First of all, congratulations! Many say that university will be the best time of your life, but many deaf people I’ve spoken to have found that their deaf college/6th form at a deaf school imitates a lot of what young freshers do in their first week at university with all that freedom, so you may find that you are a veteran amongst young people who have never lived away from home before!
University is all about getting that qualification. So make the most of your time at university, and maximise your chances of getting a job as soon as you leave (or after you go travelling).
1. Look for work experience during the summer months while doing your degree.
You will find that university ends in May and starts again in October, so you have lots of time to “switch off”, and plenty of time to get your foot in the door in various employment opportunities. Lots of companies offer intern schemes during the summer. You’ll likely get paid next to nothing except travelling expenses and lunch, but the experience is what counts in the long run. To save costs, try to work locally, or stay over at friends places (and offer to cook and clean!) if you’re thinking about big cities like London.
2. Think about offering your volunteer services to deaf organisations.
You’ll find that you may have a variety of skills that will nearly always come in handy if you are bilingual in BSL and English (as well as being handy with the latest I.T. knowledge!). You’ll get to meet great people, and most importantly, pick up working skills very quickly. I started out doing fundraising/PR work for Great Britain Deaf Football during my Psychology degree and I wouldn’t have landed my PA job at DCAL (Deafness, Cognition and Language) Research Centre without having done that.
3. Think about doing voluntary work abroad.
A trip of a lifetime can offer so much more to your CV. Many deaf people are now travelling abroad and many are undertaking voluntary work. They often have schools for the Deaf and are needing teachers who are deaf aware. I only wish I had done that myself!
4. Make sure your CV and the letter you send is tailored specifically to the work experience you are applying for.
Employers are far more impressed by this. Generic CVs can be spotted a mile off, and very quickly go into the bin.
5. If you’re not sure of what to do yet, look for work experience that maximises your strengths.
I knew I was great at organising and quick thinking on my feet as well as a great communicator so when I started at GB Football, I quickly realised I would be great as a PA. Then once I was in my PA job for two years, I eventually decided teaching was my long term ambition. I enjoyed every job I had because it was making great use of my strengths.
6. Communications options.
Depending on your preferred method of communication, try to be flexible in your work experience. If you’re a BSL user, expect to face daily difficulties with staff who have never met a Deaf person before and be very patient with them, they’re likely to be as nervous as you are. Make sure you have a notepad and pen. If you’re a deaf person who can use BSL or speech, try to stick to simple communication methods that everyone can pick up on. For example, “make sure you’re facing me when you speak”. Staff are generally very good to deaf people if deaf people are helpful int he first place. It’s worth doing your BSL Level 1 and 2 while at University so you have that under your belt. If you are proficient at BSL you only need to turn up for the exam in order to get the certificate.
7. During your degree, balance out your work/life.
Many people don’t have a lot of lectures, so often have lots of free time. Use it wisely. Deaf people often need more time with their academic work compared to hearing people so often find getting a part-time job during a degree is difficult. Use your time wisely. Study hard to play hard!
8. Sort out your communication requirements with the University well in advance.
Go to your DSA (Disabled Student Allowance) appointment six months before the course starts. Try to seek out interpreters in the area as sometimes universities don’t look for one until the last minute. Try to seek our your timetable as soon as you can – it really helps with knowing interpreting availabilities. Make sure you are in charge of your own communication options. Most notetakers are almost always very good so you wouldn’t need to worry too much about that. Don’t give up if it becomes frustrating: keep trying. Expect the first couple of weeks to be a bit messy. Hence knowing your timetable and seeking out interpreters is always a great way to solve the problem before it even comes up. Make sure the interpreters are able to communicate directly with the Disability Office with regards to invoices (yes, not your job, but helps to make sure whatever interpreter you do get, gets paid at the end of the day, otherwise they won’t come back).
9. Make sure you know you’re on the right course.
Often you won’t know this until the first couple of months. Don’t give up as soon as it gets boring. I did Psychology and everyone hated statistics which formed a massive part of our second year. I was seriously considering packing it all in. I’m so glad I didn’t.
10. Have a fantastic time at University!
Come out brimming with qualifications and experience to boot!
Written by Martine Laverty, 2010
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