The UK has over 9 million hard of hearing, divided into levels of hearing loss from mild to profound hearing loss. For the vast majority of roles, those who suffer from hearing loss can perform the same role as those with unaffected hearing. However, often the job interview stage is where they can potentially fail.
There are a number of tips and products that when used together with established job interview techniques, can help the hard of hearing prevent their hearing impairment impacting the interview outcome. These fall into two groups:
Tips for telephone based interviews for the hard of hearing - commonly used to engage the level of a candidate before the personal interview.
1. Assess your hearing - if you suspect that you suffer from hearing loss, we strongly suggest that you get a medical opinion by booking a hearing test at your local hearing centre.
2. Conduct a mock interview by phone - because hearing loss is measured across various levels, your individual circumstances may allow you to hear a voice on the other line just fine. Ask a friend, family member, partner or any other helpful person to conduct a short telephone based mock interview with you.
If the mock interview went well, move to the next section ‘how to make the most of the personal interview’, otherwise keep reading.
3. Overcome technical limitations - we all struggle to hear a person on the other line sometimes. It may be down to a weak signal when using a mobile device or due to a noisy background. When scheduling your telephone interview, take these limitations into account and consider using a land line and choosing a quiet room.
4. Use telephone amplifiers - these modern aids can affix to your desk or cordless phone and work to amplify the sound of the speaker. They are very affordable aids which are also portable.
5. Request a questionnaire instead - employers will often make reasonable adjustments to meet your particular circumstances. You may consider asking for a written interview instead that will normally take the shape of an email based questionnaire.
Tips for personal interviews for the hearing impaired - a candidate may take part in both types of job interview with the personal interview proving to be the decisive one in 99.9% of cases.
6. Position yourself well - when given the option of where to sit, take the seat right opposite the interviewer. You will then be able to lip read, a common technique used by the hard of hearing to fill in the gaps based on the overall topic.
7. Boost your confidence levels - attending a job interview when you have concerns such as your hearing, may impact on your self confidence. You can tackle this by being prepared for the interview (know your answers, dress well & do your research) and by using your body language to project confidence (sit relaxed yet alert and place your hands loosely at your sides).
8. Use a hearing aid - out of the UK’s 9 million hard of hearing, 1.4 million wear hearing aids. These devices are designed to manage hearing loss by amplifying external sound. Available from the NHS or privately, they are discreet and fit either behind the ear or inside the ear of the wearer.
Article by Hearing Direct, an online based vendor of aids for the deaf and hard of hearing including accessories such as hearing aid batteries