Hi Steve,

Thank you for writing to us, and congratulations on being cancer-free! We are thrilled to hear that you are ready to start focusing on the future and thinking critically about what you want to do next.

A little more detail would help us make sure we offer you the best information possible. We’ve pulled together the following questions to get us started:

• Are you interested in staying in sales or would you like to pursue something completely different? 


• Do you have an interest in continuing to work for your business, even on a part-time basis?

• Are you hoping what you do next will be full-time?


• Have you made a list of things you enjoy doing? That would make you want to get up every day? (That can help lead to figuring out what kind of work would be satisfying).


• Are you open to volunteering or interning to expose yourself to different kinds of jobs/industries?


• Is your LinkedIn profile up-to-date?

In the meantime, I would recommend reviewing the following resources:

• 
  Resume Review Service - http://www.cancerandcareers.org/resume_reviews/new (free program where a professional coach will review your resume and provide feedback to help you refine it towards your current work goals)


• 
  Resume and Cover Letter resources-http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/looking-for-work/resume-cover-letter
  


• 
  Recording of Job Search Webinar -http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/community/videos/bwc/job-search
  


• 
  Job Search Toolkit (2^ndEdition): http://www.cancerandcareers.org/publication_orders/new (features advice on improving resumes, cover letters; interview and networking tips and other useful tools to help you during a job search


• 
  Article on cancer as an inspiration for career change: http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/looking-for-work/exploring-your-options/cancer-as-inspiration-for-career-changes 
  

We look forward to hearing back from you.

Kind regards,

Nicole Franklin, MPH

Manager of Programs

Cancer and Careers

Hi Nicole,

Thanks for getting back to me. Here are my initial thoughts on your questions.

Are you interested in staying in sales or would you like to pursue something completely different? I would like to pursue something different than sales.

Do you have an interest in continuing to work for your business, even on a part-time basis? I could go either way on this. For the right opportunity I could sell or turn over day to day to someone else.

Are you hoping what you do next will be full-time? Full time kind of scares me because it's been a while and also because of the lingering effects of my mini-stroke.

Have you made a list of things you enjoy doing? That would make you want to get up every day? (That can help lead to figuring out what kind of work would be satisfying). I have not done this. I'll give it a try.

Are you open to volunteering or interning to expose yourself to different kinds of jobs/industries? I am open to volunteering but only on a part time basis as I need to earn. I am not sure about interning, possibly for the right opportunity.

Is your LinkedIn profile up-to-date? Sort of. I probably need to expand upon it. a bit.

I am working on updating my resume currently. I'll take a look at the links that you sent. Thanks.

Steve,

Let me also thank you for writing to us, and congratulate you on being cancer-free! 

Nicole has asked some great questions and provided some great references for you.  I would add the first and easiest thing you can do is get your public profiles updated and out and posted online and start connecting with former co-workers and colleagues. Where are they now? Start with the people who know you, who knew you when you were working full time, and perhaps through one of them an opportunity will present itself. Networking has never been easier. Besides LinkedIn, there are also free personal branding sites, such as www.about.me that enable you to present yourself as more than just your professional resume, and allow you to share your passions and interests and you can share these profiles along with a resume.

Next, you might want to consider job sites that focus on consulting opportunities or part time opportunities to start. Some examples are:

www.flexjobs.com (They also have a very robust job board that is fully vetted and focuses on different kinds of telecommuting jobs.  Many are full-time and might provide health insurance and other benefits.  It is membership-based, but you can explore everything before you commit. If you decide to join you can enter the code CANCER when you check out to receive a 50% discount.)

www.bountyjobs.com

www.snagajob.com

www.indeed.com  (for full and part-time job)

Spend some time on these sites, see the types of roles that are posted, get a sense of opportunities in your area, and perhaps start with focusing on work from home opportunities to if you are concerned with commuting or other side effects from your treatments.  Be flexible and open to the opportunities you review.  The first role you land may not be the perfect role, but it could start with helping you really understand your own limits, build up your confidence and prepare you for a larger opportunity.

I would be happy to connect with you further, please connect with me on websites such as LinkedIn.  I wish you the best of luck!

Brandon

Hi, Steve,

Let me include my own congratulations on your cancer-free status.  It sounds like it has been a really long journey.   Whew!   I bet you feel a combination of exhileration and a bit of stress when thinking of your next steps.  That is certainly understandable.

When I work with others like yourself who are trying to figure out their next steps, I usually encourage the individual to begin a catalog of accomplishments.  This is an exercise of looking back over your work history, including those things you have done in the volunteer and part time roles you may have held over the years.   For each role you have held, and each project you have tackled, think of what about that made you feel proud, allowed you to contribute to a greater good or the bottom line, or gave you a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.   Here is a simple formula for the thought process that may help you capture these accomplishments:

What did you do or were you responsible for doing?   What steps did you take to accomplish the task? What skills did you use to accomplish this task? What difference did that make to your own bottom line, to the firm, or to the organization in which you contributed?   What were the results of your actions?  

Once you complete this inventory (and it can cover several years and several pages of work) then look it over and see if you can discern any patterns that shine through.  Did you tend to use organizational skills, persuasive skills, relationship building skills?   Make sense?

This inventory will become both the roadmap to elements of work you are drawn to, and what skills you have to offer a future employer.  It will also become the foundation for your resume and your LinkedIn profile outlining your skills and strengths.   It is a fundamantal element of career choice.

Another potential rich source of self-knowledge is the following set of simple questions:

What do you do like breathing?

What would you do with joy if money were no object?

What do others turn to you to do because you have established expertise and a reputation for excellence in the area?

What have you always wanted to try but just have not had time, inclination or flexibility to do so yet?

These simple questions can open the door to your thinking.   Once you have those answers, you can determine if your skills are already in place to go in that new direction, or if you need to brush up on something or get additional training to be marketable.

I know this is a simple start, but one that you may find helpful since you are in the exploration phase.   Contemplating these questions can help you clarify opportunities and guide you in your search for a new role.  Then, after you have a target in mind, your resume, your profiles on social media etc. should reflect this goal.

I am excited for your future, Steve!   Wishing you health and a rich, engaged future.

Kathy Flora, Career Coach

Thank you very much Kathy and Brandon. I have some time off starting next week and will work on the things that you suggested.