Disability may harm first impression

As a person with a significant disability, I agree with Laura Otting's Management Tools column "Don't Rush to Judgment" (January). First impressions are certainly important, but they should not be the predominant factors in hiring. My lifelong disability prevents me from extending my arm for a handshake, a custom frequently viewed as an indicator of an individual's potential. Applicants with speech difficulties are sometimes considered unable to communicate, when in fact a variety of methods can be used. As the article stated, managers conducting interviews should focus on past professional experiences. It's the ability that matters.

Keith Williams

Clark's Summit, Pa.

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