Sometimes the circumstances in our lives temporarily prevent us from making a shift.  Or they make it possible.

After being faced with a big life event, especially one that's health related, it's not uncommon to be shocked into awareness and enter a state of mind shifts in one's personal and professional life.  Ideas surrounding what's valued in areas such as relationships, goals and career can be challenged. 

We often hear that people become more interested in non-profit work after undergoing treatment for a cancer diagnosis.  Some people automatically find the work they did prior to their diagnosis was not meaningful or enriching.  Or perhaps after spending significant time in that role after taking time off for treatment or caring for a loved one, there's an unmistakable feeling that something just isn't right - you're not getting the same joy and passion about the job like you once had.  You might desire to facilitate a career change towards the non-profit sector and become more focused in public service or cancer-related organizations.

If this resonates with you, you're not alone.  Finding meaningful work can be such an integral piece to the "new normal" puzzle.  If you're feeling well enough post-treatment to begin your job search, you may find it helpful to do some research on how working for a non-profit is different than other industries.  Keep in mind that commitment to the cause of a particular non-profit does matter, but that alone won't get you the job.

Following a cancer diagnosis, attitudes and beliefs that once shaped what's important can, and often do, shift and lead to newfound passions where work is concerned.  You can find more information about looking for work after cancer here.

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