Interview Tips For The Hard Of Hearing
If you are about to attend a job interview, you will likely experience a few normal concerns. You might question your suitability for the position, how prepared you are and how well you will get along with the job interviewer. For the 9 million hard of hearing in the UK, attending a job interview is more challenging. On top of these common concerns, they face the task of managing their hearing impairment and the impact this may have on the interview.
Thankfully, there are a set of tips that when used in conjunction with standard job interview tips will improve your chances in the interview. The UK has some of the most progressive requirement standards and employers are expected to accommodate job candidates with any number of disabilities, including hearing loss.
A typical requirement process may include two types of job interview. A telephone based interview often used to short list candidates before a second interview which is face to face. You may very well attend one type or both, so the tips below will help ensure that you can cope well in either interview type.
Telephone Based Interview Tips:
1. Dry test run – Hearing loss is divided into categories and measured on a scale of mild to profound hearing loss. In some cases conducting a telephone conversion does not pose a problem. Therefore your first tip is to conduct a mock interview by phone, preferably with someone whose voice you are not familiar with, perhaps an agency recruiter.
2. Chose a quiet environment for the interview – Refrain from conducting the interview in a noisy environment or using a device that may experience weak signal such as a mobile phone. A quiet environment will allow you to focus on hearing the person on the other side without any interruption. Probably a good tip for any job seeker about to attend a telephone based interview.
3. Use modern technology – If you struggle to hear the voice on the other side of the line, modern technology is here to help. There are a number of devices that are tasked with amplifying the sound of the speaker. You may consider a telephone amplifier which fits your present phone or an amplified telephone that has been designed for the hard of hearing.
4. Ask for a written interview instead – Employers are expected to accommodate various candidates. A telephone based interview may be replaced by a written interview, which is more common then you think.
Face to Face Based Interview Tips:
5. Position yourself well – those that are hard of hearing often find it useful to lip read, a technique we all use sometimes to fill in the blanks. Naturally for the hard of hearing this technique is more important. When given the choice of seat, position yourself in-front of the interviewer and as close as possible. Make sure that the room is well lit so you can clearly see the interviewers lips. Watch the speaker’s face, lips and gestures for clues as to what’s being said.
6. Wear a hearing aid – These are micro computers which fit inside or behind the wearers ear and are tasked with amplifying external sound. They are available free from the NHS or privately (were there is no waiting list) and are useful for those diagnosed with mild to moderate hearing loss. Out of the UK’s 9 million hard of hearing, 1.4 million wear hearing aids on a daily basis.
7. Think about your body language – Hearing loss may contribute to reduced self confidence. Therefore you will need to compensate by using your body language to send the recruiter the right signals. For example tune your body posture to appear relaxed yet alert, avoid crossing your arms and let them lie loosely by your side.
8. Pay attention to common job interview tips – These tips are useful for any job seeker. Study the job description so you are well familiar with the position. Next, compose a set of questions that the interviewer may ask and work on your answers. Finally, know the employer well so you are able to demonstrate a keen interest in the position and the company
Originally posted at The CV Store, contributed by Hearing Direct.