BY KYLE ELLIOTT
Looking for work is a laborious process that often leads to heightened job search stress and anxiety. This job search stress has been exacerbated by the global COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic shutdowns.
Contemplating whether to disclose your mental health challenge to future employers adds an additional stressor to the mix. Should you disclose your mental health challenge when looking for a job? What might you consider before sharing your mental health with a prospective employer? When in the job search do you share that you live with a mental health challenge?
Here are five things to do if you are considering disclosing your mental health challenge during a job search:
1. Research company culture.
Begin by researching how prospective employers talk about diversity — especially mental health— in the news, on social media, and in other external employer branding materials. Do they acknowledge mental health in their marketing? Have they established a mental health employee resource group? Are mental health services included in their employee benefits? Uncovering answers to these questions can begin to give you an idea of how the company approaches and navigates mental health conversations.
2. Consider waiting until after an offer has been extended.
You may consider holding off until you receive a job offer to disclose your mental health challenge. This ensures prospective employers are reviewing your candidacy based on your qualifications, not on your mental health. Additionally, you may have valid grounds for filing a discrimination lawsuit if your employer chooses to discriminate against you once you have shared more openly about your mental health.
3. Avoid feeling pressured to disclose before you are ready.
Do not feel pressured to disclose your mental health challenge before you are ready. The choice to share your mental health challenge is yours alone. While many workplaces are introducing activities that encourage employees to disclose, these initiatives are ill-advised if the organization has not created a safe environment for those of us living with mental health challenges to be open. Employers must understand and acknowledge their responsibility to build workplaces that are inclusive and safe for all types of diverse experiences and identities.
4. Know that you may face stigma once you disclose.
You are not alone. One in five people are living with a mental health condition — more than the number of people who have diabetes or cancer. Also, half of people in North America will experience a mental health challenge during their lifetime. Yet, you still may experience prejudice and discrimination after you share your mental health challenge. Think about whether you are ready to cope with potential stigma; only you can decide if ‘coming out’ is worth it.
5. Remember there is no right or wrong way.
Understand there is no right or wrong way to disclose your mental health challenge. Your previous experiences with self-disclosure, your relationship with your prospective employer, and a myriad of other internal and external factors will all impact if, how, and when you disclose your mental health challenge during the job. Furthermore, trust your intuition when it comes to what works for you. You are in control.
Kyle Elliott is the founder and career coach behind CaffeinatedKyle.com. His goal is simple – to help people find jobs they LOVE (or at least tolerate). As a queer person, male sexual assault survivor, and someone living with mental health conditions, Kyle is proud to get to use his voice and platform to help others share their stories, get help, and achieve recovery. He is an official member of the invitation-only Forbes Coaches Council, a member of the Gay Coaches Alliance, and a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). You can connect with Kyle at CaffeinatedKyle.com or on Instagram @CaffeinatedKyle.