Incredible Job Offer with Great Compensation — Concerns Over Loud Situations (Dinners, Flying)

It appears I'll be receiving an incredible job offer with otherworldly compensation at an incredible company. Think top 100 with a long track record of success in the tech.

Problem IS... travel. Given the unpredictability of this condition I'm not sure I can accept it, given it's a sales job that requires face time with the customer and that puts me in situations that could be loud or uncomfortable (flying, dinners, on-sites). 5-year-ago me would be so damn proud but today's version is sitting here afraid of the possibility of a worsening condition.

Anyone have any advice?

 

Have you flown before with tinnitus?

I was very scared to resume flying but I’ve been fine doing it again.

About the dinners and on site: do you have to be at loud places or can you choose the locations?

 

I have flown a handful of times. I'll never fully be able to control the environments I'm in.

Unfortunately I'll probably have to pass.

 

Accept it. You’ll regret otherwise. Don’t let tinnitus stop you from doing what you love!

 

If you fly A350 1st class, piece of cake...

 

Thanks for your support. The laundry list of regrets since this shite began is quite long. I have a feeling the stress of travel and "loss of control" will just be too much to handle, regardless of the $$.

 

Always follow the gun instinct brother.

 

Health over wealth.

 

Is it a possibility to test the waters?

If you can't manage even with your precautions, just quit.

No shame in trying and quitting.

 

I think you defined it perfectly. You already know what to do, the right thing for you...

 

Hi there. I fly every month interstate and it looks to be working for me, no major issues on the tinnitus front. The front of the plane will generally be quieter. I carry some musicians earplugs and top of the line noise cancelling headphones with me. I thought I’d have more trouble with business lunches and dinners too, but that has been ok. Wishing you well there.

 

Earplugs. That's it... I travel for work, I travel for vacation. Earplugs.

 

How often? This particular opportunity is monthly travel all over the damn US. Consulting. Part of the additional fear is dinners, bars, client engagements. I unfortunately spike easily.

 

Whenever you feel it’s too loud. I spiked easily at first, over time, you can go to moderately noisy restaurants at lunch. Bars, maybe not. But for most things like that, get a set of custom molded earplugs. Most people don’t even know you have them on, or don’t care.

 

Musician's earplugs maybe?

 

I have tinnitus and hyperacusis and had a heavy travel job for 5 years. I use foam earplugs from takeoff to landing and noise cancelling headphones over them. I also try to avoid small jets and try to sit in front of the engines if possible. A lot of things give me spikes, but flying rarely does with the above precautions. For international travel I have been avoiding the 777s like the plague. Restaurants are more tricky / bothersome as you often have to communicate with other people above the noise.

I will say though, heavy travel jobs are taxing.

I would take it, if it's too much you have to make that call later. I just took the plunge taking a different job recently that requires less travel, but I'm not sure if I made the right choice because it's turning out to be louder than my last job.

 

You shouldn't fuck your life over for tinnitus. You can make ways to make it work and if it worsens then you quit on medical grounds. No harm, no foul imo.

Use VENTED earplugs for travel.

 

Can I ask which headphones you use? Do you wear the headphones on top of the musician's earplugs?

Thank you~

 

You will be fine. Accept the offer. You can’t let this condition hold you back. You surely will have to take precautions in terms of ear protection at times but don’t let this stop you. I feel like we are a little too cautious here at times. I know full well the difficulties and fear with this condition but people soldier on with far worse health complications.

 

I'm excited for your new job prospect! I hope it works out.

I wonder if your question should also be directed to a message board devoted to job hunters and/or a message board devoted to human resources questions. The way I see it, your ear problem might be seen as a type of disability, so perhaps the HR department of this company would be willing to make certain accommodations for you, like giving you greater leeway in deciding when and where to meet clients for dinner, or opting to meet over Zoom every now and then instead of flying.

So many things qualify as a disability nowadays. At the college where my husband works, a student asked for special accommodations for her misophonia because she couldn't handle being in an online classroom if other people were going to be making lip-smacking noises or eating or drinking noises.

I guess the two big questions with regards to telling people about your ear problem are

-- whether it's advisable to bring it up before you accept a job offer, or afterward, when you're already in the thick of things

and

-- whether HR is legally required to accommodate you.

I don't know the answers, which is why I suggest posing your question (anonymously, of course) to a website populated by HR experts with firsthand experience.

I wish you the best. Please keep us posted.

 

Hi @twa, I use the Sony WH-1000XM4 noise-cancelling headphones. No earplugs underneath. I just carry the musician's earplugs just in case, but very rarely use them.

 

@Simon85, thank you for the reply!

 

If the girl who got her arm bit off by a shark while surfing later became a pro surfer, then you too can overcome your fears. Maybe adopt the mindset that tinnitus won't beat me and live your life in spite of it.

In essence your tinnitus is Mocha Joe and You are Latte Larry.

Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 10 Episode 9 Latte...