Job Seekers
Even although you experience back pain, your skills knowledge and experiences will still be of great value to an employer. Understandably you may have concerns about how a potential employer may react to your back pain history. Is it better to ‘hide’ your back pain until after your probation period? Or does it pay off to be open from the onset? These are questions that are worth thinking about before you enter the room for your interview. The information below aims to enable you to give your back pain a place in your job hunt.You can read the whole text or jump to specific sections by clicking on the following titles: What jobs can I do?
Back pain is the name of a symptom that can be caused by a whole range of different conditions and diseases. It is therefore very difficult to state which jobs are suitable for someone with back pain, but if you try to answer the following questions, you may be able to answer the question yourself.
- What has caused my back pain?
Has your doctor given you a specific diagnosis that better explains where your pain complaints are coming from? The more you know about your condition, the better you can assess what you can and cannot do. Your GP or consultant is probably in the best position to give you more (medical) information on your condition. You can then use reliable sources such as the BackCare website or NHS Direct to find additional information.
- What activities exacerbate my back pain?
Since you developed back pain, you probably have worked out for yourself what activities you had better avoid. Is it prolonged sitting that is difficult? Or maybe standing? Lifting? Prolonged walking? Try to specify which activities make your pain worse.
- What do I have to do to control my back pain?
You probably will have developed a regime that enables you to control your back pain. Do you do regular stretches or exercises? Do you have to lie down regularly? Do you use medication? When do you take this?
The application and interview
Employers may be concerned about your back health and its potential impact on sick leave. You can take away their concerns by showing how you have developed your regime to cope with back pain. It may therefore be useful to prepare how you would answer such questions. You may have overcome back pain or you may still have to continue your fight against back pain, but in either case it is evidence of persistence and the ability to solve problems.
You may feel reluctant in sharing this with a potential employer, but it is probably even more difficult to hide it. If your back pain has resulted in a ‘gap in your CV’ it is preferable to explain what caused this and how you have overcome your health problems. Explaining what you have learned from the period you experienced serious back problems may further help in showing the interview panel that you have what it takes in difficult times.
During most job interviews there is the opportunity to ask a few questions yourself and this again may be a good opportunity to get a few more details on the job you are applying for and how you would be able to do the job while also adhering to your back pain management regime. Explain what you need to manage your back pain and if the panel thinks you are the best person for the job, they will also be more than happy to accommodate any needs you may have. See the ' employee ' section on these pages for more information on how work can be adapted to suit your needs.