Career Help? Overwhelmed after cancer.

Hi rosy1912 and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

I don't have the experience of looking for work after recovering from cancer as I'd already retired. However, I noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. Responding to you will 'bump' it back to the top of the discussion list again.

Wishing you all the best

 rosy1912 I just wanted to let you know that I can totally empathise with you, I found myself unable to return to my job as a primary school counsellor after my brush with cancer, not due to the physical effects but my difficulty with facing people, I have become very cocooned and reluctant to see people. I am lucky that I am also a foster carer, so I have an income/allowance from that. You don't mention your age or interests so it is tricky to try to make any helpful suggestions, but I wanted to let you know that I hear you. 

Hi Rosy

Sorry to hear about your predicament in relation to your career and finding work. Perhaps in the short term you could look at work volunteering in a sector where you think you would like to open up a new career. Although that will not help initially financially it will get you out mixing with others and give you a new purpose and direction. It will also give you some experience in a new field that you can use on your resume when you start looking for work in you new chosen field.

I felt really useless and lacking in direction after my cancer treatments. I was retired but felt I needed to contribute and get some purpose back in my life. I started to volunteer at my local library and have met so many nice people and had so many new experiences and gained a lot of new skills completely unlike my previous occupation. (I was an occupational therapist in my past life) I wake up in the morning looking forward to getting out there now.

At least at the moment you have some financial security with your partner so you have some breathing space to work out what direction you want to go with a new career.

Best wishes

Lyn

Hi again Rosy

Just another thought. My daughter was desperate to have a career change as her job was very stressful. She could not give her current job up straight away as she needed the income. She was very interested in yoga and practised it regularly and thought that maybe starting her own business might be the way to go. Over time she has set up yoga classes in the evening hiring community centres and halls around the local area. She has even started a chair yoga group for seniors. She has built up quite a clientele and is now making enough money to resign from her job. It was a calculated risk but things seem to be going O.K.

If you have an interest that you think you could turn into a business that may be worth looking into. If you take a short business course online or through an adult education group that would help you write out your business plan, make a risk assessment, write your mission statement etc.

Best of luck

Lyn

Hi, I’m 5 years post cancer and I’m struggling to move forward with my life due to the stress overwhelming feelings due to stress. I listen to a free podcast every Wednesday on my way to work called confidence after cancer by a lady called Gabby Mottished. I find them really helpful and can relate to a lot of the things discussed each week. Give it a listen and see if you can find it helpful.