job interview question

Jells2dot0

Prior to getting diagnosed with cancer, I was applying to jobs within my company because my DH was being relocated. Of course, I want to go with him! He's gone now- splitting his time between our new home and our old one. I abandoned my search as soon as I got sick so I could focus on my treatments.

Well, today, I got a phone call for an interview for a job I applied to in May. I am still interested in the job since I will eventually need to move, but I was honest and told the manager that I would only be able to work part time and from AZ until my treatments were complete. He understood and still wants to interview me via phone next week.

So, here's the thing. I have no idea when my treatments will be complete. I will find out in early Sept whether I need 6 rounds or chemo or 8 rounds. If I have 6, I can start full time by October 20th. If I need 8, it will the week of Thanksgiving, so realistically, early December. So, do I avoid being optimistic and tell them I can only be part time through December? Or do I tell them October and then possibly have to push it back? My gut says to "under promise and over deliver" and tell them December, but I feel like that may scare them off. Ugh.

Thoughts?

JCbride2015

So glad you got a call back! Yeah, I think I'd under promise and over deliver, too. But phrase it in a positive way without give too much medical detail. "I'll probably need to be part-time through December, but there's a possibility I could start full-time in October depending on my treatments."

mysticl

I vote on telling them December. That way it's a happy surprise if you are available in October.

theartistformerlyknownas

JCbride2015 said:

So glad you got a call back! Yeah, I think I'd under promise and over deliver, too. But phrase it in a positive way without give too much medical detail. "I'll probably need to be part-time through December, but there's a possibility I could start full-time in October depending on my treatments."

This.

Jells2dot0

Sounds like going with my gut is the right thing.

My gut is also saying that I will probably end up with 8 treatments, which totally sucks. I have been living on the hope that 6 is all it would take! The very sad part about it is that my birthday is the same day I will be admitted to the hospital for my 8th and final treatment.

Knottie37373131

Good luck!

JCbride2015

Jells2dot0 said:

Sounds like going with my gut is the right thing. My gut is also saying that I will probably end up with 8 treatments, which totally sucks. I have been living on the hope that 6 is all it would take! The very sad part about it is that my birthday is the same day I will be admitted to the hospital for my 8th and final treatment.

Extremely serious question.  Will you be able to eat cake?

Jells2dot0

JCbride2015 said:

show previous quotes

Jells2dot0 said:

Sounds like going with my gut is the right thing.

My gut is also saying that I will probably end up with 8 treatments, which totally sucks. I have been living on the hope that 6 is all it would take! The very sad part about it is that my birthday is the same day I will be admitted to the hospital for my 8th and final treatment.

Extremely serious question.  Will you be able to eat cake?

Absolutely, without question, yes.

southernbelle0915

I think you tell them exactly what you said here... You're not sure yet if you'll need 6 rounds or 8 and the time frame for each. I think your approach and transparency will leave a lasting impression. Good luck!!

blabla89

I think you've got the interview part all figured out, but I'm sending lots of prayers and good vibes for you to be done with 6 treatments.

JCbride2015

Jells2dot0 said:

show previous quotes

Jells2dot0 said:

Sounds like going with my gut is the right thing. My gut is also saying that I will probably end up with 8 treatments, which totally sucks. I have been living on the hope that 6 is all it would take! The very sad part about it is that my birthday is the same day I will be admitted to the hospital for my 8th and final treatment.

Extremely serious question.  Will you be able to eat cake?

Absolutely, without question, yes.

Good.  Have a candle for your birthday, and a candle for the last time you'll get admitted for chemo!

mysticl

JCbride2015 said:

show previous quotes

Jells2dot0 said:

Jells2dot0 said:

Sounds like going with my gut is the right thing. My gut is also saying that I will probably end up with 8 treatments, which totally sucks. I have been living on the hope that 6 is all it would take! The very sad part about it is that my birthday is the same day I will be admitted to the hospital for my 8th and final treatment.

Extremely serious question.  Will you be able to eat cake?

Absolutely, without question, yes.

Good.  Have a candle for your birthday, and a candle for the last time you'll get admitted for chemo!

This.  Celebrate the end of chemo.  In a way it's kind of poetic that it would be on your birthday. 

Jells2dot0

@kimches- I am being treated at the Mayo Clinic on the other side of town, but CTC is literally two miles from my office, off of the same road. How did I NOT know about this cupcake place?!?!? To be honest, I haven't actually worked at that office since November because I was on business travel, but one of my co-workers should have alerted me to this. Do you remember where it was in relation to CTC?

Jells2dot0

kimches said:

Pixy Cakes is over by the Harkin Theater, in the shopping center at the intersection of W. McDowell Rd and 99th Ave.

Google is my friend. I just looked it up. That is a little further from home/work, but I am over there all of the time. I'm going to make my DH get some!

JCbride2015

@kimches I wish I knew. My brain is full of ridiculous facts about secured transactions in NY right now. Pretty sure it could fall under disability discrimination, but I haven't really studied that. Sounds like they are not scared off though and Jells is being honest with them, which is good!

Jells2dot0

I think discrimination would be SUPER hard to prove. I am assuming I am interviewing against others of equal talent. So, if they have an immediate need for this position, and all other factors are equal, I know they will take the person who can be available first. They have a business to run and deadlines to meet, so they need to put the needs of the business first.

Jells2dot0

I imagine it is. It's a very high visibility job on the company's largest project. It's in a different state, so I have no idea who has applied to it or who I'd be going up against. If it was local, the job would be mine for sure.

pearlsofsteel

smichek said:

Yay cake!

I would also under promise and over deliver. And if it scares them of...are there any laws about that, @JCbride2015? Like could that be qualified as discrimination? Or is that just douchebaggery?

Btw the way Jells, are you getting treatments at the cancer treatment center in Phoenix/do you live in that area? Because I was just in the greater Phoenix area visiting my mom and there is this cupcake placed at Pixy Cakes not too far from CTC...holy crap the champagne cupcakes were amazing! They don't use actual champagne as far as I know (the cupcakery doing my champagne wedding cake says they don't use booze but even if they did, the alcohol would cook off) so you get combo taste of champagne and cupcake at the same time. It's heavenly.

While I can't speak for her state - overall, there are no laws that specifically deal with this type of situation. As long as she's forthcoming about the situation, is hired and makes sure to talk about it with HR, then any further problems would likely (depending on the lawyer) go under a discrimination suit. Legally, because of the company's actual insurance, they may provide guidelines of what she can or can't do to cover their behinds for any on premises incidents. Outside of that particular potential problem, since she's going part-time, she won't have to worry about getting litigious with the company's personal insurance policy being that she likely wouldn't get approved for coverage as a full-time employee...