by Leah Jackson
All job seekers have circumstances that make them unique. That's part of being human. Whether you have non-negotiables, an employment gap, or another special circumstance, everyone has topics that will be difficult to discuss in an interview. These can feel like landmines ready to destroy your chances at the job, but the reality is that these issues are often larger in our own minds, says Deborah J. Cohan, Ph.D., professor of sociology at the University of South Carolina Beaufort and the author of the forthcoming book, "The Big Book of College: A Professor Tells You Everything You Need to Know to Succeed in and Out of the Classroom" (New World Library, May 2024).
"Whatever it is can feel like the proverbial elephant in the room," she continues. "The other reality is that most everyone is bringing an elephant to an interview in addition to their legal pad, pen, and water bottle. Even search committee members are aware of either their own elephants, the departmental elephants, and the institutional ones."
With some strategic planning and what Cohan calls "a moment of 'it's not what you say but how you say it,'" you can confidently navigate these touchy topics. Consider these tips:
Own Your Story
You may have a unique situation (such as an employment gap due to a lack of fit in your last position, job searching with a medical condition, a need for remote work, etc.), but you don't have to play victim to those circumstances. Instead, take ownership of your career story -- the good and bad.
"Try to flip the script and say something positive about a previous negative experience," cautions Luke Ritter, Ph.D., an assistant professor of American history at New Mexico Highlands University. "For example, say your interviewer asks why you want to switch jobs. The real reason you want to leave that job is because your department chair is intolerable. Instead, say, 'I have learned that I best thrive around colleagues with strong, effective communication, and I noticed that your department promotes such collegiality.' Flipping the script is not being inauthentic; it's showing your future employer that you know how to learn from and rise above bad experiences."
Owning your story also means being confident in your choices. If you're interviewing for a position for which you may be perceived as overqualified, be prepared to answer persuasively why it's the right choice for you. If you have non-negotiables, be ready to defend your needs.
Be Upfront
Don't let fear keep you from being honest and timely with employers.
Cohan shares a personal example of how being upfront helped her obtain a tenure-track position at her current institution (where she is now a full professor) after turning down a position in the same department only a year earlier.
"I said this in the very first paragraph [of my cover letter]," she says. "I can appreciate the various ways in which it might be an unusual and challenging experience for a search committee to re-consider a candidate who did not accept a previous offer. Understandably, a situation like this raises questions. I felt very lucky to cultivate a rich rapport with a number of you, so please know and trust that it was for various personal reasons that I was unable to accept the offer to work at USCB in 2010; those issues have since been resolved and, consequently, I hope to have another chance to be considered for this position. Please also know my willingness to answer any of your questions and my openness in discussing this further should we have the opportunity to do so."
When asked very frankly why she didn't take the job the last time, Cohan was honest. "[I told them] I had realized I first needed to get a divorce and then move across the country. And when I wrote that second letter, I was prepared to do just that."
Whatever your circumstances are, addressing them confidently, tactfully, and in a timely manner is important. If you have an employment gap due to caregiving, moving for a partner's job opportunity, or other reasons, explain this clearly so that employers aren't left to draw their own (possibly negative) conclusions. Similarly, if you are asked about your current position and why you are job searching, be honest yet respectful and positive. What did you learn about yourself or what you need from a work environment or position? How does that relate to the position you're interviewing for?
Medical situations can be the most complex of all. You are not obligated to disclose any medical conditions that might require accommodations. Deciding when and how to disclose these things really is a personal choice. It's not a one-size-fits-all process, said a recent guest on the HigherEdJobs Podcast. However, waiting to discuss these needs until receiving an offer may cause you more stress due to the unknowns about leave or accommodations offered and whether the institution will be supportive of your needs. If you have truly found a good fit, navigating these issues should be a joint effort with respect and willingness from both parties.
Manage the Conversation
Rehearsing for these conversations can be helpful. Yet, there are limitations. You can't control how the conversation goes, but you can manage it. Be prepared to improvise. Know what you are willing to share and work to divert the conversation back to your career story and your value as a candidate. Don't get caught up in rehashing your past experience. Stay focused on the job at hand and how those past experiences uniquely qualify you for it. Storytelling is an important interview skill that can help you showcase your circumstances in a positive light. To learn more about telling action-based stories to support your candidacy, read this article.
Remember
There will always be difficult topics in a job interview -- for candidates and employers. You're not alone, but you should prepare to navigate these conversations.
"There is a clear advantage for the job seeker in being able to [do this] because how that information is received and discussed is likely to reveal a lot about what it would be like to work somewhere," Cohan says. "Most of us need and want colleagues and bosses who are mindful of the whole of ourselves and the whole of themselves. The more authentically that people show up to interviews -- on both sides -- the more informative and productive the process is for everyone. This doesn't mean that we should approach and engage with no sense of boundaries or awareness of what's appropriate, legal, and ethical to ask, but it means that openness, directness, honesty, and compassion go a long way."
Citing the many challenges of today's world (campus threats, systemic racism, lingering pandemic effects), she reminds us that "it's very reasonable to think that both candidates and employers come to the table with a great deal on their minds and in their hearts, and it behooves all players to negotiate these conversations with empathy and curiosity."
This article is republished from HigherEdJobs® under a Creative Commons license.