Hi Kristina,

Thanks so much for writing to us! I will pass along your question to a career coach and they will respond soon.

In the meantime, I would like to address a few of your questions. It sounds like you have a number of decisions to make and might be getting overwhelmed by all of the “what if’s” surrounding those decisions. Unfortuantely, we are never able to guarantee that something will work out the way we either think it will or want it to. However, it’s a good idea to consider what your needs are right now and aiming for the best case scenario.

Making a priority list may be helpful. Rank your desire to work, what kind of work to do, need for health insurance/benefits, if you want to keep working, if you want to continue working at this specific company or do you feel you’d feel more comfortable and secure elsewhere, and if you feel like now is the time to get started on your own business since you’re not totally fulfilled by your current role? A lot of the process around making these types of decisions is gathering information so you’re able to make the most informed decision for yourself and your unique needs.

You might want to take a look at our articles on getting organized, creating an action plan and work and your cancer treatment to figure out where to get started.

You will be hearing from a career coach soon, but hopefully this gives you some ideas for decision-making approaches and how to make the most informed decision that you can.

I'm happy to speak with you further if you have additional questions following the response from a coach. Feel free to reach out to cancerandcareers@cew.org.

Warm regards,

Nicole

Nicole Jarvis, LMSW (she, her, hers)

Senior Manager of Programs

Cancer and Careers

njarvis@cew.org

Hello Kristina,

Thank you for reaching out to Cancer & Careers and sharing your story on the Ask A Career Coach Board. I am so sorry to hear of your current situation and the additional stress this is putting on you.  When it comes to Long Term Disability and other benefits coverage, laws and other rules & regulations can vary from state to state, so it would certainly be difficult for us to post a response, but we can certainly sympathize with your situation.  You will certainly need to weigh the pros and cons against your priorities and determine what is the best course of action for you, both in the short term and in the long term.  

One piece of good news I can share though, as a fellow Talent Acquisition professional, I can tell you that you have a skill set that transcends industry and as we experience the future of work post-Covid, you have a skill set that Employers are more open to part time vs full time, remote vs in office, and flexible work arrangements, now more than ever.  For example, if you choose making a change is the best course of action, I am a big fan of sourcing, I believe Sourcing is an art, and there are opportunities out there for remote Senior Sourcers who can work flexible hours, work nights, etc.  Companies across industries need strong sourcing skills.  Perhaps you consider that along with resume reviewing?  There are also 100% remote positions in TA, even Management & Director level, that should allow you to expand your search to companies you may never have considered previously.   As you try to sort out these priorities and determine a work life balance that can work for you, putting your health first, you do have options, even if it does not always feel that way.   

I would be open to connecting with you and talking further as peers in the industry, perhaps via Zoom one day? If this is something you would be interested in, please reach out to cancerandcareers@cew.org and they will connect us to schedule a time.

Sincerely,

Brandon

Kristina,

Though we at CAC are unable to answer all of your specific legal questions, you may be able to find answers to some of your questions in the Legal & Financial section of our website. With that said, I would also recommend that you reach out to a legal organization that can provide accurate and specific legal information to help inform your decisions. You can find our recommendations for legal organizations in our article on Finding Legal Assistance. 

Additionally, we have a number of resources and programs that you might find helpful as you determine whether you'll stay at your current job, and how that might look, or make a change to full-time resume reviewing and starting your own endeavor.

• The Balancing Work & Cancer Webinar Series covers a variety of topics focused on work and cancer. In your case, I"d recommend checking out our upcoming sessions in Enhancing Your Skills: Prepping for Success and Career Change. Registration is free and currently open! Additionally if there are titles you are interested in that have already taken place, you can find the recordings in our Video Archive.


• Our website section on Exploring Your Options includes articles that may be helpful as you figure out your next steps and understanding some ways of thinking about your options.


• As you think about complacency and fulfillment, take a look at our article on Finding Meaningful Work. Some of this may resonate and highlight the path forward for you.

And as I mentioned earlier, if you would like to speak further you can feel free to shoot me an email and we can set up a time to chat.

Best,

Nicole

Thanks so much for the specific guidance and resources you both provided! I admit I'm a little embarrassed of my post. It was an awful scramble at the time, so I decided to take a break from it all and I'm feeling much more level-headed now. I still don't have the answers, but my mind isn't so chaotic. I expect to send an email after this to further connect as I sit here with a better idea of what my current needs are. I am genuinely so grateful for your responses and for helpful topics to ponder!