A reader writes:
The final time I used to be trying to find jobs was pre-Covid, and whereas the job market and world have modified in some ways, one of many methods I’m most involved about in my present search is the rise of worker monitoring applied sciences. I work in a area that has been primarily distant since properly earlier than the pandemic and has not been subjected my current waves of return-to-office for that cause. I additionally stay with quite a lot of critical however very well-managed psychological well being points that will rapidly spiral out of “very well-managed” underneath the stress of surveillance applied sciences. This isn’t only a choice to not work in an setting that makes use of these applied sciences however moderately an actual danger of triggering a psychotic episode. The mixture of extremely obsessive efficiency anxiousness and the paranoia of surveillance is untenable for me given my specific slate of psychological well being situations.
I’ve been and can stay within the common care of a psychological well being crew that I’m assured would supply no matter I must get lodging in place if it got here to that, however I’d desire to not be in an setting the place lodging are even wanted for this specific wrestle. Is there a technique to ask about whether or not or not a company makes use of worker monitoring expertise throughout an interview with out both disclosing psychological well being situations that I’d moderately not disclose or flagging myself as a possible slacker who doesn’t need supervisors catching on via monitoring software program?
To be clear, I do NOT imagine that individuals who don’t need to work underneath surveillance are “slackers,” however I fear that emphasizing the purpose too strongly in interviews may give hiring committees that impression and damage my possibilities. I typically don’t suppose employers ought to monitor their staff to the extent that present expertise permits for, however I additionally perceive why making a giant deal of that time may not look nice to potential employers. However I fear, too, that dealing with this through lodging would power me to disclose greater than I would love about my psychological well being within the office.
Is there a sleek technique to elevate the query in interviews? Wouldn’t it be higher raised on the stage of a suggestion being made? Or is that this one thing that I’d be greatest served simply ready out after which getting lodging in place if the necessity arises? I welcome any recommendation that you just or your readers may need for methods to deal with this!
Yeah, this can be a tough factor to boost in an interview with out coming throughout unusually.
In idea, it shouldn’t be that means! There are a great deal of causes for individuals to not be enthusiastic about firms that surveil their each keystroke — reminiscent of believing that it displays a tradition and administration type not aligned with how they need to work — but it surely’s nonetheless going to be very troublesome to boost it in an interview with out seeming oddly and inordinately centered on it. The identical goes for asking about issues like drug testing; there are many good causes to not need to work someplace that drug checks, even should you’re not a drug person your self, however asking about it within the interview will Create An Impression.
You ought to have the ability to ask in an interview about something that’s essential to you with out worrying about what subtext interviewers will learn into it … however in actuality, you may’t.
After all, the reverse is true, too — there are questions an interviewer may ask that will actually flip off candidates — however the energy dynamics are so totally different that it’s not the identical factor.
You would in fact ask what they’ve discovered efficient in managing a distant crew and the place the challenges have been, and that would result in an attention-grabbing dialogue that reveals one thing related about their philosophy … but it surely’s most unlikely that they’ll announce, “Oh, and we use keystroke loggers and take screenshots of your monitor each 10 minutes.”
So sadly, the most effective time to boost it’s after you might have a job supply — once they’ve already determined they need to rent you and have prolonged you a suggestion, as a result of at that time the hiring resolution can’t be influenced by the query and they’ll’t pull your supply over you merely asking the query with out violating the Individuals with Incapacity Act. Even then, I’m battling methods to phrase it, because it’s an uncommon request. It is likely to be helpful to speak together with your medical crew about one of the best ways to border it so that you just don’t reveal greater than you want to. (And in the event that they’re no assist, an employment lawyer ought to have the ability to advise on the fitting technique to phrase it.)