
One way to take the focus off of a gap in your school or work history because of cancer treatment is to organize your resume by experience and skills, instead of by date. Offer your employer a letter from your healthcare provider that explains your current health status, prognosis, and ability to work.
Full Answer
How do I List A cancer diagnosis on my resume?
If you had a serious physical illness, like cancer, you can simply state that you took off work to undergo treatments but are now ready to re-join the workforce. You don't have to provide detail about the type of cancer, the treatments or the prognosis—that's up to you.
How do you list leave of absence on a resume?
If your experience during the leave was relevant for the position you are seeking, list the skills you used or developed. For example, if you took a year off to care for your sick parent and developed skills that make you a great candidate for a nursing position, include them.
How do you write a leave of absence for cancer?
If the leave involved a battle against a major illness or disease, you may be able to turn it to your advantage. For conditions like cancer, there is a certain sense of accomplishment that you should feel when you beat the disease. If you must include details about your leave of absence, use power words to demonstrate your achievement.
Can you take time off work for chemotherapy?
As indicated above, leave can be taken intermittently. This can be useful, especially for cancer patients, who may need only a few days — not a few weeks — to recover from each chemotherapy session. You can request a reduced schedule, such as a shorter workweek.

How do I put medical leave on my resume?
If you must include details about your leave of absence, use power words to demonstrate your achievement. For example: “I had to take a medical leave of absence to focus on my battle with cancer. After more than a year of treatment and recovery, I successfully overcame the disease and am now eager to get back to work.”
Should I put cancer on my resume?
The most important thing to remember is that your confidentiality is essential. If you don't want to mention that you're a cancer survivor either on your resume or in person, then you don't have to. Your diagnosis is nobody's business, but your own.
Can you take off work if you have cancer?
Having cancer does not necessarily mean you will stop working. You might take time off for appointments, treatments, or extra rest. You might work as much as possible or take a leave of absence and return later. There are benefits to working even when you have cancer.
Can I take FMLA for cancer?
If possible, an employee must give an employer at least 30 days notice before FMLA leave is to start. This only applies to planned medical treatments and elective surgery. Knowing that far ahead is rarely possible when you have cancer or when you are taking care of a loved one with cancer.
Do you have to disclose cancer at job interview?
You are not legally obligated to disclose a cancer diagnosis at any point in the hiring process (or once you are employed for that matter), so the decision is more about what is important to you.
Is Surviving cancer an accomplishment?
Surviving cancer is a major accomplishment and will result in a continuous growth of your inner strength.
How do I tell my work I have cancer?
Tips on sharing your diagnosisTell your boss directly: It is important that your boss hears about the news from you and not through the grapevine. ... Talk to your HR department: Once your boss knows about your diagnosis, he or she will need to communicate the information to the human resources department.More items...•
Will I need to take time off work for chemotherapy?
You may need to take time off for appointments and follow-up. In most cases, your employer will give you a reasonable amount of time off work to attend necessary hospital appointments. If you have been diagnosed with cancer, you are protected by the Disability Discrimination Act (see page 36).
Should I work during cancer treatment?
Some people with cancer are able to continue their normal routine, including going to work, while they're still in treatment. Others find that they need more rest or just feel too sick and cannot do as much. If you can work during treatment, you might find that it helps you feel more like yourself.
Can you work while going through chemotherapy?
Some people are able to keep working while they're getting cancer treatment. Some people work their usual full-time schedules. Some work the same schedules under special conditions (accommodations), like being closer to the office bathroom so it's easier to deal with side effects.
Is cancer in remission considered a disability?
The Court held that under the 2009 amendments to the ADA, cancer in remission is considered a “disability” and employees in remission should be protected.
Is cancer a disability?
Is Cancer a Disability? According the the Social Security Administration (SSA), cancer is considered a disability. Those with cancer can qualify for disability benefits if they can prove they meet a Blue Book disability listing for cancer.
How long does it take to recover from chemo?
As indicated above, leave can be taken intermittently. This can be useful, especially for cancer patients, who may need only a few days — not a few weeks — to recover from each chemotherapy session.
How long do you have to give your employer notice of medical leave?
A 30-day advance notice may be required if the need is foreseeable. If it is not, a verbal notice given within one or two business days after learning you need ...
How to negotiate FMLA with small employer?
Here are some suggestions: Schedule a time to sit and talk. Try to arrive at an understanding of when you can work and emphasize your ability to keep contributing to the company.
What is FMLA in cancer?
Cancer and the FMLA: Family Medical Leave Act. The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) requires certain employers to grant family and medical leave when needed — such as after the birth or adoption of a child or when an employee or a close family member has a serious medical problem. Signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton, ...
How many hours can you work on FMLA?
To be an eligible employee, you must have worked for the employer for at least 12 months and logged at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12 months. Workers who qualify are entitled to a total of 12 workweeks of leave during a 12-month period.
What happens when you return from leave?
When you return from leave, you must be reinstated to your original job or one that is equivalent in pay, benefits and other conditions . Exceptions are sometimes permitted if the result would cause serious economic injury to an employer’s operations.
Can you take 12 weeks of FMLA?
Employees can take the 12 weeks all at once or in segments; the latter is called “intermittent leave.”. Intermittent leave can be useful in many circumstances. For example, you may want to take every Monday off for a follow-up appointment, or use FMLA time on days you don’t feel well as a result of treatment.
How to deal with a gap in your resume?
Dealing With the Gap. There are many strategies for dealing with a resume gap: List skills first: List all of your career skills at the top of your resume and underneath each heading include three to six bullet points that summarize your core skills. Then at the bottom of your resume, briefly list the companies you’ve worked for, ...
What should you do when you reach the interview stage?
Hiring experts suggest that when you reach the interview stage you should pick an explanation for the gap that you are comfortable with — and stick with it. The most important thing is that you have a one sentence response that you’ve internalized and that is believable.
Do you stress yourself during an interview about cancer?
This is important — do prepare for difficult questions but don’t stress yourself by obsessing on the cancer or the gap.
Can you be frank about cancer?
There may be times when you feel comfortable enough with the interviewer that you want to be frank about your cancer history. You could be interviewing with someone who's just gone through a difficult time with a family member who's been diagnosed with cancer and so therefore is empathetic.
What should be on the top of a resume?
Summary/Profile: At the top of your resume include two or three lines that outline your skills, experience and goals. It’s also recommended that you add two or three professional characteristics that describe who you are and give your profile a little personality.
How to list skills on resume?
List skills first: List all of your career skills at the top of your resume, and underneath each heading include three to six bullet points that summarize your core skills. Then at the bottom of your resume, briefly list the companies you’ve worked for, your job titles and the years of employment.
What should be the keywords on a resume?
Keywords are also important to use in describing your work experience. At a minimum, 80% of the content. on a resume should be your accomplishments . A good resume is not just a list of tasks or responsibilities. A potential employer wants to know how you’re going to make a difference for them, how you are going.
What is a focus on job?
Is easy to read and understand. Focused on the kind of work you’re looking for (it’s not enough to just be looking for a job, any job). Focused on the future — what you can do for your next employer. Provides an essence of who you are. If you want to change careers, state that goal right up front.
What is the most pressing question about resumes?
For many cancer survivors the most pressing question about resumes is how to deal with gaps. The received wisdom is that gaps are deadly on a resume, but due to the downturn in the economy many people now have long periods without a steady full-time job.
Is it necessary to have a profile on top of a resume?
Summary/Profile. It is absolutely necessary to have what you call a profile or summary on top. That is where the reader of the resume is going to get the most pertinent information about you and make a decision about whether to consider reading further down.
Is there more than one resume style?
There is now more than one style of resume. The traditional, chronological variety takes the reader through a person’s work experience job by job, starting with the most recent position. The standard resume is best for anyone applying for an entry-level position.
How many hours do you have to work to qualify for FMLA?
To be eligible for FMLA, an employee must work for an employer with 50. or more employees, within a 75 mile radius of the employee’s worksite. The employee must also work for a total of 12. months for the same employer, and in that 12 months, work at least 1,250 hours. Employers are not permitted to fire you.
How long is FMLA?
and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is the federal law that entitles some employees 12. weeks of unpaid, but job and health insurance protected leave, per year, in. order to care for their own serious medical condition, or to act as a caregiver. for a seriously ill child, parent, or spouse.
How long does it take to become a cancer registrar?
Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) by the national Cancer Registrars Association is required within two years of employment. Basic experience requirements are satisfied through the CTR certification eligibility requirements.
What is a summary of pertinent information including demographic, cancer information, stage and treatment plans?
Provides a summary of pertinent information including demographic, cancer information, stage and treatment plans utilizing all reference material through the abstraction of core data set into a specific database. Completes and submits abstracts in appropriate time frame in adherence to all quality control guidelines and policies and procedures
Can you take off work if you have cancer?
Keep it simple. If you had a serious physical illness, like cancer, you can simply state that you took off work to undergo treatments but are now ready to re-join the workforce. You don't have to provide detail about the type of cancer, the treatments or the prognosis—that's up to you.
Is a gap on a resume?
Your gap is already included in your resume, and so it will be important for a potential employer to know that you are fully ready to return to full-time employment and able to take on full responsibilities of the posted position. Do this very briefly.
Can you put a gap on your resume?
If the gap was short-term, then there may actually be a way to hide it. You can use years, rather than months and years, for employment history. This isn’t to say a gap won't come out in an interview or when references are checked. In a face-to-face situation, you can explain it in detail you cannot give on a resume.
Do you have to disclose all the details of a diagnosis?
Remember that you don't have to disclose all the details, such as the exact diagnosis or outcome for the person you were taking care of. Provide enough color to help the employer understand what occupied your time and let the rest get addressed during the interview.
Can caregivers step out of full time employment?
There are thousands of individual stories behind a difficult decision to step out of full-time employment. Yet, one thing that unites them all is that caregivers with an employment gap on their resume share the same apprehension when it's time to go back to work.

Summary/Profile
Sample Profiles
Keywords
Skills and Work Experience
Styles of Resumes
Dealing with The Gap
Final Notes
- Format:Convert your resume to a PDF file, if possible, to guarantee that the layout and fonts are not altered when you email or submit it online.
- Fonts and Readability: A resume should be visually appealing, with plenty of white space. Fonts recommended are Arial, Times New Roman or Helvetica.
- Contact Information: Put your contact information on every page.
- Format:Convert your resume to a PDF file, if possible, to guarantee that the layout and fonts are not altered when you email or submit it online.
- Fonts and Readability: A resume should be visually appealing, with plenty of white space. Fonts recommended are Arial, Times New Roman or Helvetica.
- Contact Information: Put your contact information on every page.
- Content: Don’t consider your resume carved in stone. You should be able to customize it to fit specific positions you’re applying for.