Pre- interview interview

Quasar

studentphil

It all seemed over but now I have found this new job I feel far more positive.

Savvy_Sue

studentphil wrote: »

Seriously do you not think I can rescue this and get this job?

No, I don't. And it won't have anything to do with your disability.

The manager will come back from his holiday, and the Clerk will say "I had this really strange conversation with one of the applicants. He wouldn't tell me why he wanted to make an appointment with you, and he sounded like one of those people who spins a yarn to make an appointment. Then I got a flea in my ear from HR, who hadn't told me they'd told him to phone you."

The manager will look at your application, but he won't be able to rid himself of the impression you've made on his Clerk, ie that you have NO people skills. So even if you are the ONLY applicant, he will ask HR if he can re-advertise.

studentphil wrote: »

Other people are equally welcome to make informal enquiries if they wish.

Pray not too many of them do then, Phil, because you do not sound as if you are doing yourself any favours with your informal enquiries.

studentphil wrote: »

I have not applied for many jobs and so I don't knpw 100 per cent how it all works. I have had a few disability problems before in interviews and that and one employer not being able to help with access at an interview because I only declared when I was offered an interview.

I don't know how long ago that was, but I believe in this day and age that would be a breach of the DDA, UNLESS the job itself was also inaccessible. For example, where I work, in a converted church, we have stairs to the offices on the first floor, and no 'reasonable' way of giving wheelchair access. Nor is it possible to make an office downstairs. So if you want to work for us - not you personally because we're allowed to discriminate against men - you'd better be able to get up and down the stairs each day. You can shout all you like about this: the ground floor is fully accessible, so our clients are fine, but the first floor is not.

Oh, and Fleago has told you exactly how it works. Print that post out and keep it before you at all times when you are applying for jobs.

studentphil wrote: »

and I assumed the dept would know I would be in touch.

Has no-one ever told you what assumptions do?

They make an A S S out of U and ME.

And honestly Phil, there is far more to life than University, and if you haven't been happy as a student there's no reason to think you'll be any happier as an employee. Please don't limit yourself to looking for jobs with local universities, I fear it will make your job search even longer than it might be.

Think PC employers like local and national government, housing associations etc etc etc, many of whom GUARANTEE an interview to anyone who declares a disability, as long as their application demonstrates that they can meet the requirements set out in the job description and the person spec.

Make sure you read the bit I put in bold especially carefully, and consider what I mean by the two words I underlined. Not your bleating emails or phone calls, what you actually WRITE on the application.

And, at the risk of everyone losing the will to live, can I remind you what you said in your first post?

studentphil wrote: »

I have been offered a pre- interview for a job I really want with the objective of reviewing suitability of working environment, to clear up anything they can not read on the application form and a meeting with the head of department. Is this a standard sort of thing that can happen as I have never heard of it before?

I saw that before you'd had any replies, and was really puzzled by it. It almost sounded as if THEY had contacted you and said "We can't quite read all your applicaton form, will you come in and tell us what it says?" Which was, quite frankly, incredible. NO potential employer is going to do that.

If they can't read your handwriting, your application will be in the bin before it's fully out of the envelope. If your disability prevents you filling forms in neatly by hand, then talk to HR about alternative methods of making an application! For example, can they send you a form by email so that you can type your replies in? Many jobs these days encourage on line application, don't they?

redux

I'm just amazed, on reading this for the first time.

No employer will take kindly to being badgered like this; indeed some will even put in the notes and info with the application that canvassing may disqualify the applicant.

If they didn't ask about disability on the form, no need to have mentioned it, though perhaps you could have made a quick query to the HR department before filling the form in, not this state of running around like a headless chicken, talking about several phone calls and emails that are actually perversely becoming spam.

I think I told you before about someone I know with MS. I used to know someone with one leg. When I first met him he first told me he was off sick from work. I asked why; I didn't assume it was because of disability. In fact he wasn't disabled at all, just a bit inconvenienced sometimes.

Believe it or not, there are just a few people who are more or less professional litigants, perpetually accusing people of discrimination.

When you meet this HR manager, don't revisit the grievances you feel about this; as virtually everyone has said, you'll be seen as disruptive. Be attentive, listen more to start with, and then ask some perceptive questions towards the end.

And even if they have plenty of candidates, so they can't quite give you this job, make an impression that might mean they'll keep your details and consider you for others in future. That's how I've got a couple of jobs, which turned out better positions for both me and the company than advertised and originally applied for.