Job interviews are nerve-wracking for everyone at the best of times, and even more so if you have a chronic illness or disability. Now that in England legal restrictions regarding COVID-19 have stopped, some of us must navigate more than just pre-interview nerves.

As someone that has been classed as Extremely Clinically Vulnerable to COVID due to a pre-existing condition, and was one of the 2.2 million people put onto the NHS shielding list, it feels like the easing of restrictions in England has made job interviews harder.

Over the past couple of months, I have had a number of interviews. These are some of the things I have done to make job hunting easier:

Photo by Beci Harmony on Unsplash: *a woman sits at a desk with the palms of her hands together and resting on the surface. She is looking into a laptop screen and appears to be talking with her mouth open.*

Tips for Interviewing as a Clinically Vulnerable Person

Right now, we are still in the grip of the pandemic. Many people are still trying to minimise their contact with those other than their immediate family and friends to reduce the risk of COVID, so most employers will not think it unreasonable to request an online interview.

What Jobs Should a Clinically Vulnerable Person Apply For?

If you have applied for a role where being face-to-face with people is expected, such as a customer-facing job, an employer may feel that a face-to-face interview is more necessary.

Companies that provide essential goods or needs may have to be fully open throughout lockdowns, and may be less able to accommodate working from home. Office-based roles may be more willing to interview via online video call, as most will have had to set themselves up for working from home during the pandemic.

Checking the place of the interview and workplace can be beneficial to see what type of space it is. I ended up going to a face-to-face interview because, upon looking it up, I saw the business is based in an old, soon-to-be converted barn. That meant it was a very open and well-ventilated building, with big barn doors and holes in the building, so I felt the risk of transmission was low.

Tips for Face-to-Face Interviews

If you do have a face-to-face interview, you can get a feel for what kind of precautions the company is taking regarding COVID.

Look to see if employees are wearing masks when walking around the workplace or interacting with customers, if hand sanitiser or disinfectant wipes are available for use and how well ventilated the place is, as well as any other issues that may make you feel more or less safe.

If you feel you want to, you can wear a mask and bring your own hand sanitiser during the interview. You should never feel pressured to remove your mask if you don’t feel comfortable without one, even if the interviewer says that you can remove it. If they do, just explain that you feel more comfortable continuing to wear a mask.

If you feel really uncomfortable, you are under no obligation to stay for the whole interview. You can politely explain that you are uncomfortable and ask to end the interview.

Tips for Online Interviews

If your interview is online, then you may not be able to tell what precautions are being taken in the same way as you would in a face-to-face interview. At the end of the interview, prepare some questions for the interviewer on the company’s response to COVID, how they worked in lockdown and if they have any current COVID prevention policies.

Should I Mention Being Clinically Vulnerable In a Job Interview?

Many people who have a chronic illness or disability do not like to mention it during an interview, to avoid any bias from the interviewer. It is a personal choice as to whether you mention it or not, and that includes mentioning being clinically vulnerable.

During any job interview, you should not be asked about your disability or health. However, some companies may want to know in advance of arranging an interview, as part of their COVID policy. In this situation, you do not need to give any additional information.

If a company asks about you being clinically vulnerable, you do not need to give any further details about your health. If you do choose to tell your interviewer that you are clinically vulnerable, or offer further information about your disability, and then feel you face discrimination as a result of this, you may be protected by the 2011 Equality Act.

Using these tips has helped me feel more confident when arranging job interviews and picking the right company to work for. Spoiler alert: I got a new job!

Written by Lisa

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