Starting Over After AddictionI' m completely lost and overwhelmed by looking for a way to start my career over and need some advice. I don' t know even where to start. I had a very nice government career for several years and finally consulting until my alcoholism brought me to my knees. Three years later and very stable in my recovery, my resume looks good except all the gaps and the shift from a professional career to working in a grocery store and waiting tables. My references are iffy and I have no idea how I will overcome all of this to land a professional job again. So when in doubt, ask for help. Any suggestions?? The next time you speak with your AA sponsor or go to a meeting, bring up the subject of getting back into a professional job atmosphere after recovery. If there is anybody who will know what you are facing and the pitfalls to overcome, it will be the people who are giving you the support needed to keep yourself from falling back into the hole you have successfully climbed out of. Did you go to an actual recovery hospital? If so, there are counselors there who can be of more help with your specific situation than other counselors who have not been in a position to help a recovering alcoholic. A good bit of news for you is that you can hold your head high and let the interviewer know that you have faced your demons and are continuing to do so.
All good ideas so far. Also, try getting involved in some volunteer activities and taking more responsibility there as a way to build your resume and develop references...employers have consistently been really receptive to my non-work experience and references when I talk about them with passion. In terms of explaining your gaps, just say you had some health problems you needed some time off to address, and you needed some easier jobs at first to make sure everything was still OK. That is true, and it could be anything from cancer to a bad car accident to time off for your addicition. Be honest, but only tell their employers what it is their right to now. And congratulations - conquering an addiction is hard work. Be patient. Not the most easily accessible trait for addicts, but it' s the only thing that works. You didn' t mention if you' re in AA or a similar recovery program. If not, get there ASAP. You will need support to maintain your sobriety long-term and as Kelly mentioned, those meetings (and a sponsor) can be very helpful in many ways. If you don' t have a sponsor now, find one who is a professional and who was able to get out of that "brought to my knees" position. You can also cultivate references from your AA meetings. Not ideal, but better than nothing. People can vouch for you without revealing your addiction. If you went through rehab somewhere, many of them offer placement assistance to their "graduates." They say the spiritual piece is the last part of the recovery puzzle to fall into place. But for many, finding meaningful employment is a lot more important than all that higher power stuff. Understandably so. And on a personal note, I live in a state that many of us refer to as "The Land of 10,000 Treatment Centers." Seems like everyone I know is recovering from some kind of addiction. And given a choice, I' d rather work and socialize with people in recovery. It has to do with humility and humor. Congratulations on your recovery thus far. You don' t have to "overcome all of this" right now, immediately. It' s a one day at a time thing (drat, couldn' t get through this without a cliche...) but use all the resources available to you and someday when a Monster poster poses a similar question, you can share your success story. And enjoy the hot apple cider people seem to think is the drink of choice for recovering alcoholics this time of year. Argh! Thanks for your advice. I am particularly impatient with regaining a professional career and a credit rating above 0. I do have a sponsor, whose favorite line is "time takes time". I have not reached out to others in AA concerning the employment issue. Each time I complete an application or send my resume out I feel l pray for someone to give me a break. I was very successful in my career path until the alcohol took me down. I' m trying to accept that the traditional job market may not work for me right now and maybe that' s the way it' s suppose to be. But I just want to scream sometimes....don' t people know how smart addicts are?? Anyway, I wouldn' t trade my peace and serenity for any job or amount of money, I just want to find financial security so that I can focus energy towards helping others and as you mention, perhaps mixing the two is not a bad idea. At least I don' t have to do this alone. Thank you.
Volunteering is a great idea and I must admit I feel a bit embarrassed that I didn't think of it. Thanks!
You might consider going to AA meetings in addition to your "home" group. Every urban area and probably most small towns have lunch-hour meetings whose members tend to be professionals who enjoy the convenience noon meetings. Not that you want to overdose on AA meetings, but expanding your circle of recovering friends might be a good way to get some job hunting direction. It is really difficult to give other than generic advice to someone in your situation. Building up sagging credit ratings and finding fulfilling emloyment are problems almost everyone in recovery faces. There' s no one-size-fits-all way of dealing with it. Everyone has to find his or her own way. But none of the AA literature recommends poverty as a desirable lifestyle, and getting squared away financially is a huge part of recovery. You' re right; it' s amazing how well a brain can function when it' s not pickled in Jack Daniels. So if you can strike a balance between being patient and taking action in your own behalf, you' ll be in fine shape. (good luck with that) One final thought, if you are still in touch with people you worked with when you were done in by alcohol, it might be interesting to contact them and arrange a few coffee dates. Your recovery will be obvious and probably quite dramatic to them. They might surprise you with their willingness to be references. People outside of AA can be incredibly decent about things like that if they understand how fully committed you are to staying healthy.
My brother had a terrible time with alcohol and lacked the stable employment record you had - he jumped from one entry level job to another for many years and left a long history of wreckage. The best thing he ever did was to go to a county-run alcohol rehab outpatient program. When he finished he quallified for paid apprentiship training, which he did in the telecommunications industry. He was referred to his present job by county social services, which he got *because* he was a recovering alcoholic, not despite the fact. So, despite terrible references, a trail of wreckage and no demonstrable skills, he now makes great deal more money than me or either of my siblings (we have grad degrees). He now tells anyone he meets who has a problem to go to county social services and ask about the alcohol /drug rehab program. He lives in a suburb of New York - not sure where you' re from or if it would be an option for you, but it might be worth it to go to your local county offices and see if such a program exists. It sounds like you are doing very well in your recovery and don' t need to actually enter a program, but there are definitely resources available at the county level to help people get back on their feet. These resources are not advertised, so you would need to go to the county offices to find out about them. You may even find that you are granted a preference in taking county job exams. | |
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Career Tips
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