Job Hunting

Hello, I am going through a redundancy process at work just now and haven't had to job hunt since my diagnosis until now (I've been diagnosed for about a year and a half and have worked in my current job for 5 years). I've been applying for jobs like mad but am a bit unsure as to when you should (or need) to declare your diabetes to a prospective employer. So far I have been ticking 'no' to the question 'do you consider yourself to have a disability' (as I don't!) on application forms but then there is no other area on the forms to state that you have diabetes though. What do you do in these cases- do you declare your diabetes at the application stage (and state that you consider yourself to have a disability), at the interview stage, at the acceptance of a job offer stage, or not at all? I'm pretty confused about what to do and could do with some advice. Thanks.

Hi Heather,

I don't tend to declare my diabetes at all in job applications. I can't imagine it would count against you, but you just never know, and it's certainly unlikely to help you get a job. I don't put it on forms or mention it at interview. I just make sure when I start the job I tell the people who I'm going to be working with most closely, so they know what to do if I have a hypo. M x

Thanks for that. That sounds like a good plan.

Hi Heather - I'm diabetic and also work in HR so can help with your query. I share the same view as you and never declare the diabetes at any stage of recruitment. Without boring you with too much with legal jargon a new piece of legislation came in on the 1st October 2010 which prevents employers from asking questions during the application or interview process about health or sickness absence (unless its the Occupational Health part of the process and then its limited) . I think this is a good move as it protects anyone who may have needed to take absence (and lets face it there are not many people who haven't had to at some point) irrespective of the reasons why, from some unscrupulous employers! The only time employers are allowed to ask for health details is for equal opportunities monitoring and most organisations keep this information separate from the recruiting managers. Hope this helps. Charlotte

I would chuck in word of caution - if you don't declare it, and they find out then they could say you weren't honest in the recruitment process and say no thanks. Of course this depends on how long into the job you have got, if only a few weeks and things not going well and it could be 'bye bye', a few years and you are getting along well and they may well ignore it.

By telling people you work with - as I think everyone should, you run the risk of the employer finding out and not taking too kindly to it.

I have always found that being open and honest has always paid off, although both times I did declare my diabetes I was applying for jobs in the public sector, who I feel are more likely to adhere to the DDA and not pay any attention to it.

In some cases declaring you have a disability can help as there are quota's and employers can show they employ those with disabilities by employing you.

Obviously it is up to you what you do, but I would be open and declare it at the application stage.

Edit

charlotte's post got in before me, and I wasn't aware of this new legislation - which may help, however, as far as I am aware, if you have absences that are due to a declared disability then they shouldn't count against you - I say shouldn't and in my organisation they don't. I still advocate openness.

This aspect of the new legislation hasn't been widley publicised and I do have to be a bit of an anorak when it comes to leglistatiion :-)

you are correct- absence relating to a declared disability should not be held against people and in the majority of organisations this is adhered to. Re stats, it might be useful to know that where employers are showing the two tick symbol (two ticks in a circular type logo) candidates who declare a disability are guaranteed an interview if the meet the essential criteria on the person spec. The two tick symbol is most prevalent in large organisations - especially the public sector.

Forgot to say before - very best of luck with your job hunting!

sorry but I would like to meet the person who is completely honest in the recruitment process. OK so its a question of degrees of honesty but having been both the interviewee and interviewer many times, people say what they think you want to hear not necessarily what is completely 100% accurate. I would never declare my diabetes it is none of the prospective companies business, unless they explicitly ask and it turns out the cannot you have not been dishonest by not telling them.
Good luck with the job hunting, the most important thing is to stay positive and believe something will come along. I'm sure it will.

Totally agree with Marke; I would never openly tell any interviewee about my diabetes, unless asked outright, and then wouldn't lie. Quite honestly it has nothing to do with the job recruitment process. Surely they are asking about your skills, expertise and knowledge to fulfil the role? I also don't acknowledge that diabetes is a disability; it is a condition which we all manage and aim to control.
In the past, 1980's, I have had to have a doctor's medical prior to starting employment, but this was before I was diagnosed with diabetes. Does this still happen? If so, what can a doctor disclose to your prospective employer?

Thanks v much everyone, that's really helpful.

But... what can employers ask for from referees? I am often asked to provide references for people that I have previously managed, and it is standard practice to be asked about health and sickness records. Is this something I should be declining to answer?

Stew B