The Advantage

“Audism” is the discrimination or prejudice against individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing (HOH).  If you don’t know anyone with hearing loss, then it’s probably hard to imagine this is a real thing.  But those with hearing loss and parents of deaf/HOH children know it’s very real.  I worry about my daughter’s future because I know that no matter how intelligent and charming she is, she will have difficulty competing for jobs with her hearing peers.

While I was researching the dismal facts about employment opportunities for people with hearing loss, it occurred to me that although there are many careers not suited for someone who can’t hear well, there are also opportunities that give someone with hearing loss the advantage.

We hear, see, feel, smell and taste with our brain.  The receptors in the ears, eyes, nose, hands and mouth send electrical impulses to different parts of the brain to be interpreted as: bitter or sweet; hot or cold; soft or hard.

One of the most amazing things about the brain is if it’s lacking in one sense, it will adapt to find other pathways through the other senses.  This happens much faster when we’re younger, but it happens throughout our entire life.  This is called “plasticity” and it’s the ability of the brain to adapt to damage, trauma, or change and retain a majority of its original function.

Think of a brain being similar to the motherboard of a computer.  The computer has peripheral inputs (ie mouse, keyboard, etc) and the information is loaded and sent to be interpreted at the heart of the motherboard.  Your computer has a specific amount of processing power it can use and the peripherals (input from outside) send information to it in a logical format.  But if you uninstall one of the senses, your brain will apply the unused power to the other senses.  It’s rerouted and while the other senses get more refined, the uninstalled sense starts getting pruned away like a shrub.

This is the reason why people with hearing loss have a greater sense of smell, stronger sense of touch, better intake of visual surroundings, and discriminating tastes for food. It’s also the reason why early intervention is so important when it comes to sound deprivation.

This led me down a path of career choices focusing specifically on these refined senses. It makes sense that if you have heightened senses in other areas than hearing, you would make a better candidate for the job.  Although not exhaustive, here’s a list of 10 jobs where people with hearing loss would have a leg up over their hearing peers.

·        Baker

·        Barista

·        Chef

·        Chocolatier

·        Perfumer

·        Sommelier

·        Odor Tester

·        Pet Food Taster

·        Aromatherapist

·        Model

I found a few more I included below because it was too good of trivia to be left out.  I had to fact check to make sure they were actual jobs and to my surprise, they are.  I’m certain my life would have turned out differently had I known there was such a thing as a “Barbie Doll Dress Designer.” I can’t believe I missed that one.

The following jobs are real and although I’ve never met anyone who held one of these jobs titles, there seems to be enough documentation of people who have to warrant adding them here.

·        Paper Towel Sniffer

·        Bed Tester

·        Furniture Tester

·        Professional Snuggler

·        Face Feeler (also known as “sensory scientist)

·        Barbie Doll Dress Designer

In my next blog I’m going to take a closer look at a couple of these jobs and find out the nitty gritty and why it’s a good choice for someone with hearing loss.  If you know of other jobs that would be a good fit, let me know.

Photos and some job titles were used from the books by Nancy Rica Schiff.  Schiff was a photographer in New York City and spent her time hunting down the world’s oddest jobs, twins, and famous people.  If you haven’t seen her work, then you should treat yourself this holiday and get one.