[thedayturnedaround]

I need some advice about job interviewing. I've been on SSDI for a year and a half for bipolar disorder and want to return to work someday. I am attending a trade certification program to better myself and my skills. (CNC machining)

I have been on job interviews where they have asked about gaps in employment, which I have a few, a couple of years length each, and some part time jobs which were short lived. I wasn't fired from any of them. I left because of various reasons, sometimes because of depression and dissatisfaction with the job. At this point it just looks like I won't stick with anything, and I feel like the interviewers know it.

The two most serious gaps started because of being under-medicated because of bad psychiatric care. I started to become manic, then psychotic, and no one could or would do anything forceful to keep me under doctor's care and keep me on medicine. So the last time, it was a couple of years of psychosis and mania without any treatment.

My first question is, how do I address this question: "Why did you leave your last job?" I left because I was paranoid about secret government CIA conspiracies and the stress it was causing me. Not a good answer right?

And another question is "what did you do in the time you were unemployed?" Uh, I rode my bike around all over town thinking NASA was spying on me with satellites and I sang out loud sometimes. I also wrote bizarre, not entertaining screenplays.

What are your thoughts on this? I have hunted the web and there are few sites that even approach this specific problem.

I currently deal with chronic hopelessness and depression, and am on effective medication (tegretol, abilify, trazodone, wellbutrin).

Thank you for your input.

[Mollywisk]

My thoughts are that you of course don't provide that info!

Can you say that you needed to care for an ill family member that is now well? Technically this is true; they don't have to know the family member was you.

[BipolaRNurse]

I like that one!

[Inedible]

You had health problems. Employers may be curious, but they don't really need to know details. There are legal limits to what they can ask. Their immediate concern will be for some way to know that the problems are resolved or under control.

What do you think of the National Career Readiness Certificate? It is a set of three tests which cost something like $15.50 each to take. You may even be able to arrange to take the tests for free. If you do, I suggest waiting to review or re-check your answers until you get to the end of the test to make sure you finish. I spent too much time on the earliest questions in the tests looking for trick questions and didn't finish the last two questions on one of them. Anyway, they give you a rating like silver, gold, or platinum. I don't recall if there was a bronze. The tests are by the company ACT, which does the test by the same name.

And the biggest thing you can have in your favor is people skills. Contact people you used to work with or people you know and see if they can help you. Job tips and references, both personal and professional. Having people who say they like having you around goes a long way to help with getting a job.

[thedayturnedaround]

Great answer, thanks!

Originally Posted by Mollywisk

My thoughts are that you of course don't provide that info!

Can you say that you needed to care for an ill family member that is now well? Technically this is true; they don't have to know the family member was you.

[doggie_ranch]

Hi, I am new here and I have a couple of suggestions. They are lies or exagerations but maybe they can get you in the door.
1. I had to take care of a family member that was ill and dying.
2. I lived on my uncles ranch out west to help out with his machines and tractors (welding) as he was in dire financial need and needed my help.
3. I was in a bad accident and spent a year in physical therapy and was at home, (did proofreading, for writer friends, under the table for extra money and am on SSDI.
Just a few ideas. Actually, I advised my son to do this as he had been a drug addict and was in prison for a year but he did better by telling the truth and taking a part time job with someone who hired people in need and family friends for $10.00 an hour. It was a nasty job, cleaning old machinery for sale, then doing clean up in apts. being renovated, but after 17 months, he found a full time job with benefits as he built up his reputation. Word got around that he was a good worker. Maybe that would be better for you, going the honest route. Slow but sure. You can say, Have been sick but better now. I dont think they are allowed to ask private questions in interviews. Also there are Work Temps for industry where you fill in or take part time. (Manpower) You can also work part time on SSDI up to a certain amount. Talk to your social worker. Best Advocate.
Good Luck

.rasquote=thedayturnedaround;3255588]I need some advice about job interviewing. I've been on SSDI for a year and a half for bipolar disorder and want to return to work someday. I am attending a trade certification program to better myself and my skills. (CNC machining)

I have been on job interviews where they have asked about gaps in employment, which I have a few, a couple of years length each, and some part time jobs which were short lived. I wasn't fired from any of them. I left because of various reasons, sometimes because of depression and dissatisfaction with the job. At this point it just looks like I won't stick with anything, and I feel like the interviewers know it.

The two most serious gaps started because of being under-medicated because of bad psychiatric care. I started to become manic, then psychotic, and no one could or would do anything forceful to keep me under doctor's care and keep me on medicine. So the last time, it was a couple of years of psychosis and mania without any treatment.

My first question is, how do I address this question: "Why did you leave your last job?" I left because I was paranoid about secret government CIA conspiracies and the stress it was causing me. Not a good answer right?

And another question is "what did you do in the time you were unemployed?" Uh, I rode my bike around all over town thinking NASA was spying on me with satellites and I sang out loud sometimes. I also wrote bizarre, not entertaining screenplays.

What are your thoughts on this? I have hunted the web and there are few sites that even approach this specific problem.

I currently deal with chronic hopelessness and depression, and am on effective medication (tegretol, abilify, trazodone, wellbutrin).

Thank you for your input.[/quote]

[thedayturnedaround]

I hadn't heard of this certificate. Is the rating and that you took it something you would put on your resume?

Originally Posted by Inedible

You had health problems. Employers may be curious, but they don't really need to know details. There are legal limits to what they can ask. Their immediate concern will be for some way to know that the problems are resolved or under control.

What do you think of the National Career Readiness Certificate? It is a set of three tests which cost something like $15.50 each to take. You may even be able to arrange to take the tests for free. If you do, I suggest waiting to review or re-check your answers until you get to the end of the test to make sure you finish. I spent too much time on the earliest questions in the tests looking for trick questions and didn't finish the last two questions on one of them. Anyway, they give you a rating like silver, gold, or platinum. I don't recall if there was a bronze. The tests are by the company ACT, which does the test by the same name.

And the biggest thing you can have in your favor is people skills. Contact people you used to work with or people you know and see if they can help you. Job tips and references, both personal and professional. Having people who say they like having you around goes a long way to help with getting a job.

[A Red Panda]

You said you have a few gaps right? How long ago was the latest one?

Aside from stating that you were being a care-giver and looking after someone (you don't even have to say it's a family member), you could also just point out that the job-market has been rather horrible for a while now and that you have been amongst many people who have had trouble looking. There you're providing an answer as to what you were doing, (which is obviously something you WERE just doing if you just had an interview) although it does dodge the reason why you stopped work.

Depending on what sort of place you've worked at, you could say lay-offs.

[thedayturnedaround]

[quote=A Red Panda;3255676]You said you have a few gaps right? How long ago was the latest one?
quote]

I left my last job in 2010. Have not held a job since. Started this training program in summer 2013.

[Skittles56]

I like the idea of telling them you were a care-giver for someone in your family. It's sort of bending the truth a little, but if it ever comes up, that's better than an outright lie (I spent 3 years in the Yukon wrestling polar bears, etc.). I think someone said this already, but they aren't allowed to ask you who or why.

Good for you on going to school to better yourself. For someone with a serious mental health problem, that's something you can be proud of. Keep up the good work. Stay focused. I have faith in you.

[A Red Panda]

Well then. In 2010 onwards you've been looking for work and not having any luck in the job-market, so you decided to go back to school and get some new qualifications. Bingo! They don't need to know if you were dealing with any health issues at all during that gap.

How many "gaps" do you have in the past decade?

[Inedible]

Originally Posted by thedayturnedaround

I hadn't heard of this certificate. Is the rating and that you took it something you would put on your resume?

Yes, this is what the National Career Readiness Certificate is for. You can list it on job applications, too. It says you are ready to go into a job and start training right away. I've found that a lot of employers weren't sure what it was, exactly, but there are supposed to be over three hundred employers in my local area who recognize it. The ones who don't know what it is seem to be fairly impressed by the name and my gold star.

Originally Posted by https://www.act.org/certificate/about.html

About The Certificate

The National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) is an industry-recognized, portable, evidence-based credential that certifies essential skills needed for workplace success.
This credential is used across all sectors of the economy and verifies the following cognitive skills:

Problem solving
Critical thinking
Reading and using work-related text
Applying information from workplace documents to solve problems
Applying mathematical reasoning to work-related problems
Setting up and performing work-related mathematical calculations
Locating, synthesizing, and applying information that is presented graphically
Comparing, summarizing, and analyzing information presented in multiple related graphics
Individuals can earn the NCRC by taking three WorkKeys® assessments:

Applied Mathematics
Locating Information
Reading for Information
WorkKeys assessments measure “real world” skills that employers believe are critical to job success. Test questions are based on situations in the everyday work world.

[Dylanzmama]

I'm terrified of going back to work, but I really want to be able to. I ruined all my past job references with crazy emails when I was psychotic and also the way I usually left employment. I'm 40 and have nothing to show for it!
Also, if I google myself, some crazy stuff, like my arrest record from when I stole a car when I was psychotic. Tried to get some stuff removed but couldn't. I can spend $250 to get it buried, but it'll never be removed. I've seriously considered changing my name!
Oh, and I bet when you sang while riding your bike around, you were rocking it!

[jamox01]

I have two big gaps in my employment that span five years and my therapist suggested that I say that I was a caregiver. She asked me if i take any relatives anywhere or ever do anything for anybody. I actually do those sorts of things and plan on using that in my resume to cover the gaps. I may have to bend the truth a little but I used to work in management and there were hundreds of people I interviewed that just outright lied. Caregiver is a broad term and can be used so many different ways.

[Mr. Radio]

I would just be honest about everything and tell them what you feel comfortable sharing. A interview is about how you sell yourself as a person and what you can bring to the company. If they ask the questions about the long periods of time in between jobs, tell them that there was a major even in my life that had to be addressed in order for me to be the healthy individual I am today. It has helped shape who I am gave me a lot of time to think about the man and career I want for my life.

If you are battling depression try getting out and doing things with friends. You'll eventually break through and regain some confidence and put the train back on the rails. It takes time and support from people around you. One thing that I learned through my depression after psychotic break is that you are what you conceive yourself to be.

For to long I had no confidence about who I was because I BELIEVED whole-heartedly that I could not speak normal like other people because I didn't have as many thoughts as them or I wasn't as smart as them. Psychosis did this to me and it will never come back..... that it was confidence and hope. I have successfully regained both and I'm ready to build on the foundations of my temporary demise. Say what comes to your mind in an interview and you want a job that wants you and what you can provide. You don't always want to worry about what they think of you. Cause the only thing that matters is what you think of yourself.

[venusss]

[quote=thedayturnedaround;3255687]

Originally Posted by A Red Panda

You said you have a few gaps right? How long ago was the latest one?
quote]

I left my last job in 2010. Have not held a job since. Started this training program in summer 2013.

where you live at? How old are you?

In some parts of Europe it's now sadly "normal" to be out of job for years. Just say you didn't find anything suitable and you had other things dealing with at times.

[Trippin2.0]

No matter what you go with, don't say you were sick.
Bad move, while employers can't fire you for ill health (mostly) they sure as hell won't consider you. They have to think of the business and it does not make good business sense to hire someone sickly who was unemployed for years due to illness.
You'll look like a liability instead of an asset.

This is one of those times where honesty will get you nowhere and lying will hurt nobody.

I personally vote for caregiver, its a half truth because you were the patient, so not as bad as outright lying, which alot of people do during interviews anyway.

[doggie_ranch]

Hi, My sis goes to vocational rehab that is with the SSDI. She met a guy there that had been coming there for job counselling and he decided that is what he wanted to do. I presume he took a course? Anything and everything is possible.
doggie_ranch