Disclosure Revisited

I get via email the IncludeNYC newsletters about disability advocacy topics. One article that I read a woman with a disability wrote about disclosure. Specifically about telling a hiring manager in a job interview that you have a disability.

The writer thought that a person should disclose to the HR or other person interviewing them. The woman’s contention was that nothing in society will change if we can’t be and aren’t upfront about our medical condition.

In Working Assets the target market readers were peers with mental illnesses. I gave careful measured consideration to disclosure on the job in the Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation chapter.

I still think it’s dicey to tell an interviewer that you have bipolar or schizophrenia. Stereotypes exist of individuals like us. It’s game over if you respond to the hiring manager’s questions using neologisms or talking in a word salad.

The third week in October is Invisible Disabilities Week. Some people living with schizophrenia appear off. Other you can’t detect we have a broken brain.

My story is an open secret with coworkers who are friends. It would likely be a different story if I were muttering to the voices in my head in the stacks of books at the library.

Disclosure is supposed to be a win-win for individuals with disabilities. Only the fact is apart from mental illnesses a significant number of bosses and coworkers question the work ethic and abilities of a person who has any kind of disability (per a different IncludeNYC article).

Read again in this blog my entry on the 2018 Accenture study. It proved with statistics that companies that employed people with disabilities saw their sales and net income skyrocket.

I don’t live in hiding. It’s your choice if you disclose and it’s your choice who you disclose to and when and how and what you say.

I’ll end here by quoting a woman interviewed in the book True Style is What’s Underneath:
The Self-Acceptance Revolution. In reviewing this guide I urge you to buy the book. Just the beautiful rainbow of individuals in the photos should prove the point that whoever you are and however you look and whatever your orientation to life there should be a job out there for you.

Per Cathy Cooper Artist and Maker of Stuff in Los Angeles:

“I feel the most beautiful when I can see the truth–the essence of what I am–in the art that I’ve made.”

Making art and expressing ourselves–even if we’re not Artists–is likely scary. Risking becoming vulnerable by being open and honest is not easy.

Our illnesses do not define us. They are not our identity. Yet they will always be a part of the package we give to others. It should be liberating to tell the truth. My belief–and it showed up decades ago with AIDS patient Advocates–is that secrecy breeds shame.

Breaking free of the internalized stigma about having a mental illness is when our recovery can take off. That’s when the diagnosis no longer has power over us.

There’s something to be said about being loud and proud about having a disability.

Only when it comes to disclosure of bipolar or schizophrenia on a job interview I say: Not so fast.

The choice is yours. I’d like to hear from followers your experience doing this.

Using ChatAI for Career Discovery

A friend and I met at a coffee shop.

He told me he used ChatAI to generate a list of possible jobs he could take on.

You can use the free version of ChatAI for up to 10 queries per month.

My friend typed in his pertinent skills and the AI returned four jobs.

One job on the sheet of paper he showed me said he could be a: coffee shop barrister.

“Friend,” I said. “A barrister gives legal advice. A Barista makes coffee. Are you going to meet law clients at Starbucks for appointments.”

He chuckled. I helped him figure out that he could get paid to help people as a Cooking Coach.

I was his first customer and paid him $40 to teach me how to cook shrimp pepper salt.

The recipe was quick and easy to make. Delicious too.

You can go on www.chatai.com to create a free account.

I recommend this service for simple career discovery as the intro to a deep dive into research into the ins and outs of jobs you might like to get.

Finding Gender-Neutral Work Clothes

I want to talk in here about what I’m going to detail in a second career book I plan to publish:

Where can we buy reasonably priced gender-neutral work clothes?

I read that in multiple states in America, it’s becoming illegal to dress in Drag. Two years ago, I watched 7 episodes of Queer Eye one right after the other. Jonathan Van Ness the hairdresser on the show was a man and wore a green dress.

Have we gotten “there” to where a guy can wear a dress to an office job? Or a full face of makeup to a staff meeting?

Should we not be there yet, how do we get to the point where non-conforming individuals can dress as they please at work? Ideally liberating them via fashion freedom to turn in stunning results for the company.

I’m not a fan of working in a cubicle in an office (after my failed attempts to do that in the 1990s). At the height of COVID in our WFH remote jobs workers coveted the ease to dress however we wanted below the Zoom screen.

It begs the question: What if a person with a non-binary or other gender expression wants to work in an office? In New York City there are Queer in Every Career networking events.

Scouring the Adidas website (where I eye the Gazelle sneakers) I’ve seen links to their gender-neutral sportswear. A quick search on the DuckDuckGo search engine instead of Google returned lists of forward-thinking vendors who sell gender-fluid clothing.

Let’s face it that no time soon is Kohl’s or Macy’s going to sell genderless clothes to the masses. Fashion magazines years ago were quick to feature articles on designers who create gender-neutral items. From then to now you’ll need the big bucks to snag this alternative attire at stores you simply can’t walk down the street to shop in.

Here’s a roundup of the gender-neutral online retailers I found on DuckDuckGo:

Kirrin Finch comes in sizes XS-3XL. This menswear-inspired line features suit pieces and separates plus well-fitting shirts. Chinos to the tune of $160 and an evening suit for $575.

The Phluid Project sells clothing of brands that focus on the non-binary. The Project features queer trans Black Latinx and women-owned vendors online and at their bricks-and-mortar store in New York.

Collusion is the line that retailer ASOS launched as a unisex collection of trendy affordable animal-free clothing.

Gender Free World has clothes with four body-shape templates in sizes 4 to 20.

Big Bud sells ethically sourced items in sizes from XXS-7XL.

Peau de Loup comes in sizes 2 to 20.

Gaslighting At Work

I recommend you sign up to read The Muse career website newsletter.

At the end of this blog entry I’ll link to The Muse article on Gaslighting At Work.

This is a real issue. Sorry to say that when it happens to you management won’t care. You’ll be left on your own to defend yourself.

Often being led to question your sanity. Only you’re not crazy.

In Working Assets: A Career Guide for Peers I devoted one chapter to Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation on the job when you have a disability.

The fact is abusers who gaslight often target individuals with emotional illnesses.

This is why I’m confident that what I wrote in the Reasonable Accommodation chapter of my career book was a realistic assessment of disclosure on the job. Listing the benefits and drawbacks in a nuanced considered way.

Gaslighting can take the form of a coworker not telling you that a staff meeting is being held. So you don’t show up when you’re supposed to.

Or they claim you didn’t give them a project when you know you did. Or telling you a deadline is farther away then it really is. So you miss the deadline.

In a coming blog entry I’m going to talk about the corollary tactic of harassment on the job.

Here’s the link to the Muse article on Gaslighting at Work:

Black Business Month Books

The books listed in this blog entry should be available at any public library that is not censoring and banning the books people can read and check out with library cards:

Black Faces in High Places: 10 Strategic Actions for Black Professionals to Reach the Top & Stay There by Randal Pinkett.

Black Founder: The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider by Stacy Spikes.

Build the Damn Thing: How to Start a Successful Business if You’re Not a Rich White Guy by Kathryn Finney. (I read this book at least 2 years ago and reviewed it here.)

It’s About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated into Your Greatest Advantage by Arlan Hamilton.

Twice as Hard: Navigating Black Stereotypes & Creating Space for Success by Opeyemi Sofoluke.

These books are geared to acing jobs the corporate world for those of us who aspire to the C-suite.

Though I’m not a fan of thinking a corporate office job is the only one you should get I understand and respect that for other people they want to excel in a traditional workplace.

The point is that these authors promote navigating the corporate life on your own terms with skills you can learn that they give you. Linked to how they got ahead from a job like film studio gopher to CEO and from food-stamp recipient to venture capitalist.

I say to you readers: Go for It if this is what you want.

Healing from PTSD to Succeed on the Job

About one or two years ago I posted here a blog entry on advancing trauma-informed career counseling. The link to that post is at the end of this entry.

The fact is if you’ve been the victim of racism you’ll be hypervigilant about that happening again. Going into the workplace BIPOC individuals don’t need this added stress.

In keeping with Black Business month I’m going to write about DEI topics here.

It’s not that I don’t think racism exists. It’s that I can’t believe this is still happening in 2023.

Along with reading other career books I think the above book The Pain We Carry should be required readings for victims of microaggressions which are hardly micro and for victims of any racial injustice.

Coming up in the future I will link to an article on gaslighting on the job featured at The Muse website.

Though I have a bias against working in a corporate office setting (based on firsthand experience) I understand that some of us want to work in traditional office jobs and succeed in those careers.

See here my blog entry on Advancing Trauma-informed Career Counseling.

From Passion to Profit

This just in a new article from Guest Blogger Jackie Cortez:

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From Passion to Profit: Navigating the Exciting and Challenging Journey of Building a Home-Based Business

Building a home-based business is an exciting journey that allows individuals to turn their passions into profit. However, navigating this journey can present several challenges that must be overcome to achieve success. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the key considerations and strategies involved in taking your passion and turning it into a profitable home-based business.

Stay on Top of Organization

Staying organized is paramount for building a successful home-based business. Without a proper system, handling finances, inventory, and other tasks can become overwhelming quickly. To avoid this, invest in reliable accounting software to manage finances and track expenses. Additionally, using tools can help you stay on top of tasks and deadlines.

Give Yourself a Dedicated Work Area

Designating a dedicated workspace is essential for maintaining focus and productivity while working from home. Although working from your couch or kitchen table may seem tempting, it can hinder your work progress. Instead, create a separate workspace that defines a clear boundary between personal and professional space. This could be achieved by converting a spare room, a living room corner, or even a closet into a mini-office.

Establish Boundaries From the Family as You Work

Establishing clear boundaries with children regarding workspace access is crucial for minimizing distractions and interruptions while working from home. Create a visual reminder, such as a “do not disturb” sign, to signify when you’re working. Additionally, setting up a play area or hiring a babysitter to occupy your children during work hours can also help maintain focus and productivity.

Get Ambitious With a Plan for Long-Term Success

Create your own B.H.A.G. (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) when building a home-based business to ensure long-term success. It’s crucial to set ambitious objectives and develop a plan of action to achieve them. Begin by defining what success looks like for you, whether it’s financial independence or the flexibility to work on your terms, then create a roadmap that outlines the necessary steps to reach your desired outcome.

Separate Your Personal and Business Assets

Combining personal and business finances is a typical blunder made by home-based entrepreneurs, leading to complexities in expense tracking, cash flow management, and tax filing. To prevent such issues, it’s vital to create a separate bank account and credit card for your business. This practice will allow you to effectively monitor your business expenses and simplify the tax filing procedure at year-end.

Promote Your Products or Services With Effective Content

Innovative marketing strategies are essential for home-based businesses’ success, mainly because they lack a physical storefront or office. One proven strategy is to create engaging and informative content that not only captures the attention of potential customers but also builds credibility and trust. By sharing valuable insights, tips, and industry news, you demonstrate your expertise and commitment to helping your audience succeed. But don’t let your content fall flat; consult online resources to help you craft compelling content that resonates with your audience.

Plan Your Finances

To achieve success with your home-based business, it is essential to have a solid financing plan in place, no matter what size it is. It’s vital to be proactive and investigate different finance options, including crowdfunding, loans, and grants, to determine which one best suits your business needs. Additionally, utilizing free tools or hiring freelancers for specific tasks can significantly reduce your expenses and provide you with the resources you need to grow and thrive.

Achieving success with a home-based business necessitates meticulous planning, a high level of organization, and unwavering discipline. By adhering to the tips outlined in this article and maintaining a laser-sharp focus on your objectives, you can establish a booming enterprise that not only provides financial independence but also enriches your life personally. Therefore, ensure that you stay motivated, persistent, and enthusiastic while pursuing your entrepreneurial dreams.

The Future is Disabled

I checked the book in the photo above out of the library. It should be required reading.

The last three chapters were the best in my view. The chapter on housing was my favorite.

The fact is that individuals who collect SSI and SSDI should get checks that are $1,000/per month or more. Not be forced to live in poverty with a subpar income.

The chapter on housing was my favorite. Our housing should not be substandard either. Housing should be affordable and accessible for individuals of all types of disabilities.

I have ideas that I’m going to write about in future blog entries here. These radical ideas I’m going to publish in a second career/recovery book for peers.

Stay tuned.

Framing Disability as an Asset

In talks I and others give we’re quick to tell the audience that we succeeded because of our illnesses not despite having them.

Framing disability as an asset is the difference. Showing how experiencing a hardship gives us the skills, abilities, and strengths we can use to innovate as creative problem-solvers on the job.

Yet listen: being honest about being depressed on a college application essay will backfire. The reviewer of what you wrote could think you’re too depressed to get out of bed on time to attend class.

How it goes is that talking up the positive effects and benefits of proactively managing our medical condition. That enable us to thrive better. Is the key to turning around an outsider’s view of us.

Like it or not a lot of people–and employers–still view having a disability as a liability. This is called “ableism.”

It comes down to researching companies that value hiring, retaining, motivating, and promoting–and having their leaders “sponsor” workers with diverse backgrounds whose life experience is an asset.

From my own experience I can tell you that having persistence, determination, and the ability to follow through on a goal until you reach it. That right there sets you apart from the average Joe or Josephine who goes through the motions in life, comes home, and turns on the TV for two or three hours.

That’s why a favorite interview question that hiring managers ask in an interview has become:

“What did you do while the pandemic forced everyone to stay at home?”

While New York City shut down I was writing and posting inspirational blog entries and exercising in my living room mostly 2x per week.

How has having a disability changed my life for the better?

I literally had to fight for the right to get a job and live in my own apartment–two things other people take for granted they can have.

In the 1980s it was thought no one could recover.

People like you and me who have had the guts to speak up for ourselves have this competitive advantage in the workplace.

We should be celebrated as employees who are not afraid to raise our voices in a staff meeting. To challenge or champion a policy or procedure being discussed.

“Rubber-stamping” a yes to everything brought up could backfire when your intuition tells you it’s the wrong move for the team to pursue.

In fact just showing up in the boardroom sitting at a table with coworkers is often a feat in itself for a person with a disability.

Having the courage to speak up in life as well as with our livelihood should not be frowned on.

Ordinary people might not like it when individuals with mental illnesses come crashing through the glass wall that separates us from what’s on the other side.

I turn 58 in the spring. The closer I get to 60 I’m reassessing everything in my life.

In the coming blog entries I’m going to talk about strategies that are in the vanguard for getting ahead.

The older I’ve gotten I’ve become crazed to make things happen.