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Job seeking and your health

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by BB Bobcat, Apr 14, 2011.

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  1. MartinonMTV2

    MartinonMTV2 New Member

    This was a pretty good piece of advice. Of course, it will be shot down by people saying "NO!!!! He has to work now! Has to get paid!" and so on.

    There are other jobs, but only one you. Get the treatment, recover, and come back swinging.
     
  2. BB Bobcat

    BB Bobcat Active Member

    Unfortunately, not really. Jobs for which I wouldn't have to relocate or take a big backwards career step are rare, for me.

    In any case, this really was a hypothetical, because I think in reality it's unlikely that this place would be acting fast enough to cause a conflict. A month from now it'll be over.
     
  3. silent_h

    silent_h Member

    This. Never apologize, never explain.
     
  4. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    A few years ago, I had a list of five finalists for a job. One of them, probably the favorite, called and withdrew. Cancer had returned, in a big way, and he needed to devote the next 4-6 months to fighting it. He didn't think it would be fair to me to proceed.

    Much different situation than what is being discussed here. This was a second and much more serious occurence. He didn't make it through the 4-6 months. Really bothered me. Hell of a guy, hell of a reporter.

    I mentioned to him that I'd be happy to keep him in the mix. He said thanks but declined, said what he was facing was a full-time job in itself. I'd love to be able to sit here and swear that, had he stayed in, the situation wouldn't have factored into my thinking.
     
  5. MartinonMTV2

    MartinonMTV2 New Member

    Good luck with that approach throughout life. You're never going to explain anything, or issue an apology, even a "fake" one?
     
  6. jambalaya

    jambalaya Member

    Just to clarify, when I mentioned "fake smile" I meant the ones I saw from my editors and HR people saying, it's cool, we got your back, etc. When push comes to shove, one of the biggest things that can kill your career is divulging health problems. I realize that's not Bobcat's specific dilemma, however.
     
  7. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    "choosing to withhold intensely personal health information" = "never telling the truth about anything ever."

    The world according to martin.
     
  8. jr/shotglass

    jr/shotglass Well-Known Member

    Yeah, that's exactly what he said.

    It's so cute when somebody accuses another of twisting words ... by twisting words.
     
  9. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    He extrapolated the advice not to tell the employer about health status into "that approach throughout life." I don't see how it can be read any differently. Course, same guy started the thread by saying the OP was a "weasel" for not disclosing, so this is hardly a surprise.
     
  10. MartinonMTV2

    MartinonMTV2 New Member

    (1) "Never explain; never apologize." I responded directly to that. I am really not sure what is confusing you about that part.

    (2) Your second point has been responded to repeatedly, and the offending word was even crossed out. If you still cannot figure out the concept and how it relates to a job/worker situation, then I cannot help you right now.
     
  11. RickStain

    RickStain Well-Known Member

    I get what you are saying about people needing to remember they have to work with these prospective employers, and nobody wants to get into a hostile situation where both sides are just fighting over who has the right to do what and there's no cooperation.

    But cancer is awfully personal. I'd have trouble looking at a guy facing that and telling him he's wrong because he wants to keep it quiet.
     
  12. MartinonMTV2

    MartinonMTV2 New Member

    And yet that's the situation that many here embrace.

    If someone wants to divulge important details on an "as-needed" basis, then the person has that choice. Is it the best choice for every situation? I say no.

    OK. Now, within the next couple of hours, someone will come back to the issue of: "NO!!!! Have to get hired! Hired now! Don't ask; don't tell!" Whenever this starts to move in a productive direction, we get that response.
     
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