If you could sit down for an hour with any individual who is blind or visually impaired and successfully employed, to ask any career-related mentor advice…I wonder who you’d choose to glean from, and I wonder what questions you would ask.
Topics may include his/her education, ongoing training, challenges, skill sets, accommodations, mentorship, transportation, the hiring process, networking, setbacks, disappointments, goals, and both positive and negative experiences.
I suppose if I could sit down with an individual who is blind for mentor advice, I would engage one of the 113 teachers in the CareerConnect mentor database, as I am also a teacher. I’d ask about his/her teacher training and if he felt prepared for a classroom before his first career job; I’d ask about his early teaching experiences and his current ones and what situations developed him into a more skilled teacher; I’d ask about must-have ongoing trainings; I’d ask about must-have accommodations; I’d ask for his career goals; and I’d ask for any career advice he wishes he would have had at the beginning of his career.
Take a few minutes or even a few days and reflect on information you’d appreciate learning from a mentor. The way I see it, you may as well avoid learning "the hard way" and learn by asking.
Now, if you have a moment, let us know who you’d like to attain career-advice from, and what questions you’d like to ask. Write your responses in the comment section! Your responses will inspire individuals to seek mentor advice and will inspire my future blog topics!
Next, when you’re ready to contact a mentor who is blind or visually impaired, read Tips on Contacting a Mentor to help gather questions and then conduct a mentor search on APH CareerConnect’s site.
Ask away. Glean. Grow. Then complete the cycle by becoming a CareerConnect mentor yourself.
All About Mentoring
The CareerConnect Mentor Program
The Effect of Career Mentoring on Employment Outcomes for College Students Who Are Legally Blind