[Anonymous]

Hello everybody. I apologize if I placed this thread in the wrong forum and/or there is the thread for discrimination. As you can tell, I am new.

Specifically, I’d like to talk about the deaf people that are interested in any types of corporate finance, accounting, and consulting such as Big 4 accounting, corporate strategy, FP&A, etc.

Is it possible for the recruiters to reject a deaf applicant that require additional accommodation(s) such as interpreters? Is deafness a big issue today? How about discrimination? How can I make myself a decent candidate? Should I mention my disability on my resume? If so, how can I NOT freak out the reviewers?

I happened to find the article about the deaf person working for the IBM. After he graduated at Gallaudet University (Deaf university), he worked for several F500 companies and then he went to Cornell for MBA. I can see myself getting on his path, but it’s not similar to the path I want to be on. I am attending a “hearing” university, just in case you’re wondering.

I hope I’d get into corporate finance. My path would be like this: Big 4/Regional firm as an audit/tax accountant for four years –> Fortune 500 corporate finance

It would be greatly appreciated if you would honestly criticize my career path. I’d also really like to hear your experience, input, opinion or knowledge on the discrimination/deafness issue if such exists.

If you do not know what an interpreter’s role is, this is usually going like this: speaking of impeded speed of communication, an experienced interpreter, who has the average knowledge of accounting and finance, can actually sign simultaneously without problems. When you speak, she interprets what you say simultaneously. There is no delay in that; however, there is a lag, say, two seconds late only if a discussion is quite complicated and time is needed for an interpreter to interpret it correctly without making a mistake. When I sign, my interpreter interprets simultaneously. I have interpreters in my classes. My groups and I get along just fine when my interpreter is present or not.

[mla1169]

as a very OT, my daughter (14) really wants to learn ASL after watching “Switched at Birth”. We look at you tube videos often which seem to be the best resource we can find. Do you have any recommendations for other resources?

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

DEAF- I don't have any thing valuable to add, but I wanted to say good luck to you in your job search. Please keep us posted and thank you for sharing your story with us.

[Anonymous]

DEAF- I don't have any thing valuable to add, but I wanted to say good luck to you in your job search. Please keep us posted and thank you for sharing your story with us.

[Mayo]

Well a few things:

-I have a close family member with a disability similar to yours in that it sometimes can act as a barrier to specific positions. So I am speaking from personal experiences with what I've seen directly and how it affected their career, and my own feeling of where I work (big 4 audit).

-It's illegal to discriminate based on disability alone, but I think anyone who does not believe it happens is naive at best. However, it's definitely not part of a firm's policy, and many Big 4 push diversity as a hallmark of their inclusiveness culture.

-I'm a bit confused on one thing. How do you communicate in person? Are you saying you use an interpreter in all face-to-face situations?

-Audit/Consulting are positions where communication with the client of any sort is extremely important. Seeing that face-to-face communication is usually preferred over email or phone (if possible), then your deafness becomes a major factor. Not saying it's necessarily a negative, but that it becomes a key point to consider.

-Just by pure gut feeling, I'd say large Corporate companies would be more open to hiring someone with a disability such as yours. Roles in FP&A and Accounting, while still needing effective communication, do not necessarily require face-to-face communication with clients. I'm not ruling out the other type of jobs, I'm just saying one path seems easier to me than the other. Obviously, I'm speculating, but it's purely a gut feeling.

Honestly, if you're looking to go into a Big 4, I think the best advice I can give you is to try and see if you can contact the Diversity officer in each firm (not 100%, but pretty sure all the Big 4 have them). These are the people who deal with issues like yours all the time, and they are probably the ones who are more heavily invested. If you're looking for someone to champion for you, this would be your best bet in my opinion.

However, I will say that you need to make sure the other parts of your resume are pristine (GPA, leadership, volunteering, participation in organizations like Beta Alpha Psi) and you need to recruit.

You need to be able to say: “Look I'm just as social and can communicate just as effectively as someone else. It's just a bit different is all. Outside of that, I'm the typical Big 4 candidate”. This means going to recruiting events just like anyone else. The point is, you should already be familiar to the recruiting team. In other words, you're doing all the things the other candidates would be doing.

If all that is not really in place, then I think your chances become minimized. At least from my own family member's experience, the inability to function at the same level as others in the field is what really limited their career options. If you can show you can be just as effective and competitive a candidate, I think you'll have a great chance.

Honestly, I commend you on your goals, and I hope what I've said helps a little bit.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[Mayo]

Well a few things:

-I have a close family member with a disability similar to yours in that it sometimes can act as a barrier to specific positions. So I am speaking from personal experiences with what I've seen directly and how it affected their career, and my own feeling of where I work (big 4 audit).

-It's illegal to discriminate based on disability alone, but I think anyone who does not believe it happens is naive at best. However, it's definitely not part of a firm's policy, and many Big 4 push diversity as a hallmark of their inclusiveness culture.

-I'm a bit confused on one thing. How do you communicate in person? Are you saying you use an interpreter in all face-to-face situations?

-Audit/Consulting are positions where communication with the client of any sort is extremely important. Seeing that face-to-face communication is usually preferred over email or phone (if possible), then your deafness becomes a major factor. Not saying it's necessarily a negative, but that it becomes a key point to consider.

-Just by pure gut feeling, I'd say large Corporate companies would be more open to hiring someone with a disability such as yours. Roles in FP&A and Accounting, while still needing effective communication, do not necessarily require face-to-face communication with clients. I'm not ruling out the other type of jobs, I'm just saying one path seems easier to me than the other. Obviously, I'm speculating, but it's purely a gut feeling.

Honestly, if you're looking to go into a Big 4, I think the best advice I can give you is to try and see if you can contact the Diversity officer in each firm (not 100%, but pretty sure all the Big 4 have them). These are the people who deal with issues like yours all the time, and they are probably the ones who are more heavily invested. If you're looking for someone to champion for you, this would be your best bet in my opinion.

However, I will say that you need to make sure the other parts of your resume are pristine (GPA, leadership, volunteering, participation in organizations like Beta Alpha Psi) and you need to recruit.

You need to be able to say: “Look I'm just as social and can communicate just as effectively as someone else. It's just a bit different is all. Outside of that, I'm the typical Big 4 candidate”. This means going to recruiting events just like anyone else. The point is, you should already be familiar to the recruiting team. In other words, you're doing all the things the other candidates would be doing.

If all that is not really in place, then I think your chances become minimized. At least from my own family member's experience, the inability to function at the same level as others in the field is what really limited their career options. If you can show you can be just as effective and competitive a candidate, I think you'll have a great chance.

Honestly, I commend you on your goals, and I hope what I've said helps a little bit.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[Anonymous]

@mla1169

Switched at Birth is quite a good TV show. Glad your daughter wants to learn so do some of my classmates. I am going to give you the suggestions I made for my classmates.

There are several free lessons on the internet, but if your daughter wants to master ASL, she'd have to interact with people who are very fluent in ASL or take classes that are taught by a deaf professor. She can take a beginner class (often called ASL 1) at a community college nearby your house.

Here's the list of resources I recommend her to take a look at:

https://www.handspeak.com/ (best available resources for your daughter to find classes, use tutorials, etc)

ASL.tc (a pay version, including quizzes, reviews, etc)

Lifeprint.com (a free version of ASL.tc, including quizzes, reviews, etc. Make sure to check ASL University)

ASLpro.com (best ASL dictionary), not recommended for beginners.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8WIr61r1Do

Please note that although your daughter may learn how to sign words, she is not going to learn the structure, grammar and idioms of ASL itself, without attending a class and/or getting involved with the Deaf community, or people who are very fluent. That being said, signing time is highly preferred.

Hope that helps. 🙂

EDIT: In my opinion, ASL University is the best. If I was her, I'd go there first.

[Anonymous]

@mla1169

Switched at Birth is quite a good TV show. Glad your daughter wants to learn so do some of my classmates. I am going to give you the suggestions I made for my classmates.

There are several free lessons on the internet, but if your daughter wants to master ASL, she'd have to interact with people who are very fluent in ASL or take classes that are taught by a deaf professor. She can take a beginner class (often called ASL 1) at a community college nearby your house.

Here's the list of resources I recommend her to take a look at:

https://www.handspeak.com/ (best available resources for your daughter to find classes, use tutorials, etc)

ASL.tc (a pay version, including quizzes, reviews, etc)

Lifeprint.com (a free version of ASL.tc, including quizzes, reviews, etc. Make sure to check ASL University)

ASLpro.com (best ASL dictionary), not recommended for beginners.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8WIr61r1Do

Please note that although your daughter may learn how to sign words, she is not going to learn the structure, grammar and idioms of ASL itself, without attending a class and/or getting involved with the Deaf community, or people who are very fluent. That being said, signing time is highly preferred.

Hope that helps. 🙂

EDIT: In my opinion, ASL University is the best. If I was her, I'd go there first.

[mla1169]

Deaf, thank you so very much for the recommendations! We are going to check out ASL University together!

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

Deaf, thank you so very much for the recommendations! We are going to check out ASL University together!

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[jheathhuggins]

I am deaf and hear and speak well most of time and was wondering if the original poster made it sucessful? I made 4.0 GPA in MAcc program last spring and passed all 4 section of CPA exam in 62 days. I am trying to get in big four firm or regional firm.

[Skynet]

Hiring managers tell me I'm too pretty and will be too distracting to the female CPA's. They feel that those same female CPA's would be interested in throwing themselves at me only and neglect doing their work.

They're also worried that if i start bumpin' and grinding the female Seniors all Hell might loose : D

[rhayder]

DEAF,

Have you considered working for the federal government? You may have a hiring preference and they have no problem providing you with an interpreter. I have peers that are DEAF and they lead meetings, deliver webinars, etc.. It is not an issue at all. You would be eligible for a hiring preference.

[Author]

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