Job applications/invisible disability/request for reasonable adjustment

[RubyToogood]

OK so. As some may know I'm agoraphobic, which means I'm not able to travel outside of London and nearer surrounds. Have had treatment, this is where I am, it's not going to go away any time soon. This cuts out some jobs altogether, then there are some jobs where it's totally irrelevant because you're never going to leave the office. However there is quite a big grey area, and it's often not very clear when you're applying for jobs whether that particular job requires travel or not and if so how much.

Most of the jobs I'm applying for are with national organisations and I tend to find it's very rare that the job spec really specifies travel correctly. Either they have a blanket policy to chuck it into all job descriptions to be on the safe side, whether or not that specific role really needs it, or they forget and leave it out, on the assumption that "everyone" can travel.

There is a whole thing to my mind about how legal this is, as the two groups of people most likely to be affected by this are disabled people and those with caring responsibilities ie primarily women, but anyway.

From a personal POV it raises a difficult question which is how and when to raise this. You really don't want to be starting out with "hi! I have a mental health problem!" when you're applying for a job. I've had it come up horrendously and awkwardly IN a job interview before.

I have an interview tomorrow for a job where it's not specified in the job description but there's a possibility it may have been an oversight. The information pack mentions some away days, annual conference etc, which I might need a reasonable adjustment around. I think I'm going for "see if I get offered the job and then bring it up" and hope they're not pissed off. Sometimes I've asked before applying when I knew the hiring manager, but in this case that doesn't apply and I wouldn't have had time.

Any thoughts?

 

[cybershot]

I guess you could guide yourself depending on if the employer has a 'Disability Confident' logo (replaced the two ticks symbol I think) on how approachable they may be to that sort of questioning from the off.

The application form itself from past experience would give an opportunity to put it down in writing before getting to the interview stage either in a Disability section or in a 'additional information' field.

I guess the key part there is still making it a positive rather than a negative and encouraging the employer to engage with you before if they deem necessary before offering you an interview to save all of your time.

This way at least it's been broached already before the interview itself and you can say afterwards it was clear as day in your application.

 

[MickiQ]

Is it a job that you are exceptionally well qaulified for and is there likely to be much competition for? if the answers are yes and no then you have a bit of leeway there since they may want you enough to be willing to put up with what they would probably see as a foible.
If they haven't specified travel in the advert then they have no right to expect you to volunteer anything, It's down to them to bring it up, At the end when they get to the "have you any questions?" bit try asking without being too obvious about it. Mention that the information pack mentions away days etc and ask for clarification, the away days and annual conference may be no further than the local pub (been there done that) when they just want people out of the office where they won't get interrupted.
Your strategy of "see if I get offered and then bring it up" is a good one, but it's the luck of draw then, some employers are great about these things and some are shit and even great employers have shit local managers and vice versa.

 

[RubyToogood]

I guess you could guide yourself depending on if the employer has a 'Disability Confident' logo (replaced the two ticks symbol I think) on how approachable they may be to that sort of questioning from the off.

The application form itself from past experience would give an opportunity to put it down in writing before getting to the interview stage either in a Disability section or in a 'additional information' field.

I guess the key part there is still making it a positive rather than a negative and encouraging the employer to engage with you before if they deem necessary before offering you an interview to save all of your time.

This way at least it's been broached already before the interview itself and you can say afterwards it was clear as day in your application.

If there's a disability section it would/should only be on the equal opps monitoring form so would be detached and not seen by hiring managers. No way would I put it on an application form ever. You'd be straight on the no pile.

 

[RubyToogood]

Is it a job that you are exceptionally well qaulified for and is there likely to be much competition for? if the answers are yes and no then you have a bit of leeway there since they may want you enough to be willing to put up with what they would probably see as a foible.

Yes but also yes... I guess I'm gambling on them liking me so much that they don't care.

 

[RubyToogood]

In the situation where it came up in the interview - really disability/mental health should never be a fit topic for discussion in an interview and it is outright illegal for an interviewer to ask about it. The hiring manager clearly broke the law in that interview without knowing he had done so. I thought afterwards that I should have said something like"I might need a reasonable adjustment around that aspect of the job which would be best discussed at offer stage if applicable" but I'm not sure I'd actually go through with saying that if it happened again...

The last time this happened I asked about travel at interview and they said "no not really, we haven't got the budget to send people round the country" so that dealt with that.

 

[equationgirl]

I've waited until the pre-employment medical questionnaire and then fully disclosed any information on there. I wouldn't put it on the application itself, there isn't really any need at that point.

Also I've been medically unable to travel long distances for a couple of years, luckily there hasn't been a business need for me to travel during that time.

Am currently jobseeking so will have this to look forward to with my own stuff.

Hope you are well

 

[Thimble Queen]

I've done the same as equationgirl in the past. Although my current job didn't have a pre-employment health screener... I wouldn't mention it until the job is yours. Best of luck.

 

[RubyToogood]

Well I thought I did a good job of the interview, the subject didn't come up, I didn't get the job anyway.

 

[MickiQ]

Well I thought I did a good job of the interview, the subject didn't come up, I didn't get the job anyway.

Better to try and fail than not try at all, their loss, better luck next time.

 

[friendofdorothy]

Well I thought I did a good job of the interview, the subject didn't come up, I didn't get the job anyway.

I'm sorry you didn't get it.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Well I thought I did a good job of the interview, the subject didn't come up, I didn't get the job anyway.

in answer to the original question (which i didn't notice at the time) gut feeling is that at the application stage, it's only worth mentioning any reasonable adjustments as far as the interview is concerned.

 

[equationgirl]

Well I thought I did a good job of the interview, the subject didn't come up, I didn't get the job anyway.

Sorry to hear that

Hidden disabilities are something most employers need educating on, in my opinion.