Submitted by leca on
in
Forums
Hi!
My question is: How do I handle the fact that I suffer from health problems?
- When communicating with my boss, peers and directs?
- When I seek new jobs?
I am 35 years old male that has been working for 8 years. Today I work as Chief of Administration. Despite my health problems I have managed to get the jobs I want.
In total I have been away from job 1 year due to my health problems. As I write this question I am sick again, and has been away from the workplace for 1 month.
Healthproblems is hard to handle in many ways. I hope to get som spesific recomendations on my questions and get in contact with someone facing simular challanges.
Leca
Hi Leca
I'll take the 'seeking new jobs' part of your question.
If you have gaps on your resume due to illness then one of the things you need to do is really demonstrate the value you brought your employers when you were in work. You need the reader to be saying 'this guy, he's got a few gaps on his resume, but when he was working he was brilliant! Let's get him in and find out what those gaps were all about'. Making sure you have really strong accomplishments and demonstrable bottom line affects is important for you.
Similarly, you need to work really hard in your interview and absolutely demonstrate your potential value to the company.
There is no need to bring up your health issues in the initial interview. In the EU, disability discriminate law would prevent an employer asking about it until very late in the process, and they would not be able to not employ you due to your illness alone. So don't volunteer it. In our company, you do have to fill in a medical questionnaire, but the hiring manager is not allowed to see it, and any illness is discussed between you and the company doctor. If you volunteer information it breaks the process which is designed to protect you.
And - for all the hiring managers who are reading this, thinking "I have to employ people who are sick and never going to be here and why can't I ask, and HR have stupid rules', I know where you're coming from. If you are taken to an industrial tribunal and the IT finds for the claimant and you were involved - this is gross misconduct in most companies and you will be fired.
Wendii
No Fair! ;-)
Those are two completely different questions.
Wendii handled one part, which I will summarize (though she may correct me afterwards) as: keep quiet.
The job part is more difficult, and accurate guidance depends upon a better understanding of your health issues and how they will impact work. (Lots of doctor visits, or weeks at a time gone, or lower productivity every other month, etc.)
That said, if you're a manager, you better be very good at reporting to your boss (that is, creating reports and keeping her up to speed), and keeping your team up to date, and having a designated successor.
If you'd like more detailed data, please PM me if privacy would be helpful.
Health and careers
Wendii and Mark!
Thank you for the comments :-)