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yvette · Newbie Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 1 Career Advice: +0/-0

Hi,

I had been sacked from my last job due to depression and resuming my career with depression was not a good idea. After that I underwent treatment for depression. Now my condition has improved a lot. At present I am looking for a job. But my problem is that how I can answer this question: “ Why did you leave your last job?”

Please give me some advice how to handle this question.

Yvette

Pauloz · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:22 pm Post subject:

Yvette-

I've had depression on the job, so I have a bit of empathy. Literally millions of people have this condition, and it's not a crime. Your employer, at least in theory, was in the wrong.

The best thing to do is focus on your facts. The new employer should know the law. Dismissal on grounds of any medical condition is a fairly dubious practice at best. The fact of having a medical condition doesn't mean a person has no rights.

You're in the right. You shouldn't have been sacked on those grounds.

Tell them what happened. If you still have the letter of dismissal, or any documentation, that's the story.

There's a practical use for this situation:

Since you're still in the convalescent phase, this is an issue you'll need to check out with any prospective employer anyway.

If they understand your situation, you've found an employer you'll be able to work with.

If not, they're not the sort of people you'd want to work with, and could add some stress.

lexa10881 · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:29 am Post subject:

Here's some advice on how to answer hard questions:

http://www.cvtips.com/hard_interview_questions.html

I would not get too specific [you might start crying, and that could be bad] but just say that you were having personal issues, they do not need to know more than that.

Debstwocats · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:13 pm Post subject: Depression

Yvette

I work for a training provider and they have in the pipeline a scheme for people suffering with depression and anxiety attacks as well as panic attacks. It hasn't come into play as yet but everything is being put into place for it to happen.
So there is hope out there.

I have suffered with depression for 3 and a half years due to the loss of a baby on my 29th birthday - I lost my job too. I also suffered depression when I went through a divorce but that was easier to get over than the above. Smile

I would say you left your last job due to personal reasons - everyone at some time or another gets depressed but it is how you deal with it that is important.

Try and get as much support as possible - I didn't and so it took me ages to overcome.

I hope that things work our for you and if you are in the Liverpool area then there is some hope to get sufferers of depression back to work.

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