Scar story

February 17, 2024 6:06 AM

I underwent Mohs surgery 6 weeks ago, resulting in a large noticeable scar on my forehead. With an upcoming job interview, I'm seeking advice on how to handle broaching the subject without revealing too much personal information or causing discomfort. Do i just not mention it and leave it out there? Or do I proactively say something? What might I say? At 61, I'm also wary of potential bias, since this sort of health issue is common among oldsters like myself. Any tips on addressing the scar professionally while keeping the focus on my qualifications would be greatly appreciated.
posted by nandaro to Human Relations (16 answers total)

Without knowing how large the scar is, I would consider wearing a bandaid to cover it. If anyone asks (which they probably won't), you could say "oh, dermatologist," and you will probably get a knowing nod in return and everyone will go on their way. Dermas take stuff off people all the time that isn't skin cancer, so I don't think your interviewer will be mentally calculating whether their heath insurance will go up if they hire you.

(You could also say "skiing" or "home renovation oopsie" or "you should see the other guy")
posted by Sweetie Darling at 6:17 AM on February 17 [14 favorites]

“I was laid off from my position as a supervillain in 2022”.

But seriously, if asked I’d just say it was a surgery and I am fine now.

Myself, I would never ask a question about someone’s physical appearance at work, especially if it appears as though they are not in crisis.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 6:42 AM on February 17 [3 favorites]

I was in your position in 2020 and just said "dermatology." People get that because dermatology spans all ages. And yes, a band-aid was sufficient.
posted by Peach at 6:46 AM on February 17 [7 favorites]

Fwiw , asking job candidates about past work injuries, disabilities or medical histories is illegal under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
posted by falsedmitri at 7:14 AM on February 17 [14 favorites]

Yes I came in to mention the same thing as falsedmitri, them asking you about it is illegal and if they make a big deal out of it that’s a good sign to GTFO.
posted by Mizu at 7:21 AM on February 17 [4 favorites]

Personally I would mention it in the introduction phase of the interview because it's an unknown that you can control. Don't let their bias fill the information vacuum.

nthing a band-aid and "dermatology" as a catch-all explanation but if you choose to explain it some other way then don't indicate it might have happened as part of a fall. Rightly or wrongly people hear older person + fall and think "frail" or "unsteady on their feet" and that's not the perception you want to give them.

I'm not sure that even joking about having been in a fight is a good idea as it indicates a sense of humour that some interviewers will not think is appropriate for a job interview. Whether you want to work for someone with that attitude to an obviously joking comment is a different question but if you're playing the odds then don't take a risk you don't need to. Stick with a simple, largely truthful explanation right at the start then move on to the important part of the interview where you show them why you're right for the job. You want them to remember the last 57 minutes of great interview, not the 3 minutes of introduction (including the band-aid) at the beginning.

Focusing on the important part of the interview rather than the unimportant band-aid IS the professional approach.

Good luck, hope you get it!
posted by underclocked at 7:21 AM on February 17 [2 favorites]

Band-aid, don't explain it. If you ignore it as a nothingburger, so will they. If they ask about it, they're breaking the law, but you can just say "i'm fine, thanks for asking."
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:27 AM on February 17 [13 favorites]

Just my 2 cents worth ... I would not bring it up. I'm not sure exactly how the law works but it seems if you bring it up then it is open for discussion.

It is worth noting that New York is a one party consent state so you could record the conversation on your phone. I've not done this in interviews but have surreptitiously recorded bad managers and have used these with excellent effect.
posted by falsedmitri at 7:30 AM on February 17 [1 favorite]

As an employer I would notice but not ask (aside from being illegal, it’s rude to ask). But depending on the scar, I would wonder - there’s a scale of a flesh wound to tiny scar here. I would proactively address it as a nothingburger if you want to combat bias and it’s larger than a bandaid and looks fresh. If it’s a bandaid level small one, don’t bring it up.
posted by pando11 at 7:37 AM on February 17 [4 favorites]

At over six weeks post-op you might also be able to conceal it with makeup instead of a bandage. Even if the coverup isn't seamless with the rest of your skin, it would signal more "blemish" than "wound."
posted by teremala at 9:11 AM on February 17 [3 favorites]

It is illegal to ask, and illegal to have bias, but it’s human nature. I would consider volunteering the dermatology explanation so that someone didn’t think you had a fall - common bias/guess for older adults.
posted by gryphonlover at 10:07 AM on February 17 [4 favorites]

How large are we talking? I’m guessing it seems worse to you. My inclination is to tell you not to mention it because it just calls attention to it.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:33 AM on February 17 [1 favorite]

Remember that a job interview is just as much about you figuring out whether you'd want to work there as it is about figuring if they want you to work there. How would you want people to treat you if you didn't volunteer any information? Do you want to work at a place that would use it as a factor for a hiring decision?
posted by Aleyn at 12:27 PM on February 17 [1 favorite]

Unless it looks like a fresh wound or something, I think a scar is actually much less attention-drawing than a bandaid on the face. Just my two cents.
posted by dusty potato at 6:45 PM on February 17 [1 favorite]

dear god don't bring it up! i wouldn't put a band-aid on it either, unless it currently requires coverage for medical reasons. the interviewer will notice but if they have any sense of legality and human decency, they won't bring it up. scars can happen for so many reasons.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 9:02 AM on February 19

I’m not much younger than the OP, and I have a noticeable scar on my forehead and through one eyebrow from a bicycle accident decades ago (nineteen stitches to close it up). The first time I was interviewing for jobs was a few weeks after the accident, when it was relatively visible. No one asked me about it then, nor has anyone in ~35 years since.

Echoing the commenter above who reminds us that scars happen for all kinds of reasons. I think the kind of employer who would ask about it or discriminate against an applicant for this is probably signalling this is not a great place to work.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:44 AM on February 20