Searching for the right job can be really tough and interviews can be stressful. But a group of people in Central Florida with a unique set of challenges are getting help with the job search.

  • Division of Blind Services offering career training for people who are visually impaired
  • Statistics show 70% of blind people are unemployed

Michael Hunt loved wrestling. But when he decided he needed to make a career change, it wasn’t easy.

“Really frustrating at times,” said Hunt. “There was one point where I was looking and looking and I couldn’t find anything.”

Michael, and several other people with varying degrees of visual impairment, got career training recently at a workshop at the public library in Casselberry.

The advice was a lot more than just how to write a resume or how to dress for the interview.

“You only have one chance to make that first impression,” said Hunt.

Well-known image consultant and coach Lisa Maile showed the group how to convince a potential future employer how they can contribute, despite the fact they have trouble seeing.

According to the Division of Blind Services, statistics show about 70 percent of blind people are unemployed. 

“It’s endearing for interviewers to hear what you’ve gone through and why you’re so excited to work for them now,” said Maile.

“We’re going to give the best case that we can do the job as well as anyone else,” said Hunt.

Hunt says he had 20/20 vision until he began losing his vision at the age of eight. Now Hunt says he can’t see much, except for shapes and shadows when there’s movement in front of him.

Michael says his passion now is information technology. He hopes someday he can get a job helping other visually-impaired people learn to use computers as fast he can. He uses voice-command technology to do just about everything most people do on the computer.

“I’ve not given up on what I’m trying to do next,” said Hunt.

DBS out of Orlando made the career training possible, and is helping to set up interviews for people like Michael. We’re told one job candidate landed a job just one day after his recent training.