<p>I have cerebral palsy (brain damage) from premature birth. I have always struggled in school but always got good grades because of excellent effort and motivation. Therefore, I did not get tested for LD until sophomore year of college. My verbal IQ is 135 but my performance IQ is 73 and overall (full-scale IQ) I am average. (I posted my scores in another thread). I barely graduated from college with unimpressive grades and a major which I hated and in which I did not learn anything. It's been two years that I am out of college, but I still don't have a job. Because of my LD, I am very limited in the jobs which I can do. Therefore, most of the jobs to which I apply (and which I can find) are above my head. My low ability shows on interviews and I don't get hired. Even as a volunteer in a clerical capacity, I find I don't fully understand the menial tasks which I am assigned. I am really discouraged about my future. I am not sure I would ever be able to earn a living.</p>
<p>How do you think I should proceed about getting a job?</p>
<p>You need to find a job that uses your skills and avoids your deficiencies. A clerical job probably would not be it. Also, for someone like you, computing a full-scale IQ is misleading and not worthwhile. You do not have an average IQ, for any normal way of looking at IQ. You are very, very good at some things, and have serious deficiencies in others.</p>
<p>Have you thought of some kind of writing job? Tech writing, editing, tutoring writing, something like that? I know people who make money online by grading English essays.</p>
<p>It’s going to be harder for you to find a job, but when you find the right one, because of your superior verbal abilities, you’ll be superb at it.</p>
<p>You could volunteer at non-profit organizations to help them write grants. Once you get experience with that, you might be able to earn a living as a professional grant writer. There are programs for grant writing at CC’s if you want to see if you like it first. Grant writers get to keep a portion of the grant if awarded and are paid hourly fees as well. You might be good at that. Another option is to meet with a Life Coach/ Career consultant or take a CC class that explores career options according to your strengths as measured on tests taken in class. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>Cardinal Fang and bessie (and of course anybody else who knows)</p>
<p>Where do I find the job postings for these kinds of jobs? I try Craigslist, but both their clerical and writing sections don’t have the jobs that are right for me. Should I look at non-profit websites? Which ones?</p>
<p>Also, one person mentioned paralegal for me. What do you think? Will I flounder in that capacity, will it be too much stress? My mother thinks a job in the library would be good for me, is it a good idea? </p>
<p>Perhaps it’s a pipe dream, but I sometimes wonder about becoming a school psychologist since I think I would enjoy doing the testing and writing reports. (Probably there is more to being a school psychologist than I fathom). Is it way over my head given the significance of my LD and the schooling required? Is grad. school, in general, out of the question or perhaps there is a field which I can handle?</p>
<p>I know it’s extremely difficult for you to give advice without knowing me and relying solely on scores and my statements, but I think I would benefit from some guidance and direction.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>So that’s pretty much me in a nutshell. It is incredibly tough for people with severe learning challenges to establish themselves in life.</p>
<p>I know that my good writing on the thread seems to contradict the struggles which I am describing. The reason is that I take great pains to write logical, well-thought out responses on the board. I purposefully take 10-15 minutes to write one message. However, what one can accomplish with great effort is not really representative of typical performance. It’s extremely frustrating to always have to work much harder than the average person to achieve the same results. And on an interview where you are under pressure or on a job where you have to compete with much sharper colleagues, all my compensation goes to pieces.</p>
<p>Hang in there. It’s very difficult for anyone to find a job in this economy - you’re competing with 40 year olds with years of experience who have been laid off.</p>
<p>Don’t think of yourself as being average. You’re gifted/LD. And if an employer specifically welcomes people with disabilities, you might consider disclosing the CP. From what you’ve posted, you have done such a good job of compensating that no one would guess. Another possibility might be to try something temporary, to get a feel for what you might enjoy. Paralegal work could be a good fit - would match your strengths in writing, and some firms will train you. Good luck.</p>
<p>I think the Red Cross might have a variety of volunteer programs that might work well for you. Basically, just volunteer at any non-profit (national or local organizations in your city or through your church) doing whatever you can. Then, get to know the people running the operation. As they get to know you and see your skills, you can ask for more tasks that will eventually give you the experience you need to get a paying job. Hopefully, you will leave with experience AND a recommendation. You might also see if organizations like Americorps or Habitat for Humanity would be good options for you. One other thing you can try- call your state social welfare office and ask to talk to a social worker who has experience with disabled individuals. That person may be able to direct you to employers who will be more friendly/patient with those who have disabilities. And the above poster is right… now i a tough time to be getting a job for everybody. Do not take it personally. Good luck.</p>
<p>I am entertaining an idea of seeing a career counselor to help me decide what I would like to do with my life and I would like your guys’ advice. Do you think this is worthwhile or will they just tell me what I already know about myself, not help and waste my money? Keep in mind that I can only afford one or two appointments with a career counselor, not seeing someone on a regular basis since my only source of personal income (my parents refuse to pay for a career counselor) is SSI (Soc. Sec. benefits for the disabled).</p>
<p>And if you think, a career counselor is a good idea, do you know someone good who is experienced with LD issues? I live in New York City.</p>