It’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in the US this month, which has, depressingly, made me reflect on how the unseen challenges of hearing loss have influenced my career. Bear with me as I try to find the balance between “The world is to blame!” and “I brought this on myself!” I’m not entirely the victim of an unfair world, as I should have advocated for myself more. Instead, I paid the price for denial (plus some good ol’ vanity) in my 20s and 30s when I really should have been wearing hearing aids, but, spoiler alert: I wasn’t!

So, first things first… Get your hearing checked. I SAID, GET YOUR HEARING CHECKED! Next, consider other barriers that may be preventing you from reaching your potential. And hey, while you’re at it, think about supporting friends, family, and colleagues who might also face unseen obstacles holding them back.

In sharing my experiences, I hope people see that hearing loss goes beyond a physical condition. Yes, it’s a daily inconvenience, and a constant pain in the arse (Not a typo. I’m British.), but the long term, cumulative impact on career progression is no joke:

Communication Barriers

Missing key points in meetings or struggling to catch a colleague’s question can hurt performance and create misconceptions about your abilities. It’s also mentally exhausting trying to focus on conversations—especially in group settings. This constant worry about missing information or misunderstanding instructions chips away at self-confidence, making it harder to speak up or pursue leadership roles.

Job Interviews

What’s the fastest way to advance your career? A successful job interview! And who doesn’t get the job? The stressed candidate in denial about their hearing loss, bumbling through, mishearing questions, repeatedly asking for things to be repeated, or even answering the wrong question entirely, finishing with some anxious gibbering. (Let’s not forget the non-candidate at home who didn’t even apply, avoiding interviews altogether, because of past disasters and the resulting low self-esteem.)

Networking

We all know that networking is crucial for career progression, even if most people dread it for various reasons. So, where do networking events and conferences usually take place? In big, echoey boxes of noise! And what’s the worst environment for someone with hearing loss? Yep, that’s right – Inside a big, echoey box of noise! I rest my case. I avoided these events whenever possible, and when I couldn’t, I’d fade into the background, only surfacing for the free food before retreating back into solitude (i.e. Not the sort of person who gets headhunted for an exciting new role.)

And Now?

Luckily, I eventually got over the vanity. Hearing aids have been a game changer—especially the newer ones with Bluetooth for video calls. But, of course, I kick myself for taking so long, knowing there were years of missed opportunities. I still hate networking (I’m only human), and I often feel regret when I glance over the story my resume tells, but I can be more optimistic about the future. Now, I only deal with the same work stresses as everyone else—though my anxiety over lost Bluetooth connections is probably higher than yours! I still struggle with softly-spoken people, but I live in New York now where everyone speaks at maximum volume all of the time, which is perfect!

During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, I hope to hear (L.O.L.) that workplaces continue to become more inclusive, where everyone, including those with hearing loss, can thrive. By promoting accessibility, empathy, and understanding, we can all celebrate the value and talent that people with disabilities bring to our economy and workplaces.

If you’ve experienced the challenges of hearing loss in your career, know you’re not alone – I’ve been there, grinning inanely in meetings not really following what’s going on. And if you’re experiencing the challenges of hearing loss, but not doing anything about it, also know that you’re not alone, but be better than me and do something about it ASAP and start advocating for yourself.