View Full Version : Cannot get a job!! :((((
Hey! i couldn't see where best to post this so i thought i would throw it in here as i suffer with GAD.....I am going to try and make this as short as possible for you as i really need some help and support right now. I am 25 and i have suffered with gad/panic attacks and health anxiety since i was 14/15 i struggled loads but in the last year i have got so much better and i begun to see the light at the end of this all.......i was in receipt of employment and support allowance as the thought of getting a job filled me with dread and sent my anxiety through the roof and i would get really depressed.....for 6 months now i have been searching for a job as i am finally in a place where i feel i can go back into work (i havent been receiving benefits for over a year now as at the health assessment thing they said i was 'well' enough to work at the time i was nowhere near well enough to work!! which angered me!)
Anyway after talking to my cbt therapist she said its best for me to put the fact i suffer from anxiety or atleast did suffer on my cv or explain to them in the interview so i dont feel pressured at work etc, BUT i feel as soon as they hear this they completely dismiss me :( i am overly qualified for the jobs i am applying for and i have even applied in shops etc i have had interviews but when i mention my anxiety and the fact i used to suffer really bad but now i have learnt to control it and its no longer a problem in my life i feel they judge me on this and not what i can do or what i am capable off, i have been volunteering where i can because all i want to do is work. I have no source of income right now and i havent for the past 6 months i am getting really low and depressed now :(
in the beginning i didnt think i was being turned away because of my mental health illness but after applying for hundreds of jobs and seeing the interviewers reaction when i tell them has made me think i am being turned away because of this. Not telling them isnt an option i just wish someone would give me a chance :((
If you got this far thank you any advice or anything would be really appreciated im feeling so alone :(( xx
As far as I am aware you don't have to disclose any illnesses during the interview procedure so why do you feel that you need to?
its a complex one.....i will try my best to explain, Although my anxiety is so much better ( this time last year even the thought of attending an interview would send me into panic attacks ) I had a bad experience a few years back i didnt tell the employer about my anxiety and ended up feeling so stressed and worried about having a panic attack and them finding out that i made myself physically to worried to go in. Me and my therapist thought if i were to mention it and they know then it would relax my mind and that wouldnt happen again and to be honest thats a big reason why i am ready to go back into work.....i hope this makes sense :/ xx
It does make sense but it also makes it harder to find work as they will be worrying your attendance will be poor :( We are in a no win situation with it. My ESA comes to an end soon and I can't even think about a full time job. I have started a couple of hours cleaning for a friend and selling cosmetics door to door (you probably know the company :)) When I think of all my qualifications I am wasting!
Seriously, unless I was applying for work at an organisation that was proactive in hiring people with anxiety-related issues, I would never put that information on a CV.
The hirer has twenty or more CVs to sort through, so evidence of emotional problems will probably move your application to the reject pile.
Your CV should show you at your best. If you get hired, it's then up to you to come up to your best in the job.
I think i might know the company :P.....It still doesnt make it right though if someone had a physical illness something you could see would it be the same situation? The only choice i can think is trying to work for myself like you do i just really wanted a job i want to be independent again and have a sense of satisfaction when you have finished work for the day. I have tried in the past not to mention my anxiety but it always comes out somehow and then i feel pressure. I would rather be open and honest with people and them not judge me like i feel they do. xx
---------- Post added at 11:31 ---------- Previous post was at 11:28 ----------
Hanshan.....Believe me i know exactly what you are saying and this i have tried i have had jobs in the past where i hadn't mentioned it i even had someone find out one day and asked why i lied about it in interview. Why should i get put in the reject pile when i am as good as the next person just because i suffer with anxiety the whole concept of that is wrong. If i am not honest then i feel an unbelievable amount of pressure i dont know why i just do.....so what am i to do if not be honest? xx
You don't have to be dishonest because they shouldn't be asking about illnesses. If they don't ask, then you are not being dishonest.
yorkshirepudding
10-10-13, 12:10
DO NOT put anything on your CV or tell them anything unless they directly as you a specific question. As was said before, unless you are going for a job where a medical is required, they should not be asking you these questions. Sometimes you can be just too honest. Its not lying - its just only offering what they ask.
GOOD LUCK
I agree with the others - It should not be on your CV!!!! The job market is especially difficult right now and any negatives count. Personally I would say that I have been out of work because I was looking after an aunt/uncle who had been ill. I would say that she/he has passed away now so I'm ready to rejoin the job market.
Yes I know it's lying but at the interview imagine your GAD as your aunt/uncle - it caused you great pain and it is dying - so you should look reflective and sad.
Have you considered becoming a live-in carer? You look after a person in there own home. You don't pay any bills and your food is also bought for you. Everything you earn is saved so after 6 months you will have 7-8 grand in the bank and more options. Whatever you decide I wish you luck.
The hard truth is that a potential employer is and will be prejudice. Illnesses, current and past are none of their business. There are many do's and don'ts when it comes to interviews and disclosing a mental illness is definitely a don't!
I plan on networking myself in the near future and I assure you the discussion of my heart disease and cancer will not be brought up nor implied.
It's hard enough to find work these days. Why make it more difficult? The worst that can happen is you have to resign and they don;t have to know the reason then either!
Good Luck!
Sparkle1984
10-10-13, 17:44
Whenever I've been to a job interview in the last few years, they've never asked me about my sickness record. However, if an interviewer did ask me how many sick days I've had in the last 2 years and why, I'd be honest and say I've had 10 sick days as I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and my doctor signed me off. I would point out that I'm receiving successful treatment for it, it's under control and that I've learnt coping techniques, so i don't anticipate it affecting my performance in the role. The reason i was signed of was so that so I could have some breathing space and time to get over initial side effects of medication.
I know you've had longer off work than me, but you could say something like it took you a while to find a treatment that works for you, but now you are feeling much better and are enthusiastic to start a new career with the company.
I wouldn't put it on your cv or mention it at an interview. If they ask about sick days just say you are not sure of the exact amount but will find out and let them know-I doubt they will chase this as sickness days are usually covered when previous employers give their reference and not at an interview.
Once you have a job you can then speak you your manager about your anxiety so that they can support you.
The job market is so tough at the moment and I don't think telling them any of your anxiety issues will get you a job-sad but true.
nataliewoods88
10-10-13, 21:58
hi there, this it a tough one because im guessing (tell me if im wrong) you want to be honest about who you are and not see any reason why your illness should stop you from being job worthy, and you probs want to protect yourself from future anxiety at work and feel reassured knowing they all already know? disclosing invisible illnesses can be a pain in the ass at times! for my job interview i didnt mention it and only decided to tell my employers when my job skills were being affected. This has been the best route for me, i say don't give them too much info about you, just tell them as and when you really need to :)
The employment legislation was changed a few years ago so they cannot ask you about your health or sickness in your previous job.
while it is never good to lie, that legislation was put in place to make sure everyone gets an equal chance of employment regardless of disability. That law is there to protect YOU as the potential employee.
You can disclose this information AFTER you have been offered employment and it is up to the place of work to support YOU, even if that means making necessary changes.
If it helps, then you can approach it in a sensitive way with your employer. Don't let fear of what they might think about you to hinder your chances of employment. Once you feel comfortable to approach the employer about the anxiety then you can mention anything that will make both your lives easier. For example, I told my current employer that I needed to manage time off better and many years ago when i worked in a shop I told the employer that I could do everything bar working on the till.
The bottom line is that, as far as I am aware in the UK, employers can't ask about potential health issues. It's up to you to volunteer that information.
My advice would be NOT to if you seriously think you can do the job. If you can do the job, then your health status is your own business.
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