Dealing With Handicaps You Have

Before entering an interview many of us already have thoughts running through our minds as to why we won't get the job. "I'm to old, I'm too shy, I'm from a different cultural background." Whatever is running through your mind, it is important to remember that EVERYONE has some type of handicap.

By handicap, I mean not having a skill that is required for the job. There are thousands of skills in the world, so it is not possible to have every skill an employer wants. Handicap can actually refer to two totally different things. One is the job hunter's disabilities and the other is the employers' prejudices, also referred to as a phantom handicap.

One of the most common handicaps people face is shyness. Many are fine applying online or communicating over LinkedIn, but when you have to go meet a potential employer face to face you become shy. But don't worry there are some ways to help yourself overcome the shyness.

• Be enthusiastic 
• Practice interviews
• Talk about topics that you are curious about or have a strong passion for
• Follow the PIE method, which is Practice field survey, Informational interviewing, and the Employment interview. 

Shyness is a handicap because it is a disability within you, but now lets talk about some prejudices, or phantom handicaps, which are within the employer.

1. Out of work too long: Being out of work for over a year is already frustrating enough, but it even more frustrating when that is part of the reason you are not getting hired for any jobs. If employers won't hire you for how long you have been out of work, just keep looking! You will eventually find an employer who doesn't have that prejudice.

2. Age: Baby Boomers are starting to reach the time of retirement years, except they do not have great pensions waiting for them, so they must continue to work. It may be harder to find a job at this age because employers can pay younger candidates way less, but if you show energy and passion towards the job they will still hire you.

3. Returning Veterans: Now this prejudice can go either way. Some employers tend to not hire ex-vets because of all the misconceptions about PTSD, while others hire in favor of veterans. As I said earlier, you just need to keep searching until you find the employer who doesn't have this prejudice.

4. Ex-Offenders: If you have a record, that doesn't mean you will never land a job, but it's no surprise that some employers are prejudiced against people who have a record. So, use Google to see what you find about that employer and use that information to your advantage. There are also a number of resources for free that can help you find the job you want.
Some of which include: www.jailsto jobs.org and an Ex-Offender Training Packet that can be obtained by emailing workwizard@aol.com.

Finding a job is hard enough to begin with, and handicaps and prejudices can make it even more difficult. It is important to be aware of both and to keep looking because every employer is different.