bennyZA
Bluelighter
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?
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?