Lying On Resume To Cover Up Mental Disability

[Ani_Ibi]

I don’t think this is principally about lying. I think that many of the questions that employers ask in interviews are about fear of making a mistake. It is not lying to decline to feed into that fear. It is in fact doing the employer a service to help him or her find confidence in you.

So, first of all, the employer has no right to any information about your disability until after he or she has hired you.

Second, you are in good health. Just because you are under treatment for schizophrenia does not mean that you are not in good health.

There are no guarantees in life. The employer just wants to know that he or she is not making a mistake in hiring you. If you have done your homework in researching the company and you are convinced in your heart and mind that this is a good match for you, then what’s the problem? If it’s a good match for you, then it’s a good match for the employer.

If on the other hand you have chosen a company which is going to stress you out emotionally, work you to the bone, treat you dishonestly, violate health and safety regs, and interfere in your productivity, then this company is not for you. If you encourage this company to hire you, then you will be in the hospital in three months. And so would anybody, not just those who have schizophrenia.

The trick is in the research. If the match is good, then sell the match. Emphasize which of the company’s problems you can solve. Emphasize how your qualifications match the company’s needs. Emphasize that you are a team player and can stay on task, but can also work independently in a trustworthy manner without the boss expending loads of energy supervising your every move. Keep your answers simple.

Don’t hesitate to turn the employer’s questions to your own advantage. This called ‘staying on message.’

 

[Jodi]

I hope this helps but I recently re- entered the work force after a 7 year break. In my interview I was asked why the long break. I said that I was taking care of my family. End of that question. I did start my road back to full time employment at a temp agency while I waited to land the job I have now. Breaks in enployment are not a resume killer some company’s would rather see a long period without employment that a series of jobs that didn’t last longer than 6 months. There is one quality I would be looking for in an employee. (especially a book keeper) Honesty. Not to mention that living any lie is taking on our souls, bodies, and our mental states. You do not need the stress of a lie. If you want to stay recovered you will stay conected to reality and a good way to do that is to stay connected with the truth.

 

[Chovy]

Henry- I have read all of your posts and those of the responders and I have to say, a lie is a lie is a lie. I don’t really see an instance in which a lie of this nature can meet some moral threshold- though I am no Apologist.

Many people suffer from schizophrenia or other mental illness and hold appropriate jobs. An employer that wouldn’t hire you because you were out of the workforce wouldn’t be a suitable employer for you anyway. I would recommend stating, if asked, (and as recommended above by many people) that you were out of the workforce due to some health issues which have since been resolved. Any reputable employer will ask no further questions except perhaps for a doctor’s clearance.

As a business owner, I can tell you that the number of skilled, quality applicants for positions is sometimes so slim that an employer is often willing to overlook things like missing time on resumes. It is so refreshing to meet someone with the right skills and work ethic. Also, a previous poster was right, if you were found to have lied, you would be fired on the spot and your name may be sullied.

I am also curious (as I am no expert on these types of things) wouldn’t it be useful to have someone at your employer who knew of your situation? Could there ever be an instance in which your medication could cause some side effect or another reason that it would be useful to have someone "in the know?