Career adaptation and success after adult onset hearing loss

Abstract

An interview-based study with 40 US respondents who have experienced severe hearing loss as adults was conducted to identify enablers of sustainable careers for professionals with adult onset disabilities. To sustain their careers, our respondents engaged in quests for meaning and big picture answers to who am I, and am I still successful. This included redefining themselves (e.g., I am now both a person with a disability and a successful professional) and career success (e.g., I now care about service to society as much as I care about material success). Respondents also adopted new work roles where disability was a key to success (e.g., becoming an equal employment officer) and utilized social networks to continue being successful. Such redefining of work and networks supported their quests for meaning and big picture answers. Findings not only indicate how individuals experience career success after a life changing event but also help de-familiarize extant notions of ableism in workplace contexts.