Dear J.T. & Dale: I worked for three months with a major festival. As the job was ending, I started to develop health problems. I was in and out of hospitals. The next year rolled around and I worked the festival again. I have just finished my fourth year with them. I’ve learned to manage my health problem, and I’ve been looking for a full-time job. On interviews, they often ask me what I did in between the festivals. How should I handle this? — Britney
J.T.: Recently, I encountered a situation where a new employee had failed to mention that she had a medical condition. The company tried to accommodate her, but it put a real strain on the department, and the employee fell so far behind in her work that she just stopped showing up and was fired. A bad experience all around. That’s an example of why I never suggest lying or omitting it from the discussions — it always comes back to haunt you.
Dale: And, of course, the goal isn’t just to avoid a bad experience, but to put yourself in a position where you can thrive. I know a woman who gets debilitating migraines and knows she’ll be shut down for a couple of days, with zero warning, two or three times a month. But she has a job where she works on long-term projects, and she keeps ahead of schedule, just in case. The company isn’t sure WHEN she’ll be in the office, but they are sure she’ll do great work, on schedule. They don’t “accommodate” her; they love her. That’s possible because she identified and helped create a situation where she could deliver first-rate work.
J.T.: So, Britney, start by identifying what you truly are capable of doing effectively. When people ask you about your gaps in employment, be honest, but turn it into a positive by explaining that your desire to work has caused you to come up with a career strategy that will minimize any impact on your performance. In short, share how the process has actually prepared you to be a better employee. If they sense that you are sincere and excited about working for them, they’ll want to give you a try.
July 24th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I am facing the same problems. I have had bad back issues in the last few years. I used to work in retail and salon work and a little construction as a helper. I need a permanent career this time. Most of the jobs I had weren’t any more than a few days to a few months long, each.
These type of previous jobs I had required certain amounts of lifting, walking, stooping, and standing on hard concrete/tile floors all day.
In salons, I was able to stand on a floor mat under my chair. This helped a little but not enough. I didn’t get ANY accomodations with the other jobs.
These occupations caused great physical strain on my back, neck, shoulders, legs and feet. Once a few years ago, I sprained my right foot, and since then, it has never healed properly, even with medical treatments.
I get chiropractic treatments every so often but insurance doesn’t cover this currently.
I have started a Vocational Rehab program and some Physical Therapy. This helps some but not enough so far.
Mainly I need money to pay 4 months of bills while I continue to look for clerical work. Yes, Clerical work is what I want to do now. But I am having a hard time getting in to that field. Employers are thinking I am unqualified, so what do I do now?
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