Interviewing for a job tends to be nerve-wracking for most of us, but it can be even more challenging following a cancer diagnosis. Preparing ahead of time can help you feel confident and in control, which, in turn, can help your potential employer get to know you at your best. Composing and practicing answers to possible questions in advance enables you to navigate an interview with ease; it can also reduce your chances of getting caught off guard by questions you are not legally obligated to answer. The Job Network offers helpful, relevant advice in its article “Beware of These 8 Red Flag Illegal Interview Questions.”

As the article explains, for anyone diagnosed with cancer who has not prepared for an interview, the question “Are you healthy?” is certain to provoke anxiety. So, before meeting with a potential employer, it’s important to know that, while he or she is entitled to know whether you can complete tasks specifically related to the job you’re interested in, that person does not have the right to know anything beyond this.

One method that we at Cancer and Careers have found to be successful for fielding questions like this is called “The Swivel.” By acknowledging and addressing what is asked and then redirecting — or swiveling — the conversation in a direction that focuses on your goals and your qualifications for the job, the Swivel leaves no space for the interviewer to pursue his/her question. Rather, it puts you in control of the topic.

You can find additional information and examples of this technique by clicking here.

For more tips on preparing for an interview, click here.

To have your resume reviewed — for free! — by a professional career coach, click here.

For tips on crafting an ideal cover letter and resume, click here.

To learn about exploring your options when it comes to searching for a job, click here.

For more on the job-search process, click here to listen to our Job Search webinar from March 2017.