Disabled grad report:


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Handicaps can
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By Aline Levanen
H UNTING FOR your first real job
can be frustrating and
exhausting, but for disabled students
that process can be even more trying.
Federal legislation has set goals
-but not quotas-for the hiring of
disabled help by government agen-
cies and firms that receive federal
monies. As a result, disabled
graduates must still prove to poten-
tial employers that they are as
qualified as their able-bodied peers.
Jim Lucky, a visually-impaired
graduate, says that means he has to
perform above at his job in
the library of Jackson State Prison
while ignoring sour looks and
remarks from prejudiced security
guards.
"People always have lower at-
titudes toward you because of your
handicap, so you have to be one better
than them," he explains.
"Employers aren't prejudiced
against the disabled, they're merely
uninformed and ignorant as to what a

the job
disability is," says Steve O'Connor, a
rehabilitation counselor with the
Michigan Rehabilitation Agency
(MRA).
Many employers are simply wary
of getting slapped with a lawsuit or an
expansive liability claim if an ac-
cident should befall a disabled
worker while he or she is working,
O'Connor adds.
Some companies have yet to equip
their facilities for the handicapped.
"Newer buildings are barrier free,"
says Tom Tomsik of the MRA, "but
the older buildings are the ones that
present a problem."
"If a building can't accommodate a
person in a wheelchair, then most
likely he won't be hired, unless he is
possibly able to work orr the ground
floor."
Except for a company's physical
inability to house disabled workers,
however, there shouldn't be any
reason why they cannot be hired, says
Terry Donnelly, vocational
rehabilitation counselor at the
University's Office of Disabled
Student Services.

Daily photo by John Munson
LSA senior Gordon Berdesen., who is legally blind, has created a job for himself with the University's


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Computing Center.
"The handicapped are just as com-
petitive as everyone else in the job
market," he emphasizes.
Stressing that point is important in
job interviews and applications, he
and others say. To aid in that process,
disabled students can turn to a
variety of resources on campus and
around the state.
Every January, for example, the
University's Office of Career Plan-
ning and Placement sponsors a
career conference geared toward
disabled and minority students.
About 160 employers attend the con-
ference to interview students and
learn about the benefits of hiring from
both groups.
"The conference is very helpful to
both students and employers because
they both get the opportunity to in-
teract and to learn about where the
other stands in regards to em-
ployment," says Deborah Orr May,
director of the planning and
placement office.
"I encourage students not to wait
until the conference to put all their
eggs in one basket. Begin your job
search now," she adds.
The disabled student service office
can provide individualized counseling
for job seekers and has also formed
job clubs, which discuss skills such as
interviewing.
The Michigan Rehabilitation Agen-
cy, funded under the state Depar-
tment of Education, provides ad-
ditional services to people who are
experiencing difficulty in finding a
job due to their handicap. Programs
include job placement, interview
training, and vocational evaluation.
"The agency has direct contact

with employers and encourages them
to hire the disabled," Donnelly says.
P UT FORTH your best foot, just
as everyone does," he adds.
"Most disabilities won't interfere
with the job performance, and if they
did, most people wouldn't be applying
for the job."
LSA senior Gordon Berdesen, who
is legally blind, has already created a
position for himself with the Univer-
sity. When the biology major began to
consider pursuing computer science
as a profession, he visited the Com-
puting Center to learn more about the
computer technology available on,
campus. He discovered that there
weren't any terminals accessible to
the blind.
The center ordered a cyber-talker
or talking computer after Berdesen
explained his predicament. Then the
center's officials offered him a full-
time, paying position as a handicap
user consultant. He is already making
recommendations to computer com-
panies about student needs and
helping the University decide on new
equipment purchases.
In Berdesen's eyes, the public is
receptive to the contributions of the
handicapped. "Attitudes change a lot
in the business world and there's not
as much discrimination going on as
some are led to believe," he says.
Both Donnelly and May feel
disabled students should identify
their handicap on their resume and
job applications. "I would suggest
being upfront with the disability,"
May says. "A student certainly isn't
applying for the wrong job, he's
marketing himself in an area that he

feels he's qualified to work in."
Some disabled students, such as
Bob Hooper, a senior in electrical and
computer engineering who is confined
to a wheelchair, say they don't omit
notification of their disability from
their resumes because they don't feel
it will affect their performance on the
job. Hooper did make reference to in-
volvement in wheelchair athletics,
although he did not formally state his
disability.
Saying "disabilities are a hard
stigma to shake off," Lucky also
favors downplaying handicaps in both
job applications and in actual inter-
views.
"Go into an interview straight for-
ward and don't utilize your handicap
as a crutch. Those who go into inter-
views with their main focus on their
handicap already have disadvantages
stacked against them," Lucky says.

fI M5:
at the Michigan Theate
7:00 FRIDAY, OCT. 25
9:00 CARMEN (1983) Dir.-Carlos Saura
A choreographer prepares a dance production of Bizet's
opera, but falls under the spell of the real life Carmen he
casts in the leading role.
7:00 SATURDAY, OCT. 26
9:00 DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN (1984)
Dir.-Susan Seidelman
High-spirited comedy about a bored suburban housewife
who seeks escape in the personal ads. Featuring pop star
Madonna in her feature film acting debut.
7:00 MONDAY, OCT. 28
9:00 UNDER THE VOLCANO (1984)
Dir.-John Huston
Striking adaptation of Malcolm Lowry's novel about an alco-
holic diplomat in Mexico during the late 1930's. A great per-
formance by Albert Finney in the lead role.
7:00 TUESDAY, OCT. 29
9:00 ANDROID (1984) Dir.-Aaron Lipstadt
Entertaining sci-fi story about an almost-human android
who's been working as an assistant to mad scientist (Klaus
Kinski) on a remote space station and learns he is about to
be put out of commission.

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Daily illustration by Laura Weiss
Computems movin i
their classrooms, Hey says.
By Jeff Widman Even farmers are relying on com-
puters to perform their daily chores.
A new world beckons, created "Computers are used by the far-
by a technological upheaval that mers for record-keeping and ac-
is bringing computers to millions. counting purposes," says Pat Wed-
dle, former president of the
HIS QUOTATION from Time - Agricultural Computer Association.
which named the computer its "(Computers) are also used on a
Man of the Year for 1982 - reflects lot of equipment that the farmers
the sentiment of experts who three use. Today, there are many tractors
years ago predicted the use com- with microprocessors on them that
puters would soon spread to vir- monitor the different functions.
tually every profession. Dairies are also being computerized
Edward Hey, director of career to monitor the milk output of each
services and placement at the Com- cow."
puter Learning Center in Fairfax, The demand for employees in the
Va., was one such expert. And today' computer industry itself is expected
Hey says he sees more and mor' to explode. According to the U.S.
college graduates enrolling in his Department of Labor's Bureau of
center to gain computer skills Labor Statistics, the number of
because they couldn't find jobs computer operators will rise by 72
without the training. _ - ent between 1980 and 1990,
"A lot of intelligent graduates systems analysts by 49 percent, and
simply can't find jobs because they computer programmers by 49 per-
don't have the capacity to function in cent.
a computer atmosphere," Hey says. The bureau expects, however, that
"The marketplace is really concer- these specialists will be hired by
ned about the computer literacy of budding computer consulting firms
its employees." rather than major corporations, the
Hey notes that "secretaries, who government, or the retail industry.
know how to use word processors, Larry Drake, a labor economist
cannot only type letters, but can also for the bureau, says many manufac-
make appointments and schedule turing companies are beginning to
meetings (with personal con- contract out computer work they
puters)." might have done in-house in the
"Doctors are also using com- past. Contracting is both cheaper
puters to help diagnose problems and more efficient, Drake explains.
and offer alternative solutions that "Many industries such as finance,
they might not have considered." insurance, and real estate are very
In Fairfax, the local school system well-saturated with computers," he
has started training teachers to im- adds, explaining the drop in other
plement computer instruction in sectors.
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By Jill Oserowsky
IF YOU ASKED most students what
they thought prospective em-
ployees should wear to job interviews
or during their first few days of work,
their immediate answer would un-
doubtedly be this:
"A three-piece gray or navy pin-
stripe suit made of wool and a white
button-down cotton shirt."
Some area clothing experts,
however, would disagree.
"A lot of students have the mistaken
impression that a three-piece suit is
necessary. It's no longer the rule,"
says Duane Schroeder, assistant
manager at Marty & His Lady on S.
State Street.
"What matters is 'Do you feel com-
fortable?' Because if you don't, you'll
lack self-confidence walking into an
interview," he adds.
For interviewing, he and other area
clothing experts rule out slacks or
casual dresses for women and suggest
a man at least wear a tie with his
shirt.
And they recommend that students
beginning to build their professional
wardrobe first take a look at what
people already working in their field
usually wear.
"Dress for your title," says Karen
Kluge, advertising and sales
promotion manager for Jacobson's on
E. Liberty. The pinstripe suit might
be fine attire for an investment
banker, for instance, but it would ap-
pear out of place on a retailer whose
colleagues don casual slacks and shir-
ts.
Further, young investment bankers
might want to stick to the classic suit
colors such as navy, gray, and char-
coal while their peers in more
creative jobs would be wise to select
less severe shades.
But Kluge stressed that "when
you're just starting out, I don't think
you're expected to have a full war-
drobe."
She recommended that students
initially purchase two good suits and
match them with two or more shirts
or blouses. After a few weeks on the
job, she added, the new employees
should then begin to build on their
wardrobe based on the example set by
co-workers.
Of course, making those first pur-
chases can be costly so it is important
to be able to recognize high quality
items.
Wool, for example, is the most
preferred fabric for suits because of



its strength and durability. It also
does not needtobe dry cleaned asof-
ten as silk and linen.
Wool comes in a variety of weights
and weaves. The more popular
weaves include tweed, gabardine, and
herringbone. Tropical weight
polywool, for instance, -is of medium
weight so that it can be worn
throughout the year. Wool-dacron
blends, however, are very light and
therefore suitable only for summer.
Those who are allergic to wool
should shop for polyester suits.
Although synthetic wrinkles less
readily than wool, it can be woven so
that the two look almost identical. A
well-made women's polyester suit

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Daily illustration by Charles Oestreicher
costs about the same as its wool
counterpart.
A classic style suit will have unpad-
ded shoulders and a notched lipel and
will be single-breasted and single-
vented in back, according to

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7:00 THURSDAY, OCT. 31 HALLOWEEN SPECIAL
9:00 GHOST BUSTERS Dir.-Ivan Reitman
A trio of unorthodox parapsychologists open a profes-
sional "Ghost-catching" business. Hillarious comedy
starring Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, and Sigoumey Weaver.
See all these great filmUroected on the large screen in the historic
Michigan Theater. Call 668397 for more information. Admission to
films is $3.00 for a double bill or a single bill. Students and senior
citizens $2.50. Tickets go on sale one-half hour before showtime.

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PROFESSIONAL RESUMES
& COVER LETTERS
Sandi's Typing & Wordprocessing
426-5217
campus pick-up & delivery

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8 Weekend/Friday, October 25, 1985

Weekend