Stuttering at work?

Hey everyone. How many of you with a job have told your employer about your speech impediment?
I have never told my former employers about it, but I just got an offer to work at a hostess in a prestige establishment and I freaked out because they hired me and I didn`t tell them that there could be times where I might stutter or get nervous. I turned the job offer down, because the pressure of hiding something has driven my crazy before and I don`t think I could`ve handled it as a hostess.
Is it better to tell your employer or would that be a disadvantage for you? Would love to hear some of your thoughts and personal experiences!

Dear Sarah21,

I have been a speech-language pathologist specializing in helping individuals who stutter for the past 18 years. I understand the concern you posted here, even though I don't stutter myself. I was disappointed you turned down the hostess job, especially since it sounds like you would have done very well. I am sure you were disappointed as well. I understand your discomfort with hiding your stuttering. As you have contemplated, there are advantages for telling others you stutter and disadvantages for telling people.

When surveyed, my clients recommended telling potential employers about their stuttering during the initial phone interview or during the first in-person interview. Each explained how "coming clean" with their stuttering caused their anxiety about hiding it to go down almost immediately. Instead of focusing on hiding their disfluency, they could then focus on controlling their speech to the best of their ability and presenting themselves well during the interview.

If you take their collective advice in the future, you will never be in the situation you explained here ever again. Also, you will be certain that your new employer accepts you for who you are as an individual. Best of luck in your future endeavors, especially job interviews!

All My Best,

John Atchley

I just had an interview and i was stuttering during it. I just nonchalantly brought it up like it was just one of those things. I said I stutter sometimes and this is for a job where I have to travel and interact with clients. I'm not that bad anymore but that was my worst stuttering day in about a year. I got a call back the next day to continue the interview process a whole week ahead of when they said they would contact me. If your good at your job how you talk or look should not matter to an employer.