atw: Re: CV and interview advice

My experience is only with permanent roles but I have found employers
prefer to know.  In my case, being sick worked for me.  Prospective
employers were impressed that I survived chemo and still managed to fit
some work in.  And I always remind myself that employers are people too
- I don't think I would want to work with people who are going to
discriminate against me because of illness.

But this is just my experience.  I have actually been gob smacked at how
relaxed people have been about all the time I've needed off. I think
I've been very lucky with attitudes and have found lots of support in
the workplace. I was also willing to put in a few hours from home and to
come in for meetings, and often the willingness was all they needed - I
didn't actually have to follow through.   With a serious illness, people
realise you aren't just slacking off and are impressed with anything you
can deliver.
I also had the advantage of not being completely desperate to work as I
could fall back on insurance if needed.
Contracting is probably a whole different experience.

I wouldn't mention it in your CV though - just leave the time gaps.  If
you are asked about it at interview discuss it then.  I'd be honest
about how much time you've had off and how much you are likely to have
in the future.  If they don't raise it, bring it up at the end of the
interview.
I've been in a new job for a month and yesterday announced I need a
month off for surgery at short notice.  Since I raised this at interview
they're not surprised - they don't expect me to work through, but have
been really good about setting me up from home if I feel like I can do a
few hours here and there.

I'd start off giving people a chance to be human, then change your
approach if that isn't working, rather than assuming people will
discriminate against you first.  Do as you would be done by I guess.

Deborah :o)

**************************************************
To post a message to austechwriter, send the message to 
austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To subscribe to austechwriter, send a message to 
austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "subscribe" in the Subject field.

To unsubscribe, send a message to austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 
"unsubscribe" in the Subject field.

To search the austechwriter archives, go to 
www.freelists.org/archives/austechwriter

To contact the list administrator, send a message to 
austechwriter-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
**************************************************

Other related posts: