A Senior Investigator/Conciliator and Policy and Education Officer at the Australian Human Rights Commission wasn’t the career Joana d’Orey-Novo had in mind when she started university.
Initially wanting to become a counsellor Joana says that her career is an “absolute lesson” in that what you study at university is not at all what you end up doing but can inform what you end up doing later.
While studying psychology, Joana got involved in the student disability group and by the time she finished university she had a new career direction in advocacy.
Joana went through a disability employment service and gained placement and contract work with People with Disability Australia which lead to permanent work.
While she’s been steadily employed since then, Joana is conscious of her privilege to come from a supportive background and is now a strong supporter of mentorships and role models.
“You can’t be what you can’t see. I was lucky enough to get mentors who believed in me and pushed me to do things,” Joana said.
“Seeking a job when you have a disability is difficult because you’re already narrowed in what you can practically do and also limited by people’s lack of expectations of you or fear of hiring you because you’re going to be too much trouble, too difficult. I’m a great believer in sharing your knowledge and skills. It’s a way of pulling people up behind you,” she said.
Listen to Joana's interview with Talking Vision here:
Joana’s experiences mean she’s able to provide insights and advice on recogniing and taking opportunities and the importance of communication skills for a person who is blind or has low vision.
“Communication skills are vital for people who are blind or have low vision. As a person with a disability you might have to have some difficult conversations with people about your accessibility needs or disclosing your disability. If you can articulate what you need and want you’re going to be in a much strong position.
“They’re also important transferable skills in many roles. Writing skills are becoming rarer and are a prized attribute and will open to doors for you.
“We can often be limited in what we think we bring to a role. We forget about independence, self-confidence and ability to express ourselves.”
Joana believes when it comes to job seeking it’s important to be kind to yourself.
“You’re going to have hard days and disappointments. I remember those days of job hunting and you feel like a piece of meat in the market and not be the person chosen for the job. Let yourself process it but don’t let it trap you. Don’t judge yourself. Don’t stay there too long.”
Are you looking for support to find or maintain employment? Check out Vision Australia's Employment Assistance services here.