Is it difficult to find good paying jobs?

Hi Keshia,

I am curious about your motivation for asking these excellent questions that I wish the powers to be would ask,

<<Is it difficult to find jobs?>>

As an adult with NLD/ADHD, the answer is a definite yes and here is the reason why. If you think about it, the process of career planning/job hunting involves alot of the skills that call on the weaknesses that folks like myself face such as planning, reading, visualization, organization, and goal setting.

Also, while I have learned to compensate in many ways for NLD and don’t always need things explicitly spelled out for me, I do in this area. Whereas others can make an intuitive leap even though things are not well defined, I cannot. Why there is no understanding of this issue is beyond me.

Another issue that I think affects my ability to find a job is the demands are alot more intense for positions. People are doing the work that three people did ten years ago.

For example, I am a pretty darned good receptionist but simply cannot handle alot of the administrative assistant duties that are now commonly found in this position. But again, this issue is being ignored and I find that so frustrating.

<<Does you find it difficult to do your job properly?>>

I have been doing temp work and as long as people are clear about what they want, I don’t have a problem at all. But when I get contradictory messages, then it is tough.

<<Are there any special techiques you use to get you organized?>>

I use a computer and palm pilot to write everything down. Otherwise, I wouldn’t last too long in a position.

<<Did you find your job traning to be difficult?>>

What training? I am saying that in jest but in all seriousnes, the problem is that alot of workplaces want employees who learn quickly. That doesn’t bode too well for folks like us.

<<Is there any discrimination against adults with learning disabilities in the workplace?>>

Definitely and what makes it tough is it isn’t always the overt kind. Of course, if we were to say something, we would be told that we misunderstood the situation since we have LD.

Sorry, I don’t mean to be so negative but being unemployed save for some temp assignments for nearly two years will do that to a person.

PT

PT,

I appreciate your honestly. I am asking these questions b/c I am currently taking a course in college that focuses on children and adults with learining disabilities. In class we were discussing jod placement for indivduals with learning disabilities. The textbook pertaining to the course tell us that training and job placemnt is provided for all indivduals with learning disabilities. I wanted to get anwser from a direct source, so my profeesor suggested that I direct my questions to actually adults with learning disabilities. So here I am!!

Have you ever been placed in job that actually enjoyed and excellenced in?

Thank you

Here’s my two cents!

“Is it difficult to find jobs?”
I don’t know. I’ve held the same job for 17 years. For the most part I like it and it pays well but the real reason I don’t leave is I’m afraid I’d not find another.

“Does you find it difficult to do your job properly?”
Not at this point. By now I have all sorts of little tricks that help. Most of them are so ingrained I don’t even realize others don’t do similar things. Or perhaps they do!

“Are there any special techiques you use to get you organized?”
Everything and I do mean everything is written down or I can not get myself organized. I am a firm believer in to-do list.

“Did you find your job traning to be difficult?”
Yes, yes, yes! We changed computer softwere 18 months ago and I am just now getting comfortable with it.

“Is there any discrimination against adults with learning disabilities in the workplace?” No doubt. I have not told people at work I am LD. They just think I’m eccentric…The human resource manager told me that with as many resumes as we get, she looks for any reason to write someone off.

Good luck on your schooling!

ME

Hi Keisha,

<<In class we were discussing jod placement for indivduals with learning disabilities. The textbook pertaining to the course tell us that training and job placemnt is provided for all indivduals with learning disabilities.>>

I figured you were a college student but I appreciate you confirming that. You have reaffirmed my decision that if I need to ask for a new voc rehab counselor, I want someone just out of college.

Anyway, under what context, is this textbook saying that training and job placement is provided to people with LD? My initial reaction is to say this author lives in fantasyland but I should probably wait for your response.

<<I wanted to get anwser from a direct source, so my profeesor suggested that I direct my questions to actually adults with learning disabilities. So here I am!!>>

It sounds like you have a great professor.

<<Have you ever been placed in job that actually enjoyed and excellenced in?>>

To answer your question, after my LD/ADHD diagnosis, I still found all my jobs on my own even though voc rehab tried to take credit for the last full time position I had. So absolutely no agency serving people with disabilities has placed me in anything.

Sadly, I have never had a job that I totally enjoyed and excelled in. There were bits and pieces that were enjoyable. When I have asked my voc rehab counselor for help in brainstorming jobs that would come closer to meeting these needs, I have essentially been blown off.

Good luck in your class.

PT

Dear Keisha,

I was diagnosed with LD when I was in 8th grade. I have some help in school, but it was difficult. It took me 6 years to finish college, with a double major. I finished a master degree program in three years on time with all my other classmate. However, I was unable to find a job in my field. After 4 years of searching I got a job in my field, yet with low pay. With in 2 years I was unable to do my job as well as my employer expected. Most of my employers complaints focused on LD simptons, like forgetting things like peoples names, organization of paper work. I enjoyed my job, but gave it up before I was fired. Now I am a sit at home, trying to figure out how to get a job I am qualified for and keep it. Oh yes, I still have student loans like any one else who have gone to college.
Cj

I have a major number problem and can’t do 6th grade math.
for me, I went from job to job. I’ve flipped burgers , ran a drillpress in a govt. factory (making jet engine parts for F16s). got a job running a steel lathe at a propane heater making company, I ran a box printer for a paper plate company, I’ve tryed being an electrician, and now Im currently very HAPPY as a Special Education assistant for Mo-MI (moderatly and mildly mentally retarded) high school students.
my LD effected each and every job I’ve had and in 2 cases caused me to lose my job. both factory jobs required math skills that I just didn’t have. in both cases I was able to fudge and fool my way through about 2 years of work with them. the drillpress and lathe jobs required that I do quality control measurment on my work and I would say that I did when I didn’t because I couldn’t do the math. the box printing job was alright and payed well enough but the company went out of buisness. printing is the type of job where there isn’t a real call for it. when I was an electrician in Virginia Beach. they don’t require that you be certified or anything. I was an electricians helper for 3 years and then an electrician for 2 years with the same company. I didn’t have to use math much except that I was supposed to when setting the light plates say in the kitchen so that they would be centered. I eyeballed them into place each time.
then I started working for the school districts and I’ve been doing that for 9 years. it doesn’t pay well but its fun and I really enjoy working with the kids. its the only job I know where I can go to work every day and feel like a hero to somebody.
I also went to a school to get a certification as an MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) I know a lot about computers and thought this would be a shoe in. I was doing well too untile I found out that you needed “simple algebra” for part of the course. it was at that time that I started stumbling in my studies and it was actually a relief when I showed up at the school one day to find that it had gone out of buisness. I got a full refund thank god.
but yes…. my LD has stalled and redirected me many times in my life. and no I was never diagnosed with LD, never took a test for it, was never evaluated for it. I just know I have it. I would go for an evaluation but I can’t see how that would help me now.
whoops, Im ranting. sorry. :?

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OK I am new here and this is my first post.

I can;t remeber ur questions exactly but I’m giving it a shot.

Yes very hard to find work esp if LD is just one of ur probs, I’m: LD, ADHD, Deaf, ina wheelchair and have some vision problems. IF I can get the resume to the people they tear it up mentally when they talk to me on the phone (TTY w/ Relay service) or see the chair.

Problems at work, MANY for me, I worked as a temp for 3 years and every sinlge assignment I was let go due to soem disability issue, don;t kid urself that ADA really helps, it is waek and has tons of loopholes for the employeer. My current job has been nothgn but problems for the 2 yrs I’ve had it and I know they are going to fire me in Jan when the busy season is over and they don’t need an experienced person in the dept anymore (not paranoia, my sup is putting written repromands in my file for things as small as telling me to clean my desk, I mean the first time she mentioned my desk in the whole 6 mo as my sup was last week and it was written and put in my file, how obvious can it get?)

Accomodations, forget it I told my Sup and out person that handles HR (my previous sup till reoginzation) abd my ADHD and LD trying to get some help for negatives in my annual review, now my acting sup is just preying on what I said were probs to make work life even worse and forget any accomodation.

Training … I actually do pretty good with soft ware and things as long as I write down what I need I’m good.

Ok that is all I can remember from ur list. I am happy that someone that will be coming out to the world of Service provider cares enough to want the truth, that alone is very rare.

Seana

In reality and be definiton LDers are disabled. People with severe LD will find it imposible to ever obtain gainful employment. If they lose the job they have they will find it extremely difficult to get hired especially if they are honest and disclose their disability to their employer.

Here is the name and adress of the Director of the social security administration.

Commisioner Joanne Barnhart
6400 Security Blvd
4100 Annex
Baltimore MD 21235

There is no email for this person and her address was difficult to come by even though she is the person appointed by President Bush to run the SSA.

People like her are responsible for the mess disabled people have to deal with. The ADA and programs like Ticket to Work are merely a poor paint job on a delapdated and ineeffective system for helping the disabled.

Drop her a line and ask her some tough questions. If she answer those questions send a copy to your congressman with some more questions.

It is no secret that LD folks are not being served inspite of the funds that are spent to that end.

Except no more excuses and demand answers.

Hi, SHawn –

Writing to the director of Social Security Administration will not
solve problems. Recourse is more likely through the
Department of Labor, Rehabilition Services.
– end –

Hi Shawn,

I like your post alot but as someone with NLD, I need more specifics. What types of questions should I be asking this person?

Here are my frustrations and perhaps you can help me with this:

In the state I live in, I am only allowed to put down one occupational goal. That is understandable if it is long term but for immediate jobs, that is lunacy. In other words, because I specified teaching assistant as an objective, I am not allowed to also say I want to look at receptionist positions.

So how would this woman help with that situation? Shouldn’t I be writing to someone in my state or are you suggesting this because you should start with the big wig?

Also, here is another situation I find frustrating. There are all these agencies in my areas that serve people with disabilities but you still have to go through voc rehab. How does someone like me figure out which one would be best?

I asked for one job developer who supposedly had been trained in the LD bridges to practice program but this person was not helpful.

Anyway, that’s it.

PT

:? I’m married to an pastor with a 27 yr, old mentally disabled. it’s verry hard because he is uneployed and its a hassle to try to get him helpwith finding a job its been a whole year and and he needs help with hygeins so forth . he stayes with us along with my 4month old son. which is healthy. how can you help me with finding him a home with others like him and councelres that can help him step by step with everything he needs to finding a job. can you help me, ive tried calling around about a place called the valley reaganal center but no luck yet. mrs. elliott