by Rachel Kuntz

A couple of months ago, I sat alone at my kitchen table worrying about how I would make my Social Security check cover my bills. Rent, food, and just general life is getting incredibly expensive. At the time, I had been actively seeking a job where I could spend less time thinking about bills and more time feeling good about myself. It was then that my phone rang. On the other end of the line was a person who gave me the news that I had been long awaiting. I was hired! 

My mood soared as their job offer sank in. Incredibly, the effort that I had put in to scouring job listings, modifying my resume, researching potential companies, and practicing interviewing finally paid off. Shortly thereafter, I started my new job and, from there, time seemed to pass by quickly until my first check was deposited into my bank account. 

The proudest day of my life was calling Social Security to report my earnings. Now, I look forward to the financial freedom that will come from not worrying about the Social Security rules. My financial struggles will be a thing of the past and I can look forward to adding “homeowner” to my list of accomplishments in a few years. 

You might be wondering how this great fortune happened to me. Well, I attribute the help I received from the NFB and its employment committee. They helped me to understand my value as a contributing member of a company and, most importantly, how to tell my story in a way that felt comfortable to me. I learned that I could contribute a lot as a blind person and that I only needed a few accommodations to make me as productive as my colleagues. 

I feel so blessed to have collaborated with mentors in the NFB who shared how they made a successful career possible. Now I write this note to encourage you to take a chance on yourself too. Take the initial first steps to prepare yourself for a life of reward and independence by attending the Career Fair by registering at Career Fair Job-Seeker Registration | National Federation of the Blind (nfb.org) or one of the other empowering job related seminars at this year’s national convention in New Orleans. You are worth the effort it will take to one day get a life changing phone call like the one I received.

Whose story is this? It could be yours! Please sign up for the Career Fair today.