St.Louis Business Journal
ISSUES EMPLOYERS CAN'T RAISE CAN STILL DISQUALIFY YOU

By Anna Navarro

November 2004  

Smart employers don't ask candidates sensitive questions about issues like health, family status or age because they know that could result in a lawsuit.  But that doesn't mean those concerns go away.   Sometimes it just means they go underground and silently disqualify a candidate. 

That's the situation George faced. Overweight and over 50, he suspected employers would have concerns which they would be reluctant to voice openly. He was a pediatrician who had worked in private practice for over 20 years. His medical group was splitting apart and he couldn't see himself starting over again to do the same thing in another group. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do next. . 

We did a very thorough analysis of what was important to him in his next work situation, and what his options were. After much introspection and research he decided to go into pediatric emergency medicine. It fit his career priorities, and he could afford the time and money for re-training. The notion of learning something new appealed to him.  

The next step was to get admitted to a training program. And that's when he first expected to encounter the "silent disqualifiers".  

He knew from his research that both the training program and the practice of pediatric emergency medicine would require a lot of stamina. He wasn't worried about his ability to perform. He loved intense activity and was sure from his probing investigations it would be no more difficult than his current private practice. But he was worried about being rejected because of his size and age. . 

We translated his general concerns into four specific fears that training programs and employers might have. First that he might not be able to keep up with the daily pace of the work. Second, that he would have health problems and miss work. Third, that he would retire early and not be a long-term contributor. And finally, that his age and years in practice would make him resistant to learning new ways of doing things.  

Our strategy was to develop powerful counter arguments to each of these, then turn them into brief colorful stories that he would insert into his interviews. The stories would have to be very memorable, and only a few sentences long.  

Here are the stories we developed: 

"I want to explain why I'm making this shift. Most of my partners rejected a proposal to make much needed investments in our physical plant. That made sense for them, since they are planning early retirement, but I plan to work 'til I'm 70. So rather than stay with them, I decided to do something different. I like change and learning new things."

"Last year I headed up the updating of our computer system. I really enjoy learning about new technology and implementing it.

"Working twelve hour shifts is going to seem like being on vacation to me. I'm used to starting with hospital rounds at 5 a.m. and going non-stop 'til 10 p.m. five days a week and being on call every third weekend. To tell you the truth, I think I'm going to miss that a little. I thrive on intense activity" (Note: most emergency care physicians work 12 hour shifts, 4 days a week and aren't on call.)

"I've been blessed with excellent health. My blood pressure is 110 over 70..." (he would continue with two more brief health statistics that proved his point.)

He memorized these stories. We audio taped how to deliver them with punch, including simple things like making eye contact and leaning forward if he was sitting across from his interviewer. Because he had a habit of speaking quickly and in a low voice, we rehearsed slowing down and speaking more loudly. He used the tape to continue practicing at home. He "dropped" the stories as informal asides during his interviews.  

He fared well in overcoming the obstacles he faced. He was admitted to two of the three training programs to which he applied. After graduation, he quickly landed a job.  

The difference between success and failure in applying this method can be as subtle as your tone of voice or the specific words you choose. If you plan to do something similar, be sure to get feedback on your delivery from someone you trust. Your credibility will depend on body language as well as words.  

Anna Navarro is the founder of Work Transitions, a nationwide career consulting firm that trains independent career strategists and consults with individual clients.

This column was originally published by the St. Louis Business Journal. The actual title of the column and date in which it appeared in the Business Journal may be slightly different from what appears on WorkTransitions.com.