Hi Lauren,

I will pass this along to a career coach for their insight, but in the meantime I wanted to respond with a few ideas and things to consider.

First off, thank you for sharing your story with us. It sounds frustrating to feel limited in your area of interest, particularly one that you put in work to get educated and trained in. Have you explored occupational or vocational therapy? They could potentially help you come up with some processes to avoid feeling overwhelmed and prevent the seizures due to anxiety. It might be worth speaking with your healthcare provider about providing a referral for such services.Perhaps technology or software exists that could alleviate some of the pressure and stress of the communications – more in-depth review software to help with flow and cohesion when writing? 

Have you begun exploring alternative career paths? Something related to communications but without the pressure? Perhaps a role that focuses on editing as opposed to composition? It’s hard to readjust your expectations after putting in the work for something you were passionate about, but it’s worth getting creative about alternatives. Peruse some jobs descriptions online to see if there are some positions that would allow you to continue in the direction you want, but the essential duties of the job are not as focused on the areas you’re experiencing difficulties in. Connect with people on LinkedIn who have jobs that sound interesting to you and see if they are willing to schedule a conversation to discuss their roles and responsibilities. Sit down and really think about what aspects of the job are specifically challenging to you, and which ones you feel you could continue with. From there, you might be able to have a more focused job search for positions that emphasize the need for the skills that you are feeling most confident in.

While the pay cap due to the disability insurance might seem like a deterrent, look at it as a way to potentially take on a less stressful position. Maybe the more structured, hourly jobs are not the best option for you right now, but rather a set number of hours per month for projects, so you have time to spread out your work, take more breaks, and implement some self-care throughout the days.

 Hopefully this gives you a little bit to think about until you hear from one of our career coaches.

 Please feel free to reach back out with any questions or if you’d like to explore more resources and/or CAC services and programs.

Best of luck to you!

Warm regards,

Nicole

Nicole Jarvis, LMSW (she, her, hers)

Assistant Director of Programs

Cancer and Careers / CEW Foundation

njarvis@cew.org

www.cancerandcareers.org

Hi, Lauren,

I have to congratulate you on moving through your treatment and recovery. I feel the frustration and the hope in your inquiry. It is so hard to let go of our expectations for the future and craft a new way forward, isn't it? I applaud you for thinking this through.

When the spoken and written word are your core strengths and you are finding challenging to use, definitely occupational and vocational therapy assistance are in line with what I would recommend. Nicole is right to recommend that you speak to your medical team for referrals, because they can get you to the right professionals who can assess where you are in your recovery and what you can reasonably tackle now. Perhaps taking this one step at a time is best until you get your sea legs under you again.

A Vocational / Occupational therapist will be able to gradually take you though some vocational assessments to help you determine your best fit for where you are now and where you may be in the future. Through their assistance, you can explore career fields that may require less strain your health but that you will still find satisfying. And, it sounds like a part time or project type work may be a best fit for now, rather than a FT position. 

Do think through what you hope to gain via your work. Is it the financial contribution to your living expenses solely? If not, is it the interaction with others, the sense of accomplishment, the ability to be creative?  Have you had hobbies in the past that can shed some light on what you might enjoy? It sounds like there is still much to explore in your new normal, and working with your medical and support team and looking into potential job options will take some time.

Be patient with yourself, Lauren. You have come through a very challenging time, and time may yet yield your answers.

Wishing you continued healing, my sister in survival,

Kathy Flora, Career Coach

Hi Cancer and Careers,
It’s been 10 years since I was diagnosed with a GBM. I have successfully completed college and graduated in Secondary education certificate to teach Social Studies. I have moved to a different state, but that isn’t the issue. The issue is actually finding a High School that will hire me! Also, is it a turn off if I choose not to disclose my disability to the school district? Help please!

Hi Kirsten,

Congratulations on all that you have accomplished after your diagnosis! That is no easy feat and you should be so proud of yourself. The next step is now the job search and while at times it can feel overwhelming, there are a number of actions you can take to make the process easier and more manageable. 

One of the best things you can do for a job search is prepare. This means gathering information so you're able to navigate the job hunt just a little smoother. We have a number of resources that I think would be helpful as you figure out your next move. In terms of disclosure, that's a really important aspect of job searching and it's a good idea to have an understanding around that piece of the puzzle. Check out our article on Managing Disclosure When Looking for a Job for the disclosure considerations whether you're filling out applications, writing cover letters, or interviewing. We also have a recording of our Balancing Work & Cancer webinar on Disclosure, Privacy & Online Brand that takes more of a dive into the disclosure conversation. 

In terms of finding a position in general, I'd recommend you take a look at some of the articles in the Looking for Work section of our website. Additionally, we offer a free Resume Review Service if you feel you could use some assistance formatting your resume to best align with the jobs you're interested in. Finally, our Job Search Toolkit is available for download or order in hard copy and really covers the spectrum of job searching topics from resume writing, online reputation management, cover letter writing, and even understanding your legal protections in the workplace. 

If you have any questions about the above, or are still feeling stuck, feel free to reach out via email to cancerandcareers@cew.org and we'd be happy to schedule a time to speak on the phone.

Warm regards,

Nicole Jarvis, LMSW

Assistant Director of Programs