I learnt something about HR departments in law firms today. They don’t always know what they’re doing when sifting through applications.

I applied to a law firm last week for an employment paralegal position, and I received a reply a few days later via letter informing me that I would NOT be invited for an interview. It so happens that my best mate works at the same firm, so I asked him what he thought. He said he would pass on my CV to his boss, who is Head of Department.

Later on in the day, I received an sms saying that his boss was incensed because he was impressed with my CV and yet had never seen it. I have to admit I was surprised not to be asked for an interview, especially as I have plenty of employment experience plus I’m studying a LLM in employment law!!

It makes me wonder: how many applications have I sent to firms during the past few years that have fallen at the wayside simply due to incompetent HR personnel who don’t really know what they’re meant to be looking for. How often do the lawyers themselves get to look at the applications? How do they know the HR departments are picking the right candidates for the job?

Application forms, application forms, and yet more application forms.

I’ve spent 5 years in uni, and I’m going to do another 2 years from September doing a LLM. Why? Just so I can fill out application forms, application forms, and yet more applications forms.

In the past two weeks I have submitted 16 application forms to various firms in London and Wales. I’ve also been applying for paralegal jobs too.

I moan, but I can’t imagine NOT being a solicitor. It’s been a dream of mine since I was 14 years old. It’s not gonna go away. I need to know if I can do it. I know I can do it. I just need someone to give me the opportunity.

Am I being discriminated against cos I’m Deaf? I don’t know. I suspect I am, but I couldn’t possibly prove it. Perhaps now I’ve got more experience under my belt, firms will start to give me interviews. Plus now I’m not declaring my deafness straight out. I don’t mention it if they don’t ask, and if Equal Monitoring Forms ask, I put it down saying “Deaf, require communication support”. Short and simple. If they ask me for interview, then I’ll tell them the full story. They shouldn’t be deciding on whether to give me an interview based on my disability anyway.

I’ve had some interesting questions lately. The one that sticks out most in my mind is “Which film role would you choose and why?” Whoa! I just said I would want to be Andy Dufresne in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’. He is an amazing character, resilient and strong.

Please God, give me a chance.

Today I went to the Hay Festival. Unfortunately, none of the events were interpreted or accessible via speech-to-text, much to my disappointment; so I gave them a miss. One of the talks I would have really liked to have attended was Baroness Helena Kennedy QC. She is someone who I’ve admired since my A levels, for her left wing viewpoint, and reaching out to the masses.

The access issue is something I’ve brought up with the organisers of the Festival in the past, and they’ve just told me that Deaf people do not attend to justify organising interpreters. My attitude: the event is not being marketed properly.

I just made do with getting some books signed, and brought Eve was Framed: Women and British Justice. This book examines the treatment of women within the legal system. As Deaf issues are rarely written about in the mainstream, I often look towards treatment of other oppressed groups to draw parallels; even though women cannot be said to be a minority group.

When I went for my book signed, much to my surprise, Helena Kennedy asked me if I was studying Law, and somehow her line of questioning went onto whether I was practising. This line just filled me with eeek. How on earth do I explain to someone in 10 seconds access issues, and as it was the last question I expected, it was a question although its answer well rehearsed, I was unprepared for. I simply muttered, ‘I cannot get funding for interpreters, so I can’t do my LPC’.

Her reply came, ‘aww’ then a pause ‘well good luck’.

Once she had signed my book, she held my right hand with both of her hands, and wished me good luck again and probably something else I forget. That gesture is something I would associate with a nun not who is probably the most high profile female barrister in the UK. My heart was warmed to her, and her pose was incredibly human, and approachable.

After I had left the tent, I realised that I had not explained that I was Deaf, therefore I wasn’t sure now my interpreter comment registered with her? Maybe she picked it up from my voice? Whatever, it just simply brought home the complete lack of awareness in the profession for Deaf issues, and highlighed why we needed to continue writing for, and marketing the Deaf Blawg.