From rejection to rejection due to limitation: Yet, Frederik found ‘his better job’.

Frederik Kamit is a sympathetic 45-year-old man, fully engaged in life and ready to roll up his sleeves. But he also has a hearing impairment. In other words, Frederik was born almost deaf. It never stopped him from achieving things in his life. However, it became more difficult when he started looking for a (permanent) job. “I had countless rejections. Until I sat down with Niels from Logistic Force Nieuwegein. He looked beyond my limitation”.

 

A ‘regular’ job with great colleagues

The 10 months after Frederik’s first meeting with his counselor, Daniëlle, and Niels have flown by. And now we are sitting at the table with the three of them again. This time to give words to Frederik’s success story and his new job. His counselor, Daniëlle, is quick to clarify our questions using sign language. “We’ve been a team for about 5.5 years. I help 15 hard of hearing and deaf people with big and small matters. Today, I’m the sign language interpreter for Frederik so that he understands everything and can tell his story,” she explains. Frederik begins his story with the search that started several years ago. “I had some jobs here and there, but never for long. I was ready for a great workplace where I could stay longer. A ‘regular’ job, with great colleagues and fun work. Shouldn’t that be too difficult? But nothing turned out to be that easy.”

 

‘We have no use for you’

He wrote cover letters, sent resumes, went to intake interviews, and participated in introductory days. But no matter what he did, he was constantly rejected. He tried with big companies, small companies, and institutions, but no one would give him a chance. Frederik says, “They didn’t look past my limitation. While I really wanted to.” Daniëlle adds, “Of course, I was always there to remove the barrier and ensure smooth communication. But even that didn’t help. The hardest moment was during an introductory day at a very big and well-known company. Right after the introduction, we were told we could go. ‘We have no use for you,’ they said. It was so sad, especially for Frederik, of course.” What followed were disappointment after disappointment. But they remained determined, and Frederik didn’t let it get him down. He developed incredible perseverance. Surely, it had to work out eventually?

 

Looking at what someone can do

“Phone calls are naturally difficult for me, so Daniëlle called Logistic Force Nieuwegein for me. Niels was immediately enthusiastic, and not long after, we were sitting at his table,” Frederik says. “Limitation or not, at Logistic Force, we always look at what a candidate can do, not what they can’t. That’s what I did with Frederik. I saw a young guy with a good appearance who radiated a lot of potential, work ethic, and positivity. And with those traits, I knew I could do something,” laughs Niels. After the interview, which lasted more than an hour, Niels knew everything about Frederik’s skills, knowledge, and desires for a new job. Niels could get to work.

 

Thinking in solutions

And that’s exactly what he did successfully. Thanks to his good connections with the employer, Niels quickly got PostNL excited about candidate Frederik. “I convinced them of his qualities and asked them to look past his limitation. And they did,” says Niels with a smile. Frederik could quickly start working as a package deliverer, and together with him, they looked for the ideal distribution of his tasks and the right work environment. They also looked at practical solutions for daily interactions with colleagues and customers. When we ask Frederik for some examples of these practical solutions, he says, “My colleagues speak slowly, so I can read their lips, and I get texted instead of called. But the video doorbells at the customers’ homes sometimes still pose a challenge. Because of course, I can’t hear when someone communicates through the bell. In those cases, I repeat that I’m the package deliverer with a package. It works perfectly,” laughs Frederik.

 

The Better Job

Frederik puts his shoulder to the work at his new employer and wins over the hearts of his colleagues. It’s no surprise to Logistic Force that PostNL wants to hire him after just a few months and offer him a permanent contract. “This is the ultimate translation of ‘Your Better Job.’ Because this is exactly what Frederik had been looking for years: a permanent job at a great company with great colleagues,” Niels explains. “But I must admit, I was sad to lose Frederik as a temporary worker. And that’s just a big compliment to him.” But Frederik is also thrilled with this development: “I’m just happy I got this chance. Both from Logistic Force and PostNL.”

 

Exceeding expectations

When we ask Frederik what advice he would give to other candidates with a limitation, he replies, “Don’t give up. Go to one of Logistic Force’s branches. They look at you, your wishes, and what you can do. They also have good connections with employers and go the extra mile to find a job for you. They’ve exceeded my expectations.” We ask Niels the same question. “I believe that it should always be about the qualities of people, not any possible shortcomings. If you’re cut from the right cloth, we will find ‘Your Better Job,’ with or without a limitation.”

We wish Frederik a lot of (work) pleasure with his new employer and thank PostNL for providing this opportunity and showing good employer practices.