Best course to take.
If you tell them the details, they might consider it a pre-existing health condition and that could impact their employment decision, especially if another candidate scores just as good as you.
I agree with those who say you shouldn’t make a big deal of it, but nor should you lie about it. I think you should go with the glove, since you say you also have patches on your fingers. Just casually say “Sorry for the glove, I’ve got a bit of a rash that’s clearing up” and let it go at that.
i would just go with: “sorry, allergies”. every one deals with or knows someone who has allergies. it is a great way to get out of hand shakes as well.
Whatever you do, don’t wind up looking like Michael Jackson.
That’s right. Do not tell them that you injured yourself playing polo – especially if you don’t play that sport. Even if you do get the job, that could damage your credibility later on.
I agree with the wrap some gauze around it and don’t say anything. If it helps, this stuff is awesome, extremely flexible, stays put and should work great. It will look like you burned yourself of something and no one will probably even mention it.
http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=79916&catid=9338
You SO do not want to do this at a law firm; what if somebody there is a Joss Whedon fan?
I’d agree with the upfront approach. I definitely wouldn’t wear a glove concealing it and then, when/if asked about it, pass it casually off as a “rash” or “temporary problem” or “allergy”. Try to pass over it while at the same time drawing attention to it with a glove would make me suspicious.
Also, if you get the “what is your worst quality” question you have a ready-made and laughable answer. Play on it. Show you can laugh at yourself but still conduct yourself in a regular manner when you aren’t 100%.
oh, yeah, good luck on Friday!
A: Leprosy! 
LOL. Actually I’m very involved with horses. Only played polo once though. No injuries to report, other than a bruised collarbone where you rest the mallet between shots. 
Its slightly distressing that there’s absolutely no consensus in this thread and everyone thinks everyone else’s ideas are horrible – wear a glove, no absolutely don’t; say its something innocuous*, no tell the unvarnished truth; give details, no say as little as possible, etc).
*Actually eczema is pretty innocuous – I’ve had it for years (since high school, I’m 32) and most outbreaks are not detectable to the casual observer. Its only been this bad one other time in that whole history. So I also wouldn’t say that it is “likely” to frequently impair job performance. This particular incident is just remarkably badly timed.
Too gross. I wouldn’t mention it. Bandage it and call it a boo-boo. This lie will not toss you out of the running.
A vote for ‘say as little as possible’ here. I’d refer to it as an allergy rather than a rash - the word rash has a more negative connotation than allergy! Mention it when you shake hands (“Excuse the bandage, I’ve had an allergic reaction”) then don’t mention it again.
Fellow eczema sufferer here. (And the good news is, it really does abate with age. I haven’t had a really ugly outbreak in years – though part of that is that I recognize the warning signs and treat with topical cortisone at the first hint of trouble. When I was a girl, BTW, you could only get 1/2% OTC – had to go to a doctor for “the good stuff.” but I digress.)
I think, in general, as a stance in the universe, telling the truth is better than lying. So don’t lie.
Cover it as inconspicuously as possible – and I think a bandage would actually be less conspicuous than gloves. Then, when you extend your hand to shake the interviewer’s hand at the beginning (we don’t need to tell you to do that, right?) – say something minimal like “Sorry – I have a slight allergic rash right now – I’m not contagious.” That way they’re not afraid to touch you, you address the issue, but you don’t overshare.
I just had an interesting idea–when you greet the interviewer, extend your LEFT hand to shake. It could be a good ice-breaker. Then point at your gauze-wrapped right hand, and offer whichever explanation you’ve chosen.
I would use a gauze bandage, not gloves. Everybody else in the room has worn a gauze bandage before,even if it was 30 years ago. So they can relate to it, and will easily assume that it is temporary, and not serious. But nobody has ever worn gloves with a formal suit, so it just looks weird, and makes people wonder about you.
The problem with gauze bandage is that, to cover the area which is noticably red and bumpy on my hands, my hand would be practically covered in bandage – there are patches on my palm, on the palm-side of several fingers, and on the sides of my thumb and 4 of the fingers of my right hand.
The gloves I am talking about are not mittens or winter gloves or even eveningwear gloves. They are thin, stretchy, fleshtoned, half-finger gloves that I got way back when to improve the circulation to my hands when I had a tendon injury. IMHO, they are MUCH less notiacble than a hand almost entirely swathed in bandage.
I am 32 and did not have eczema as a child. My eczema laughs at 1% hydrocotisone. “hahaha,” it says, “you amuse me, puny human.” I have thrown the strongest prescription-strength topical steroids that are avilable at it to no avail. sigh
I’ve resisted replying to this thread, but since the answers are all over the map, I’ll chime in.
I used to be a practicing lawyer, and I interviewed at lots of big firms. It’s not that big a deal. Most interviews are very friendly. Just act natural. If they seem to notice the eczema, you could just say, “Oh, sorry, I have eczema. Looks gross, I know,” in a casual fashion.
But this is not a make-or-break thing. I know a guy whose face and hands are hideously scarred by burns. He got hired by a big firm, no problem. One girl I know did all her interviews with her face all swollen and bruised after a car wreck. She got hired by a big firm, no problem.
It’s all about carrying it off with confidence. If you act at ease about the situation, it won’t be an issue. If you are freaked about shaking hands, you could wear a bandage, and that would give you an excuse not to shake hands. That should work, so long as you carry it off with casual confidence. “Oh, sorry, bandage. I have a weird allergy.” I do agree that wearing gloves will look bizarre and attract attention because it is odd and doesn’t necessarily translate as something medical. A bandage at least garners immediate sympathy.
i do have allergic hand problems. i usually use a white cotton glove and cut to fit where i need to cover. and yep, there are tons of jackson jokes. however the cream i use works better when covered, so cotton it is. gauze just unravels and gets loose and doesn’t fit as well.
the glove you have sound perfect. coverage of the ichy parts and blend in.
I’m pretty sure anyone who’s attended a military academy would have worn gloves with what could be considered an extremely formal suit.
Chiming in to say just wrap it and mention you’ve got some minor skin damage or something. Absolutely don’t lie, but don’t volunteer that you have eczema either–employers really don’t care about your medical problems unless they affect your ability to do your job.
–Fellow dishydrotic eczema sufferer, unfortunately. I’m sorry anybody else in the world has it. It burns like the fire of a thousand suns.