Overcoming obstacles in finding employment after 2nd post-cancer job loss
L J. on October 29, 2015
I was just unexpectedly terminated from employment as the office manager/administrator of a private specialty medicine practice. I've worked in the medical field about 25 years, and in this specialty for over 20 years. I am faced with the difficulty of finding a new position and overcoming some significant obstacles.
After losing my previous position (more on that later), I thought I had found the perfect job with a caring, understanding doctor. I had known the owner-physician for 15 years as he used to rent space 2 days a week an office I worked in long ago. . Although we did not stay in touch directly, I did see some of his staff occasionally and we had mutual friends in the industry. He learned I had survived cancer, but respected my privacy and kept tabs on me indirectly through others. Last year, the timing finally seemed right as he heard I was looking for work and he needed someone with experience. I was brought on as his manager and had high hopes, but after nearly a year and a half (and without warning), I was called in and told it was not working out, that we have different working styles, and it's not up for discussion. He said apologized if it took me by surprise, but the decision was final.
Sadly, he was not the person I thought him to be, but I figured people are different once you work for them. Since I was not allowed to ask for specifics, I don’t know why he let me go and have no idea what he will say if called for a reference. My fear is it had something to do with my “new normal” after chemotherapy...inability to multi-task like I used to, unable to concentrate with frequent interruptions, easily distracted, etc. although he never mentioned anything about my performance. He is completely unaware of what he is legally allowed to disclose, and may give reasons for termination that he never discussed with me. While I may be better off in the long run to get away from the stressful and sometimes unstable and confusing environment, I cannot count on him for a good recommendation. He is the owner, and I reported directly to him as the manager. I had no other supervisors, and he has no "HR Department".
My previous job was managing another medical practice in the same specialty for over 11 years. I went through my cancer diagnosis, surgery and treatment about 7 years into my employment there. I was under reasonable accommodation of a flexible work schedule (coming in late when I had symptoms caused by medications, occasional time off for medical appointments, etc.) and was terminated abruptly after disclosing the need for an additional accommodation (advance notice of future need for 2 weeks off for surgery). I was told I was not being let go due to my health, but because my health prevented me from being there all day, every day. (Nobody can accomplish that even without cancer!) They offered me severance pay and a neutral reference in exchange for signing a waiver of my rights. I did not sign it and never contacted them about it again. I was granted the right to sue by the state under fair employment laws and currently am in legal proceedings. My replacement is aware of this and refers any inquiries about me to the owners. Obviously, I cannot get a recommendation from them.
My employer previous to that job terminated me on the spot when I gave my two-week notice (after I had found employment at the practice mentioned above). I was the 6th manager in a row and had lasted the longest at only 2 years. The problem is - you guessed it - I can't get a good reference there, either.
So basically, I left one job at 2 years for a better working environment. That job lasted 11 years, but turned sour at the end. Without disclosing why I left (and therefore discussing cancer, potentially facing discrimination again), I can't really account for why none of the doctors there would give me a recommendation. I thought it was a blessing when my most recent employer sought me out to assist him part time, then ended up offering me full time management of his office. He knew my story, never contacted previous employers and wanted me to have good insurance to take care of my health. It seemed too good to be true, and I suppose it was because he was not the person I thought he was prior to working for him. All together, I have 15 years of my career for which I have no employer references or recommendations. (That’s hard for the EDD to swallow, as is not calling potential employers to inquire about a job...the HR person is usually the office manager, so I’d be asking “how do I get your job?”). I'm also not the same person I was in terms of age, weight, looks, etc. as I was before cancer - which was the last time I went forth with confidence to find a job. That edge over competition is no longer there.
In my search, I have come up against more obstacles. I found most employers require a college degree (many want an MBA for the administrator position!) which I don’t have. I worked my way up through the ranks from receptionist and gained hands-on experience, so education was never in question and no degree was needed. I've also found most employers want bilingual staff and require fluency in Spanish or another language. Aside from not being the least bit interested in going back to school, earning a degree and/or learning a new language well enough to communicate effectively in the medical industry seem like daunting tasks that would take more brain power than I am capable of and more time than I have since my unemployment runs out in 6 months. I have enough on my plate overcoming residual cognitive impairment, dealing with this so-called "new normal" and trying hard not to expose any weakness associated with "cancer patient".
I survived surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy just to lose the job I would have retired from in 20 years if I didn’t have cancer. I couldn’t find work for 10 months when my networking came through and I found new employment. I thought my prayers were answered, but it was not at all what I expected, and did not last. I threw my heart into it, worked long and hard and was rewarded by being dumped. My confidence is completely shot at this point and I need some perspective. Any advice or insight you can provide is appreciated.
4 Comments
Kathy F.
Oct 29, 2015
LJ,
I can imagine what a blow it
was to have your hopes for a stable position dashed when your most recent
employer let you go. That is rough for anyone to undergo, and I can see
why your confidence may be shaky after this. Although I only know what
you have disclosed here so my recommendations may or may not fit, I do have a
few ideas that you may find helpful, both in restoring your confidence, and in
looking for other work.
Let's step through these ideas
one at a time, and see where they may lead you.
First, I do recommend you
contact one of our partners, National Cancer Legal Services Network just to
discuss how to best secure a reference from the prior employer in question in
the suit. I cannot advise further on that situation, but do encourage you to
reach out to them.
Here is the link to one of our legal partners on our
site.
http://www.cancerandcareers.org/resources/national-cancer-legal-services
They are experts in dealing with situations such as
yours and I am sure will give you timely advice.
Then, in regard to your most recent employer, if our
legal experts so advise, it may still be possible to obtain a reference from
this physician, if you approach him with the objective of self-development; especially if that last conversation was one that you handled with the sort of
professionalism you have proven over the years.
Even when taken by surprise as you were, chances are the physician may
have indicated in some ways that the fit just wasn’t there. Why not explore that with him, without
reproach, so that you can heal what is obviously a sore spot, most likely for
both of you.
Here is one way to approach it. You could call at a
time when you know he may be in his office with few interruptions, and say
something like,
“Dr. X, Hi, it’s LJ. I know our last conversation was a difficult
one for you. It was for me, too. But, I value the relationship that we built
over the years and would really appreciate some forthright feedback so that I
am better equipped to manage my next job.
Now that we have some distance from that discussion, can you share with
me what about our work together was not a fit?
Is there anything that I need to concentrate on in future roles that you
think would make me more successful next time around? I really value your opinion.”
Then, sit quietly and listen without defending
yourself, no matter what is said. Try to
hear any nuggets of wisdom he might offer, then thank him for his honesty. Sometimes hearing what the person has to say
will alleviate any assumptions you may be making about the potential
reasons for your job termination. It could be what you are
thinking, or it could be something entirely different that does not even relate
to you, but you will never know unless you reach out and ask.
After you have broken the ice with this discussion,
you can try to approach him for a reference by offering something like this,
“Dr. X, you have known me a long
time, and know that I am a professional with a strong work ethic. I am sorry that our mutual expectations were
not met in my recent administrator role with your practice. As you can imagine, I am in the middle of a
job search now, and it would help a great deal if you would provide me with a
letter of reference that I can share with other employers. What do you think? Would
you do that for me?”
Chances are he will say yes, if asked directly like
this. Then, offer to draft a letter for
him to edit and sign, to take that administrative burden off his plate. Most often, employers bear no malice toward
those that they have to let go. In fact,
they may feel some discomfort at the situation and therefore most are happy to
assist the individual find future employment in a job that is a better fit. A
reference letter is one way that this assistance can be offered with little
effort on his part, especially if you draft the language for him.
Even if you forego these two approaches, I think that your
current downtime can be a time for you to reflect on what skills you have, what
your realistic energy level and capabilities are in your “new normal”, and what
sort of position may be a good fit for you now. It is not uncommon for those who experience
life-changing events like cancer and treatment to find that the old roles just
don’t fit anymore. Try cataloging all your strengths, where you do
shine, and what you love to do. Actually sit and write these down. Then, armed with that list, you can better
craft a plan to find a role that is a near perfect fit.
Think creatively about what your experience has
taught you that a potential employer may need.
Think of those organizations that may dovetail with the area of your
specialty, but that you may not have considered working for in the past, such
as medical suppliers, insurance companies etc.
Explore how your inside knowledge of how the specialty practice operates
may be of use to them. Don’t be afraid
to set your sights on alternative fields also, where your admin skills would be
useful but that are quite different than the medical arena. Educational institutions, sales
organizations, the list goes on and on.
Be prepared to share with potential employers how your skills would
transfer to meet their needs. Showcase
these transferable skills in your resume, cover letters, and answers to
interview questions.
Don’t be afraid to apply for positions where your
credentials may vary from those posted for a position. Job postings are where employers list their desires for a “perfect
10” candidate. But, there are usually
no "perfect 10’s". Your extensive
experience and capabilities can set you apart if you position them strongly on
your resume and in your letter of approach.
To ensure the very best face forward in your search, I do recommend
submitting your resume to Cancerandcareers.org for a free resume review. Here
is the link to do so:
http://www.cancerandcareers.org/resume_reviews/new
While you are at it, you may want to explore
flexible work options, such as work from home or part-time work to take the
financial pressure off while you seek full time employment. Here is a good resource for these types of
roles:
FlexJobs: http://www.flexjobs.com/
Taking these few positive steps to move forward in
your search can go a long way toward restoring your self-confidence and taking
the edge off the stress of unemployment.
And, finally, LJ, your treatment and recovery from
the physical aspects of your cancer may be behind you, but I can tell that
there is still some vital emotional healing underway. As a survivor myself, I know that the
adjustment to a new, or revised self-image, both professionally and physically,
can be the hardest healing of all to accomplish. Perhaps the assistance of a professional who
can help you adjust to the changes you are experiencing in your cognition and
work capacity, and to help you move through the pain of loss, both of your job
and of your professional and personal identity may be something that would help. I know that when I lost my own job in the
middle of my treatment, a counselor well versed in the trauma and identity loss
brought on by the experience of debilitating disease was a real help to me. Maybe that is something to consider in your
case, too. I encourage you to check with
your oncologist or the social work staff in your treatment facility to get
professional referral. Many times, these
services are provided free or on a sliding scale for patients and
survivors. In addition, there are many
resources listed in our resource section that may give you direction in this
area. Here are a few for a starting
point:
Cancer Support Community: http://www.cancersupportcommunity.org
Triage
Cancer: http://www.triagecancer.org
There
are so many more resources to assist you on the site, that I encourage you to
spend some time exploring them, reading through past posts on the career coaching
pages to see if you find other tips that are helpful, and reaching out to other
resource partners as you think appropriate. Here is the resource link that will
take you to our full list of partners:
http://www.cancerandcareers.org/resources
More
than anything, please know that you are not alone in your challenges and that
although cancer did change things for you, it does not have to permanently alter
your spirit. Use that strong core of
skill and knowledge you have acquired over your career to forge a new path that
more closely aligns with who you are becoming today. My wish for you is that
the path you ultimately choose brings you joy, success, and a sense of true personal
fulfillment.
Your
sister in survival,
Kathy
Flora, Career Coach
Hilda M.
Nov 16, 2015
You are not alone I had a very similar Job situation.
L J.
Nov 18, 2015
Kathy,
Thanks so much for your thoughtful and informative response. I'll reach out to the legal resource as well as continue to go over the many articles, ideas and publications offered on the web site.
I need to reconnect with the social worker about a referral to a counselor. My surgery and cancer care team are all associated with the facility close to my old job. When I lost that job in 2013 (and with it, my excellent insurance), I stopped seeing them. They had recommended someone for counseling and support in that part of town, but I never took them up on it. I agree that it's time to explore that option, so hopefully they will still offer services even if I am not considered a current patient.
Again, thank you for your words of kindness and wisdom!
Take care,
Lorri
L J.
Nov 18, 2015
Hilda,
Thanks for letting me know I am not alone. Although you imagine you cannot possibly be "the only one", it helps to get validation from somebody who has been there .
I appreciate the support and wish you the best.
Lorri
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