Podcast appearances and mentions of rob hobson

Episode 116 - TV and radio presenter, Jo Whiley, talks about her love of gardening and festivals followed by nutritionist Rob Hobson and children's' diets. Disclaimer: Please note that all information and content on the UK Health Radio Network, all its radio broadcasts and podcasts are provided by the authors, producers, presenters and companies themselves and is only intended as additional information to your general knowledge. As a service to our listeners/readers our programs/content are for general information and entertainment only.  The UK Health Radio Network does not recommend, endorse, or object to the views, products or topics expressed or discussed by show hosts or their guests, authors and interviewees.  We suggest you always consult with your own professional – personal, medical, financial or legal advisor. So please do not delay or disregard any professional – personal, medical, financial or legal advice received due to something you have heard or read on the UK Health Radio Network.

This episode is sponsored by NordVPN - go to www.nordvpn.com/slod to receive your special offer with 4 months free Children and teens have some of the poorest diets, with over 65% of their food intake coming from ultra-processed foods—impacting both body and brain development. With peer influence, social media, and ever-busier lives, access to quick, nutritious meals at home can be a challenge. Rob Hobson, author of 'Unprocess Your Family Life', joins Mat and Lawrence to share how families can come together over wholesome, delicious meals while navigating the world of UPFs. He offers practical tips for instilling lifelong healthy eating habits in kids—without sacrificing taste or fun at the table! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

THE MEDICAL RECORD: THE TREND OF CANCER DIAGNOSES AT ONTARIO HOSPITALS Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and a former head of the BC Cancer Agency, Dr. Alisa Naiman, Family Physician and Medical Director of The Medical Station in Toronto and Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, Internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital. We examine why there's a trend in patients receiving cancer diagnoses in Canadian hospitals (part of the reason being the primary care shortage) and more. NUTRITION AND THE PREVALENCE AROUND EATING ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS Libby is now joined by Rob Hobson, a nutritionist based out of the UK and Mark Schatzker who is the writer-in-residence at the Modern Diet and Physiology Research Center at McGill University and  the author of "The End of Craving". Today our guests discuss the latest research around ultra-processed foods, how it impacts our health and why we crave it so much. GOOGLE MAPS MAKES A SANKOFA SQUARE NAME CHANGE Libby is now joined by Toronto Councillor Brad Bradford of Ward 19 Beaches-East York and Daniel Tate, a concerned citizen, taxpayer and co-organizer of an online petition to reverse the name change of Yonge-Dundas Square. Apparently Google listed Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto as Sankofa Square and we get an update on the petition to reverse the name change. Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

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Episode 33 - Janey speaks with Rob Hobson, a leading nutritionist and author of ‘Unprocess Your Life,' about issues surrounding ultra-processed foods and exploring substitutions for a healthier yet flavourful diet. Disclaimer: Please note that all information and content on the UK Health Radio Network, all its radio broadcasts and podcasts are provided by the authors, producers, presenters and companies themselves and is only intended as additional information to your general knowledge. As a service to our listeners/readers our programs/content are for general information and entertainment only.  The UK Health Radio Network does not recommend, endorse, or object to the views, products or topics expressed or discussed by show hosts or their guests, authors and interviewees.  We suggest you always consult with your own professional – personal, medical, financial or legal advisor. So please do not delay or disregard any professional – personal, medical, financial or legal advice received due to something you have heard or read on the UK Health Radio Network.

Have you got a bright idea? Clare will be meeting two psychologists turned social entrepreneurs who want to help ease the transition into parenthood, how many ultra processed foods are in your life nutritionist Rob Hobson will be telling us what to look out for and therapist Fiona Brennan takes a listener email on fighting in a relationship

Well done if you've made it to the end of Dry January, hopefully you've seen some benefits and you're keeping going!  Keep on focusing only on what you're gaining, and the many benefits that will be coming your way. Janey chats to nutritionist Rob Hobson about his new book Unprocess your life, and they discuss the importance of good nutrition in recovery. As a sobriety / wellbeing coach Janey advises that if you are in the early stages its critical to eat well, three meals a day, with protein and good fats. Supplements are important too, try the Magnesium Blend, Vit C, and D from this fantastic brand, if you use this link a bit is given to our Sober Club Giveback fund, so its a win win  Use this link for the best supplements If you've thought of becoming a Sober Coach or you'd like to do the training for your own personal transformation, join us for a free webinar on Wed 21 Feb What does it mean to be a sober coach?  Register here Our next Training is April 26-27 starting with 2 days in Herts, but can also be done online. If you want to deep dive into changing your limiting beliefs join us for Family Constellations in York on Sunday 25 Feb - all details here Another Champneys retreat, and one day retreats TBC 

Wednesday, November 15th — In this episode we talk about: Weather report: Beyond Meat in "survival mode," 50 percent of people would feed their pets cultivated meat, 62% of vegans say wouldn't date a meat eater Is Vegan Food REALLY Healthier than Meat? (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12715285/Is-vegan-food-REALLY-healthier-meat-nutritionist-ROB-HOBSON-compares-plant-based-burgers-chicken-meat-pies-real-thing-results-surprise-you.html) Tune in live every weekday at 11am to watch on YouTube or on Instagram (@plantbasedmorningshow and @nomeatathlete_official), or watch on Twitter or Twitch!

Lily Simpson, Founder & CEO of The Detox Kitchen is an expert when it comes to creating high quality, healthy meals which are 80% plant based and using 100% wholefoods. Every dish is wheat free, dairy free, refined sugar free and chemical free. Described by The Telegraph as ‘the best diet delivery service for food lovers’ their company delivers a whopping 1 million meals each year in the form of fridge fills (their nationwide delivery service) or meal plans (within Greater London) and have had a 300% increase on uptake since lockdown. She has two Central London deli’s and her meals are stocked in Selfridges and Planet Organic. Clients include A Listers, and their most recent collaboration is with the BBC Masterchef Winner, Founder of Wahaca, Thomasina Miers, who incidentally inspired me to apply to compete on the show as a contestant. And alongside building the business our guest has also written two cookbooks – ‘Detox Kitchen’ as co-author with nutritionist Rob Hobson and sole-author of Detox Kitchen Vegetables.I could have chatted with Lily for hours and hours. Lily is upfront, honest and so insightful. We chat about how and why she got started, the challenges of being a mum of 3 littles alongside growing the business, the upside of the pandemic, what has tested her and what she learnt, the real driver behind it all (you need to listen to the end to find out ... just saying ;)), how she fits in staying fit and healthy and loads more.I guarantee you will harvest rich insights from this episode.My book recommendation: 'Aromatherapy an A-Z' ~ Patricia DavisLily's book recommendation: 'The Cost of Living' Deborah LevyChocolate: Lindt Orange IntenseQuote: 'I learned that when life pulls you under, you can kick against the bottom, break the surface, and breathe again.' ~ Sheryl Sandberg.www.thedetoxtkitchen.co.uk insta: @thedetoxkitchenSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER WITH A CHANCE TO WIN OUR H&P CHOCOLATE BAR.Don’t forgot to hit follow to catch the latest episode and if you are feeling super generous I would treasure a rate and review (Apple). Do share away with any mates, neighbours, colleagues, family if you think they may gain a nugget or two of inspiration or insight.To keep up to speed with me and life with Hope & Patience join us on Insta/twitter @amelia_rope, Facebook @hopeandpatience Clubhouse: @ameliapodWorry less. Smile more. Until the next time … keep your sparkle. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rob Hobson is a registered nutritionist. He’s written two books, The Detox Kitchen Bible and The Art Of Sleeping. He contributes messaging about nutrition on TV and radio, and has done lots of work in public health as well.Buy The Detox Kitchen Bible from Amazon UK // Amazon US // Amazon AUSBuy The Art Of Sleeping from Amazon UK // Amazon US // Amazon AUSJaney Lee Grace is a presenter and an author of several books on holistic living. Her latest, Happy Healthy Sober, has just been published. She ditched the booze two and a half years ago, and we are delighted that she did this interview Rob as part of the summer Mindful Drinking Festival.This podcast is sponsored by our friends at Lucky Saint – the 0.5% Superior Unfiltered Lager. Lucky Saint are giving all our listeners £5 off their next order. Just enter the code CLUBSODAFIVE when checking out at www.luckysaint.coThere’s a lot more to losing weight than simply ditching the booze. The listicle below is full of tips we learned in our recent podcast episode in which Janey Lee Grace interviews Rob Hobson about nutrition, weight loss, and changing your relationship with alcohol. We highly recommend listening to the episode in full for loads of useful learnings about nutrition and sustainable weight loss, there are some absolute gems in here.Support the show (https://joinclubsoda.com/product/tip-jar-support-club-soda/)

Janey interviews registered nutritionist Rob Hobson on nutrition and ‘sober sleep’  This is an interview recorded live for our Sober Club and includes some questions from members.  Sleep can be extremely tricky in the first few months and Rob gives some great tips! Rob’s book is The Art of Sleeping (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QTFMFMJ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B07QTFMFMJ&linkCode=as2&tag=imperfectly07-21&linkId=f18b52d800d072810577e79da79fad74) The Sober Club is 1 year old 7th September.   We are doing a fab re-launch with some cool gifts for those who sign up including a new Mindfulness for releasing anxiety audio hypnosis from Glenn Harrold, and my How to stay motivated audio.  We have a member portal packed full of content and a small supportive facebook community.  Membership includes access to our 90 day course Get the Buzz without the Booze (worth £149) Also if you sign up for a year you get two months free AND the first 25 people who sign up will also get a free coaching call with me.   Join us before Monday 7th and you can be part of our online party too, (one at 10.30 am for our friends in Aus and one at 7.30pm with special guests and  an amazing virtual goody bag) Join us here! (https://www.thesoberclub.com/join-the-club/?et_fb=1&PageSpeed=off) We will be closing the doors on the club on 17th September for a bit of 'consolidation' with our members so don't miss out! Join us at Champney's Tring 3-4 October Hope you can join us for our Selfcare in Sobriety retreat, full use of all facilities and intensive sessions with NLP, EFT and a Yoga Nidra relaxation session.  Check it out HERE (https://www.champneys.com/retreats-pages/health-management/1-night-self-care-in-sobriety-with-janey-lee-grace/tring-03-10-2020/) Follow Janey on insta @janeyleegrace

Set against the growing interest in supplements which has been heightened by the Covid-19 pandemic, this podcast will look at what role nutraceuticals and supplements might play in boosting immunity and the potential benefits this could bring to the health system. What is the science behind nutraceuticals and supplements boosting immunity? What is the right advice to give to consumers and what role can industry play? Do nutraceuticals and supplements act as a good resource for boosting immunity? We explore the science behind the headlines and how industry, academia and policy makers can work together to deliver the right solutions that will help consumers and potentially benefit the wider public health agenda and system. About our panel Professor Mairead Kiely, Professor of Human Nutrition and Head, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork (https://www.ucc.ie/en/) Mairead is co-chair of the Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research at UCC and led a Pan-EU project on vitamin D requirements, food fortification and health outcomes until early 2018. She leads the Maternal and Child Nutrition Programme at the INFANT Research Centre. Mairead has more than 25 years experience in human nutrition and health research and she has worked on vitamins, minerals and bioactive food constituents throughout her career. She is a registered public health nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition and is currently the chair of the Irish Section of the Nutrition Society. Professor Susan Lanham-New, Head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Surrey Professor Susan Lanham-New is head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Surrey and is a registered Public Health Nutritionist (RPHNutr). She completed her BSc in Exercise Physiology at the University of Chicester and her MSc in Human Nutrition and Metabolism and PhD in Nutrition and Bone at University of Aberdeen. As a PhD student, Sue was awarded a PhD Scholarship by the Nutritional Consultative Panel, and has three times won the Young Investigator Award at the World Osteoporosis Conference, at the National Osteoporosis Society Conference, and at the Joint Meeting of ECTS and IBMS. Currently, Professor Lanham-New’s research focusses on the nutritional aspects of bone health, including specific projects such Interaction between diet and sunlight exposure on vitamin D status in Caucasian and Asian women (D-FINES) study, Extent of vitamin D deficiency in Saudi Arabian women and boys and girls, Impact of veiling on Vitamin D status in Kuwait adolescent girls: impact on bone mass and Protein and bone health: systematic review and meta-analysis. Professor Lanham-New is a member of the Academic Assembly Policy Committee, an Editor-in-Chief of the Nutrition Society Textbook Series and a member of NS Publications Committee. Professor Judith Buttriss, Director General, The British Nutrition Foundation Judy studied Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Surrey. She worked as a research dietitian in Professor John Waterlow’s obesity unit for about a year before returning to Surrey to study for a PhD concerning vitamin C and hepatic drug metabolism, which combined the disciplines of nutrition, biochemistry and toxicology. Equipped with a doctorate, Judy worked in various labs as a postdoc researcher, in particular on vitamin E and selenium at Guy’s Hospital Medical School. In 1985 she decided to leave the lab environment and joined the National Dairy Council (NDC) as Senior Nutritionist, where she stayed until 1998 when she joined the BNF as Science Director. She became the BNF’s Director General in October 2007. Rob Hobson, Nutrition Consultant As a registered nutritionist (Association for Nutrition), Rob's worked with many of the UK’s largest food and health companies and with training in public health (MSc public health nutrition). He also works with organisations including schools, care homes, government agencies and the NHS. With over a decade of work experience in the field of nutrition, Rob has also established an impressive network of health media and those working in the food and health industry including nutritionists, chefs, personal trainers and PR that have proven to be an invaluable resource.

Discover how to sleep better with practical advice and tips from Rob Hobson, author of The Art of Sleeping.In this episode, we cover nutrition tips to help you to improve your sleep, lifestyle changes you can make to feel more rested and we bust a few sleep myths along the way.Don't forget, you can find more sleep inspiration over on our website calmmoment.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Me and my favourite fella Nathan Khider talk about sleep. While some of you may sleep well, the reality is that we are a nation of non-sleepers. Some people believe they can survive on hardly any sleep, but I disagree. From personal experience of insomnia, I know first-hand how the effects can negatively impact on every aspect of your life. I’m also guilty of telling people how tired I am rather than taking the action required to tackle the issue head on . We all need to take sleep seriously as the long-term consequences of not sleeping well are scarier than you think. For these reasons I decided to write my new book ‘The Art of Sleeping’. I share my experiences with Nathan and discuss the positive steps we can all take to improve our sleep which in turn will help us to achieve optimal health and wellbeing. www.robhobson.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/robhobsonnutritionist/?hl=en https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Sleeping-Rob-Hobson/dp/0008339368

On the first part of this episode, Angie and Kimberly discuss orientation and mobility. The history behind it and how important it is for a blind person to know how to get around confidently. They are joined by their first guest Rob Hobson, who is a former cane travel instructor who taught travel at Blind Incorporated. They talk about what structured discovery is, the different types of canes that are available for the blind to use, as well as some cane techniques. Links: National Blindness Professional Certification Board: https://www.nbpcb.org/nomc/ History of orientation and mobility article: https://www.afb.org/FOM3V1/book.asp?ch=int

Join us for our regular jaunt into the finest electronic music, both old and new.

Join us for our regular jaunt into the finest electronic music, both old and new.

Join us for our regular jaunt into the finest electronic music, both old and new.

Join us for our regular jaunt into the finest electronic music, both old and new.

Join us for our regular jaunt into the finest electronic music, both old and new.

Join us for our regular jaunt into the finest electronic music, both old and new.

Along with his bandmates, during the 80s Spandau Ballet rose to became a household name, launching Gary Kemp’s career as a successful musician and well respected songwriter. Away from his life in the music industry, Gary has developed a passion for spending time on two wheels while keeping up with regular training sessions at Fitzrovia’s PerformancePro. In our sixth episode, Gary tells us of his passion for cycling and the balance of living in our Capital in a panel discussion with Detox Kitchen’s Rob Hobson and PerformancePro founder Anthony Purcell.

Follow HoR via https://hearthis.at/houseofrequiem/ Rob Hobson's mix for our monthly House of Requiem show, in full. ENJOY 1 Cleric & Setaoc Mass - Altered States. 2 Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Suzanne Ciani - Closed Circuit. 3 Skee Mask - Flyby VFR. 4 Henik Jonsson & Joel Alter - Djup House (Dorisburg Mix) 5 Phil Moffa - Decimation (Volte-Face Mix) 6 Jasper Wolff & Maarten Mittendorf - Stella Cut. 7 Dadub - Truth. 8 Hardfloor - The Life We Choose (E.R.P Mix) 9 Luka Lozano - Essential Elements. 10 Narcotik - Twelve Miles. 11 Boston 168 - 90s Space. 12 Locussolus - Little Boots. 13 Jules Venturini - Keep Me Close. 14 Nihad Tule - See The Air.

Follow HoR via https://hearthis.at/houseofrequiem/ Rob Hobson's mix for our monthly House of Requiem show, in full. ENJOY 1 Cleric & Setaoc Mass - Altered States. 2 Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Suzanne Ciani - Closed Circuit. 3 Skee Mask - Flyby VFR. 4 Henik Jonsson & Joel Alter - Djup House (Dorisburg Mix) 5 Phil Moffa - Decimation (Volte-Face Mix) 6 Jasper Wolff & Maarten Mittendorf - Stella Cut. 7 Dadub - Truth. 8 Hardfloor - The Life We Choose (E.R.P Mix) 9 Luka Lozano - Essential Elements. 10 Narcotik - Twelve Miles. 11 Boston 168 - 90s Space. 12 Locussolus - Little Boots. 13 Jules Venturini - Keep Me Close. 14 Nihad Tule - See The Air.

Follow HoR via https://hearthis.at/houseofrequiem/ Rob Hobson's mix for our monthly House of Requiem show, in full. ENJOY 1 Cleric & Setaoc Mass - Altered States. 2 Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Suzanne Ciani - Closed Circuit. 3 Skee Mask - Flyby VFR. 4 Henik Jonsson & Joel Alter - Djup House (Dorisburg Mix) 5 Phil Moffa - Decimation (Volte-Face Mix) 6 Jasper Wolff & Maarten Mittendorf - Stella Cut. 7 Dadub - Truth. 8 Hardfloor - The Life We Choose (E.R.P Mix) 9 Luka Lozano - Essential Elements. 10 Narcotik - Twelve Miles. 11 Boston 168 - 90s Space. 12 Locussolus - Little Boots. 13 Jules Venturini - Keep Me Close. 14 Nihad Tule - See The Air.

This week we welcome back Rob Hobson to the weekly HoR show. It's been some time since Rob has had the opportunity to get on to the decks, so we were really excited to present this stellar mix for you all. We've loved listening to this, and we know you will too. Enjoy! Tracklist: 1.The Orb - The Dream - (The Future Academy of Noise. Rhythm and Gardening mix) 2.Plusculaar - S-au Copt Oole 3.Sven Weismann - Dopamine Antagonist 4.Boyd Goosman - Sad Poem - (Kamikaze Space Programme Dub) 5.D&S - Child's Play 6.Computer Graphics - Another Day 7. Gabriella Vergilov - Her Beginning 8. Manna From Sky - Slow Riser 9. Plan B - Domino ( Nasty Bobby's Sheffield vs Detroit mix) 10. Boston 168 - Even the Day 11. L.S.G. - Netherworld (Vinyl Cut) 12. Jun Kimata - Train music 13. Out Hud - Put it Away Dad 14. Skee Mask - Panorama 15. Varg & Morning Star - Music for Breakups 16. Charlie Chaplin - Speach - Great Dictator

This week we welcome back Rob Hobson to the weekly HoR show. It's been some time since Rob has had the opportunity to get on to the decks, so we were really excited to present this stellar mix for you all. We've loved listening to this, and we know you will too. Enjoy! Tracklist: 1.The Orb - The Dream - (The Future Academy of Noise. Rhythm and Gardening mix) 2.Plusculaar - S-au Copt Oole 3.Sven Weismann - Dopamine Antagonist 4.Boyd Goosman - Sad Poem - (Kamikaze Space Programme Dub) 5.D&S - Child's Play 6.Computer Graphics - Another Day 7. Gabriella Vergilov - Her Beginning 8. Manna From Sky - Slow Riser 9. Plan B - Domino ( Nasty Bobby's Sheffield vs Detroit mix) 10. Boston 168 - Even the Day 11. L.S.G. - Netherworld (Vinyl Cut) 12. Jun Kimata - Train music 13. Out Hud - Put it Away Dad 14. Skee Mask - Panorama 15. Varg & Morning Star - Music for Breakups 16. Charlie Chaplin - Speach - Great Dictator

This week we welcome back Rob Hobson to the weekly HoR show. It's been some time since Rob has had the opportunity to get on to the decks, so we were really excited to present this stellar mix for you all. We've loved listening to this, and we know you will too. Enjoy! Tracklist: 1.The Orb - The Dream - (The Future Academy of Noise. Rhythm and Gardening mix) 2.Plusculaar - S-au Copt Oole 3.Sven Weismann - Dopamine Antagonist 4.Boyd Goosman - Sad Poem - (Kamikaze Space Programme Dub) 5.D&S - Child's Play 6.Computer Graphics - Another Day 7. Gabriella Vergilov - Her Beginning 8. Manna From Sky - Slow Riser 9. Plan B - Domino ( Nasty Bobby's Sheffield vs Detroit mix) 10. Boston 168 - Even the Day 11. L.S.G. - Netherworld (Vinyl Cut) 12. Jun Kimata - Train music 13. Out Hud - Put it Away Dad 14. Skee Mask - Panorama 15. Varg & Morning Star - Music for Breakups 16. Charlie Chaplin - Speach - Great Dictator

Job Insights Extra: Adjustment to Blindness - Meet Rob Hobson: College Prep and Success All in One. Transcript Provided Job Insights Extra brings you Rob Hobson, Cordinator for Professional Development and College prep at Blindness Learning In New Dimensions, Inc. Best known as Blind, Inc. located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rob tells his story how he overcame the challenges that nearly defeated him when entering his Masters program. He made a decision to improve his Blindness skills and this led him on the journey he continues today. From nearly bailing out to exceeding his own expectations by finishing his Masters degree ahead of time and landing a job in the career he wanted. Rob talks about his job details when he started as an Orientation and Mobility instructor to his duties today as Cordinator of Professional Development and the College Prep program. Join Rob Hobson and Jeff Thompson on this brief look into Rob’s Adjustment to Blindness and how he is helping others adjust to their Blindness today. You can find out more about Blind,Inc and Adjustment to Blindness on the web at www.BlindInc.org You can also contact Rob and Blind, Inc. via email You can find out more about State Services for the Blind on the web at www.MN.Gov/Deed/SSB And to find Services in your state check out the American Foundation for the Blind web site and enter your State’s name in the, “Find Local Services” section. Thank you for listening! You can follow Job Insights on Twitter @JobInsightsVIP Send the Job Insights Team and email and give us some feedback and suggest some topics you would like to see us cover. Job Insights is part of the Blind Abilities Network. You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store. Get the Free blind Abilities App on the Google Play Store.   Job Insights Extra: Adjustment to Blindness - Meet Rob Hobson: College Prep and Success All in One. Transcript Provided [Music] Rob: When I started that semester, I soon realized that the skills I used in college from my undergrad weren't gonna work in grad school. Jeff: That's the voice of Rob Hobson, Coordinator of Professional Development and College Prep at Blindness Learning in New Dimensions. Rob: Set up an interview and came up here in early December of 2008 and I was offered a position and I accepted. Jeff: Rob talks about the challenges that he faced when transitioning from college to his master's degree program, and how adjustment to blindness training gave him the skills and confidence to succeed. Rob: We use structure discovery which utilizes the environment as a teaching tool and if you only just know one specific route, that can be really debilitating because that's all you know. Jeff: And you can find the Job Insights podcast on blindabilities.com, part of the Blind Abilities Network with host Serina Gilbert and myself Jeff Thompson, and you can contact us by email at JobInsights@blindabilities.com, and join us on the job insight support group on Facebook, on Twitter at Job Insights VIP. Rob: Get that adjustment to blindness training because it is vital for you to be able to compete out there with your sighted peers. Keep an open mind because there is a lot of life after blindness. [Music] Jeff: I went down to South Minneapolis to the historic Pillsbury mansion, the home of Blind Incorporated and that's where we met up with Rob Hobson, we hope you enjoy! [Music] Welcome to Blind Abilities I'm Jeff Thompson and today we're down at Blind Incorporated in Minneapolis we're talking to Rob Hobson and he's the Coordinator for Professional Development and College Prep. How are you doing Rob? Rob: I'm doing well on yourself Jeff? Jeff: Doing good thanks, Rob thanks for taking the time to coming on the Blind Abilities and sharing a little bit about your journey through blindness and your job that you have. Rob: Oh thank you I'm happy to be here. Jeff: Well Rob, can you tell a little bit about what your job is like here? Rob: Well working here at Blind Incorporated, it's a lot of fun, we have a great team and we work together as a team to provide adjustment to blindness training to college-age students, to adults, to seniors, and we have transition programming, and we even have a buddy program which covers 9 to 13 year olds. Jeff: You cover the whole gauntlet? Rob: Yeah we do, it's, it's great, it's, it's a lot of fun. [Bass guitar sound effect] Jeff: Now you did not start out as a Program Coordinator? Rob: Well when I started at Blind Incorporated, I started in 2009, but I should go further back, actually, it's actually a little journey. In 2006 I started grad school at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale to get a master's degree in public administration, on paper that sounds great, when I started that semester I soon realized that the skills I used in college from my undergrad weren't gonna work in grad school. The bar was a lot higher, note takers were hard to get, because I utilized their services through disability services through the campus and I realized that my skills weren't up to par because I just couldn't keep up. Every time I thought I did great, I was still further behind. What really hit it for me was when I took this budgeting class and I thought I got all the points possible, and in that class it was zero to five, five was like the max of points you can get, so I thought hey, I might have gotten a four or five, and I got my grade and it was a 1.5, and the words that really changed my view was, well I felt bad, so I just gave you a 1.5. And that really hurt, it really set, threw me back a loop, you know, it's like wow, I've never had that happen to me before. I called some friends who are in the NFB and I talked to them about, you know, maybe it's time for me to get some adjustment to blindness training. I knew it would be a process because getting Illinois, because that's where I lived at the time, to pay for it was a process. I've heard horror stories that sometimes it could take two years but I was pretty confident that it wouldn't take that long. So in August of 2006 I met with a counselor, I convinced her to start the process and I had an O&M evaluation. I wrote a letter stating why I needed this training and what it was going to do for me, so I had an O&M evaluation, through the letter I was able to convince them to provide me the opportunity to go to the Louisiana Center for the blind in Ruston Louisiana. I started my program at the end of March of 2007, and that's when I started my journey in blindness training. Now to be fair, my goal was to get through the program, go back to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, and complete my Master's in Public Administration Degree. Well while I was in the program, it was suggested to me that I should consider the Louisiana Tech O&M program and I considered it for about 1/2 a second and I thought no that's not me. As they say it, it put the seed there and throughout the summer of 2007 I realized that hey, you know I might actually like this. I started the process in the fall to go into Louisiana Tech, in the end of November I started my first classes as a Louisiana Tech student in grad school. Jeff: Now Rob, could it be that winter was coming and.... Rob: I'm not gonna lie, that was true, I thought that was a good benefit but really I was excited to start this program because I knew that, you know at the end of this program I would be able to get a job, and believe it or not, throughout that year it took me a year, end of November of 2007, and by November 19th of 2008 I walked away with a college degree, a graduate degree, from Louisiana Tech. It was a rough year, they say that a master's degree generally is a year and a half to two years, I did it in a year, it was probably the hardest year of my whole life at that time. Jeff: Congratulations! Rob: Thank you. I soon talked to Sean Mayo who was the Executive Director of Blind Incorporated, set up an interview and came up here in early December of 2008 and I was offered the position and I accepted. In January of 2009 I started as a Blind Incorporated employee, and to be fair, I only planned to be here year after about a month of working here because it was so cold, but I soon liked it, teaching cane travel was a lot of fun, it took me a while to get into my zone, you know because when you come to a new city you have to learn how to navigate the streets and learn the grid, the outline, you know all of the names of the roads, and I knew I had the skills to teach, it was a matter of learning the environment so I could teach and understand how to relate that information to my students. Jeff: So did you do a lot of exploring in your off time and just try and navigate the city and learn it? Rob: I did, I spent a lot of time learning south Minneapolis, I spent some time with Zach Ellingson who was the full-time cane travel instructor at the time, and we talked a lot, he really helped me gain the information necessary to teach. I spent some time observing him just to see how he taught because you know, when you're still a new teacher, you still like to get other teaching styles and I knew Zach was really successful at what he was doing and it was a good resource to work with. I spent a lot of time on weekends going out to other places in the city but at the time I really focused on south Minneapolis because I knew majority of my instruction was gonna be during that time. I later throughout the years, I gained knowledge in Northeast Minneapolis, Southeast Minneapolis, St. Paul, I know some of St. Paul, I don't know a lot of it but I know enough to to be able to teach it. Jeff: Now learning the areas that you did, it's pretty much transferable skills the way you teach here right? Rob: It is, the skills are transferable but you know it's like anything else, when you want to teach someone you have to still know what you're teaching, does that make sense? Because we also teach how to navigate the area via some of the names, so I needed to know those names so I can you know pass that information along, learn bus routes, I learned a lot of the bus routes, but yes, the skills I learned in Ruston Louisiana were transferable once I figured out the grid system and for an example, Hennepin Avenue is your divider between north and south Minneapolis, and the river, the Mississippi River divides southeast Minneapolis and northeast Minneapolis from north and south Minneapolis, and anything more than that you get a little complicated because it depends on where you are further south in the city, you actually have the river divider between St. Paul and Minneapolis. [Bass Guitar Sound Effect] Jeff: There's always been a debate about people sometimes teaching route travel compared to teaching skills that will allow you to explore other areas and use the same set of skills. Rob: That is true, in our format we use structure discovery which utilizes the environment as a teaching tool. We do start off with students in the beginning giving them simple route assignments so that they learn to gain that confidence and gain those problem-solving skills so that they're able to change those routes, make a diversion if need be, I mean because, well if you've walked in Minneapolis in the summer, you know that, maybe every, about every few blocks there's construction, or they tear up a sidewalk to put in a new one, or whatnot, you have to be able to problem solve in that and if you only just know one specific route, that can be really debilitating because that's all you know, and how are you gonna be able to get through that situation. Jeff: Yep I graduated from Blind Incorporated and I remember the whole thing, the only thing Zack always got upset was, I grew up here so, when he was trying to fool me or something, I'd hear a church bell. Rob: Oh, and that gave it away didn't it? Jeff: I could identify the church, so he would be more creative next time you know, just knowing that I had a few cues that other people didn't have so it was always interesting. Now in your new position, what do you do for Blind Incorporated? Rob: Currently I set up all of our activities, I coordinate from beginning to end. For an example last year we went camping for the first time in I don't know how many years, at least since I've been here we've never gone camping up to that point, and we actually went camping, we stayed in tents and that was a long process to put that together because there's a lot of details involved. It's not like we all just got in a van and drove up to Duluth area and pick the camping site and just went camping. There's a lot of details involved when you take 30 people, 30 of your closest friends and students up to, up to go camping. So there's logistics because you have to work on you know the amount of food, how many tents, how many people per tents, just a lot of logistics. I coordinate all of the logistics to make sure everything falls in line, all of our activities from camping to just going rock climbing at vertical endeavors. Starting last year we started putting together professional development for the staff and students, some of the highlights, we had Kevin O'Connor come in, who is a renowned professional speaker who came in and talked to our staff and students on basically just professional development, working with each other, and what does it mean to be professional, and covered all of those components. We also had somebody come in and do a multicultural training, we had somebody come in and talk about cognitive disabilities, we've done some first aid CPR, so we've done a lot of different programming, but we've done it before but not to this caliber, so we really have a professional development piece about every three months or so for the staff and we started incorporating the students in that as well because it's important I think for our students to be able to have that information, they can put it on their resume, and I think it makes them even more employable. [Music] Jeff: You also had a program called Blind and Socially Savvy, can you tell us a little bit about what that is? Rob: So Blind and Socially Savvy really covers the soft skills, starting in conversation with somebody, proper way to introduce somebody, etiquette, so they have an etiquette meal where they actually sit down, a full meal and they learn how to conduct themselves in a professional environment because I'm sure you know Jeff that there are always interviews, sometimes those interviews are sitting down with a meal with your future employer, so it's a great opportunity to be able to conduct yourself professionally, it makes it even more likely for you to get that job. Also it's good to be professional and to have that proper etiquette because you're going to be amongst peers, whether they're your fellow co-workers, or friends, family, maybe you volunteer in an organization, it's great to have that etiquette because it puts you even higher up on the bar of success. Jeff: I attended something very similar to that and I remember they said, your bread is not a mop and turn your phone off, and pay all your attention to the person, it's not about the food mostly, it's about the interview so to say, or the person that you're attending with. Rob: That is correct. Jeff: And then they went through, start from the, just like on the Titanic, start with the outside silver and wake work your way in, so there's a lot of information there that people are kind of expected to know, but if you haven't had the opportunity to learn it, Blind and Socially Savvy that you guys provide here, is awesome! Rob: Yeah and we didn't do it ourselves, we did it along with State Services for the Blind, we worked well with them and Sheila Koenig who's the coordinator for transition for SSB, she worked really well with Dan Wenzel the executive director here, and Michelle Get, who coordinates our transition programs. Jeff: And you do have a lot of programs here and opportunities that you mentioned early and it's really neat to see all the stuff that's happening from the summer to prep to like I said you cover the whole gauntlet here. Rob: Yep we also are starting a new program, it's our College Programming or I like to call it College Prep and what it is is students come in maybe they don't want to do a full six to nine month program but they want to come in and get some of those non-visual adjustment to blindness skills. So they'll come in for a summer, get that training, and if they're new to going to college we actually have a college class component that would start in the fall where they could take a class and still continue to get some adjustment to blindness skills, we would work with them on navigating a campus, and specifically that campus, and we would also work with them on study skills, note-taking skills, all of the the skills necessary to be successful in college. I know when I first started college I was absolutely terrified and I think even now with, with the technology being the way it is, back then you know if you had a computer you were lucky, but nowadays there's phones, there's Braille displays, there's lots of different technology out there that we would be able to work with students on so that they are fully competent and capable to be successful in college so that they can be employable in the future. Jeff: And being able to use that equipment on day one! Rob: Exactly, I mean that's, I think that's a really good point Jeff, you don't want to start, get your technology September first when you start at the class in late August and then have to learn how to use it while taking classes at the same time. We like to work with students early so that they have those skills when they start the college class, that they are able to know how to use their technology, take the best notes possible so that they can be self-sufficient. [Music] Jeff: Rob Hobson thank you very much for what Blind Incorporated does here in Minneapolis and across the nation because other students come from other states and you guys give them an opportunity to succeed, give them skills and the confidence to do so. What advice would you give to someone who has recently become blind visually impaired or has trouble reading the printed word, and what advice would you give them as they start that journey? Rob: I would say keep an open mind, blindness is probably the one of the most terrifying disabilities out there, and really it's because of the unknown, it's a sighted world out there, people perceive through what they see, but keep an open mind because there is a lot of life after blindness. I lost my vision I, I wasn't fully sighted but when I did have some vision I lost it pretty quickly due to a retinal detachment and, and that's a long journey itself, but I know what it's like, it's tough, but what I can tell you is working with State Services for the Blind, figure out your options, whether it's Blind Incorporated, VLR, or Duluth Lighthouse, get that adjustment to blindness training because it is vital for you to be able to compete out there with your sighted peers and really that adjustment to blindness training is what's going to put you on that same platform for success. Learn those skills, know how to cook, clean, learn to read Braille, technology, cane travel, because you got to be able to get there on your own. You can always use Uber and Lyft but I can tell you that stuff's expensive, I know I look at my bank account every month, not that I use it every day but I use it just for quick things, it's expensive, so you're not going to be able to do that all the time, so you've got to pick up those, you know learn those non-visual skills that you can travel independently. Remember that blindness is not a tragedy. I like to say blindness is what you make of it, you can look at it as a tragedy, or you can look at it as, you know what, this is a new challenge, and I'm here to overcome it. Jeff: So Rob, if someone want to get a hold of you or Blind Incorporated, do you have any contact information? Rob: Sure do, you can call our main number 612-872-0100, and ask for Jennifer Wenzels, she handles our intake. You can also ask for me, I'm happy to talk to you if you have any questions, my extension is 220, and Jennifer's extension is 251. We also if you like email, you can send an email to info@blindinc.org. Jeff: info@blindinc.org, well Rob thank you once again for taking the time, sharing your story, sharing your experience with the listeners and, really appreciate it. Rob: Oh you're welcome Jeff, it was a pleasure. [Music] Jeff: Yes it was a real pleasure talking to Rob Hobson, and if you want a contact Blind Incorporated, send them an email at info@blindinc.org, on the web at blindinc.org, and to find out more about State Services for the Blind check us out on the web at www.mn.gov/deed/ssb, and to find services in your state check out American Foundation for the Blind's website at AFB.org. And Thank You Chee Chau for the beautiful music and you can follow Chee Chau on Twitter at lcheechau. Once again, thank you for listening, we hope you enjoyed, and until next time bye-bye [Music] [Multiple voices] When we share what we see through each other's eyes, We can then begin to bridge the Gap between the limited expectations and the realities of Blind Abilities. Jeff: For more podcast with the blindness perspective, check us out on the web at www.blindabilities.com, on twitter at BlindAbilities, download our app from the app store, Blind Abilities, that's two words, or send us an email at info@blindabilities.com, thanks for listening.  

Job Insights #3: Mastering the Elephant in the Room - Disclosing a Disability in the Job Interview Process. Transcription Provided   Full Transcription Below Welcome to Episode 3 of  Job Insights with Serina Gilbert and Jef Thompson. We focus on Employment, Careers, enhancing opportunities and bringing you  the latest innovations from across the Vocational  Rehabilitation field to ensure your choices lead you down the career pathway that you want and succeed in gainful employment. From getting started with services, to assessments, Individual Plan for Employment (IPE) to gaining the skills to succeed and tools for success, Job Insights will be giving you tips and tricks to help your journey to employment and break down the barriers along the way. In this episode we take on the White Elephant in the Room, that is, the job interview room. With guest voices answering the question, “Do you disclose your disability during the job interview process, and if so, when do you disclose?” Hosts Serina Gilbert and Jeff Thompson take a good look at this Million Dollar question from all points of view and leave you with information that will better prepare you for your job interview process. There may not be one set way and being prepared for the job interview gives you an advantage that may help you land the career you want. Check out episode 3 of Job Insights and send us your feedback and topic suggestions by email. mailto:jobinsights@blindabilities.com   Follow the Job Insights team on twitter @JobInsightsVIP http://www.twitter.com/jobinsightsvip   Job Insights is part of the Blind Abilities network.   Thank you for listening. You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store. Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the Google Play Store.   Full Transcription   [Music] Female voice: And most of the people that worked there did not know that I had any sort of vision impairment or anything like that, and at that time I was not comfortable walking around with my cane. Jeff: Job Insights, a podcast to help you carve out your career pathway and enhance the opportunities for gainful employment. Female voice: Because an interview is not just the employer figuring out if they want to hire you, it's you figuring out if you want to work for the employer as well. Jeff: To help you navigate the employment world and give you Job Insights and enhance the opportunities to choose the career you want. Selling yourself, you want to be the best box of cereal on the shelf because when people come down they're looking at all the colors all the things, what makes them pick a certain box? Is it the toy inside, is it the fancy colors? So you had to start selling yourself and be the one they pick. Female voice: If you have more of a obvious disability, you want to make sure that you kind of address that in a way that makes it so that they're not thinking about that, they're thinking about your skills, that's what their inner monologue isn't about you, it's about what they think that you can't do in their bias. Jeff: And you can find the Job Insights podcast on Blindabilities.com, part of the Blind Abilities network, with host Serina Gilbert and myself, Jeff Thompson. And you can contact us by email at Job Insights@BlindAbilities.com, leave us some feedback or suggest some topics that we cover. On Twitter at Job Insights VIP and check out the Job Insight support group on Facebook where you can learn, share, advise, and interact with the Job Insights community. [Music] Female voice: I didn't catch them off guard by showing up with a cane, and I found that that approach worked really well for me. [Music] Jeff: Learn about resources for training, education, and employment opportunities. Female voice: I think sighted people just like since video calls exist, they, that's what they use, so it's definitely becoming, it's going to be a type of interview than most people will have I think. Jeff: And now please welcome Serina Gilbert and Jeff Thompson with Job Insights. Hey Serina! Serina: Hey Jeff! Jeff: To disclose or not to disclose, that is the question I ask of thee. Serina: Have you been reading Shakespeare? Jeff: No, but I have been reading the Job Insights support group page. There's been a topic going on there about disclosure. Serina: Yeah it seems like a lot of people have some different opinions on, do I talk about my disability in the job interview, do I not? [Sound Effect] Female voice: I have a very disability in that I use a cane, and I can't make eye contact and so I find that usually, and this is the same thing that I did after the phone interview but before the in-person interview, I disclosed. [Sound Effect] Female voice: Do I talk about it when I'm doing my cover letter or my resume or not? [Sound Effect] Male voice: If you're applying for a position and it involves using some kind of accommodation, then it's probably wise to disclose it. [Sound Effect] Serina: And I really wanted to see if we could talk about that a little bit today get some different opinions. [Sound Effect] Female voice: If I need to than I do, if I don't need to I don't. [Sound Effect] Serina: Just get it all out there, I know this will be a pretty divisive topic, everyone has some pretty strong opinions on disability disclosure. We're here to offer you some tips on what might help you in the job interview process, when might be a good time to disclose and work to your advantage in a job interview, and maybe when might not be a great time to bring that up in a job interview. Jeff: And when to know the difference, that's um, I think the most important thing. Serina: Exactly. Jeff: Some of the topics that came up really shocked me like, I do my own accommodations a gentleman said, and that just made me cock my head and I had to think about that for a little bit, and yeah I get that, or someone says how dare you can you show up and shock them by showing up with a cane, you didn't tell them, and I'm thinking, like in some situations the resume does not have a spot for that, they may be able to dissect it out of the some of the positions you've held, or some of the companies who worked for, but I think mostly it's one of those situations that you're prepared for either way. Serina: Well and it's interesting that you brought up the I provide my own accommodations piece of the equation. I respect anyone who wants to step up and say here's what I need, I already have it, that's great, but in a lot of systems you can't install your own programs onto computers without having some significant permission. For example I work for a government agency, there's no way they're gonna give me an administrative password and all kinds of leeway to install any programs that I want because who knows what they could do to their network. Of course I know that JAWS is safe and I know that they know that JAWS is safe, but they still have to have some sort of system for managing the programs that are on their server and other network because what if you install a pirated piece of software then what, not saying that you would, most employers unless it's a real small company, it is their legal responsibility to provide you with that reasonable accommodation so why not take them up on it as opposed to using your hard-earned money to purchase those licenses and keep that up on somebody else's computer. Jeff: So having JAWS, having accommodations, and talking to them about accommodations that to, to read the screen, you can even have a person come in to do evaluation of what kind of software they're using, what kind of databases they're using, the see if you can gain access, and further down the line some scripts could even be made to help these specialized programs that they utilize just so you can overcome that hurdle, and it might be just a button that you have to get past. Serina: Exactly. Jeff: So there's some great services that are out there when you're trying to get a job, especially when you're into the job field, it seems like State Services has a whole arsenal of people that are help at that point, or if you're trying to retain a job too. Serina: That's a really good point, yes if you maybe already have a job, gosh I didn't even think about that Jeff, if you, if you already are working, I've seen that and quite a few of the support groups on Facebook, I'm working, I'm losing my vision, I don't think I can work anymore, and just remember that if you are having vision difficulties at work, you are still able to go apply for services at vocational rehabilitation and see what kinds of things they might be able to put place so that you can keep your job. I'd hate to see somebody that has 20 or 25 years in a career and you're just that close to retirement and feeling like you have to give up because your vision is changing with all the technology that's out there now, not saying it's gonna be easy, there's gonna be some learning curves for sure, but the sooner you start getting those services, the sooner you can get back to working in the job like you used to. Jeff: Yeah and that job retention it's a lot, I'm not gonna say it's a lot easier, but what it does is, you're gonna go into some specifics you know, you're just gonna do this to bridge this, to bridge that, to shore up what you're not able to do because it's obvious right away, rather than if you leave the job you go back home then you get to start from scratch like, I want to learn how to cook, I wanna, you know so it's interesting at different points when people are losing their vision, but when we're talking about disclosure, is that's a unique point too. I suppose because I've been blind for so long that to me I can live within my skin, and I think the difference is people who are trying to, especially high partials, or partials, they're either around blind people, there the sighted person around sighted people or they're the blind guy, or the blind person. Serina: Mm-hmm. Jeff: But at a job interview, there's a quandary there, do they use their cane or not use their cane and bump into things or do they bring their cane? Serina: You just brought up a really interesting point because I just thought back to when I was 19 and I started getting cane training from vocational rehabilitation, and at that time I was a cashier at a retail store, and most of the people that worked there did not know that I had any sort of vision impairment or anything like that, and at that time, I was not comfortable walking around with my cane. I'd rather bump into somebody then be seen as the blind girl. So at the age of 19 I would have absolutely said, no way I am not disclosing my disability, I can do it just as well as anyone else. I will just work twice as hard, and struggle at times, but now gosh, 20 years later ish, I think totally differently I, I could never personally see an instance where I would not want to disclose that because I don't want it to be the elephant in the room, when I'm being interviewed. Jeff: Mm-hmm. [Sound Effect] Rob Hobson: It's really up to the individual, some people like to not say a thing, show up to the interview, surprise I'm blind, you know, granted they don't say that. I think to the interviewer that, that's a surprise, but if you want to go that route, that's totally fine it's entirely up to you. But I want you to think about something when you go in for that interview, blindness is that, the white elephant in the room, if you don't address it, you're left to whatever conceptions they have a blindness, positive or negative, but if you address it as in a positive way, you bring up the fact that you are blind, and that you utilize accessible technology via you know whether it's JAWS or NVDA, or a system access, whatever it is you use, explain to that employer why you're the best candidate for the job. The long answer is, it's up to the individual, but if you don't address the fact that you're blind, I think it puts you at a disadvantage. Jeff: And that was Rob Hobson, he's the director of programs at Blind Incorporated in Minnesota. [Sound Effect] Jeff: And that's what it is, it's that the elephant in the room, and if you don't squash that, they're gonna paint their own picture as big as a an elephant any way they want to. Serina: Well and the reality is is that every employer knows that they can't come out and say, what's your disability, they can ask, do you require any reasonable accommodations to perform the essential duties of this job, which is a roundabout way of still figuring it out obviously. But if you're coming to an interview and you're using a service animal, or you have a cane, it's right out there and then they're just wondering, well how on earth is she going to be able to do this, or how is he going to be able to spellcheck documents for me, or access the computer? Because the technology that we use is not mainstream, most people don't even understand what a screen reader is unless they know somebody who has a visual impairment. Jeff: Mm-hmm, yeah and that's the point where you have the opportunity to educate them and sell yourself with the skills that you do have. Serina: Exactly, one of the other panelists did bring up a really good point. If it's a phone interview, that's totally different, they don't see you, they have no clue what you look like, what your abilities and capabilities are, and then what you're selling to them. I don't think I would mention it in that interview type of setting, what about you Jeff? Jeff: No I really don't think so, I think the phone call is a situation where they're just starting to get a good feel of how you, you know your social skills, they want to find out if you're a good fit for the team, for the company. Serina: Correct, because we talked about this a little bit on our very first podcast, if you got the interview then they have already determined that you're qualified for the position, they're just trying to see if you're a good fit for the office but, whether that be the culture, or some more specific questions that they weren't able to flush out in the application process, by not discussing your disability when you have a visible disability, you're almost causing the employers to only focus on the fact that you just walked in with a service dog, or with your cane, and is human as people want to be, and is empathetic and understanding as they claim to be, that's still going to be in the forefront of their mind especially if they're not familiar with your disability. Jeff: That's where Daysha the employment specialist brought up a very good point about where you're just talking about and she called it the internal monologue that the hiring person will be creating. [Sound Effect] Daysha: When you do talk to somebody, especially if it's an interview, you're gonna get that tell me about yourself, you could even get that when you just meet an employer at a job fair or an internship fair, tell me about yourself. You want to make sure especially if you have more of a obvious disability, you want to make sure that you kind of address that in a way that makes it so that they're not thinking about that, they're thinking about your skills. A lot of people make the mistake of never seeing anything and then an employer, the whole time that they're talking is thinking, well because they don't have any experience with vision loss, so they're thinking to themselves, I don't know that I could do that if I couldn't see right, I'm not sure that they're gonna be able to do that, that's what, their inner monologue isn't about you, it's about what they think that you can't do and their bias. Tell how you do things, go into it with confidence, know what your skills are ahead of time, know what you have to offer an employer, and just go into it that way. [Sound effect] Serina: Exactly they start putting those doubts in their mind. I don't know if they'll be able to do this, what about safety concerns? That's a really big one, is my workers compensation insurance going to go up because I have this individual in my office who's presumably, whether correct or incorrect, going to be causing more workplace incidents or accidents. Which we all know if you've gotten your orientation and mobility training in your personal adjustment training, your always more safe than the people who are sighted in the office, because you're not walking around on your cell phone or distracted. [Laughter] Jeff: We'll have to put in ramps and handrails, we'll have to label everything and yeah, but you can control that, and I think at that point, you know you're coming in with a cane and you know they don't know it yet, so that's your opportunity right there, that's your opportunity to call out the white elephant in the room in your favor. You can address it and you can tell them exactly like we said, selling yourself, you want to be the best box of cereal on the shelf, because when people come down, they're looking at all the colors, all the things, what makes them pick a certain box? Is it the toy inside, is it the fancy colors? So you have to start selling yourself and be the one they pick. Serina: It's interesting that you mentioned when you come to the interview, let's say with your cane or your service animal, I have seen situations where individuals do have a visual impairment that warrants the use of a cane and they opt to not bring that to the job interview, and I have seen that cause some problems, because when you don't have your cane or your service animal that could create some super awkward situations when you're trying to interview with the employer. As an example, the employer comes out to the lobby to get you, and maybe your vision is not adjusted or whatever the case may be to that particular office environment, and you're walking not so steady, or unsure about yourself, just think of the assumptions that they're putting in their mind now with the individual that's interviewing for the job, but not walking appropriately in their office, or not making eye contact, or not quite getting the handshake. Jeff: Mm-hmm, yeah and that's very important because myself, I have no central vision, and I can pick up some peripheral stuff, but in an interview you're probably trying to make the best eye contact you can, and I was just in an interview, this was a podcast interview and I told the person right off the get-go, don't think I'm looking over your shoulder or something behind you because that's how I sometimes pick things up by looking away from what I'm really looking at, so I actually made them feel more comfortable than them trying to talk during the interview wondering, what's behind me he keeps looking at, or something like that. Serina: Exactly, yeah. Jeff: In reality I, whatever I'm looking at I can't see anyways, so you can control the situation. They're going to start working this white elephant up in the room, they're gonna start, and not even hearing what you're talking about, all the stuff you're talking about, so you have to get control of the conversation a little bit and that's where you can start saying that, how you overcome doing job details that they want like word document that you use because you use JAWS, or how you can use other type of apparatuses or tools for success that get you to the point where you can compete against anybody that they hire. [Sound Effect] Miranda: I say no because I feel like with as much misunderstanding as there is in the world with with blindness, it's easy for a employer or potential employer to look at your resume and see that you're blind and see all these other resumes that he's got to go through that are just as educated, just as qualified as you are, and to simply just let that one go, like alright, I'm not gonna deal with that. I mean because you're you're talking about them having to deal with ADA and all this, all that other kind of stuff, walk in there confident and stuff, don't disclose before you go in, and just be like, hey this is what I can offer your company. If you made it in there, if they invited you in then that means you're qualified and you should have a shot at it just as everybody else. Jeff: You're listening to the voice of Miranda Brandenburg, she's a certified personal trainer and nutritional specialist. Miranda: The vast majority of people out there have never dealt with a blind person or encountered someone, especially one that is out there making waves, that's out there leading the charge, that's out there willing to work and get in there and travel and do this and do that and get out on the mat and fight and compete with sighted peers on every single level that they can. [Sound Effect] Serina: And it doesn't have to be the first thing you talk about you know, it can be something that, because I've never been an interview that didn't say at the end, do you have any other information like to offer me, or do you have any questions for me, I don't, what about you Jeff? I've never not been asked that? Jeff: Every time and have that question, because they want to know something, so I suggest before you going into an interview, go online, read their mission statement, see what company they are, see what they're all about, what, what's their key words, and that's something that you might want to integrate into your dialogue with them, and then when they come with that question, ask that question, like do you have any questions about my ability to do this job? Serina: And the way that I've approached it, I've only had to do it once, because one was I was applying for a County job at a local Workforce Center, and the second interview was using a white cane, was at the division of vocational rehabilitation. So it could not be more of a comfortable environment. I didn't even have to address it there, but the first one I did come in, I had my white cane, towards the end they said, do you have any more information you'd like to share with me? And I said well, you know, you obviously know I have a visual impairment, I just wanted to give you some information on the technology that I use in order to get things done, and I had gone as far as to print out some real short tip sheets on, at that time I was using a portable CCTV, and JAWS, so that they knew I had already thought about the types of things that I might need on the job and was already skilled in that, so that they didn't have to worry about, okay, obviously I'm gonna have to train her on our procedures, but is she also going to have to get training on her technology needs. Jeff: Mm-hmm, and that's a good point to come in there and let them know how you're gonna access the material that they have. Serina: Mm-hmm, now I have seen some questions in our support group about, do I disclose in the application process? A lot of applications are automated and they, some of them do ask if you have a disability. So I wanted to talk a little bit about that because, yes they might be asking if you have a disability, but if, unless they're breaking the law, that information is not to be passed on to the hiring manager or the individual that's reviewing your application. Typically when they're asking if you have a disability or require reasonable accommodation, that information is used for one of two things. The first would be that there is a program called Work Opportunity Tax Credit which allows employers to have taxes reimbursed to them to offset hiring expenses and things like that for hiring individuals in a variety of situations including those that have a disability, as well as those that are on public assistance, or they're using it because they know that they have some sort of testing that all the applicants have to do, and they really truly are trying to reasonably accommodate anybody that might need those accommodations. So I wouldn't hesitate to answer that personally because that could put you in an awkward situation down the road should you have to take, for example if you're applying at a call center, should you have to take one of their tests and all of a sudden you're asking for an accommodation when on the application you said that you don't need accommodations or don't have a disability. Jeff: And the same thing in Minnesota our Governor passed two years ago, he passed the proclamation that 7% of all employees in the state jobs, they'll hire people with disabilities to fill that 7% goal that they want to have, and so in some applications, some situations, there is a checkbox for that, and that way companies that do want to hire people can have that choice too. Serina: And that brings up another good point, the federal government also has a mandate that they have to hire a certain percentage of individuals with disabilities, and in fact, if anyone has been through that federal hiring process, it's a nightmare to say the least. If you do not check that you have a disability, then you're not going to be considered in any of the priority categories which means that your application might never even get looked at for open position. Jeff: Yeah it's a tough area and a lot of us, like I said on the last podcast, a lot of us aren't fully up on everything that there is to know about blindness when you probably, if you weren't born blind, or you just became blind, there's a lot to learn and there's lots of people that are offering suggestions and no one's really wrong, but I think the best fit is the best fit that you feel most comfortable with because if you're uncomfortable they'll know you're uncomfortable with it so, that's why in Minnesota here at the state agency, they do tutoring on job interviews, mock interviews, where you do get the situation that you know, mister mister boss might ask questions or make you feel awkward in a sense just so you can understand that every interview that you go to, you're gonna get a different person that has different preconceived ideas and it's gonna be in a different situation each time. So if you have an opportunity to try a mock interview, that'd be really great experience. Serina: Well and frankly I remember reading an article, I think it was last year, people are actually scared of blindness, they would rather have cancer than be diagnosed with being blind or visually impaired. So imagine that fear then being put into the situation of, oh my gosh how could I possibly hire somebody that has this visual impairment? If you don't address how you do things in the workplace. Jeff: Mm-hmm that's a great point, another great point is to remember they want to hire someone who can get the job done. Bottom line, get the job done. Susan Robinson, an entrepreneur out in New York and a TEDx speaker, and visually impaired by the way, she told me that she has never terminated a person because they were sighted. Serina: Hmm, that's an interesting way to put that. Jeff: Mm-hmm, she has a job that she needs to get done, she wants to hire the person that could come in and do that job, that's it. Serina: Wow, look at you getting all philosophical over there! [Laughter] [Sound Effect] Female voice: To me it was no different than anyone else doing the same thing with the exception of letting people know during an interview process what I might need from them. So again it was the same sort of self-advocacy to use your wonderful term as I did in college, so in an interview process, the first interviews is sort of getting to know each other, do I think I like working for this person? Because an interview is not just the employer figuring out if they want to hire you, it's you figuring out if you want to work for the employer as well. Once we got to maybe a level 2 or level 3 conversation in the interview process, at that point when it seemed to be a little bit more concrete that the position possibly could be mine, I would disclose and I would say, I just want to let you know I have a visual impairment, it may not be obvious to you, but what that means is I'm gonna bring everything that we've already talked about, my, all of the skills and characteristics that we've discussed, but I am going to need a large monitor for my computer so that I can see things you know enlarged a little bit, and generally people were very receptive to that because again I'm letting them know which is what every potential employer wants to know, can you do the job, are you willing to do the job, and are you going to be a good fit? [Sound Effect] Jeff: Serina, when we had our conversation with Cindy Bennett, a researcher out in Washington and a former intern at Microsoft, she mentioned something that we hadn't even considered, and that was, an interview via videoconference. [Sound Effect] Cindy: I think if I had a video interview I would probably disclose, but I would frame it something like, I'm actually blind so, I might be like, hey does the camera look okay, okay cool, like just like that, just really quick. I do practice if I do a video interview, I always like first of all clean my apartment and look nice. [Laughter] Second of all, I set up my computer on a table in front of my couch and call someone I know, like I video call someone I know and they tell me okay this is good. I found that just like a quick little thing at the beginning of the video interview, I'm like, oh by the way I'm blind, I just wanna make sure that you can see me okay in the camera. If it's an old-fashioned audio phone interview, then usually the person emails me and says we'd like to invite you for an in-person interview and I say thank you and confirm the dates and say, oh just for your information, I'm blind, here's what I need. Jeff: Were you excited when we asked for a podcast that you didn't have to clean your house? [Laughter] Cindy: Yeah [Laughter mixed with inaudible talking] I don't want to do a video call ........ I think they are important things to think about, like I honestly with a lot of my colleagues now that I'm comfortable with them, I'm just like, can we just do audio because then I can just set my phone down beside me and we can go on with our business, but I think sighted people just like, since video calls exist, they, that's what they use. So it's definitely becoming, it's going to be a type of interview that most people will have I think. Serina: I honestly didn't even think about how the video interview, how that would be impacted by the visual impairment, so I'm glad you brought that up because I haven't had an interview for a job since 2010 and it was definitely not when people were doing video interviews or anything like that, so that's definitely something to think about. [Sound Effect] Jeff: It's really great that so many people came on board and shared their experiences, the way they handle disclosing a disability during an interview and the people leaving comments on Job Insights support group page on Facebook. And to sum it up, here's Rachel Hastings, she just got done running the marathon, the Boston Marathon and she's a music therapist. [Sound Effect] Rachel: I've done it both ways, so I've done it one time I didn't tell them that I was blind until I got there and I think it kind of caught him off guard. I mean part of me is like deal with it, but the other part of me is like, well you know, there's no harm in telling them over the phone. After they invite you to an interview, and so because I kind of felt like I made it awkward, so the next time I was first offered a phone interview and I told them over the phone, I'm like, by the way I want to let you guys know that I'm legally blind, but I'm very independent and that, that was after they invited me for an in-person interview. So it's like there was no way they could turn me down but yet I didn't catch them off-guard by showing up with a cane in person, and I found that that approach worked really well for me. [Sound Effect] Jeff: So Serina, next week we're gonna be talking about some apps. Apps for the workplace, apps for productivity, apps for a school. Serina: Yep, I know that I have my favorites. Jeff: Hmm, you gonna save them, you're gonna make us wonder till next week aren't you? Serina: You guys will have to wonder till next week. Jeff: The cliffhanger strikes again. [Laughter] Serina: So I'd like to thank everyone for listening to our show today. As always if you have any questions or topics that you'd like us to follow, you can give us a message on Twitter, that's at Job Insights VIP, or on our Facebook page which is Job Insights, and we also have a brand new job insight support group on Facebook, just search Job Insights support group, see you next time. [Music] Jeff: Thank You Chee Chau for your beautiful music, that's lcheechau on Twitter. We really hope you enjoyed this podcast, thanks for listening, and until next time bye-bye! [Music] [Multiple Voices] When we share what we see through each other's eyes, we can then begin to bridge the gap between the limited expectations and reality of blind abilities. Jeff: For more podcasts with the blindness perspective check us out on the web at www.blindabilities.com, on Twitter at Blind Abilities, download our app from the app store, Blind Abilities, that is two words, or send us an email at info@blindabilities.com. Thanks for listening.

This weeks mix comes from Rob Hobson. Enjoy.

This weeks mix comes from Rob Hobson. Enjoy.

This weeks mix comes from Rob Hobson. Enjoy.