Interview + skin - would you flag it?

[Terrifyingface]

NC for this as I overshare on here and don’t want my boss to work it out 😂 but a regular poster.

I have an interview for a job next week. New company. Good next step. I don’t want to screw it up.

Unfortunately I’m also expediting a severe flare up of a skin condition, and unhelpfully it’s on my face. When I have this flare up I’m not allowed to wear foundation (not that I’d want to because it just pills and looks awful) so there’s no way of hiding it. So I’ll be attending make up free (which is not great anyway) but I’ll have a very visible red rash on my face. I am getting treatment and either way it does go away in due course, but it’s not going to fix it before the interview.

I’ve sort of made my peace with it until now - I’m old enough not to give a fig about strangers looking, and I’ve been open with friends and colleagues who understand - but I’m not sure how to play this one.

Potential new job have asked me to let them know of anything health or disability related ahead of the interview that would help me when interviewing. I know a skin condition isn’t a disability per se but it definitely impacts the image I’m projecting and I know they won’t take the same first impression that they would have done if I wasn’t having a flare.

I think my options are:

1. Email back and very briefly and matter of factly just let them know I have a non-contagious facial rash as a result of a pre existing condition (really just as a heads up) and that I’m looking forward to our meeting

2. Raise it very briefly in the interview - ‘oh just to say I have X, that’s what causing my face rash’.

3. Ignore it completely.

The pro with 1 is that it’s out there and dealt with, no risk of awkwardness in the room. But is it weird to flag that up? Would it be weird to effectively email to say ‘excuse my face’ 😂?

I’m not a fan of 2, it’s more informal than 1 but the risk is that the atmosphere goes a bit weird (either due to me fumbling the explanation or them not knowing what to say). Also risks putting me off my game for the interview proper!

I’m happy to do 3, but I feel like it would be a bit of an elephant in the room and I also don’t want them to think I’m looking like this out of choice or because I just CBA. I also don’t want them worrying I’m contagious!

WWYD? If enough people think it’s odd to email about it in advance I will resist!

I'd appreciate option 1 as the interviewer - it reflects positively on you that you can recognise and proactively react to a situation before it becomes a bigger deal than it needs to be.

All the very best with the interview, you sound like you'd be an asset to any company.

If you think it will knock your confidence tell them you have covid and reschedule for 2 weeks later once the flare up has died down.

I think 1, or 2 if you are confident that way. Definitely not 3 because even if interviewer doesn't care, you obviously do and it will create tension and possibly cause you to beat yourself up afterwards if the interview doesn't lead to anything.

Definitely number 1, particularly as they've asked if there's anything health related you want to mention.

That way they are aware and you're not worrying about it on the day and can focus on giving your best interview

(This is what I'd do as a candidate. I'm also a recruiter and this would be preferable to you kicking off the actual interview with being apologetic about your face as I'd feel you were then more at ease and focussed on the interview. That said, if you did 3 I wouldn't make any mention of it during interview and it wouldn't affect my scoring of course)

I'd appreciate option 1 as the interviewer - it reflects positively on you that you can recognise and proactively react to a situation before it becomes a bigger deal than it needs to be.

It's not a big deal and nor should it be. Would it reflect positively on someone if they emailed first and said I'm very fat, or I have tattoos all over my face, or any other visible thing that might be out of the ordinary? That the interviewee should apologise for how they look? I'm very surprised that, especially in this day and age, you would feel like that. There are no adjustments needed and the OP doesn't have a disability so it doesn't need mentioning.

What someone looks like should not have any bearing on the interview at all. No one with any sense at all would rock up to an interview while they are contagious.

As someone with chronic health issues I'd go with number 1. Gets it out of the way so, most importantly, you are more comfortable. They are also expecting it so you shouldn't get any odd reactions on the day that might upset you or put you off. They also won't make any assumptions about it that could harm you getting the job (eg they might assume it relates to a condition you don't have).

With number 2 I'd be worrying about when to say it and how to say it and it might come out not exactly how you intend. Number 1 you can phrase and prep it. Then forget about it and focus on the interview.

Good luck.

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the thoughts because I was worried that 1) might be overthinking it!

I do think 2) is not ideal - it might make the situation a bit awkward and I don't want that. @TashieWoo it tends to look like impetigo and that's one of the reasons I want to be open about it, so people aren't worried! Reinforced by what @KStockHERO says - I don't want to catch anyone off guard! And as @CrispAppleStrudels says if anyone is immunocompromised I don't want them worrying about what it is.

@Rollercoaster1920 I also interview so I've been thinking about how I'd want to be approached but obviously that's just me, I know not everyone would think like that and I have a lot of very successful friends who would tell me not to go in on an 'apologetic' note so I'm second guessing myself!

@EasternStandard They did offer Zoom but tbh I think I interview better in person and also I'm weirdly more paranoid over Zoom because I think about how I look more! Good point though.

@Ginmonkeyagain ha, I think a black eye would be harder to explain so well done! Did you get the job?

@TokyoSushi that's helpful, thanks. I probably wouldn't say 'a pre-existing condition', I'll just name it, but you're right, that does sound more dramatic than 'my skin sometimes decides to attack my own skin but it happens once every few years and it's fine!'

@HowcanIhelp123 that's perfect wording, thank you.

@smallshinybutton it's really on the cusp - it's an autoimmune thing that doesn't stop me living my life aside from the fact I can't wear make up and it makes me a tad less confident but it is a diagnosed thing. I just don't want to sound like I'm trying to use disability legislation which is rightly designed to support people who need real adjustments just to explain my rashy face!

@InterFactual thanks - it will, first round interview is HR manager and line manager followed by 2nd round (if I get it) being stakeholders so will definitely get to them.

@KillingMeWithSilence @nokidshere thank you - really interested to hear your thoughts as it's in the same stable as psoriasis and eczema. I would love to interview without a thought to it but perhaps I'm not as chilled about it as I'd like to think. It's the first time I've interviewed in 5 years and 5 years ago I was a lot younger and didn't have this condition so it's good to know that it hasn't held either of you back. I just worry that if I don't address it it becomes more of an issue, but maybe that's my thing to deal with. Good point if they're grossed out I wouldn't want to work there, but equally I work at a lovely company now and, knowing the background, they're all completely nonchalant about it - but those are trusted colleagues who I've built relationships with and know the background, I've never been in the situation where I'm trying to 'sell' myself with this issue.

@Atticustheaardvark That's so kind of you to say, thank you. Fingers crossed!

@Ginwitch5 Keeping my fingers crossed but I don't want to muck the interview date around as its not a guarantee it'll be sorted by then and I'm in a niche sector where jobs don't come up a lot so I want to jump on this one!

@toadasoda Thank you, that's my thinking too

@soundsys That's exactly my take having been on both sides of the panel! Just worried that some interviewers would go 'wtf why are you messaging me about a face issue when I'm asking if you need extra time/accessibility etc'.

@CherryMyBrandy Thanks, again that way my thinking :)

@nokidshere Thank you for your reply to @soundsys - this is exactly the counterpoint I wanted to consider before emailing them. You're right that being obese or having visible tattoos would also be a terrible reason to discount someone. I think the issue I'm having is that, if you look at my face right now, I look unkempt and not presenting myself well (not that I'm a glamazon on my best days, but make up free with a rash across half my face isn't how I'd choose to present myself!). I work with a number of people with tattoos and people who aren't tiny, and it doesn't matter to me in the slightest (being vague but it's professional services and client facing). But when they turn up they look like they look like a certain way because they want to, if that makes any sense? Whereas I can't look they way I want for this, and I want to make it clear to them that, but for a health condition which comes and goes, this isn't how I'd choose to present. Essentially I want them to know that looking a bit ungroomed isn't to do with being lazy.

I like this response.

And as someone who takes immune suppressants and frequently interviews others, I would like that someone had recognised that some people are more vulnerable to contagious conditions

Anyway, thank you everyone for the input! I think I'm going to hold off for a couple of days in the vain (ha!) hope that it'll flare down in the next couple of days, but if no joy then I'll drop them a line before the weekend just to flag it per point 1). Not because I should, but because it'll let me walk into the room and focus on selling myself rather than being apologetic.

Fingers crossed..

I hear you. I have had the same issue with my skin condition - I feel a fraud saying its a disability. Just wanted you to be aware that if it could be classed as a "disfigurement" hate that word personally, then it's covered. The charity Changing Faces might be of some interest to you.

I think that's definitely the right approach. It stops the interviewers focusing on it and wondering if its catching.

I'd say you're a bit nervous, hence the rash.

But they would be very rude to mention it

Is it perioral dermatitis 🤦‍♀️ if so I feel your pain!!!

I wouldn't as that would be a lie. She has a medical condition.

I’d go with option 1