It seems once or twice a week I have this conversation with my clients – if they have a disability, should they disclose this to the potential employer? First and foremost it is against the law for an employer to ask if you have a disability; however, I have been in interviews where individuals do get asked. You can let the employer know that this question is illegal to ask but you have realize that this response is not going to go over well. The trick is to be diplomatic in answering this question or when asked why you have been unemployed for some time. You could answer this interview question stating you were off work due to health reasons but that you are ready, willing, and able to return to work. Do not use the interview as a confessional. If you are going to disclose that you had or have health problems you are going to have to offset the negative with a positive and reassure the employer that your health is great at this point and that you wouldn’t be applying for this job if you didn’t feel you could do it.
If you have only been off for a short time, and you are being interviewed for a totally different kind of job than what you have been doing for years, you could state to the interviewer that you were in need of a career change and that is why you are applying for this new position.
Remember to always apply for jobs that you are sure you can perform; therefore your disability is never really an issue. Remain confident and always bring a positive attitude during the interview because these attributes totally outweigh any disability.
Practice builds your confidence and makes it easier to handle tough interview questions.
by Louise Shea, Guest Blogger for Agilec
For more information, you can always contact the Agilec location nearest you.
What kind of experiences have you had with these types of interview questions? Your comments and feedback are always welcome!
