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Episode #147: The job search episode! Finding employment is one of life’s big challenges and adding a stutter into the mix doesn’t make things any easier. Many people who stutter are concerned about not finding fulfilling work because of their speech impediment. In fact, some don’t bother to pursue their dreams believing they will never, ever be hired. In reality, employers don’t care about stuttering and even fluent people have a hard time finding work. On this episode, I share my job search tips for the 21st century stutterer.
It may not be easy to accept your stuttering and you may be tempted to hide your stuttering but that’s your business and I can’t tell you what to do. But if you do give acceptance a try, then read (and listen) on.
Among the plethora of tips that I share, I think the the most important one is to accept your stuttering and the social punishment that comes along with it. Nothing in life comes easy. Especially a job. So work on showing confidence and focus on the fact that any employer who won’t hire you based upon your speech can’t be a good employer to work with. Imagine how bad that employer must be if he or she can’t see past your speech. That is one employer who doesn’t see the value in his or her employees’ skills, experience and strengths.
Music used on today’s episode:
Playing Around by Hamadi
Great topic. I thought this would be a great resource considering the topic: http://www.stutteringhelp.org/answers-employers
Hi Daniele, congratulations on your new job! This is an intriguing post and everything you say rings true. Valuable stuff. I’ll be taking on a few tips for sure. You also made a fascinating point about desensitisation – that it involves some suffering – but of course for a good cause. Without labouring the point, I think it’s a point that needs to be heard more.
Again, congratulations on getting your new job and a really top quality post from start to finish that should be heard very widely.
Andrew
hi i am 28years old i completed my graduation me having stuttering i feel i am waste un person guide me 2 solve my problem and help me in job also
Love the phrase “the 21st century stutterer.” I may have to borrow that – with appropriate credit of course.
Thank you for your efforts to provide a timely and worthwhile blog for the PWS community. I listen often to your podcast but I have never commented before. You are right that obtaining gainful employment is one of life’s most signficant challenges for everyone. Having a stutter certainly adds another dimension to an already overwhelming task. However, I am disappointed with your job search episode. The information that you presented was too general and too focused on your personal experience. I would have liked to hear about the (successful) job search experience from other people who stutter – particularly those in industry-specific, corporate, skilled or mid-career positions. I would have also liked to hear from employers who have hired people who stutter. I urge you to do a “Part 2” to your job search episode and incorporate some of these aspects. I look forward to your future episodes.
Just listen to my podcasts. That would be a good first step 😉
It’s must be hard for parents with kids at the age berofe they realize they have a speech issue. I don’t think they are being overprotective by not telling the child, nor do I disagree with their decision to do so. Speech disfluency can oftentimes be exacerbated by being self conscious, and nervous, so the longer you can keep the child away from those feelings, the better, as they begin to develop patterns of behavior that will stick. (I’m not a speech pathologist, or a stutterer, or a parent of a stutterer, but that’s what I would consider if I had child dealing with the issue. Would like to know perspectives of others dealing with this firsthand. ) If the problem persists and it appears that the child will have the disfluency into adulthood, I agree with Jeremy, parents should embrace and accept, and not overprotect.
If the child is unaware of the problem, then I agree, you might not want to bring it up.
However, children usually notice this sort of thing. Other adults and kids will point it out or act strange.
If a kid gets frustrated, or gets funny looks, they’ll know something is different — and assume that something is wrong.
Giving the “wrongness” or the challenge a name is the first step in conquering it. It allows them to get frustrated with the stuttering, rather than with themselves.
Also, join a supportive support group. Not “we stutter, the world is against us” groups, but “We stutter, so what?” groups where the child feels normal, where adults don’t tell her to “slow down and you won’t stutter,” where people know what she’s going through, and she can see people succeeding despite the challenge.
It’s also a good idea to talk with the significant adults in the kid’s life, like teachers and Scout leaders. Most of them have wrong information about how to handle stuttering. It can feel like over-protecting, but that will create safe places where the child can learn they are intelligent, competent people, which will carry her when she is with others.