A 50-year-old professional’s deeply personal story on Reddit has triggered a powerful conversation about resume gaps, workplace discrimination, and and whether candidates should reveal serious medical conditions to prospective employers?
Posting on the r/careerguidance forum, the man shared how a cancer diagnosis derailed both his health and his long-standing career and how he now feels stuck trying to return to work.
A Diagnosis — And an Unexpected Job Loss
The Reddit user started by recounting how everything changed last year.
“Early last year I (50M) was diagnosed with cancer – treatable, but still shocking and disruptive. I requested a couple weeks off from work to process. When I returned, I shared the news with my direct manager and was very touched when he got visibly overwhelmed and actually cried a bit.”
What initially felt like compassion quickly turned into a painful situation.
“Then, one week later, my position was eliminated. I now believe that my manager’s reaction was because he knew that was coming, and it struck him as awful that he was going to be the one delivering the blow.”
Though he received severance and extended health coverage, the timing made him to question whether his diagnosis impacted the decision.
Treatment, Recovery — And Readiness to Return
After losing his job, he made a deliberate choice to concentrate on life beyond work.
“Anyway… I got severance and extended health insurance. I took two months off to make a once-in-a-lifetime trip, then came back and started treatment. I’m not going to talk about that other than to say it went extremely well and I am getting better every day. I’m still a bit weak, but ready to go back to work.”
With treatment advanced successfully and his strength gradually returning, he felt prepared to resume his career.
But the job market had other plans.
An 11-Month Resume Gap — And Zero Responses
Despite having what he characterizes as a strong professional background, he says his job hunt has stalled completely.
“I am getting nowhere. There is an 11-month gap in my resume that I’m not even getting a chance to explain – I’m just getting zero responses.”
He added that he invested in professional resume-writing services and customizes each application carefully. “I had a strong career before this. I’ve never had this much trouble landing an interview. I sincerely believe the gap is what’s hurting me the most.”
The silence from employers has made him wonder if the gap alone is disqualifying him before he even secures an interview.
Should He Reveal the Truth?
Frustrated, he turned to Reddit for advice.
“How should I manage this? Should I… include ‘Cancer’ in my resume? ‘With support from a dedicated medical team, I succesfully outlived rogue cells attempting a hostile takeover’? Should I stretch the truth and puff up my membership in a couple companies’ boards as a consulting gig? Should I give it up as a bad deal and just look for cashier jobs at the supermarket?”
He also worried about interviews: “If I get to the interview stage… how do I navigate that if asked? ‘I’m sorry, it’s a private issue’ will sound like I’m hiding something (I am! It IS private!).”
Reddit Divided: Full Transparency or Total Privacy?
The responses revealed a sharp divide.
One user supported openness, citing: “Full time job – Cancer survivor at xyz hospital , I don’t think anyone with a brain would have issues with it.”
Another said: “Personally, I would totally put ‘cancer’ right there in the work history. Anyone who has a problem with that is for sure not someone you want to work with, nevermind for.”
However, others cautioned that full disclosure could backfire.
“I would not put cancer on your resume, nor would I discuss it in job interviews. Recurrence exists and companies will illegally discriminate against you,” one commenter cautioned, adding that at 50, with a long work history, a short gap in a weak labor market may not require detailed explanation.
Another recommended reframing the break creatively: “Call the gap something interesting and exotic – a sabbatical, a planned dream year-long vacation, you won the lottery and did charity work for a year. You don’t owe a potential employer an answer they may use to deny you a position you’re qualified for.”
One blunt response stated: “I hate to say it but lying is probably your best option. You don’t need them discriminating against you, and you don’t need to tell them your medical history. You took a two month trip? Make it an 11 month trip. Have some interesting trip stories at the ready when you interview.”
Shared Struggles and Empathy
Many commenters shared their own health-related employment gaps.
One user described enduring years of debilitating pain due to a tumor near a carotid artery, struggling to maintain employment and eventually facing medical bankruptcy. “Long story short (sorry), I totally empathize with you with having a gap on the resume as a result of medical issues. I hope you’re doing well.”
Another offered a balanced advice: “From a fellow cancer survivor, I don’t recommend putting it straight up like that on your resume. I suggest something like: ‘Career Break: Health and Wellbeing.’ Same thing for the interview. You took time off to address some health matters, and you’re in good shape now. Potential employers don’t need to know everything. Health is extremely personal.”