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J.T.: No, companies cannot, by law, ask about her health. However, if she cannot physically do the job, she needs to be honest with herself and them — taking a job you know you can’t do can lead to termination.
Dale: But the worst thing she can do is leave interviewers wondering about her health. No manager wants to train a new employee who is going to have frequent absences.
J.T.: So, if she can cover the scar with a turtleneck or scarf, I think that would help — it would help avoid the issue during the interview and help your daughter feel less self-conscious. If not, she can voluntarily say, “I had surgery, and everything is fine — I just ended up with some scarring.”
Dale: Exactly. Interviewers usually assume the worst. Not because they’re bad people, but because their first objective is to avoid a “bad hire,” which is anyone they hire and then end up having to fire, or who — worse yet — can’t do the job but can’t be fired. So, getting back to your daughter, if the scar is visible, employers can’t ask, but she can tell. With a bit of rehearsal, she can not only declare victory over her health problems, but do so in a way that says something about her character: She is determined, a fighter and, translating that into workplace terms, someone who will overcome obstacles to get the job done.
J.T.: Moreover, by answering the questions in interviewers’ minds, she’s proving that she’s proactive, demonstrating to them that she cares about what HR is thinking, and is willing to address their concerns.
© 2012 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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