2007-09-03 10:57:32 · 7 answers · asked by intelligent80000 5 in Business & Finance ➔ Careers & Employment ➔ Other - Careers & Employment
Be honest but discrete. The interviewer doesn't want and doesn't need to know the details. Simply say due to medical reasons you have been out of the workforce for x amount of time. Then go on to talk about how excited you are to re-enter the workforce and what you have done to keep up / brush up on your skills and knowledge (if you are in a particular field all the better). For example, taking online or community college classes in software programs, attending association meetings related to your profession, reading industry news articles or subscribing to trade periodicals.
Good luck!
2007-09-03 11:09:06 · answer #1 · answered by HRGal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is pretty tricky. You will and can get one of two types of interviewers. The one's who will be more than understanding of your situation and overlook that OR the one's who immediately assess this person can get sick again in the future and cost us thousands. The minute you say illness you open up that can of worms for the interviewer to inquire further with no legal consequence. Remember you offered this information. Does the illness fall under the ADA? Does the company have to worry about a recurrence and future FMLA leave? Disability? Worker's comp? Very early in my career I believed in honesty always being the best policy. After over 20 years in the workforce it is not always possible especially in this particular case if you wind up with the interviewer who I offered in the second example. You can say you were a homemaker (doesn't matter anymore if you are a male as many men do stay at home and the wife the primary earner), primary caregiver to a sick relative who passed... You can also feel out the interviewer. Only you can tell during the interview process does he/she seem they will be empathetic/sympathetic to your situation and not base there hiring decision on your illness. I can tell you from experience when I first began my career in HR I was always advised by my superiors to immediately dismiss any candidate who was out of the workforce due to an illness for the very reasons I cited. Is it fair? Absolutely not. Is it legal? Absolutely not. But the interviewer will never tell you this was the reason why you weren't hired. Hope you are much better now.
2007-09-03 11:17:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you recovered now, and able to work? I wouldn't say anything unless they ask about the last two years showing as a gap on your resume - if they do, tell them what happened, without going into details. "I was off due to illness, but have recovered now and am anxious to get back to a normal work life" is plenty to say.
2007-09-03 11:08:39 · answer #3 · answered by Judy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell the truth.
2007-09-03 11:00:52 · answer #4 · answered by Jane T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is a legitimate reason. Be truthful.
2007-09-03 11:05:12 · answer #5 · answered by hwinnum 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Always be honest.
2007-09-03 11:02:38 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
tell them just that. good luck!
2007-09-03 13:26:54 · answer #7 · answered by Lizzie<3..is bananas! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋