Somehow, discussing an injury outside of work is much easier than explaining a workplace injury. Especially when the golden rule – don’t speak badly about a previous employer (even if they were the devil reincarnate) – still holds true.
No employer wants to be reminded of the heart-breaking ramifications of a serious harm injury and you need to be careful about what you say and when. Read on for some strategies on how to deal with this issue while job hunting.
1. Your C.V.
On your C.V. you can acknowledge that an accident occurred and the time you were out of work recovering. Then append a Doctors certificate that states that you are work ready and raring to go. The other options is say you took time off for personal reasons. However, in a traditional recruitment process – evasion leads to the “No” pile.
2. During the Interview
In an interview, you need to prove that you are easy to train, easy to manage and ready to work. Answer questions positively and make it absolutely clear that you are physically and mentally up for a new challenge. Stating that the incident has given you great clarity around what is important in your life and where you want to go with your career will go a long way.
If you are asked about what happened, keep the conversation light. Many people who have survived horrific accidents are so used to talking about what happened, they forget that others might not have the stomach for it. Avoid the gory details and if it is appropriate, give your interviewer permission to talk to your Doctor about your work readiness.
3. Final Thoughts
Even if you had a workplace accident which you had a major part in causing, it is important that you demonstrate what you have learned from the incident and remember, if you have survived a major accident, you have been given a second chance, so make the most of it.
If you have any additional tips for job seekers who have had an accident and lost their job please send an email to sarah@employmenow.co.nz.