Should I reveal my disability to agencies?

zulubabe

I'm planning to start job hunting shortly & will start by registering with agencies. I have a mental illness & am not sure if I should reveal it to agencies. As I'm looking for more of a professional role (Assistant Accountant etc) I'm worried that revealing that I have a mental illness may go against me. I know that legally standing they cannot refuse to give me a job due to me having a disability but there are always other reasons that could be thought of & I'm worried about jeopardising my career.

Can anyone (especially anyone working at an agency) give me a completely honest answer?

Thanks

an9i77

Why do you need to tell them up front, is it because you need adjustments making at interview or in the role if you were successful?

Sadly, mental illness is poorly understood and you may well find they discriminate (but of course give you other reasons why your application has been unsuccessful).

wolfehouse

personally I would not say up front but enclose info in a sealed envelope for HR only to be opened if you are given the job.

mind has some useful info- you can always contact them and discuss
Mind Infoline
tel: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 6.00pm)
email: info@mind.org.uk
web: www.mind.org.uk
there is a good section about disclosure at work on their website

discrimination is alive and well.
there was a recent tv programme where they interviewed for jobs- a group with MH diagnoses and ones without?
it turned out at interview quite a few people got jobs who otherwise wouldn't and the ones with mh diagnoses were often the best people for the job.
the managers even said they wouldn't have considered hiring someone with a mh diagnosis before.

joeblack066

Legally they cannot ask you about health conditions, and you do not have to tell them, until after a job offer is made (Equality Act 2010). It is then up to them to make any necessary reasonable adjustment. The only time that I would waiver from this is if the job is something that could be directly affected, ie picking & packing for someone with chronic back problems.

fionajbanana

I am dyslexic. For a couple of jobs I have applied for where I disclosed dyslexia on the application form, I did not get an interview. When I applied for similar roles and didn't mention my dyslexia, I got interviews. Was this coincidence?

DomRavioli

Please do not tell your agency. I have BPD, and although my agency worker knows (she's a personal friend, and I've worked for the agency for 10 years), the only reason she knows is because she is my friend outside of work, and was before I started with the agency.

Best to keep it quiet, most employers won't make reasonable adjustments as you are a temp and they can easily find someone else and give you any reason to leave.

IF you're looking for work, I use the guaranteed interview scheme with two ticks employers; I've got jobs in the past because of my MH issues, so its not all bad, but be very careful - most people don't understand what BPD is, let alone how it affects people

DKLS

There is still a massive understanding about Mental health in the workplace, so I wouldnt mention it at interview.

Some companies are more forward thinking and are starting to offer CBT to their staff but they tend to be the corporates.

ILW

Is the illness likely to affect you ability to do the job?

sweetilemon

fionajbanana wrote: »

I am dyslexic. For a couple of jobs I have applied for where I disclosed dyslexia on the application form, I did not get an interview. When I applied for similar roles and didn't mention my dyslexia, I got interviews. Was this coincidence?

I agree...I'm dyslexic, perfectly capable of my job. I did not tell my work when applying, have never got a job when disclosed - although interviewed under the 'equality act'.
Personally when interviewing I would always see the person, not the disability although the government have put out adverts to promote this view as unfortunatly its not everyones. I don't mention it until I need adjustments (e.g. extra time in exams at training).

Its up to you if you want to disclose the information.

Croatoan

You will be discriminated against. Don't mention it.
Although if your mental illness manifests itself or is detrimental to your performance at work it might be difficult to keep secrets.