I tried disclosure on my resume. Sent out over 100 resumes over a month. Got nothing except three emails encouraging me onwards but no interviews. Another time I sent out about 20 resumes with no disclosure and got hired the next week. My experience is that while people say it’s a new age where you can talk about your disability / mental illness … In reality nobody is ready to hear it (except in this forum and other special care providers).
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Yeah I keep it secret. I had to disclose once when I had a gran mal coming off of xanax but I was well established and was liked enough it didn’t matter. It would be nice to be honest but I don’t think most employers are anywhere near that yet. Especially when it comes to competition with other folk.
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I was hired for a job in peer support (coordinating job) where it was actually a demand that i had some sort of experience. I love that i can be open in my job.
In any other job i wouldnt disclose on my resume probably, but tell them something like i had trauma related issues in my interview if they d ask about the 7 year no-work-gap.
It sucks that they act like that to you.
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I’m so envious and happy for you @anon73478309 at the same time. I had a 15 year gap. Late onset schiz hit when I was in my late forties at which time I was making several hundred K yearly. Then schiz washed everything away… You know… I had absolutely no confidence after becoming symptom free for several years. My first job back was at home Depot. No disclosure of course. And then five more jobs and with each my confidence improved. I’ve still got a ways to go but I would love to be able to be out of the schiz closet at work.
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I proved myself at work, then told them later on. They were understanding and wanted to keep me as I had proven myself to be a useful human.
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I wonder what percentage of us disclose @Joker?
I shouldn’t think it’s high. The only reason I did was because I have family where I work
Thanks for your guess.
- I disclosed my illness at work
- I hide my illness at work
- I tell no one about my illness
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I have been able to disclosed my illness at work to some degree. I’ve already established myself at work so i guess they thought i wasn’t much of a risk.
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I always do, but only at the interview. I have an excellent employment history and I’m very high-functioning. I make it clear that it’s a health issue, but a well-managed one and they won’t have to worry about me taking sick days all over or flaking out in the workplace. I’m just a believer in full-disclosure so that there are no surprises later on. Have yet to not get a job over it.
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I disclosed my illness at work (everyone knew it even because they read my blog before hiring me). No prejudices by my co-workers, but (there is a huge but) it’s one exception. I don’t think most companies will see schizophrenia with good eyes.
I disclosed it to my cardiologist and felt embarrassed just to say the word schizophrenic
@Unclehenry
How did you deal with the change in ability? I worked for a decade, then I had to stop. I’ve not worked for four years, and my treatment team and family want meet to apply for disability because we are out of money.
Please tell me, how did you cope with not working anymore? I am addressing this in counseling. It’s incredible to me that you went back to work at Home Depot! That is admirable and inspiring! I also don’t think I can’t go back to a type of job I had before.
@anon73478309
Where did you find your job? That sounds awesome!
I’ve kept it a secret on my two new jobs. And I’m moving to a new town. Hoping it will remain a secret.
And I’m stable enough atm so wont take any sickdays cause of the diagnosis.
I will be applying for jobs at the turn of the new year, and I don’t plan on disclosing my illness unless it is absolutely needed. If I land an interview, and my 2 year work gap gets brought up, I might just tell them “I’ve been dealing with a health issue” and nothing more. Hopefully that will satisfy them
The last time i tried to work was at a Walmart and i didn’t mention the sza to them. In the three weeks i worked there i probably called in sick like five times. Then i decided i just couldn’t handle it and i quit. I simply told them i was being treated for depression and couldn’t handle the job. They wished me well and that was that.
Thanks. I found it at the internet. I was randomly browsing to see what they had in peer support work and wondered whether such a job would fit me, if i would be capable… And then this one came by.
It is for an organisation i love, the people are kind and it is interesting. I do think it is quite early, im not sure if i succeed at keeping the job, im not 100% stable, but i love it for now. Especially the fact that i can be myself at work - no hiding.
On the other hand…if it doesnt work out, that is okay too, i tried…I find my son and social contacts more important.
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You can say you needed the time off to care for an ill member of your family, but the need for it has passed and you’re back in the workforce. If they press for details just say it was a very difficult experience and you’re not able to talk about it yet. They don’t need to know that YOU were the ill family member and this is close enough to the truth that you aren’t being blatantly dishonest. (Dishonesty stains the soul, best avoided.)
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