prejudice and stigma

freebie_junkie

im finally well enuff to be job hunting yey! (cant wait to be off ib!) and im doing so with teh help of the job centre who have scemes like if an employer takes me on for a trial 6 weeks they will pay £75 pw towards my wage etc.

i have 5 years experience in retail, inc 2 in management and thats what im applying for, but i was wondering if they will lokk at my experience first or my disability.

im worried taht when they read 'dyspraxia' tehy will see cant count and cant read and write despite the fact i did used to be a manger and have a-levels and when tehy see 'OCD' they read 'phscho who might kill us all'

has anyone got any advice on how you bring these things up in interview or if asked what you say and have any of you come across any prejudice against mental illnesses? (i think that gebnerally peopel are more afraid of these than physical disabilities coz they can immediately undertsand a wheelchair say but it takes time to 'get' menatl health probs)

any advice would eb very gratefully recieved


(p.s. i know my typing and spealling is awful i got my oh to help me do my cv and covering letters and he helped me with applciation forms too coz teh type is too small for me to read sometimes)

Turning_into_scrooge

Hey don't think too negatively and don't give up. You sound like you've come a long long way. I can't help with the interview as if was there i would have speech dyslexia due to the stress and fluff it so i do understand a little of what your feeling. If the job centre are finding the jobs to go to for you will they not give them a full breakdown before you go for interview. Also isn't it something like a membership for businesses what i mean is they have a list of particular businesses that will take on disabled people without being prejudice? I hope all goes well for you:T Spell check is wonderful, isn't it :rotfl:

Dora_the_Explorer_5

There is a lot of mental health prejudice and stigma about, but some employers welcome people with personal experience of poor mental health. BT, ASDA, M&S, NHS, local councils. There's lots of advice, help and support available at Jobcentres. Good luck

Astaroth

Personally I wouldnt bring it up but obviously you need to be prepared to discuss it if they do ask - as with any "development area" that anyone has, you want to be able to put it in as possitive light as possible and not discuss how it is a hinderance but what you are doing to improve it/ get round it (and certainly mention any upsides that the condition/ area may also create)

There is also obviously the disability card that can be played with larger organisations as they are targetted on their staffs diversity but that is a personal choice on if you want to think in 6 months time that you only got the job so they could hit their 2% disabled workers quota

freebie_junkie

the adviser doesnt find teh jobs for me i have to do that and contact him if i get an intervirew or offer, the thing abotu that is that if you want to work in retail usually its going into teh shop to give teh manager your cv and they immeditely look at it and ask why my work history ends at 2004 so i have to say ive been off ill even before theyve looked at my cv properly! pah!

i would need to discuss my needs in teh interview as being asked to do something im unable to do or have to do somwething which isnt 'normal' by soemone who didnt know about it would be awful once on teh job (e.g. i have a 'thing' about money in mouths, if i served someone whod have teh money in their mouth id have to go and wash my hands), does anyone have any experience of doign this in an interview?

the disability quota thingie bothers me not, i would tick their ethnic minority boxes too if thast what theyre after, i just wanna be off benefits and back working.

thanks for advice so far appreciate it

Fleago

Hi FreebieJunkie,

Glad things are beginning to work out for you I see you're in Manchester, so you might find it helpful to contact http://www.mind-in-manchester.org.uk I would be almost positive that they will have some sort of group, project or mentoring programme that would give you the support you need to fill in application forms, deal with disclosure at interview etc.

Alternatively, speak to your DEA at the Jobcentre again and ask if there are any programmes that they can refer you to to support you with your job search, preferably somewhere specialising in mental health issues.

The help you need should be available somewhere in your area, it's just a case of finding it, and that's not always easy If you can access appropriate support now in the job search phase, it is possible that this support can extend on into employment if you need it. Good support will make this process so much easier for you and give you a much better chance of securing the right job for you.

Good luck and I hope you find the right job soon :T

Fleago

freebie_junkie

thanks Fleago, i actually live in bury which is in gtr. manchester but as i dont pay my council tax to manchester i dont get covered by most of these schemes sadly i went to the jobsecene employment fair in manchester on thursday and i couldnt find one scheme that covered bury! i have my next appt. with the disability adviser at teh job centre a week on monday (hes very much in demand!) so hopefully i might get an interview offer before then and he can contact the employer to offer the trail scheme, fingers crossed!!! thanks all

jobbingmusician

Hi freebie junkie. I used to run a mental health charity, and I have heard that (despite the Disability Discrimination Act) people with mental health problems are still getting lots of problems finding jobs. However, I think that most people understand something about OCD - I would be tempted to explain it as you get obsessed by things, like to have your surroundings very clean, etc (if this is how it affects you) and so it makes you very hard working because this is so important to you! Put a positive spin on it!

I think that if you are patient and explain dyspraxia and OCD and how these affect you - and stress the high levels you have attained in your previous work - that schemes like the ones you mention will be queuing up to take you on! Good luck - let us know how you get on. :T

Broken_hearted

I can see companies point if someone can't do the job or will take loads of time off on the sick then why employ them. Women are treated in the same way they find out you have kids and suddenly you arn't suitable. This leaves us stuck OH is disable and I am a mother. Income support are useless they don't see why we'd want to work in the first place. The attitude is well you have a right to be on benefits, sit there and enjoy it. AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGg

ts_aly2000

Hello freebie-junkie

It will work out I'm sure (hopes she says), as I'm in a similar position to yourself. The thing to realise is that most of the people in these jobs might as well be disabled judging from the catalogue of disasters they seem to wrack up. Ahhh, stereotype there I've just done it, assuming the disabled mess everything up. This is what we're up against.

Being on benefits is possibly one of the most soul destroying things to experience, it's kind of knocking a square peg into a round hole almost. You pull yourself up a bit and then bang! you're back in the job centre at the end of your 2 weeks seeing someone different yet again who's asking you why you haven't got a job. "Explain it to me, NOW!!"

In some respects I wouldn't tell them about your 'disabilities' as I don't think you have any. You've managed to tot up 2000 posts on here most of which speak common sense, you only need look at the users which have made 1000 posts of which about 200 are thanked, they're likely Comet Sales Managers or something.

You come across as being in contact with the real world, which ironically companies say they want yet fail so miserably to do.

I don't know what the answer is, how can I advise when I'm practically in the same position?

I'd be tempted to just blag it. Get your draft speculative letter drawn up and proofed, write to 10 companies and see what happens. Chances are you won't hear back from one of them, but at least a murmour of satisfaction in trying and proving a bit more to other people what you're up against. I once dropped 100 CVs off at 100 companies in a day and some of the receptionists, Sheeesh!!, did these people actually work for these companies or were they competitors.

The other thing that these companies need to realise is that when you're not working for them that you could be a potential customer.

It's not you!! Trust me, you're fine. It's them others I know that doesn't help much, but a bit of acknowledgement all the same.

As for OCD. If I was a manager in an accounts department I'd make OCD a pre-requisite, just for example. Employers need to learn how to utilise such things to their advantage. Truth is, alot of people out there are just thick.

Hang in there

Fleago

Hi Freebiejunkie,

I'm sure you've heard about them, but on the off chance you haven't, would these people be worth getting in touch with http://www.buryest.org.uk/

All the best

Fleago