Job Interviews

[Na_M]

Hi everyone! Just joined this website and wanted to ask about job interviews. As a tinnitus sufferer, job interviews make me so anxious and the ringing gets somewhat louder. Has anyone else on here gone through this and how did you combat it?


I'm looking for a new career and I'm not sure whether to mention my tinnitus to my new employer? Any advice/suggestions are all welcome.

 

[squeek]

I just landed a 3 month contract with raging tinnitus during the interview. I think the only reason I won the job because the employer was desperate and I changed my tactics to deliberately seek out desperate employers. Look for jobs with "urgent, asap, immediate start" keywords.

Desperate employers tend to have little time in validating potential employees and will skirt much of the interview nonsense because they typically have too much on their plate and are in a rush. Quick interviews. Just what you want.

 

[stophiss]

Tell the interviewer to speak up. You hear voices.

Other helpful hints:
- Don't place your white noise machine on the table during the interview
- Don't ask the interviewer if he is hissing at you.

 

[gotyoubynuts]

I wouldn't tell about it... you might not get the job... employers are afraid of people with diseases...

 

[squeek]

I wouldn't tell about it... you might not get the job... employers are afraid of people with diseases...

gotyoubynuts [charming!] is very right here.

As much as there anti-discrimination laws out there, this is a real reality. Ill people are a liability. Don't mention your tinnitus if you can.

You could mention your tinnitus by proxy, that is, at the point at the interview where they ask "what would you say are your weak points?", which you could reply "I'm terrible at taking minutes." "Why?" they ask. "I've got hearing damage."

This way you've downplayed your condition, not mentioned 'tinnitus' at all, and escaped one of the worst duties in office life.

 

[Alue]

I just landed a 3 month contract with raging tinnitus during the interview. I think the only reason I won the job because the employer was desperate and I changed my tactics to deliberately seek out desperate employers. Look for jobs with "urgent, asap, immediate start" keywords.

Desperate employers tend to have little time in validating potential employees and will skirt much of the interview nonsense because they typically have too much on their plate and are in a rush. Quick interviews. Just what you want.

Careful with those 'desperate' employers, they are desperate for a reason... That is unless you have a very unique skill set that is difficult to come by.

I had one interview with another employer since getting tinnitus. It was extremely distracting sitting in a silent office interviewing. I actually did mention the tinnitus and mentioned it was a result of a work accident with my current employer.

I was actually offered the job, but reluctantly turned it down because I don't think I could deal with all the job demands and travel with all that I'm dealing with now with T and H. Sucks because it would have paid a lot more than my current job and would have been a great fit for the old me.

I find I do better in job interviews where I don't really care what the outcome will be. It's a strange thing.

 

[Mark McClelland]

I don't think tinnitus is an issue for an employer, unless it's a loud job and you may need a little more time at times to get earplugs sorted when necessary. But even then, that can be addressed later. As for the anxiety, yoga is great anyway. I really would recommend that. If it can kill or at least ease anxiety per se, it could well help the T.