How To Navigate Job Hunting After an Injury
If you have been out of work due to an injury, getting back into the workforce could feel challenging. Here are some tips to help you navigate your job hunt after an injury.
Prioritize Your Health and Healing
It is very important that you set your health and healing as your first priority. Although it is normal to want to get back to work as quickly as possible, remember that your future productivity and success will be highly dependent on your recovery. Be sure you have been cleared by a doctor before you seek to return to work.
Be Realistic About New Limitations
If your injury results in new permanent or semi-permanent physical limitations, you will need to be realistic with yourself about these. This can be difficult both physically and emotionally. You need to be honest with yourself and future employers about your new physical limitations. Being dishonest about this will result in possible further injury. If you are not able to perform job tasks after assuring an employer you could, it might result in termination.
Think Outside The Box
If your injury has had a dramatic and lasting impact on your physical abilities, you may need to think outside the box when it comes to a new job. If you have been accustomed to working manual labor or highly physical labor, you may need to now consider a different line of work. Although this can be disturbing emotionally at first, you might be surprised to find out you are gifted and skilled in other fields and industries. It is a good idea to give some thought to other possible lines of work you might be happy doing. There are many fulfilling jobs that have less physical demands for those who are recovering from an injury.
Stay Positive
Your mentality will greatly affect your health and healing. It will also affect job hunting as well. If you get depressed concerning your injury or the fact that you are unemployed, it is a good idea to seek help from a therapist or a counselor.
