Oxygen to a job interview

I'm getting fed up with my job search. I am a trained accountant with 5 years experience and a Masters Degree. My resume is good and I get 1 or 2 interviews every week. I send out resumes from the local paper as well as searching online for job listings in my area. I'm currently underemployed and working at night. I really need to get a day job that pays me what I'm worth.

I have had no less than 18 interviews and 0 job offers. Since companies don't interview 18 people for each job the law of averages indicates that I should have had an offer by now (actually about 3 since companies are interviewing 6 or so people). I don't think that my interview skills are particularly lacking. When asked I indicate my salary range is $38,000 to $44,000 which is right what a person with my experience should expect.

I believe the problem is that I wear a portable oxygen tank. I sometimes mention why I have it, but I sometimes don't. For the sake of curiosity I had a pulmonary embolism about 3 years ago (big blood clots in my lungs due to a genetic factor) and I received permanent damage. I can go for long periods without wearing my oxygen without any major effects as long as I'm careful.

The question is Should I keep wearing my oxygen to job interviews or should I leave it in the car?

I'm a very honest person and I feel bad about potentially deceiving somebody. The first day of work when I show up with oxygen may be a bit awkward. At the same time at least I will have a better job.

I know there are some professionals here and I would appreciate your opinions.

If you can go through with the interview without it, then I would leave it in the car (but only if you can get to it easily in case you need it).

Its sad when an employer discriminates (especially if its based on a disability that would have no impact on the job you perform.)

Regardless if you decide to be honest about your condition to your potential employer or not, I'm crossing my fingers for you and I hope you get the job.

Yeah, if you believe that is the reason that they are not accepting you (which would be a shame if that is what's really happening) then I would try leaving it in the car as long as you are all right without it. The way I would look at it is that if I could do without it for the interview, then I really have nothing to lose and something to gain, whereas if you feel they are discriminating against you for a disability, then you may be missing out on some good job opportunities. I don't think any employer would look down upon you or at you differently if they hired you and then you showed up at the job with your tank, I sure would hope not anyway. Best of luck to you though in what you decide to do.

It's not worth risking your health to leave it behind if you think you need it at the time, yet it might affect getting the job. Sometimes you have to judge the situation as it happens. I know it shouldn't make a difference, but I think you've learned that it can.

I happen to know this first hand. I don't have the pulmonary condition you have, but another that requires that I also receive oxygen at times, and I also have a portable tank for that purpose. I don't carry it often, and it's inconspicuous in its case when I do, but I have been forced to explain it at times. That can be humiliating, especially when you don't appear to need it. It sounds funny, but I can't tell you how many time I've had to say "No, it's [ib3bbbf8583]not[/ib3bbbf8583] a pipebomb" or "That's not acetylene". I don't think I know what it is to need it as often as you, though.

I too, wish you the best of luck. )

Don't jeopardize your health in any way, but like others said, if you can comfortably go a few hours without it, I'd leave it in the car or better yet (if it's small enough) in a briefcase or satchel carried with you, just in case you need it quick.

It's a helluva lot easier to discriminate against someone during an interview and get away with it, because it's virtually impossible to prove that they passed over you because of your condition. And it might not even be a blatantly evil or conscious discrimination on their part -- just something in the back of their mind that makes you seem like a less "ideal" candidate, especially if there is any sort of competition for the job. When you have 5 or 6 candidates with roughly equal qualifications, it's sub-consciously easy for a lot of people to put priority on those who are healthy/attractive/funny/etc. It isn't necessarily right, but it's human nature.

However, once you make it through an interview and are hired, they cannot easily discriminate against you when you show up for work with the tank. THAT would be pretty stupid on their part and would open themselves up to all sorts of EEO liability. So I wouldn't worry about showing up for work with the tank. I don't consider it dishonest or deceptive in any way -- you're simply not making an issue out of it, nor giving them the opportunity to do so either.

As long as you're capable of doing your job effectively, the company has no right to know about your overall health. They are not allowed to ask about it, just as they are not allowed to ask about your family situation - it's against the law. My advice, leave it in the car.

BUT - here's the caveat When you go to work at a new job, be discreet about your oxygen.

What David said was technically true, however it is very easy for any company to claim and prove that a health condition renders a person unable to follow through on job requirements. I know this from personal experience with my ex-husband. Also - before you can claim discrimination because of a health condition or disability, you must [i4ec6ef3628]prove[/i4ec6ef3628] that you are in fact disabled - a very difficult thing to do if you aren't collecting Social Security. (And if you manage to prove you have a disability, you have proved 75% of the company's case. Very fine line. Best not to ever be in that situation.)

Good Luck

Hey, I cannot believe this has been happening to you. Just goes to show that the interview process is highly discriminatory. Try to go with out it if you can, but still have it close by you. Dmoriss has the best suggestions. Someone like you should have definitely secured a job by now.

Job requirements shouldn't be an issue since I'm an accountant going for an office position. I've dealt with a discrimination claim before as well and I know how hard things are there.

Going without it for a time isn't a problem. My SO2 reading would be around 85-88 which in the short term may give me a headache. Long term this leads to high blood pressure in the lungs, heart working harder, and ultimately dying sooner and I'm just not ready for that.

I'd like to think that the oxygen isn't the problem but then the alternative is that I'm a really sucky interview for the last 18+ times and I'm not sure I want to believe that either.

My tanks are part of a home fill unit http//www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=oxygen+home+fill[]http//www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=oxygen+home+fill and are really too big to hide (except maybe a backpack).

If you got those skills and go on all those interviews with your tank...that has to be the issue...it's horrible that people would discriminate because of that! Don't want you risking your health either but if you can like others say put it in some kind of bag or case in the interview and whip it out only if you need it for the interview

[quote786e3f2870="skepticalcynic"]As long as you're capable of doing your job effectively, the company has no right to know about your overall health. They are not allowed to ask about it, just as they are not allowed to ask about your family situation - it's against the law. My advice, leave it in the car.

BUT - here's the caveat When you go to work at a new job, be discreet about your oxygen.

What David said was technically true, however it is very easy for any company to claim and prove that a health condition renders a person unable to follow through on job requirements. I know this from personal experience with my ex-husband. Also - before you can claim discrimination because of a health condition or disability, you must [i786e3f2870]prove[/i786e3f2870] that you are in fact disabled - a very difficult thing to do if you aren't collecting Social Security. (And if you manage to prove you have a disability, you have proved 75% of the company's case. Very fine line. Best not to ever be in that situation.)

Good Luck[/quote786e3f2870]
All true and good info, but I think in this case it would be risky and very difficult for an employer to suggest that an office worker whose job it is to sit at a desk all day is hardly incapable of doing their job just because they're on oxygen. If they were a plant worker or some other strenuous, overly-mobile, or labor-type job I could certainly see it as an issue, but not for an accountant. I think most companies would be insane in this highly litigious age to put themselves at that much risk over something as innocuous as a portable oxygen tank. I know my employer wouldn't make an issue of it, but then again we're a huge corporation with a diverse workforce, including many handicapped and health-compromised people.

[quotef317c8750b="dmorris68"][quotef317c8750b="skepticalcynic"]As long as you're capable of doing your job effectively, the company has no right to know about your overall health. They are not allowed to ask about it, just as they are not allowed to ask about your family situation - it's against the law. My advice, leave it in the car.

BUT - here's the caveat When you go to work at a new job, be discreet about your oxygen.

What David said was technically true, however it is very easy for any company to claim and prove that a health condition renders a person unable to follow through on job requirements. I know this from personal experience with my ex-husband. Also - before you can claim discrimination because of a health condition or disability, you must [if317c8750b]prove[/if317c8750b] that you are in fact disabled - a very difficult thing to do if you aren't collecting Social Security. (And if you manage to prove you have a disability, you have proved 75% of the company's case. Very fine line. Best not to ever be in that situation.)

Good Luck[/quotef317c8750b]
All true and good info, but I think in this case it would be risky and very difficult for an employer to suggest that an office worker whose job it is to sit at a desk all day is hardly incapable of doing their job just because they're on oxygen. If they were a plant worker or some other strenuous, overly-mobile, or labor-type job I could certainly see it as an issue, but not for an accountant. I think most companies would be insane in this highly litigious age to put themselves at that much risk over something as innocuous as a portable oxygen tank. I know my employer wouldn't make an issue of it, but then again we're a huge corporation with a diverse workforce, including many handicapped and health-compromised people.[/quotef317c8750b]

I truly hope that will end up being the case. I just think people in general should be very well informed about potential pitfalls so as to avoid them.

shrug