Job Interview Preparation: Be Honest

When doing your job interview preparation, keep one thing in mind... honesty is almost always the best policy.

Here is another question received from one of our readers, Melissa, about an important job interview preparation issue:

Question—What advice do you have for someone in regards to disclosing a disability or injury to a potential employer?

Answer—By law (Americans with Disabilities Act), employers cannot discriminate against prospective employees merely because they have a disability or injury history. They are required to make "reasonable accommodation", which means that if you could still do the job with some sort of adaptation and you are the best candidate in other ways as well, then they should hire you.

However, if you can't perform the essential duties of a job, even with reasonable accommodation, then they have no obligation to consider you for the job. For example, if an essential duty of the job was driving (such as a bank courier), and you were blind, then reasonable accommodation wouldn't cut it.

My advice is to be as honest as you can with prospective employers... about everything relevant. Because secrets have a way of coming out eventually, and if your new employer finds out you weren't honest from the outset, then your future with them and other employers could be affected. That being said, however, you are not under any obligation to volunteer information that is not relevant to the job.

So, for example, if you had a past back injury from a car accident that affects your ability to lift, stand for long periods, or be agile, but the job you're applying for is a desk job that places little or no strain on your back, you might not need to mention the injury. It's probably not relevant. But this is just general advice... I am not a lawyer and I do not know the details of your situation. So, use your best judgment and/or get legal advice if needed when doing your job interview preparation.

Thanks for getting in touch,

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