In mid-July I was fortunate to begin a new chapter in my career by joining the Center for Outreach Services at the Ohio School for the Deaf. Like any new situation, I had a variety of feelings over this change from being excited at the new challenges and opportunities that awaited to being nervous (along with some self-doubt) to going somewhere new where I need to learn a whole new language and culture to ensure continuation of my position.
Now to be fair, I did take a couple years of sign-language in high school. However, that was close to two decades ago that I studied it. So with excited trepidation, I began my new journey. In the four weeks I have been here I have discovered that I remembered more than I thought and that I have a ways to go in my learning before I have to take my Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) next July. Luckily, the SLPI is more about personal life issues (family, hobbies, vacations, etc) than technical topics like job skills. I am hopeful that between classes I am looking at for fall and beyond, tutoring sessions with deaf/hard of hearing co-workers and having the staff and students back in a couple weeks I'll pick up on it more.
For once though, I did not doubt my ability to do the job from a public relations/communications point of view. I knew that I had the KSA's needed to help with the redesign of the web site, creating handbooks and manuals, branding forms and other publications, and the development of a quarterly newsletter. I am optimistic about the future here and look forward to meeting the challenges head on.
What types of challenges have you had with a new job? Have you ever been required to learn a new language in order to perform you job? I'd love to hear you answers to these questions.
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