I thought it would be interesting to learn what a recruiter could tell us about the issues of disclosure and interviewing for people with chronic illness. I spoke to a leading recruiting consultant in Southern California who has interviewed thousands of candidates for companies. (She does what is called “retained search.“) I asked her 5 questions to find out what happens if and when a job candidate tells her about a health issue, and what she’s seeing from companies.

Keep in mind, she specializes in specific industries and professions, so I don’t pretend that she is in touch with all levels of employment. In her own words, “I work primarily in certain industry sectors and not all. I suspect there is a variance in how this issue is being addressed – with some industries or even companies within those industries still more forward thinking than others.”

Q. When you’ve interviewed candidates for positions, have any told you about ongoing health issues or do they keep quiet?

A. Well if they’ve kept mum – I sure don’t know about it but yes, I’ve had candidates disclose either current, past or recent past health issues (some are chronic and some what I would call health events).

Q. If people do disclose something to you, might you still forward them for an interview, or do you outright “reject” them?
(This is probably a question she could only answer the way she did as I know it’s not OK to outright reject a candidate. I thought her answer informative regarding the expense a company might have to account for in their budget for appropriate accommodations.)

A. The only factors that I use to determine the validity of a candidate’s candidacy is are they qualified and equipped to do the job that is required. If someone would need accommodation that would far exceed their ability in comparison with other candidates, or would present an expense attached to a position that could not budgeted for – I imagine that would be limiting. Otherwise, I am focusing on the technical skills and cultural fit.

Q. If you do recommend them, do you let the company know about health concerns, and/or counsel the candidate about how to approach the topic?

A. If someone needs accommodation to leave early twice a week for doctor’s appointments – I would probably encourage them to address their needs with the hiring manager fairly early on.

Q. Have you noticed any trends in the companies you’re working with to make accommodations for candidates they’re really interested in hiring if they reveal a health issue? Is this even discussed, or is it still hush-hush?

A. I haven’t seen any trends that I can acknowledge – other than Human Resources [HR] working more as a business partner with managers. When HR is more embedded in the business in general, I think there’s an ability to do overall “just in time” training on many issues including these.

5. If a someone is interested in a position, can do the job, has a history of unpredictable illness symptoms, what advice would you give her?

A. Be an active listener, before you talk. Disclosure is I imagine an important aspect of coping with an illness – but understanding the pacing of when it is appropriate to address – is really vital. Too early, and it seems like “too much information” – too late – and it seems like “why didn’t he/she mention this sooner?”

I think she’s quite right about this last. I know I’ve been caught with ‘wrong’ timing with this a couple of times. I suppose it’s a bit like dating and disclosing. It’s not the first thing out of your mouth, and knowing the right time isn’t always easy. I like her suggestion to be an active listener.

Finally, she offered this last tip. “The “bible” I work with every year is the Fortune issue with the “Best Companies to Work for” – this list to me would probably represent the very best example across industries of “who gets it”.”

Joan

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