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Getting hired after long period of unemployment due to disability

Since 2009 I've been unable to hold down a full time job because I have a severe neurological disorder and due to seizures I've also injured myself pretty bad. I've broken several limbs, and I've had to have 4 surgeries in 4 years. I'm also looking at possibly 2 more surgeries next year. I had a pretty nice resume, good education, good experience in several fields, some great references, but there is a massive gap from 2009 - present. I mean, I have worked as a freelance writer during that time, but it barely, and I mean barely, gets me by. I've had freelance writer on my resume since 2009, a long time. It looks like an excuse for not working even though I have decent credentials for a 26 year old. I've written a lot of copy in the past for a small print company (I used to write the stupid bullshit and fine print on Netflix envelopes, glamorous, I know). I've written a significant amount of articles for a nature magazine and my most recent gig was when I wrote and edited articles for a music company. All that was awhile ago, so like I said, now it's all freelance due to my inability to consistently work.

Now I'm doing better physically and my drug use is not nearly as bad, so I need to work a full time gig again. I send out resumes for jobs that I'm over-qualified for, but employers don't like to see 4 years of what some people would consider unemployed work. I have some great stuff that I send to companies along with my resume, but they always want to see stuff from the last couple years, and that stuff is boring, stuff anyone could write. The stuff I write now is basically newsletters - a lot of newsletters - website updates, writing intra-office copy for corporations, basically boring stuff that in no way can I showcase my talents.

So many employers just think "I've lost it," that I've gotten lazy and apathetic, but how can I express myself when I haven't written anything longer than a few thousand words in a very long time? It's only when I write much more than several thousand words that I am able to express myself, so potential employers don't get a real picture of my abilities. I'd say that I've been unable to write because of my issues the last 4 years, but they can get around legal disability issues cause I never was actually on full disability and technically, I did work and pay taxes. It's so frustrating because I have a real talent. I even try to submit things I wrote for myself, but employers could care less, they want to see the way I write when given an assignment.

At this point you guy's are probably thinking "this dude is a professional writer, but his posts are moronic and have terrible grammar," well, before the disability, when I had some great pieces to submit to employers, I was actually in high demand. Getting jobs was easy, even though I was on a lot of drugs, like a lot, a lot. (working at home when you have addiction issues is a terrible idea). Back then I had a lot of people tell me I have (or I guess had) serious potential. I obviously don't hear that anymore.

I don't know what to do, I need a real job. I've worked in other fields, not related to writing at all. I was a horticulturist, a normal one, but that field is pretty much over for me due to my injuries. A buddy of mine tried to start his own small business right after college and I was responsible for all the business side. The only reason it didn't work out is was because of the location, I ran that cafe like a champ. I used to wait tables, but my hands are too shaky from my neuro meds I take so that's out (not that I want to wait tables again, but it's decent enough money).

I'm not sure what I should do. A couple things I should add though.
- I should have a job that I need to be physically present at (to help prevent a total relapse).
- I definitely need a job that provides good health insurance.
- I also need a job where I don't have to stand up all day, or need to use fine motor skills.

DAMN! That's a lot of accommodations.

Oh yea, did I mention I can't drive. When I had license I didn't realize how many jobs require one. That also means the job needs to be physically close by so I can take public transportation.

I've been looking and looking and I can't find anything. In January I can work at my friends farm in the middle of nowhere Northern California, I would get essentially no money, just room and board and I'd be stranded. In April I can move and work at my buddies nursery in Vermont, but I wouldn't be able to do much. My buddy is just a really good guy. It's also Vermont, so I wouldn't be able to go anywhere without a car.

I'm stuck in a serious rut right now, I've relapsed twice in the last week, and it's mainly due to self-medication from the anxiety and depression over how I live; I have an amazing roommate who puts me up and pays for my food, but that can't be forever, probably when I can work at the farm in January he's going to ask me to leave. If for some reason my friend stopped putting me up, I would be essentially homeless.

Any suggestions?
 
Have you tried applying for SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance)? It sounds to me like you are a good candidate for full disability.
 
I've gotten 3/4s the way done with the SSDI forms, but I just can't do it. I want to work. I want to be productive. I also just can't fathom the concept of being on permanent disability at 26yo. What's really hard for me, is that my mind is absolutely sound, I'm very charming, charismatic, and well read, but my body is failing me. I know 80yo's who don't have as many issues as I do. So I get terrible looks when I was on temp disability or when I talk about disability. I mean, my mind is too sound to be on disability. I should be getting jobs.

Disability also isn't enough money to live on my own. If accepted I would qualify for about 1-1.5k a month and medicare, but then I can't really work. 2k is nothing in my city, I'd have to go on welfare and get food stramps too in order to survive on my own, and I'm already depressed enough, I don't see the point of wasting away on disability.
 
I had to go on disability when I was 55 and the money sucks no doubt about it but I should have applied sooner. I was hurt since 98 and continued to work using morph and oxy. My Doc told me to give up working and when I went to SSI the girl upon reading my medicals asked me why I took so long to file. She said your a mess. I laughed as she did but she was right. Not having insurance I have bills to pay that I could have avoided. In your case I feel you would do well continuing to file and work on the side. You'd have Medicaid and I've heard that they were thinking of raising the figure of the amount of money you can make. It is a failsafe for you now and I'm sure if you become able and the right opportunity to work arises you can go off SSI. Just my .02. Good luck bro, SB.
 
I just... I just can't do disability. My psyche is already very fragile, and the idea of being on permanent disability would end me. Without a job to go and money that is "free" I'm also 99% certain I would spend it all on drugs until I was homeless. I've been pretty good for the last year, but from 2009 to about a year ago, my life was in such shambles that I didn't even see the purpose of not using. It took me until a near death OD that I finally got sorta clean.

I'm really lucky about one thing, my parents will always pay for my health insurance if I can't get it from work. They don't want to, but they're my parents and know I would literally die or be so far in debt that I'd die some other way, so they'll pay the insurance... until I get a job.

So should I just give up on writing for now? I can always keep getting better by writing for myself, but I'm thinking I should just look for a completely new field A good friend of mine actually suggested the hospitality industry today. He said I would make a great concierge and that he might be able to put in a good enough word at some hotels/apt building that I could get a job pretty soon. He said the money's good too. He also suggested that if I work in the resort business, I can request to be frequently relocated all around the world, which as a writer, would be amazing.
 
First off, regardless of your income situation, don't stop writing. Writing is a creative outlet and is therapeutic.

Second, SSDI is only permanent disability if you want it to be. There is a Social Security program called Ticket to Work where they keep paying your disability while you work a full-paying job for 9 months until you and they are sure you can be self-sufficient.

Let me repeat myself. You can still work if you get SSDI. Per SSDI rules, you can work a part-time job and earn up to $1000 per month at that job while continuing to receive the benefits indefinitely. If you decide you want to work full-time and earn more than $1000 per month at a job, you can do it and keep receiving your benefits for 9 months. After the 9 month grace period ends, your gubment teat is officially taken away. If you work 6 months and it is determined that you cannot continue to work, no problem. You quit your job and the SSDI is still there to support you.

I am NOT suggesting you give up your hopes, dreams, and aspirations in order to live off a grand a month for the rest of your life. I AM saying that the program is there for you to take advantage of to get back on your feet until you can live on your own. Right now your insurance premiums are an enormous financial burden on your parents. Honestly, just by finishing your SSDI application and falling back on the gubment for help, you will be one step closer to the independence you speak so eloquently about.

You say you want to be independent? Right now we can all agree you are not independent. You depend on your parents to pay your insurance and who knows what else. I don't know how wealthy your parents are but your Uncle Sam is there to help. That is, if you can get past the whole "I'm too proud to ask the gubment for help" thing you have going on here.
 
You say you want to be independent? Right now we can all agree you are not independent. You depend on your parents to pay your insurance and who knows what else. I don't know how wealthy your parents are but your Uncle Sam is there to help. That is, if you can get past the whole "I'm too proud to ask the gubment for help" thing you have going on here.
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Thank god my parents are actually pretty wealthy. Even I do get a job with healthcare benefits and all that, I think my parents would make sure it is the best of the best. If I don't have the best insurance, who knows man, I don't want to think about it. I'm really fucked up. Even with insurance my medical bills are really expensive.

You are totally right about not being independent. Though it's really starting to bother me, I know that I need help still. My recent surgery means that I still have problems taking care of myself personally.

So some good news: as a stopgap measure I was recently hired as event staff. Nothing too fancy, but decent money and I get to work at concerts and sports events. They will accommodate my issues, which is really important. One of the difficult things to hear though, was my parents, who were actually NOT happy. They know my current roommate keeps an eye on my stupidity, which is kinda true, but it's not like he's my dad or anything. My parents really don't want me to live alone. Last time I was alone, I became a master of the written word and I kept myself good and fucked up 24/7, it was pretty fucking bad. Eventually I lost my place, got arrested a bunch, robbed for drugs, the works. They know about 1/2 of the stories. They never knew about the H and some of the arrests.

I told them today though, that they can't hold that shit over my head forever. They gotta realize that they can't play like that no more. Am I just going to wait until they give me permission to go? They want me to live in my current spot, then go to my friends farm in Jan, then go to my other friends farm in April. They used to hold the insurance thing over my head, but I realized the other day that they would absolutely never, ever, threaten to cut that off. I do agree that I can't live by myself, it'd be to easy to fuck up, but I have some good people I could room with.

I do want to travel though, and a friend of mine has helped me get a foot in the door at these world wide resorts that are in tropical places that move you around a lot if you want. It's like their thing, help their employees see the world. I would love to do that, I need to go to an interview in a few weeks. It's not an easy job to get. I don't have the right college degree either, but at least I have an interview. Just like I'm a master of the written word, I have a silver tongue, so I'm always the best interviewee
 
Interviews and Marked Up Hands

I have a ways to go yet before I start applying for jobs, but this is a concern for me.

My hands are a mess, they are bruised and have visible poke marks. While they might look a bit better in the future due to improved technique I think they are always going to marked up to an extent.

Is this likely to cause problems with getting hired? It is illegal here to discriminate based on disabilities, but it's difficult to prove that's the reason you weren't hired.
 
There's a good chance it would be related to oil & gas. Maybe a lab position, maybe sales, nothing where I would be out in the field on a regular basis.
 
Before attending to your interview you must first do some researching about the company that you are applying to and don't forget to be relax when attending.

>snip< third party link ><
 
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Yeah that might be a problem. Can you switch to your arms? At least then long sleeves help.
 
I'm supposed to wait until my hands are shot. Is it worthwhile just mentioning it's for a medical issue? Or am I better off not bringing any attention to it?
 
If they need to make special accommodations for you because of your medical condition, you may have to mention it.
 
Maybe makeup would cover it up? Could you wear gloves?
 
Gloves probably wouldn't be appropriate, way over dressed or else underdressed/weird inside. I like the makeup idea though. I'll probably need more coverage than my regular stuff but I'll have time to test some concealers out. Thanks!
 
When you remove the IV or if you miss the attempt then I would take the time to apply pressure to the sight for two minutes or so. This should eliminate almost all the bruising. I would also consider heating the hands in some fashion, hot compress, or submerge them in hot water for periods. This will increase blood flow which will reduce the time it takes to clean up the bruises and injection wounds pretty significantly.
 
Assess the situation and if it seems like they are looking at them and may be up for some humor just make joke out of it and say “oh don’t mind my hands, i shoot heroin into them!.... ba dum tis!” They will probably think you have some medical condition and are just embarrassed and trying to be humorous about it.
 
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