Hello All

I have been here reading laughing and crying with you all. I was wondering if others have experienced the same problems in finding work since they've had Oral cancer.

I returned to work back in April 07 to be informed weeks later I was being made redundant! You can read into that as you like! Well since then I I’ve applied and had lot’s of interviews for jobs that I’m more then suitable for (I.E fully qualified + Extra) and one question that keeps popping up in interviews is what happened to your face, So you tell the interviewer I had Oral Cancer , but I’m Ok now. Surprise surprises a letter a few days later so you’ve not got the Job. Please do not take me wrong I’m fully aware that sometimes interviews didn’t go our way, However when I’m finding it hard to get a job even as a Self stacker at my local supermarket, You do wonder if my Cancer was somewhere else would I have the same response as Oral cancer is very visual? I have been in employment for 28 yrs prior to Cancer without a day not in work. Yet now I have slight visual damage slit swelling on left cheek and a droopy left lip I can’t get work. Is it the looks or the worry that I’ve had Cancer I might come down again? Has anyone else had a bad time of it or I'm I just reading to much into this love to hear your view's.

Rolf

Hi Rolf
Sorry to hear that you are having difficulties getting a job.
You know the deluded part of me would like to believe that our society would see your scars and have an empathy of what you had to go through to get them and then quickly move on to how qualified you are to do the job you are applying for. Then reality hits home and i realise we live in a society that craves physical perfection and a lot of how you look is almost at the top of the employer's list. However there are genuine kind and careing people out there and I hope that you soon meet an employer who sees beyond your scars and takes on board your qualifications.
Stay well
Take Care
Rumple

Rolf,

Your prospective employers are not allowed to discrimminate against you because of your cancer, as all cancer sufferers are covered by the disability discrimmination act. It might be worth contacting the companies who have rejected you and asking for feedback as to why you didn't get the job. Put them on the spot. There is no possible reason why you shouldn't get a job, but don't only apply for jobs you are overqualified for, as employers frequently reject applicants who are too qualified, as they don't think they can afford them, or that they will stay long in the job.
I was really lucky, I went to pick up my things from where I had worked (through an agency) for 10 years before I had cancer. On the day I went in another person handed in their notice, and I was asked if I was ready to come back to work. It is worth following up your old contacts, as they know how good you really are.

Good Luck

Jenni

Hello Rolf

Sorry to hear about your problem getting work again. There is useful advice about this in the topic about Financial Help for cancer patients and Are you disabled by your cancer treatment?

Best wishes
Vinod

Dear Rolf,
I can really understand the frustration you must be going through with various job prospects. I know its very difficult for a person having worked for 28 years and now knowing there is an obstacle at every step.
Jenni, the discrimination act is all over the world but rarely comes into effect as the prospective emplyers will always find some reason to refuse your apllication and there is nothing one can really do about it.I was extremely lucky that my employers refused to let me ago until I begged them to let me resign - but then these kind of Comapnies are very hard to come by.
However, if you go by the statistics, I have noted excatly what Rolf has put down. I have no idea about the our human mental attitude - where the ugliest person, but brilliant will not get a job but a suave guy come along and the Company does not even bother reading his resume. This is very much a fact - approved or not.

However, keeping the entire scenario in view , if you do feel really down and out andhate the world - may I suggest you take some paper and pencil and make two columns - one on your natural talents and the other on how you could use your professional ones to bring forth the natural ones. You will suddenly discover there are so many things you can do and at you own time. For example - if you have a broadband connection on your net - you can make a very very decent amount to live well and that too at your own pace and at home. I am not pitching anything and even I was not too impressed with such deals but once I went to the office of these Companies and checked on them - at least two of them convinced me. I felt what the heck - I do not have to put in in money, I just need my PC with a broadband, I do not have buy anything or sell any thing and yet make money to have a pretty good life style.However, these Companies do not just give money for nothing - all they will ask if for about three to four hours of your time everyday and that I felt was reasonable.

As Dr. Joshi put in the post -do visit the links because they are basically for people from that part of the world. Here its the survival of the fittest.If at any stage you want to read the details on the sites which I went and checked upon, I will be more then happy to help you out as it is not a one man show and nothing is hidden.

Takke care and Hi Jenn,Rumple and Doc.Joshi.
Ananth

Hi Rolf, I ended up going self employed after a few months of being back to work. My employer was getting fed up with the time off I was having for hospital appointments and the dentist so I went out on my own for an easier life. Hagg.

Many thanks all some great advice. I agree I’m not the prettiest person in the world but I am good at my job, which is the frustrating part, as you know potential employers are only looking at possible appointments and image, not at the product they have in front of them. As for the self employed bit I must admit I can see myself going down that road, quite a few people have mentioned this route to me.

It’s so true cancer changes you life in so many way’s that you never believe possible.

Thanks again for your comments

HI rolf, i have learnt that be it in work or your social life IF you do not conform to being normal as they see it your chances are very slim.
The only thing I can do is fight my c orner abd show them given a cahnce I am as good or better than the next one.
I WISH YOU LUCK AND LET ME KNOW HOW YOU GET ON.

CHEERS

pAUL

Hi Rolf,

I've gone back to college as a mature student. I too have very obvious facial scars and my speech is still very limited too. I'm hoping eventually to set up my own massage treatemnt business.

Reference your lip problem. Have you tried the Ora-Light exercise system? My bottom lip has been cut through four times now and had a really bad droop on one side, it's still fairly numb on that side too. My speech and languge therapist has given me these excercise tools, I've been using them for about a month and can already see and feel a big, big difference.
I can keep my lips together now, where before I could not keep my mouth shut at all.

Ha ha ha, you can all keep the smart comments to yourselves thanks.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SusieR