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Submitted by techmgr on
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Hello and thank you for any suggestions.

I have a skype interview on Thursday, and I have to decide on hair as is - still very short due to chemo - or a wig which I hate. Obviously, you can't help with what "looks" better. But I would appreciate any thoughts on the risks of projecting cancer vs wig.

I look (and am) healthy, but my hair is very white and still quite short. The interviewer may figure it out and be scared to hire me. I purchased a wig just in case. I'm uncomfortable in it, it itches, it's not me. This is perhaps just vanity, but I'm mortified by the thought of her knowing that it's a wig. But if she did, would it have any impact on the hiring? This is a remote position so any further interviews would be phone or Skype.

I bought a very stylish indoor cap to wear while delivering training at a conference and it was perfect, but I don't think anyone is going me encourage me to wear it for an interview. Thanks in advance for any comments.

scm2423's picture

I do not know the right answer and I have no stake in this but as an outsider here are my thoughts.  Not wearing a wig could but you at risk, you may scare them they may infer your sick.  But if you are able to address by showing energy, positivity and let them see that its not holding you back, they may be impressed by your strength, resiliency and postive outlook.  As for a company discounting you because your sick, do you really want to work for a manager like that.  What are then going to be like in 5, 10, 20+ years when other issues come up.  

My advise be authentic.  You don't have to announce that you have been sick, you just have to show that you can do the job and you would be a valuable member of there team. 

Good luck!

s

timrutter's picture

Firstly, congratulations for getting out of chemo in one piece, any problem from here on is a cake walk!

My thoughts are don't go with the wig, you can spot them a mile away sadly. The crew cut is now both popular and accepted these days and as SCM pointed out, if you're getting dinged for surviving chemo, then do they deserve you?

Possibly reframing the issue slightly, but if you have continued delivering training, working as near to normal as possible and balanced that with your treatment regime (which I'm guessing has been very time and energy consuming), can you use this as a good point? If you've achieved this, then I'd almost hire you on the spot

Hope this helps some

Tim

techmgr's picture
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Thank you both. Your thoughtful comments helped me make my decison. And you gave me great ideas - I hadn't even thought to make a big deal out of it, but yes, I stood for 6 hours, talking fast, training on 2 difficult topics to a group of about 75 technical people. That took stamina. I'm going to paint that picture for her, as well as be my most energetic, smiley self.

thanks again - J