Hi all,
I know that there is a wide range of ages in the subscribers
to this forum. I've seen notes from early-onset PD'ers through
PD'ers who get hit with this rotten dis-ease at the more common
ages. I have read with great interest, many stories about the
PWP's and their employers. But, I do not remember seeing any
discussion on trying to obtain a job -- to keep working after a
lay-off -- while in the throws of PD.
You all received (and I did clear it with the list owners be-
fore I sent it) a combination cover-letter/mini-resume that I am
using to try to harness the "power of the Internet" to find a new
job. Has any PWP on-list tried to obtain a *new* job with the
disease?
It's been over three weeks, I've registered myself with some
20+ 'Net job search Web-sites, and sent my cover-letter/mini-re-
sume to some 50+ companies who allow prospective employees to ap-
ply for employment from their through corporate Web-site or a
"jobs"-type e-mail address.
And, this is where I need advice ...
One of the things that I pondered in my mind over and over
again was weather I should even mention that I had PD to a
prospective employer. I was uncomfortable with the idea of not
mentioning it ahead of time, showing up for an interview, and
getting a polite "thanks, but I don't think there's a 'good
match' here -- good luck in your job search." And, over a few
days I decided to mention it right up front. My thinking was:
1) A friend had once advised me (when I had the same fears
in the classes I taught) to go ahead and mention it in my
class introduction, get it out and in front of everybody.
They're going to see the symptoms and movement disorder so
why not tell them up-front so they know and can relax with-
out having to wonder what was wrong with me. They could see
that I was "okay" with it so maybe they could be "okay" with
it too. And, it seemed to work in class. Shouldn't it work
with a prospective employer too?
2) There has been a lot of "press" about PD lately. Many
folks are getting a good look at other -- some famous and
some not so famous -- people who have PD and are still use-
ful, contributing members of society. Michael J. Fox can
still act and can write a book, Janet Reno can still partic-
ipate in politics and run for office, Billy Graham can still
preach, and The Pope can still ... well, ... can still be
The Pope. Shouldn't it be obvious that I can still help a
prospective employer achieve the company goals?
(FWIW, I had a secret hope that the PD could actually be
a "sales tool" for a company's EOE/Employee Diversity pro-
grams. Kinda' like "Look here! Not only are we hiring a va-
riety of different ethnic groups, not only are we hiring
women and people with different sexual orientations; but
we're also hiring disabled people ... people with PD ...
you know, like M.J. Fox. and Muhammad Ali!" Maybe it would
have helped if I had been as good looking as these two, too!
(-:)
3) I have to have -- I must have -- health insurance.
Health insurance with a drug benefit. It seemed to me that
it wouldn't be much too fun to land a, job, show up the
first day to fill out all of the forms and paperwork, only
to find out that my (and my wife's) pre-existing health con-
ditions denied coverage for us. Maybe this isn't an issue
-- I don't know. Maybe I need a clarification on what the
law says in this case. The only thing I know is that the
COBRA will let me pay what my company paid to the insurance
company (i.e. not the full price but the group rate price)
to continue the same insurance for 18 months. And, after
that, (it was my impression) that I was "on my own."
But, obviously, my thinking isn't getting me anywhere. In the
last three weeks -- between Monster, HotJobs, and several other
job Web-sites -- I've had between 10 to 15 people look at my mi-
ni-resume (with links to my real, full resume, and professional
experience); I have not had any replies on that mass-e-mail I
sent out (which you all received and another group received the
week after); but have not had any personal contacts.
I really, really, really dislike "head-hunters" (or, employ-
ment agencies, as they prefer to be called), but I may have to
resort to one here soon. If I don't have any strong possibili-
ties by the beginning of September, I'm going to be on a "short
slide down a steep hill" (silly analogy, -- but that's the way it
feels).
So, again, have any of my fellow PWPs been in a similar situa-
tion? What did you do? Does anybody want to share their
thoughts? Does anybody have any advice? Does anybody know why
the answer is 42 (I'm trying to keep a sense of humor here too
(-;)?
Note that I'm on the digest-version of the list -- I get
batches of list-mail once or twice a day. So, feel free to re-
spond on- or off-list. Thanks in advance ...
Bill--
...who sometimes thinks that Chicken Little was right.
+-oOOo---oOOo------+
.. William A. Parrette ...... 7177 Heritage Drive ....+------------------+
.. [log in to unmask] .............. Westchester ............| || || (42?) |
.. [log in to unmask] ......... OH 45069-4012 ..........| ||/|_|\|| / |
............................. 513/779-0780 ...........| \\ @ @ // |
.............. http://w3.one.net/~wap/ ...............+--- ( V ) --------+
/ O \
Original message:
>From [log in to unmask] Tue Jul 23 14:32:37 2002 -0400
>Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 14:32:32 -0400 (EDT)
>From: "William A. Parrette" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>cc: [log in to unmask]
>bcc: ... (several other friends, family, etc.)
>Subject: Person w/Parkinson's Seeking Employment
>Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]>
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
>Status: O
>X-Status:
>
> (Was written in a 24x80 terminal window with a monospaced font in 64 lines)
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>* I'm a "Person with Parkinson's Disease" (PWP) recently laid off.
> =====> http://www.parkinson.org/
>* Looking for a new Employment Opportunity in IT.
> - Have programming, administration, training, and writing experience.
>--- Technical -----------------------------------------------------------------
>* Self-acknowledged UNIX geek, admitted Macintosh addict, PC literate.
>* Fingers talk vi, brain thinks in C/C++/Java, enjoy shell but appreciate Perl.
>* Believe "regular expressions" are "the best thing since sliced bread."
>* Think C is best, C++ hides C's beauty, value Java's more O-O merge of both.
>* Would, someday, like to work on a real-world project using yacc and lex.
>* A true believer of the UNIX tool/software development philosophy.
> =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/wapResume.html
> =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/wapProfessional.html
>* Published author with titles about UNIX and X/Motif.
>* Actually used vi/troff to write the books and find uses for nroff in scripts.
>* Enjoy writing -- two unpublished manuscripts on C programming on the shelf.
>* Say teaching UNIX can be like a "religious experience" when students "get it"
> =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/wapUnixFAD.html
> =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/wapMotifPITXWSE.html
>--- Job -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>* Salary negotiable -- haven't reached "six figures" yet. ;-)
>* Prefer full-time/salaried, but contract/consultant work given consideration.
>* Consider telecommuting a valid option.
>* Travel okay -- currently a Delta lifetime Silver Medallion Million-Miler.
>* Enjoy SW Ohio but relocation might be considered with appropriate assistance.
>* Health Benefits Required! Need Immediate Coverage! Must Cover Pre-Existing!
>* Salary history and References available upon request.
>--- Training ------------------------------------------------------------------
>* Need great software training? The best money can buy?
> - Contact my previous employer:
> =====> http://www.batky-howell.com/
>--- Personal ------------------------------------------------------------------
>* PWP diagnosed in 1995, still work w/leg & hand tremors and head dyskinesia.
>* A drummer who enjoys "classic-rock." Favorite band: Grand Funk Railroad.
>* Enjoy reading. Favorite book: Heinlein's "Stranger In a Strange Land."
>* One of the few adults who seems to understand the Teletubbies. :-) :-) :-)
> =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/wapTremorStory.html
> =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/GFR_WEB/
> =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/wapGrok.html
> =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/TELETUBBIES_WEB/ttlAdultEnjoyment.html
>--- YOU -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>* This e-mail was certainly sent unsolicited but is not "spam."
>* You have received this e-mail message because:
> - You are a friend/acquaintance of mine.
> - You are an employer of a friend/family member who told me I ought to apply.
> - You are subscribed to a mailing list I subscribe to.
> - You are part of the media that I read, watch, or listen to.
>* This e-mail is an attempt to use the "power of the Internet" to find a job.
>* If you can help, please reply. If you know somebody who can, please foreword.
>* *PLEASE* reply directly *To Me* ([log in to unmask]).
>* If you received this from a mailing list *PLEASE* DO NOT reply on-list.
>* If you have no input for me, exercise your right to press the "delete key."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Bill--
> ...who has heard that the modem Jimi Hendrix used was a purple Hayes.
> __ _-==-=_,-.
>.. William A. Parrette ...... 7177 Heritage Drive ..../--`' \_O-O.--< ---+
>.. [log in to unmask] .............. Westchester ............`--'\ \ <___/. |
>.. [log in to unmask] ......... OH 45069-4012 ..........| \ \\ " / |
>............................. 513/779-0780 ...........| >=\\_/`< 42?|
>.............. http://w3.one.net/~wap/ ...............+--- /= | \_/|----+
> _/=== \___/
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