Need to Vent--LD limits me in life so much

itsmethere
Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:40:39 +0000

Thanks so much for your insightful reply. I believe my main impediments in finding a job are, first, that due to my learning disability, there are only a limited number of jobs in which I would feel comfortable and be good at. Therefore, most of the jobs for which I apply are not right for me which shows on interviews. It’s not that I put myself down on interviews or make major blunders, (I never outright display or admit my weaknesses), it is just that it is obvious from my behavior and responses that I am not the quickest thinker or learner. Secondly, due to my disability, I don’t really know how to look for a job most effectively and perusing job postings takes more mental effort so I avoid it.

As for your comment about employers having an incentive to hire a person with a disability, the thing is that none of the employers knows that I have cerebral palsy. I don’t tell anyone and I don’t use a wheelchair, crutches or any other assistive devices. I walk on my own two feet, although with a limp and a characteristic gait. So, some employers might wonder about my walking, yet practically no-one makes a connection to cerebral palsy (brain) and certainly, no-one can know for sure.

As for my resume, I had it looked over by professional people. It has a nice layout and appearance and uses nice language, but I just don’t have any experience. My entire experience consists of volunteer positions in which I did menial tasks. And no matter how nicely I put it, I just can’t cover up my lack of qualification. The best part of my resume is that I graduated from a prestigious college with a bachelor’s degree.

So that’s pretty much me in a nutshell. It is incredibly tough for people with severe learning challenges to establish themselves in life.