Jeriann

I am
delighted to hear about your positive prognosis.  Celebrate each day and the sense of normalcy as
a gift! 

What
type of work were you doing before the work-related injury?  I would like to see how it relates to the new
certificate you obtained.  I applaud your
expanding your skills and knowledge to broaden your marketability.  Your goal to blend PT work and work from home
is a good one and probably more popular among potential employees than
employers in most parts of the country. This could be a greater challenge than
your age.  You must also be weary of so
many scams that relate to “work from home” recruiting.  

 If you
choose to work PT and from Home are you prepared to do so as  an independent consultant vs an employee? That
carries a lot of tax ramifications that you need to be aware of.

 I
believe that I can make some helpful suggestions and offer some resources once
I know a little more based on the answers to my questions. 

 Margot

I was in customer service, call center in the wireless industry. Doing phone work is not my first choice for many reasons. 

I have also worked in marketing, sales, and the travel industry.

 I am also a writer with a degree in communications and have done copy writing. I still write fiction. I was on email correspondence teams. 

CRM seems the best fit once I have my cert but I can also do other things such as search engine marketing. I'd read that social media journalism is a good field because of the need for writers.

Thank you.

Jeriann,

This additional information tells me that your background is
not far removed from where you want to take your career step. If you are
considering a blend of PT employment in Social Media Marketing, Copywriting
along with some free lance work, then I suggest that you create a small
business that will allow you to act as a free lance agent.  This will help bridge any gap on your resume
should you decide to accept a FT position later on.  Your local SBA or SCORE or Women’s Business
Enterprise Council can provide you with the information you need to start a
small business. 

To obtain both a PT employment role as well as secure free
lance work, start working your network of contacts in the industry.  I suggest that along with gearing your resume
to this desired career, you also develop a One-page flyer outlining and
promoting your knowledge and experience that relates to the type of work you
want.   You can pick up helpful language and
competencies from browsing similar job postings and job descriptions.   Plan your flyer carefully as it will be representative
of what you can bring to the job. 

 You probably know that there are several websites where you
can find listed free lance projects that you can bid on.  You can also post your availability and interest
in specific projects.  If you have
presentation and training skills, you could offer a brief workshop to local
chamber of commerce, or a webinar that might provide you with a captive
audience for your skills.   Also consider
volunteering your services with local non-profits to build on your network and
give you further visibility. You might even be able to barter some work in
exchange for an ad in local publications or programs.

 Be sure to visit our Looking
for Work resources and avail yourself of 
the information on building a good resume and resume review.

 I hope that you find these ideas helpful.  I wish you success in your exploration.

 Margot

You are the 3rd person who has suggested I start a small business. Maybe I will start listening! Thank you,

I was employed by a small company as an event planning development fundraising associate. I was terminated from my job once I disclosed my illness. I am 7 months post stem cell transplant for a rare blood disorder. I

Hi Cheryl,

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Best,

Sarah, Cancer and Careers Associate Manager of Programs