My friend, Karl Dillinger, an accomplished talent acquisition professional, generously shared some insightful career advice. With a Masters of Human Resources Management from Marymount University and PHR and RACr certifications, Karl has over 15 years of expertise in the recruiting industry. I hold his knowledge and skills in high regard. When Karl, my youngest brother, and I met to discuss career challenges faced by individuals who are blind or low vision, we realized the breadth of this topic couldn’t be covered in a single post. Therefore, Karl compiled his top career tips from his perspective to kick us off and you will find future posts to delve deeper into each area. Enjoy!

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It is no secret that finding a job and career you love takes time, effort, and let’s be honest, a little bit of luck. The challenges are augmented when you have low vision or are blind. However, many of the same tactics and strategies still work. Let’s first discuss a few uniquely suited to individuals who are blind or have low vision.

Assistive Technology: Thankfully as technology has advanced it has given more resources to those who are impaired and need the additional assistance. Some of these include, the use of programs like JAWS, Voice-over(MAC), and other non visual aids like AccessNote, VDA, OrCam, and Zoom text. Don’t be afraid to utilize these programs to fully engage with websites, complete assessments, or in creating your resume.

Formatting and Content: You can have the best content in the world. However, if your resume looks sloppy recruiters will move on. Recruiters typically only have 5-7 seconds to look at a resume. If we see fonts that are different sizes and colors, line spacing off, or grammatical errors, you are out.

Word format is best for a resume. It allows for documents to be easily edited using the Comment Feature. You can always save as a PDF after, but before doing so, have someone or several people review your work. Always use bullet points instead of paragraphs. This allows the recruiter/hiring manager to easily skim and catch the highlights. We don’t want to be reading a novel.

Action words are critical. The resume should reflect the impact you had on the organization, not what you did. Instead of saying I recruited Medical Assistants, say I increased hiring for Medical Assistants from 7 to 15 in 6 months.

Networking: Cliché, but it is not what you know, but who you know. Networking is by far the most important part of getting a job. I call it 80/20 role. It is 80 percent networking and who you know, and 20 percent your resume. This is especially important for the low vision community. Find a mentor or join groups or associations that relate to the field you want to get in. I have never gotten a job just by applying online. I have always known someone at the organization.

Be your true self: Lastly, be open about your low vision or blindness. Don’t wait for the interviewer to bring it up. Be proactive and ask if they have any questions about potential barriers. Also, bring up what you can bring to the table that may be unique to you. For example, problem solving techniques, being resourceful, etc. Speaking of resources, it is critical you use all references/connections you have. My first job was through someone my mom knew. Pride is the #1 barrier to getting a job. Use all that is on your disposal.

In closing, getting the job you want is about networking, your resume, your background, but also a lot about timing and being resilient. You will go through many rejections (if you never have been rejected from a job you never have truly put yourself out there). It’s all about getting back up and trying again. You got this.