kathleen

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: Windsong on August 18, 2006, 06:16:30 pm

Nate,

This is fascinating. .... Are you working right now while you are looking for a corporate job? Is this something you are looking for after being at home? What impels you to look for a coporate job? How are you after your "small" An experience?

Super that you are able to do this job search. Pls share with us your journey from finding your An and now looking for this job. I know it would be inspirational and helpful.

Windsong

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: Survival Nate on August 18, 2006, 06:45:17 pm

my wife has been in the Air Force so I have been running my own business well she is getting out and I am going to have to get a more stable job.

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: Rc Moser on August 18, 2006, 07:08:31 pm

Unless you have to carry heavy loads ,  bend down with something in you hands, Working in an Noise poluted area, or have bright lights in your eyes you should do OK.  All of these I have mention would be Migraine triggers for most of us AN'ers. If you suffer from migraine's IMO you will have a hard time in a noise related job. Your balance should get better with Balance excierises and the more you active IMO the better it will get, that is if you can be active. Some of us our condition prevents us from doing too much.  You will be on a trial period anyway. Why raise dought by telling him you had a brain tumor and you lost your hearing and balance nerve on one side. IMO once somebody hears Brain tumor they think the worse. I wouldn't tell them unless they ask. 

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: Battyp on August 18, 2006, 08:12:17 pm

They can't ask..it's against the law. 
I'm not even allowed to ask a potential employee their age.

Nate if you have trouble finding a job then i'd go straight to the local vocational rehab center and apply for help.  They will train you, and help you find employment regardless of your disability. 
Oops, I read CORP and translated that as peace corp..My bad  LOL...tis one of the reasons I'm not employeable right now...impulsive decoding  LOL

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: Jim Scott on August 19, 2006, 02:37:05 pm

Nate:

As far as I know, as long as you can do the job you apply for, you don't need to tell your potential employer your medical history - nor may he ask.  That assumes you apply for a job that will not be affected by any residual complications from the AN or the surgery.  Should you obtain a position and find that complications resulting from the AN or the surgery prevent you from  performing the job effectively, the employer can probably fire you for obtaining a job you knew - or in some cases, should have known - you were not able to do as a result of a pre-existing medical condition (AN).   

After being hired. the health insurance forms always ask for any pre-existing medical conditions and/or surgery information - so the employer finds out all he needs to know, anyway, unless you decline to apply for medical insurance benefits.

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: tony on August 20, 2006, 12:52:48 am

I saw your note and have a similar dillema - basically I am looking mainly for self
employment - so that the health/sickness/time off/insurance liabilties type issues
dont really fall on the employer - but on me.
That way, whilst they may ask etc its not really much more than being polite.
It does rather depend how you are feeling - the 9-5 is a 40 hr week or so
and employers might regard the fatigue (that most of us have sometime)
as lazyness or lack of commitment.
Also we live in a society where people sue for the daftest of reasons
- were you to fall at work could/would you sue ?
the employer must be asking these questions.
You might look at some temporay or freelance work initially (6-12mths?)
- just to see how you make out
Computer skills are always in demand
- maybe someone on list knows a company that is looking ?
let us know how you get on
Good Luck
and Best Regards
Tony

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: KatyB on August 20, 2006, 10:06:33 am

Nate - go for it!  Be up front with prospective employers 'cause if they aren't understanding of your situation in the interview process, then surely you won't be happy working for them.  I'm a medical transcriptionist and went back to work via internet using voice files 6 weeks after surgery.  Even though I work from home, I'm a full-time employee - they were great during and after my surgery and haven't had to ask for any favors or anything and don't think I've called in sick once since then - coming up on 3 years.  Work is a wonderful way to forget about this thing we all have in common - makes you feel normal again!

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: Battyp on August 20, 2006, 11:04:10 am

Katy I'm looking into medical or braile transcription for home employment but was told I'd have to work in an office for at least 6 mos until they would let me work at home :o(  since that isn't going to happen I'm back to the drawing board...

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: HeadCase2 on August 20, 2006, 03:55:18 pm

Nate,
  If the preson interviewing you is not likely to notice you have balance issues, then don't mention it.
  If you think the person interviewing you will notice a balance issue, then you should probably say something about it.  Not imediately, during the introduction, since you want a good first impression.  Later in the interview you could say something like " You may have noticed that I walk a little wobbly it's because I only have the use of one balance nerve."  You could even turn it into a joke with something like " That's why I work with computers, rather than play basketball for a living.", then change the subject back to technical things.  I wouldn't get into the details of your medical history, a lot of people would be put off by the thought of a brain tumor.  If you're a technical person, continually emphasize your technical qualifications.  And give them examples of technical problems that you have solved, and how you solved them.  They are looking for someoone to solve their technical needs, so show them that "you're the man".
Good luck,
 Rob

Title: Re: Jobs and AN, what am I gonna do!
Post by: Crazycat on August 20, 2006, 05:18:19 pm

Nate,
 Ã‚           After, and while you're going through the exercise of applying to these places, please keep us apprised of how they treat you during the process. I've had a few hi-tech jobs in my time. Getting in the door often requires an inside connection with someone or an introductory, "pay your dues" stint as a temp worker through an agency - without medical insurance. It can be a bit of a three ring circus, having to deal with the characters you'll have to suffer through. It's like Shakespeare said: "All the worlds's a stage". Everyone turns out with their best "stock theater" costuming/attire to play up their assigned roles....often to the hilt. It's almost as if, they really don't give a damn about you; you're just a soundboard with mirror in place of your face. Everyone gets such a thrill from a playback of their performance, listening to themselves talk.
 Ã‚  Hopefully, you'll fare well dealing with it. I live in the heartland of hi-tech America, inbetween routes 128 and 495 - the river Styx hee hee! - just outside Boston -  I know what it's like around here! The competition is fierce

 Ã‚ You're young and strong with some good experience. You may get something right away in the mid-west. Around here, people tend to "leapfrog" or "piggyback" from one company to another, following their friends and connections around. I remember getting a quailty control job once simply by virtue of the fact that a good friend of mine - that I worked with at another company - worked in the department. He specifically requested that he wanted to work with me to his / our boss. Having absolutely no credentials to qualify for the postion, if I had walked in off the street and applied, I never would have even been a remote consideration. Yet I was the guy they hired. It took me an entire year to learn everything I had to to work independently in that department. Nonetheless I'm thankful that I was hired and it was a good learning experience! Most importantly though, I learned as much about the machinations of the corporate world as I did quality control.

I remember during my stint at that company, human resources was purging its files of the thousands upon thousands of resumes it had collected for just one job requisition that had been posted. They they were, piled up in a dumpster. I'd pick up handfuls of them and leaf through them in utter amazement. People from all over the entire country with incredible job histories and educational credentials, all going after the same job at a comparative no name company in Massachusetts.

 Ã‚ I find it interesting that we, with our medical conditions, may have a difficult time landing a job - even with our experience -  but that a friend of mine, who is now 50 years old and has been in the reserves for over 20 years, has been shipped off to the Middle East in spite of his age and the fact that he's had radical back surgery - spinal fusion - and is in pain every day. Well, it would seem that if you qualify as "cannon fodder" that makes it all okay!

 Ã‚  Nate, don't be afraid to cultivate your own business as you have been doing anyway. Your wife may have to be the one that lands the job with the health insurance for the family. There's nothing wrong with that if you can build up your business. A good friend of mine that I played in a band with is a highly talented graphic artist and silk screen expert. He works out of his house and has high level accounts - including the NFL - all over the world. I was in a band with him and his wife who is a very talented vocalist. They stopped buying health insurance - wihich costs over $1000 per/month for a family plan - and replaced it with the insurance his wife was getting as a cafeteria worker for the school system.  She got the job solely to obtain the benefits.


 Ã‚    Take Care,    Paul