Mental health issues - what to say on CV

[Bouncebacker]

A friends had six months signed off from her job for depression / anxiety resulting from a stressful work situation. (In effect she had a breakdown and was really unwell) After that time she resigned and has had two years not working - one year roughly spent ‘regrouping’ - putting her life back together, and the second year doing some volunteering work (organising donations for a school uniform bank).

I’m massively proud of how far she has come and I’m really pleased that she feels ready to work again but:

I think on her CV she should just say she took time off work to spend time with her family, i.e. December 2016 to December 2017 - Spent time caring for my children

and then treat her volunteering work like a job on her CV (not claim she was paid, but list her achievements there in the main body of the CV). I think the reality of what happened at her last job could then be discussed at interview.

She thinks she should be up front I.e

December 2016 to December 2017 - Spent time recovering from mental illness

Because that’s what another friend of ours who had cancer did. (I.e ‘spent time recovering from cancer)

I’m worried that hiring managers won’t take her application further and will only see ‘mental health issues’ on her CV, she doesn’t want to lie / be untruthful. She was looking after her kids during that time - being able to do school pick ups etc was really great for her.

Who is BU? (And if you have been in this position, or employed someone with a history of mental health issues any advice?)

Businessethics (ironic username?)

Honest but appalling - are you not ashamed of that?

Tricky one, because the types of employers who would discriminate against her for this she is probably better off without, so it might work out in her favour and filter out some of the more backwards employers?
She's under no obligation to mention it though- so personal perferance. Maybe send out some with the wording that makes her more comfortable- but if she doesnt get any interest then change the wording?

As someone who is an employer, if you are signed off work you are still employed. So up until the point where your friend resigned is the term she was employed for. Any term for which she was not employed should be 'unemployed' period X to Y

I face a similar but less extreme situation in job hunting and i’m not being honest cos I know what the reaction was when a colleague was recently signed off for depression - it’s not right but it’s also not something I’ve ang to have to talk about in an interview.

While it really shouldn't be that way, I too would avoid mentioning mental health problems.

Sarah Sissions - that is a really good way of looking at it.

Robert97 - that’s really interesting, Personally, I would be more predudiced against someone who wrote ‘ unemployed’ on their CV without giving a reason why (are they unemployable??!) than almost any other information give to explain a gap in employment (family commitments, travelling, career break, or even mental health issues). And yes, her employment lasted until she resigned.

I think 2 years is long enough to leave it off. We don't ask for any issues over 2 years old.

I'd say put the first year as taking a career break & year 2 as volunteering to gain some new skills / experience / whatever. And then in an interview be honest & say that she'd had a period of mental ill health so took a year off to ensure she was fully recovered & reprioritise, and then a year volunteering to gain some different skills, a different outlook & give something back. Be honest but only fully honest once she's sat in front of them.

RangeRider - that’s great - a balance of all things, but clearly shows she is ready to for another job. Thank you

This will sound bananas, but any chance that she could apply for at least some roles in the mental health sector? In some cases she might be able to put a positive spin on her experience and legitimately include it. (In other cases, as I wrote earlier, I'd omit.)

Ooh - Essential Humous - that’s a thought. I’ll suggest that. She works in finance so lots of skills that would be relevant to a charity which she has been thinking about. I’ll pass that thought on. Thank you!

Absolutely no way should she put “recovering from mental health problems” on her CV.

Personally I would not mention mental health problems at all unless when you’ve actually got the job you are asked on an occupational health questionaire. Any gaps- career break/caring/renovating property...whatever and list voluntary jobs etc.

I have MH problems and have had support from a specialist employment worker who confirmed this was the right approach as employers can, and will, discriminate. Even supposedly “nice and MH friendly” ones. They’ll find excuses unrelated to MH to not employ her if she tells them.

Just no.

Too risky for employers. I have had long term MH difficulties and would never include this. I'm also registered as disabled and wouldn't include that either !

It is a tricky one OP and depends on the situation I think

From an employers point of view, a person with MH issues can seem a risk

However, last year, our company took on a chap who had recovered from a breakdown. And we are so glad we did, he is the best worker there

I would be honest. I have a lot of experience in recruitment as that's my profession and honestly good employers would rather have someone be unfront so adjustments can be considered to help them from the off, rather than find out months down the line when they are off sick. Looks more deceitful at that time.

FYI I have a mental health condition and have never disclosed it for fear

As an employer I'd say think of a different explanation.... the old 'family commitments ' is used a lot..... and we can usually see straight through it

Absolutely hide it. I don’t disclose my bipolar on application forms. It would be nice to say they don’t discriminate but they fucking well do

People think they don't get hired because of disclosing a mental health condition, but there's probably loads of reasons they don't pick you. Easy to blame one's mental health condition in this instance. Nobody would hide having one leg, so why hide your mental health concern?

What about a few months down the line when the lies start to catch up with you?

The stress of it all ends up with you losing the job or just leaving..... where does that leave your CV then?

No way!

A CV is a sales pitch to sell yourself to an employer. It is absolutely not a confess all type document.

Any employer reading a CV with massive sick leave for mental health and gap for recovery would not touch the candidate with a barge pole. It's a risk they just won't take, why would they?

No water would I mention it even in the interview. The market is tough enough.

She needs to sort out her reason for leading her job though.

What kind of industry is she looking to get into?

I disclosed depression to a mental health charity I applied to but have never uttered a word about it in the commercial sectors I worked in/applied to: global PR, advertising, marketing etc.

Take from that what you will...

So sad some people's perception of others with experiences of mental health problems. Shame on you. Such a common problem these days. Everyone's responsibility to change the way they perceive mental health issues and mental health in the workplace.

Another for don’t mention it.

I make no secret of the fact I’m ‘in therapy’ And talk about it occasionally at work. But I talk about it very casually, and give it a similar weight as going to the osteopath or the hairdressers - you know “ah sorry about Wednesday day- got a not so hot date with my therapist” or semi-humorously, think e.g “I spent some time in New York for work, and got hooked on psychotherapy... it’s such a cliche but it’s true!”

What I don’t say is
“Shall we talk about my PTSD and pure O OCD, that drove me to the edge of madness when I was 6 months postpartum? And how they were triggered by a childhood of horrific psychological and emotional abuse?”

It’s all about how you sell it. As far as my colleagues are concerned, I’m a slightly neurotic, but fairly typical early millennial, who saw too many American drama series, spent too much time in London and New York, and now talks about therapy like other people talk about going for a bikini wax.

I’m not ashamed of my mental health issues- but I refuse to be held back by them
at work- and I would be, if anyone suspected how unwell I’d been.