Employment history gap AIBU (sorry it's so long!)

[Tailypo]

Hi all.

This is a couple of AIBUs really: firstly, AIBU to ask you to please help me choose who I could put down as a referee, and secondly, AIBU to ask you how I could explain a period of not working from winter last year to February this year?

To give some background, I'm applying for a job at the moment, and they're asking for the details of two referees.

They've asked for the references to come from my two most recent employers. However, I've had a bit of a patchy work history and I'm not sure what I should do.

I graduated from university in 2015, and worked as a self-employed tutor in my hometown from summer 2015 to early summer 2016.

In summer 2016, I moved to another city to start a Schools Direct PGCE. Unfortunately, I gave this up last winter, after feeling severely depressed and anxious and, eventually, suicidal.

When I was first considering giving up the PGCE, I was aware that giving it up before completing it may very well leave a bad impression for employers in terms of applying for jobs later on.

However, I decided to give it up because I would have had to stay at the same school for two years (from September 2016 to July 2018). This is because the Schools Direct programme asks participants to stay at the school during their PGCE year and their NQT (newly qualified teacher) year.

I felt extremely vulnerable and worried before giving up the PGCE, and was increasingly concerned that I just wouldn't survive the two years. Sorry about the phrasing here - I just wanted to get across how I personally felt. I hope that this makes sense.

Since leaving the PGCE course in winter last year, I spent time trying to recover from the depression and anxiety.

My GP had referred me, while I was still on the PGCE, to an online CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) course, however the referral for this only came through in January.

Through this CBT referral, I've also had weekly appointments from February with a careers coach, which has been really, really helpful.

Anyway, my aim was to register or apply for jobs from the date when I resigned from the PGCE course onwards. However, I was really struggling and just spent most of my time in bed, and still felt very low.

I eventually started paid work in March this year. (I had registered with several tuition agencies from December onwards, however I was only 'matched' with my first clients in March).

My most recent paid employment is, firstly, my tutoring assignments with the agencies (from March this year) and then my PGCE (I wonder if my course tutors may be able to provide a reference?)

However, I've still got an unaccounted-for period between November last year and February this year. I'm not really sure how to explain this work absence if I'm not able to talk about mental health issues.

On a side-note, I write a blog about French culture that I've been updating regularly (particularly during the period from last November to March this year). I wonder if I could mention the blog here, and explain that I focused on that for several months after leaving the PGCE?

Thanks very much for your help with this, everyone :)

Hi, I had a very similar situation and had a gap of 9 months in employment history. I found I had no shortage of getting interviews and people took my previous experience. Reference wise yes your tutor and agency (I had references from prevoiious agency I had worked for and needed a crb/dbs check for the job) would be suitable, there only looking for you not to be a weirdo and a simple 'yes she worked for us between these dates etc' suffices.

As with the gap, yes mention your blog this shows youve kept yourself going and learnt new skills but if you feel you can be honest put you had a health issue that meant you needed time out of your studies, this is what I put and nobody asked me anything about it in interview - its quite common for people to have gaps in employment for various reasons. Good luck and glad your feelibg better xxx

I would definitely mention the blog and explain that after leaving your previous job you have been pursuing your hobbies and interests for a while as finances have allowed. But now you are ready to return to work.

No need to explain anything else, although it's illegal for companies to discriminate, they still will hold it in the back of their minds.

If its working with children or vulnerable adults all gaps in employment must be investigated by the prospective employer (part of safer recruitment as part of Safeguarding regulations) so it is best to be as upfront about as possible, maybe with a positive spin.

Thanks so much for your replies SIB, Ribena and user :)

SIB, thanks for your good wishes, and I'm so sorry to hear that you had a similar situation I've just emailed my course tutors and the tuition agency, so I'm hoping that they'll both agree to providing references.

I have a current enhanced DBS check from last year (that I renew annually through the Update service). I wonder if I should mention this or not?

Didn't you create a previous thread asking the same thing?

I think you should be honest and say due to health issues, you had to drop out of your PGCE and took x months to get better. You don't have to say what the health issues was but say that you are fully recovered now and ready to work again. Most employers will appreciate your honesty, and it saves making up stories (which I think was some of the suggestions on your other thread) as this gets risky during background checks if you are offered a job. They can't ask about your health issues until AFTER you've been offered the job and it would be illegal to rescind the offer because of your depression. Honesty is always the best policy.

Thanks Hundred - that sounds like a really good option.

I wrote a similar thread a couple of days ago for a different job, but this is the first thread that I've written to ask about the particular circumstances for this job.

I would expect more interest in why you gave up on your PGCE tbh. Do you have some well reasoned responses to that question? Blogging and travel (?) Plus tutoring sounds absolutely fine to cover a short period. Explaining several years might be more tricky.

Best of luck.

Thanks for your reply Matilda :)

In that case, if it's in my interest to explain why I gave up the PGCE (I agree that it is in my interest), I wonder if it's best for me to be as upfront as possible about the mental health issues that caused me to leave the PGCE and then to spend a few months recovering from.

On the section for 'previous employment' on the application form, I have to provide the job title, the employer's name and address and my reason for leaving. I am happy to explain my reasons for leaving the PGCE in as much detail as necessary. I'm just not sure how much detail to go into. Is it worth me contacting my GP to ask them to provide a supporting statement if necessary? What do you all think?

Are you including your PGCE as previous employment? Shouldn't it be under education?

I'd keep it honest but include minimal detail. You can always supply more detail at a later stage if asked. I'd suggest you just put reason for leaving = ill health, now fully recovered.

Didn't you say on your other thread that you self-diagnosed depression and didn't actually see your GP for depression, or am I getting confused? Would your GP be able to write you a letter if you get to the stage where you need it?

That's a good point, Hundred - I'm not really sure whether to include it in 'education' or 'employment', to be honest.

For the 'education' section on the application form, there are just columns for 'name of school/university', 'dates attended' and 'qualification gained'.

Whereas for the 'employment' section, there is a section where I can write about why I left each job. And the PGCE was a Schools Direct course, so I worked four and a half days a week in a school, and had an afternoon off every week for training.

So on balance, I feel that the 'employment' section might be the best place to write about the PGCE.

Which other thread do you mean? I haven't written about self-diagnosing the depression or anything on other threads. I went to the GP, and they referred me to the CBT course and counselling after they felt that it would help me. I didn't diagnose myself.

Just bumping in case anyone might have any further suggestions please :)

Anyone? :) just looking for further advice really. I'm considering going with Hundred's suggestion of disclosing as much as possible just to be as upfront and honest as I possibly can.

Just bumping this in case anyone might have anything extra to add.

I really appreciate all of your help so far! :)

I think on the application form, I'll say something like:

'After a lot of consideration, I made the decision to resign from my school and PGCE course due to mental health issues.

I then took 4 months to recover from this, during which time I began a CBT course and structured counselling, which I had been referred to by my GP in November.

I then felt well enough to resume paid employment as a tutor in March this year, and have been working as a tutor from this time onwards.

As a result of the counselling, I have learned a range of helpful strategies that I can use to manage and relieve any mental health difficulties if they resurface in the future.'

Sorry Tailypo but I think your idea for the application form is way too honest. You are giving too much information and risk not being taken seriously as a candidate.

I know employers aren't allowed to discriminate but they're not your employer until they give you the job! Wrong though they are, many people do still attach a stigma to mental health issues, and it would be almost impossible to prove that you have been discriminated against in the shortlisting stages.

I think it might be worth bearing in mind that when seeking a candidate to fulfil a role, many employers are looking for a reason to discard your application, rather than a reason to consider it. There are often many people pursuing the job, and the recruitment process is pretty ruthless in whittling them down to a manageable shortlist.

Hundred does suggest keeping it honest, but also including minimal detail. I think it would be perfectly sufficient to explain that you were forced to give up your PGCE, and take some time out of the labour market, due to ill health but you have successfully undergone treatment and are fully recovered.

You can expand at interview if you feel comfortable doing so. By then the employer will have liked what they've read about you, met you face to face, and will know whether you are a good fit for their organisation; full disclosure at this point is therefore not quite so risky.

I live with chronic depression and anxiety which has at times made it impossible to work. I have been lucky enough to have had significant treatment for it, but I have never disclosed it to an employer before being offered the job. I think doing so would make me feel very vulnerable.

Good luck and all the best

I've got a two year gap in my employment history. I say I was freelancing and explain more in interview situations. As yet no-ones really questioned it.