One of the biggest quandaries for anyone seeking a job is how much to really reveal during an interview. Health issues pose a potential landmine for job seekers. Should you tell your interviewer that your partner was just diagnosed with cancer? Do you have to tell them you have lived with lupus for 10 years? What about your child’s struggle with drug addiction?
Despite all the protections in place to safeguard against any discrimination from health problems and despite your hope that a prospective interviewer would be understanding, revealing too much can certainly cost you a job. But where is the balance?
Most experts suggest not revealing too much too soon. If you’re only on your first round of interviews, spilling your health history could certainly scare them away. A prospective interviewer is focused on how you can help the company get the job done. By telling them that you suffer from chronic pain or deal with depression, they might find other reasons to determine you aren’t the best candidate. The first interview is a get-to-know-you part of the process and not the time to let it all hang out.
But ethically, what should you do if you know your health issues could impact your job?
1. Present Your Best Self
Right from the start, you are applying for the job because you know you’re an excellent candidate. Focus on the qualities that will make your skills shine. Talk about your dedication, your ability to get the job done, or your proficiency with technology before introducing anything about limitations.
2. Try to Understand the Culture
You can ask questions about the culture of the organization and if you’re lucky enough to know anyone in the company, ask them a few informal questions. Are supervisors flexible in family emergencies? Do employees ever work flextime schedules or can they opt for shortened shifts for a time?
3. Know Your Rights
Legally, employers are not allowed to ask about your health history or conditions during a job interview. So as long as your answers are truthful, you don’t have to reveal anything as long as you can do the job.
4. Make It a Strength
If you have an obvious physical impairment or health problem, you can certainly turn your difficulty into a positive during the interview process. Whatever your condition, it was probably harder for you to land in that interview seat, so expand on whatever qualities you can that will make your skills, abilities, and determination shine.
5. It’s Your Decision
Ultimately, it’s up to you what you want to reveal about your health issues. If you have medical treatments scheduled for when the new job schedule has you traveling around the country for presentations or trainings, you might need to be a little more upfront about what’s going on. If you don’t, you risk making your potential supervisor feel misled right from the start, or it could cause a disruption that results in interpersonal friction.
6. Know You’re Not Alone
Employees and employers are human, and we all have things fall apart sometimes. If this interview doesn’t go in your favor, use it as a learning experience so the next one goes even better.
With each step of the job hunting process, you’ll learn what works best for you.
You know LinkedIn is a great tool for job seekers, but do you know the tricks for using LinkedIn that will improve your chances of finding a job that’s a good match?
1. Look at Posted Jobs
This one seems obvious. LinkedIn often matches your skills and industry to list posted jobs that might interest you. This is a great tool and you can always narrow down your search to include certain locations. But you should also study posted jobs for key words and phrases that recruiters are looking for. Study several job postings (even those in locations you aren’t interested in) and take notes of all those key words and write them down. Then really assess your own profile. Do you have those skills? Are they listed in the way a posting has them listed? Tailoring your profile to include those key terms helps put your name in front of recruiters who otherwise might never see you.
2. Keep in Touch
Staying in touch with former bosses and colleagues is always a good professional move. But when you’re looking for a job, being in touch with old colleagues is especially important. They could be seeking new employees or know a job you would be perfect for. Staying in touch is exactly that – sending occasional notes to check in or offer congratulations when they post a career move or a new skill. If you only keep in touch when you want something, they may not be as inclined to help you. Make this a routine part of your LinkedIn habits. And don’t forget to let former colleagues know of any job opportunities you know of that might suit them perfectly as well.
3. Sing Your Praises
Give yourself a shout out in the most professional way possible! Don’t be boastful or you risk annoying people (and it’s unprofessional), but do let others know when you have mastered new skills with a class or a new certification. Comment on a helpful article, invite others to participate in an online seminar you found, or post an informal meeting of a local nurses’ association. Let others know you are constantly improving and adding to your skills.
4. Participate
This tip is for anyone on LinkedIn, whether they are actively looking for a new job or not. The incredible variety of discussion groups and posts on LinkedIn makes it easy for anyone to find a place that suits them. But you can’t just join and tag yourself as a member, says Marie-Elena Barry, a senior practice and policy analyst at the American Nurses Association. You really have to become part of the discussion, she says. Recruiters can see who is an active poster and with a little research can see how you spark interesting and professionally relevant discussions. Several tools now help recruiters compile information on the most active contributors on spaces like LinkedIn. If you are looking for a job, this puts you in a great position. Just make sure your comments are genuine and not posted just for the sake of being seen. Finding a group that matches your interests is a good place to start.
5. Polish Up
This can’t be said enough – keep your profile polished. You want a professional-looking photo (just a head shot is ideal), clear wording that’s free of errors, and a complete listing of your credentials. Don’t under- or over-represent yourself. Have someone else read your profile for clarity and to catch any errors. This is your first impression on anyone considering you for a job – make it a good one!
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