Interviews
If you haven’t already had an opportunity to mention your diabetes in your application, you may think that the interview is the best time to tell an employer.
Key things to remember:
- emphasise the positive, that having diabetes means you take care of your health, keep fit and eat well
- looking after your diabetes takes discipline, self reliance and maturity - all qualities an employer would value
- have a test run beforehand with a friend going over what you might be asked.
Interview practice
Let’s put you in the interview seat:
Employer: Would you like to add something to what you’ve said, or ask any questions?
You: I’d like to say something about my diabetes. Do you know much about diabetes?
Employer: No, not really…
You: Well, I take insulin to keep the levels of glucose in my body balanced. My diabetes is well controlled, which means that if my blood glucose may occasionally go low, I can get it under control easily by having something sweet or a snack.
Employer: But what about having time off when you go for checkups or if you are ill?
You: I have a checkup at my clinic just once a year. And I make sure that I eat well and keep fit so that I don’t have problems with my diabetes or my general health. All I may need is to take a few minutes out occasionally to have a snack or do a test.
This tells an employer:
- that you know about your condition and how it affects you
- that you are taking responsibility for it and won’t have to rely on others
- keeping yourself healthy matters to you.
All of the above are all attractive qualities to an employer. We’d certainly give you the job. But we wouldn’t if you said:
- don’t ask me to do any work if I look a bit funny, because I’m probably having a hypo
- other people tend to know I’m having a hypo because I start swearing and dancing around
- I need to have someone with me all the time in case I have a hypo
- I may be late into work because I have to do blood tests and pack extra snacks.