The employment GAP from chronic illness

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When you’ve taken time off from working because of chronic illness (I’m talking about a year or more), this gap is going to be the proverbial “elephant in the room” (or worse, a stampede) when you look for a job.

The Boston Globe “Job Doc” posted a letter about this. The letter writer had told prospective employers that the year “off” (in fact for health reasons) was taken for personal time. But since call backs weren’t happening, the writer wondered if there is anything else to say?

Most people think that it’s just back to work moms who face this issue. But chronic illness can mean a prolonged period out of work. Regardless of the reason, it stands out on any resume.

You’ve got options. Which door do you think the job doc recommends you open?

1. The one in which — you make up something that you think the interviewer will respond well to.
2. The one in which — you bring it up before the interviewer has a chance to ask so you create the impression you’ve nothing to hide and then come completely clean about what happened to you and how you’re doing now.
3. The one in which — you wait for the interviewer to bring it up and respond with as much factual information as necessary followed up with a statement that you’re fully capable of doing the job now.

The job doc recommended door number 3 – and I agree. But before you go full speed ahead, think about this:

Do you believe you can do the job that you are applying for without any special accommodations? If you can’t, then your options are narrower and you’ve got to frame this very carefully.

Are you comfortable enough talking about this so it doesn’t come across as a “black mark”? Your success here relies on how you perceive this.

Can you use this to your advantage so a prospective employer sees that you’re someone to be trusted as a team player? You want to play your strongest card here.
The job doc further suggests you schedule a session with a career coach. (No, I’ve never spoken with her – but she’s got good ideas!) And who better than a career coach specializing in chronic illness?

My program: “Just in Time Career Coaching ” (click here to read about it on my website) offers short term, intensive coaching around a single issue — and how to talk about an employment gap is a great fit!

Rosalind aka cicoach.com