Developing Software while Managing Hearing Loss

Communication is critical to success

As a Software Developer, I have worked at different companies/clients as a contractor successfully so far. At my first job, I was actually more concerned that I was no longer able to communicate as effectively as others, leading me to think that I was not as productive as my co-workers. Therefore, I always took a short lunch and hardly any breaks to get my assignments done. I was angry that I was not able to find work due to my disability, and I used that anger as motivation to work harder in my positions and make a point to others that my hearing loss wasn’t going to influence my ability and value.

Persistence is Key to Success!

That effort paid off! My first major assignment was the rewrite of a software system at a telecommunication company. I was part of a big team. I worked on it completely by myself, finished it on time, and was told the work was of excellent quality. I also received a lot of praise from my peers who then actually had to use and work with the software. We had daily client meetings over the telephone to discuss new requirements and change requests. I presented my situation to my manager, noting that I was not able to communicate over the phone very well.

I started sitting with my manager during daily calls so that she could explain anything on the call that I missed. That was when I fully recognized that I could be productive despite my disability, and consequently much of my self-confidence was restored. Even though I was bad at communicating with clients over the phone, I was as productive as my peers after only a few months on the job. I learned that I actually became more efficient in my time management, and that I was more focused on my work to compensate for my poor hearing. All of this convinced me that my brain was, and still is, more important than my physical condition.

Adversity Can Breed Success!

All of the challenges that I faced had the positive impact of encouraging me to work even harder to prove myself. Now I communicate with my teammates more effectively. I keep communication as open as possible, but I have difficulty understanding fewer people over the phone. I present my situation to them and have found ways to communicate effectively, mostly through email. I am a very active and diligent person which has helped me as a surrogate to my disability.  As you can see, to work after becoming physically disabled can be challenging at first, and I can understand that many people with a disability may be scared. Your fear cannot keep you from integrating into the workforce. If you have the motivation and you’re willing to put your brain to good use, you can be as productive and successful as many able bodied people. I encourage you to do so – and please let me know how it goes!