I have an interview for a job in a couple of weeks time (my third interview offer in a week, which is strange) and the interview is completely different from anything I have ever done before. The job is an inpatient support worker and the point of the job is to get people discharged from hospital as soon as possible by helping them through their recovery journey and then supporting them and doing follow ups of their progress once they are back in the community. One of the requirements of the job is that you have experienced mental health problems yourself so that you can use your own journey to help other people on theirs.
This is what I have to prepare for the interview; through being mentally ill what have I learned? How do I fully live my life with my illness? What have I learned about myself? Would I have done anything differently to better assist my recovery? How do I look after my mental health and wellbeing? Who or what helps or hinders me?
I feel very uncomfortable thinking about discussing such personal things with three strangers. If I get the job and will be working with any of them then it will be so difficult knowing that they know these things. I don't mind employers knowing my labels but not about the ins and outs of my life with mental health problems. I don't even know how to answer the questions because I don't feel like I have made much progress with my problems but I will focus on being self harm free and working through suicidal thoughts. They're asking these things to see how i'd support someone else so I could be more positive about my recovery than I actually feel about it.
Any tips about how I can cope with this or what sort of things I could talk about?
I put it down on paper and then the ghost does not ache so much.
Don't try to calm the storm, calm yourself, the storm will pass.
No tips, but definitely encouragement. it's good to know that they are making personal experience a criterion. I know it would mean so much more to be supported by someone who has been through similar difficulties and who is managing them. Sometimes, as understanding as they try to be, mh workers who haven't personally been through things can come off as flippant to me in the way they say things.
Not much progress - you're self harm free, that sounds like tremendous progress to me. You're working through suicidal thoughts, which means you are more in control than you were in the past and the phrase "working through" indicates to me that you know you are going to get through to the other side, which is incredible. Please don't do yourself down. I think those things are amazing!
Good luck with the interview!
"Everything is possible through Christ, who gives me strength". Phillipians 4:13
Congrats on getting the interview; good luck with it!
A question for you: will the 3 people interviewing you have experienced some sort of mental illness too?
Perhaps a good way to start your preparation for the interview is to jot down lots of different thoughts about how you were in the earlier stages of your MI and how you are now... that may help you see where you've made progress. Also as no reason said - being self-harm free and working through suicidal thoughts is a great achievement!
You could also talk about how dealing with MI has helped you be more supportive and understanding of those with similar struggles... also that you're a mod on a forum supporting people.
Hope that helps! Good luck with your interview and let us know how things go!
Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness.
Every act creates a ripple with no logical end. ~ Scott Adams
I don't really have any tips, but try to remember that your interviewers will have experience and empathy with people who have suffered from mental health problems as it is their area of work so I'm sure they will conduct the interview sensitively.
Good luck :)
Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back, everything is different…
you once called your brain a hard drive, well say hello to the virus.
thats fantastic that ur SI free and working through ur suicidal thoughts, its really great. i think i would think about the stuff that isnt "fixed" that u still "have difficulties" with, and how u live with it on a day to day basis. as mental illness isnt usually a problem that goes away with the wave of a magic wand, but is something that u learn to deal/cope/live with. think about how you've got to the point where u can live with it.
i think its great that they want people with peronal experiance, i think that u can tell when a person involved in your treatment has any personal experiance or not! and those with personal experiance are better "helpers" because of it.
good good luck!
hope you get it. xxx
That sounds like such a great job and its good that they are getting people who actually have experience of MI to support people who are currently unwell. It makes such a difference when someone understands what you are going through. Especially when they are offering suggestions with how to cope with things, it means more if you know they have used such coping strategies themselves and understand how hard it can be.
I'd just be really honest at the interview and explain about your personal recovery and how you think you could use that to help others.
And i wouldn't say you haven't made progress - being sh free is amazing to me and working through suicidal thoughts is incredibaly difficult, that shows definite progress and to me someone who is further along in their recovery than they have been in the past.
Good luck!!
"Because you don't notice the light without a bit of shadow. Everything has both dark and light. You have to play with it until you get it exactly right."
Just to let you know, the interview went really well. I felt a little uncomfortable, especially when discussing SI and suicide but I got through it. The panel were really impressed and 6 hours later I got a phone call saying that I am being offered the job and I think i'm going to take it.
Thanks for the replies.
I put it down on paper and then the ghost does not ache so much.
Don't try to calm the storm, calm yourself, the storm will pass.
Thats brilliant! And well done for being so brave talking about your experiences x
"Because you don't notice the light without a bit of shadow. Everything has both dark and light. You have to play with it until you get it exactly right."
well done congrats!