Comparative Analysis of Job Perception among Blindfolded People in Moscow

The main goal of this research is to analyze and compare experiences of two different points of view on the subject of labor and employment. Although, these actors are on the different sides of the process, they share the same goal of securing a job position and similar circumstances of the employment process. Data in this research was gathered in semi-structured personal interviews. The informants answered open-ended questions. The Participants engaged in this research can be divided into two groups. One group is eleven informants, who are people with visual impairment of different stages who are eligible for work according to their individual rehabilitation program. The Second group of informants are six representatives of organizations who are hiring candidates with disabilities including visual impairment. Companies who took part in the research fall into three groups. United Visually Impaired People Association, big international companies and small businesses located in Moscow. All the interviewed representatives have direct involvement and influence on the employment process of candidates with various kinds of disabilities. Results has shown that both employers and people with visual impairment had the same perception of work as self-realization and rehabilitation processes. The strategies of finding a candidate and finding information about open positions are the similar, therefore there is no barrier in receiving information about the job. The main barrier which arises between the potential employer and candidate with visual impairment is the lack of information about people with this kind of disability, which eventually results in misunderstanding and negative decisions. Employers do not know how blindfolded person can cope with routine, therefore, they cannot understand their performance at work. Moreover, research has shown that there is a big misunderstanding of adaptation of the workplace for blindfolded people which also plays significant role in final decision making.