Jobs for teen stutters

[Flash]

I'm 18 right now and my parents keep insisting that I go out and find a job. Even if my parents didn't really insist on it, I would want to get one anyways so I can help pay for the insanely high price of gas, get some personal things just for mself, have some extra money around just in case, etc. If you stutter pretty badly, like I do, then you probably know that just the task of asking for an application is almost impossible.

I've filled out some online applications, but they've never contacted me back and dunno why. Some stores even had "help wanted" signs outside, which made me think "why aren't they contacting me." Anyways, that leaves me with the option of actually going inside the stores and asking for the applications.

As we all know most teens get jobs as cashiers, drive thru windows, and similar positions. Those positions wouldn't work for me since my stuttering is pretty bad and even if I did apply for them, then I probably would get turned down by the employers anyways.

I'm wondering if anyone can help me out and give me some advice on what type of job as a teen I can go out and look for or is it just hopeless right now for me until I can actually get a degree?

[Gary1450]

Try getting a job in a warehouse or something like that just for right now.

Avoidance is not the key but I would take a job like that for right now that didn't require a lot of speaking.

During this time try to work on your speech.

Are you in speech therapy? I forgot if you mentioned that.

[Flash]

Thanks for the advice....i'll look into it. Any other suggestions would also be appreciated!

As for speech therapy.....when I was in public schooling, I had speech therapy, but it didn't help me out. Don't get me wrong, the speech pathologists were great people and all, but some of them just focused on helping me out with school work a lot of the time, which i didn't really need sometimes cause I was an A or B student. When I was little, my dad took me to a couple professionals outside the school system, but they were expensive and didn't help me out either. Now that i'm in college (it's a college, not a huge university), I have no clue if they have trained professionals that can help me out there.

[Gary1450]

No, a college wouldn't have speech therapists just counselors.They should have a disabilities person who usually contacts the teacher on your behlaf to give them a heads up on your situation. I don't know how stressful school is for you. It was hard for me.

I saw a counselor at my old school who new most of the teachers and how they teach. I asked them if they could sign me up with the teachers that didn't require public speaking - LOL.

Didn't work though.

Look for a local NSA (National Stuttering Association) group in your area. Baltimore is bound to have one. They meet once a month in libraries, churches, schools, wherever. It's a support group - not really theray but it does help. Totally free.

I went to one here in Tempe, AZ for the first time - I never met other people that stutter in my LIFE - especially females!!

[Flash]

School is extremely stressful for me.

I'm not sure if this is a requirement at all colleges, but at the one i'm attending, everyone, no matter what major you are taking, is required to take at least one 3 credit speech course. I don't know what assignments are given in that class, but just thinking about it makes me extremely nervous cause eventually i'm gonna have to take it. I'm thinking maybe doing it in the summer since it'll only be for 1.5 - 2 months rather than 3.5 - 4 months.

A stuttering support group sounds like a good idea since you would be with people who share the same problems, exoeriences, and difficulties on a daily basis. Baltimore is a little far away. I'm closer to Washington D.C. but it's still not that close (30 - 45 min drive) and with the insanly high gas prices these days, my parents want me to drive as little as possible. Maybe theres one closer by....I'll look into it.

I met a few people who stutter from speech therapy in schools. One guy I met barely even had a problem, I rarely ever saw him stutter. Another guy I met had it as bad as me but then his began to get better. He was a real a**hole. When his speech improved it sounded like he was just mubbling and slurring everyword together though. The last person I met was this girl. She said hers was really bad and that she had it since birth, but I never really saw her stutter much and then after a couple of weeks I never saw her again cause I think she moved away or something.

Any other suggestions for a job?

Edit: I looked on the National Stuttering Foundation's website and I did find one a little closer....they only meet once a month so maybe i'll consider going to it.

[Gary1450]

One more thing and I'll let soembody else jump in here with advice.

You need to fill a 3 credit hr speech class requirement. That does not necessarily need to be Public Speaking. Other classes that might fit that requirement - I don't know about Maryland - but ask your advisor if you can take a communications class at another school and have that credit transfered to your school.

Why do I ask that? Because a popular College here in Arizona is an online school - including Communications classes.

Students are required to take a 3hr COM class - doesn't have to be Public Speaking - just as long as it falls under COM.

Look at this link that I provided. It's the Fall schedule at Rio Salado Classes - Part of the Maricopa College district, fully accredited. Students go from Rio Salado to Arizona State University or any other collge they choose. Look over the COM classes and take it to your advisors at your college. Ask which one would count towards credit.

I know this is another way to avoid your fear but nevertheless - I wanted to present this opportuinity to you. Online Colleges are becoming more and more frequent.


Check these two links -

www.riosalado.edu/cgi-other/CourseSchedule/display.asp?Discipline=COMMUNICATION&Term=20056

or just go here - www.riosalado.edu

[Flash]

Thanks for all the advice.

I'm not really interested in online colleges....but I did, however, look at the course catalog for my college and I noticed that they did have a class called Intro to Human Communication in the Speech category, so I might look into it more later on.

[chrish15]

Hey Flash, I have been through and I am in the same boat as you are. I am currently a Junior in college. About jobs, I don't know what its like where you live, but I have worked landscaping summers. Very little speaking, and good money if you work hard and show you can work well.

As to the speaking course, I had the same requirement in college. I took the Public Speaking course. I have and still do hate giving speeches, but this class helped me grow a lot and let myself accept my stutter. On my informative speech I did mine on Stuttering, it was the first speech and I knew a lot of about it, and help me through the rest of the semester. Just a suggestion if you do have to take a course such as this.

Chris

[Flash]

As to the speaking course, I had the same requirement in college. I took the Public Speaking course. I have and still do hate giving speeches, but this class helped me grow a lot and let myself accept my stutter. On my informative speech I did mine on Stuttering, it was the first speech and I knew a lot of about it, and help me through the rest of the semester. Just a suggestion if you do have to take a course such as this.

When I first read that, I thought it was a little weird doing a speech about stuttering thats actually coming from a stutter. Then when I thought about it a little more, I realized that it was a pretty cool idea. You were informing a group of people who didn't know much about it to begin with, and you knew a lot about the subject since you had experienced it.

How did the speech go btw?

[Gary1450]

I took COM225 Public Speaking back in the late 90's.

I actually speak better in front of a group of people than one person on the phone - isn't that sad.

Talking on the phone is my worst problem.


Flash - The Intro to Communications would be a better choice probably than some other COM classes.

[Flash]

I'm pretty much the same when it comes to speaking to one person or a group of people. On the phone, I think i'm actually a little better.

In my course catalog the two most basic courses are:

SP 108 (Introduction to Human Communication) - "A survey course that covers communication theory and develops communication skills for personal and professional relationships in interpersonal, group, and public settings. Course content includes practice in the application of the principles of listening, verbal and nonverbal communication, group dynamics, and public speaking."

SP 111 (Public Speaking) - "Practice of major types of public speaking, including speeches to inform, persuade, and demonstrate; and speeches for special occasions.

SP 108 looks like it involves less speaking but there still is some. I'll try to take that course over the summer and probably go speak with the department before going into that class.

[Gary1450]

Speaking to the dept. before taking the class is a good idea or maybe sending an email to the teacher explaining yourself.

[llw03c]

I'm pretty much the same when it comes to speaking to one person or a group of people. On the phone, I think i'm actually a little better.

In my course catalog the two most basic courses are:

SP 108 (Introduction to Human Communication) - "A survey course that covers communication theory and develops communication skills for personal and professional relationships in interpersonal, group, and public settings. Course content includes practice in the application of the principles of listening, verbal and nonverbal communication, group dynamics, and public speaking."

SP 111 (Public Speaking) - "Practice of major types of public speaking, including speeches to inform, persuade, and demonstrate; and speeches for special occasions.

SP 108 looks like it involves less speaking but there still is some. I'll try to take that course over the summer and probably go speak with the department before going into that class.
don't you just hate how its unfair that we have to take speech classes?? we should be exempt from such requirements.

anyway, it doesn't get any easier out there after school in terms of finding jobs. we're at a disadvantage. i started a thread a while ago on this. employers simply don't have to hire us if they have tons of equally qualified non stutterers. if it comes up in an interview, its your job to prove that it won't affect your performance on the job. if it doesn't come up, i'm still not sure if i should bring it up. anyway, good luck.

[Flash]

don't you just hate how its unfair that we have to take speech classes?? we should be exempt from such requirements.

Kinda funny that I started this thread about teen jobs and it evolved into a thread about speech classes in college.

Yes, it does seem a little unfair, but life is unfair. Handicapped people are exempt for taking P.E. classes. My stuttering isn't extremely bad right now. My blocks only last on average about 1 second, so I can still say a lot....but what if we're talking about a person who is suffering from a severe case of stuttering with really long blocks? I believe there should be an alternative for them, but thats just my opinion.

As for taking the class....who knows maybe something good will come out of it such as me being able to speak a little more fluently, especially in front of groups of people.

[Flash]

Look for a local NSA (National Stuttering Association) group in your area. Baltimore is bound to have one. They meet once a month in libraries, churches, schools, wherever. It's a support group - not really theray but it does help. Totally free.

I went to one here in Tempe, AZ for the first time - I never met other people that stutter in my LIFE - especially females!!

I joined one in my area and went to it today. My group meets only once a month on the first tuesday for 2 hours. Like you said, it's not therapy, but a group of stutterers to talk about their experiences in real life face to face.

[sloth]

I joined one in my area and went to it today. My group meets only once a month on the first tuesday for 2 hours. Like you said, it's not therapy, but a group of stutterers to talk about their experiences in real life face to face.

It's really too bad that groups like that aren't offered in BC.

I know a lot of other responses has been put out there already for you, but I'll just put in my two bits.
Haven't had a job yet where I've had to have direct contact with people. I have had though, courses in public speaking and many situations where it's required that I speak a lot and with clarity (the downsides of being a politician’s daughter). The thing that works for when I have to speak to people or in front of a group of people, it helps me to challenge myself. In my head I'm telling myself that I'm going to mess up and I'm going to stutter, and yet I go ahead with it anyway. I can't complain, because to most everyone I seem completely fluent, but of course I know that there is always a possibility of a glitch. I've recently been offered a job at a local radio station to run it and do my own show. It's something that I'm really nervous about because in radio there is no room for error. But hey, it's a job and a fun one at that. If I look past the whole talking part of it I basically get to play with music all day :p .
The only time when I have run into other people who stutter has been at restaurants or stores where they work. And they seem to me to be the most helpful and confident, even if they're hiding a mind full of fear underneath. It’s hard to accept that employers turn people down because of a speech impediment, but I guess that’s the world we live in. All I can suggest is to keep looking into different employers and different positions until you find one that you feel comfortable in. I wish you good luck in finding a job, hopefully you’ll find something.

[Miko]

Just look for jobs in areas which make you happy and confident. Than settle in and work on yourself.

I was so scared to talk and communicate when I was 18 and it was really hard to find anything. But looking back I think you do not have anything to lose, just take the 1st available one and you will get more confident. Believe in yourself! :)

[rfresa]

There are plenty of jobs that don't require much speaking or interacting with customers: the "behind the scenes" jobs. As a teen/young adult, I did food preparation in several fast food places, mostly working with people who spoke Spanish to each other. Get your food handler's permit first and then apply. I also did custodial work and some assembly in a factory. Right now I work in a nursing home, and for some reason I don't have trouble talking to the old people, just my co-workers. Think of all the jobs that someone who doesn't speak English might look for, that don't require much talking. Instead of waiter/cashier, think busboy/dishwasher. If you don't mind working outdoors you could try construction, building and grounds maintenance, delivery driving, and many other things. Ask any non-native English speaker and they could probably point you to dozens of jobs. They may sound less glamorous than the jobs your friends get, but they usually pay just as much.