Hearing loss and especially age related hearing loss is more common than you might think. The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) has estimated that 9 million UK residents suffer from some type of hearing disability. If you are an active job seeker and you suffer from hearing loss, the prospect of attending an interview may seem challenging. Not only do you have to demonstrate that you have what is takes to secure the job, you also have to overcome your hearing impairment during the job interview. What is age related hearing loss?
Age related hearing loss, or presbycusis as it’s known in the medical profession, is a common condition which affects people over the age of 40 years old. Hearing loss affects all age groups, but age related hearing loss is especially damaging because the hearing loss tends to take place gradually, thereby making it harder to notice. When typical age-related hearing loss occurs, it’s harder to hear higher frequencies, particularly in background noise situations. How to overcome your hearing loss during an interview?
A hiring process may include two types of job interviews. As a candidate you might be faced with both or just one. The two types of job interviews are, face to face and telephone based job interview. Here is a selection of tips for the hard of hearing job seeker during each of the two types of interviews.
Telephone Job Interview Tips For The Hearing Impaired:
1. Start by taking a mock interview – if you haven’t attended a telephone job interview for some time, start by taking a mock interview. It will help you determine if a telephone interview is realistic for you.
2. Set the perfect environment – if you suffer from mild to moderate hearing loss, a quiet environment might be all that it takes for you to hear the interviewer. Set the telephone interview when you are in a quiet room and on a type of telephone which you are more comfortable with.
3. Amplify the telephone speaker sound – modern technology offers aids which can fit on the back of the telephone’s headset and amplify the sound of the speaker. If you are suffering from moderate hearing loss and beyond, you will find these very helpful. There is also a wide range of amplified desk and cell phones for the hard of hearing which you might wish to consider if your hearing loss affects your day to day use of the phone.
4. Ask for a written interview instead – unlike a face to face job interview, the goal of the telephone interview is to assess basic compatibility for the job. Because employers will often make reasonable adjustments to meet your needs, you can consider asking for a written interview instead.
Face to Face Job Interview Tips For The Hearing Impaired:
6. Set the right environment – during the interview, you will find it very useful to watch the lips of the interviewer so you are able to read words. It will help if the room is well lit and if you position yourself opposite the interviewer.
7. Deal with missing words – everyone tends to miss words during a conversation and filling in words based on the overall conversation topic often works. Hearing disability is very common and if you find it difficult to hear during the interview, you should disclose your condition.
8. Increase your self confidence levels – attending a job interview when you are suffering from hearing loss, may reduce your self confidence. This might put at risk your ability to put forward your best qualities during the interview.
You can use two strategies to
A. Your verbal content only provides some of the feedback the interviewer is getting from you so pay attention to body language. Basically, you would look to boast assertiveness, as opposed to reduced self confidence. Practicing in front of the mirror is the best method to prepare.
B. By far the best method to increase your self confidence before the interview is to do your homework before hand. You should prepare your notes, taking extra case to note down your achievements and how your experience will help the employer. Good luck!
About the writer – article by the team at hearing aids vendor hearing direct. If you suspect you might be suffering from hearing loss, and you wish to find out more, read our guide to hearing.