Need Advice on Looking for a New Job

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Hello everyone!

I'm really bad with introductions so please excuse me as I skip straight to the point.

So. I took a severe work-related injury to my midfoot and according to my doctor, I am likely to be permanently disabled in that foot (and related functions and abilities like standing and walking for X amount of time) and as such, probably ought to look for another profession that allows me to be mostly sedentary.

That in mind and on the heels of my earlier spectrum dX, it got me thinking that perhaps, I also should be looking for a job that is more spectrum-friendly.

Except... what?

To start with, I'm in my early 30s.

Though I went to university and studied English literature and business-related things, I never actually graduated as illness forced me to finally call it quits at the very end (I literally have a semester to go) so I don't actually have my degree. (I could go back and finish it, but my campus is huge and sprawling and my foot is NOT going to like it at all anytime soon.)

I'm a writer, lineart illustrator, and web (HTML, CSS) and graphic designer (I am proficient at both and even do some freelance work, but I definitely wouldn't label myself as any kind of a 'rockstar' which is what most job postings require... which is also probably why I never got hired in those positions even though I might have been perfectly qualified) in my spare time and I am super detail-oriented and can concentrate on a task (I enjoy) for hours on end.

Despite my social awkwardness, I am actually very good at things like customer support (previous job, but I had to be on my feet most of the time hence, switching jobs) and tech support (provided I do not have to maintain a longterm client relationships... it gets tricky, then, because relationships mean more meaningful interactions and more mental rubrics).

I am thinking that perhaps a job similar to my previous one would still be fine... but the thing is, most customer support and tech support-related jobs where I'm at are outsourced elsewhere.

Beyond that... I feel a little lost and don't know what else to look at.

Additionally, I feel so AWKWARD and UNCOMFORTABLE applying for jobs that are all, "HEY IF YOU ARE A BLAH BLAH BLAH ROCKSTAR/SAVANT WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU!" which... unfortunately where I'm at... is literally everywhere. I'm not good at blowing my own horn - and definitely NOT to the degree that they are encouraging - and I suspect I have lost out on many opportunities for this very reason as opposed to my actual lack of skillsets.

End all be all, I'm kind of overwhelmed (okay, kind of is an understatement because I'm on the verge of shutting down in regards to this topic) and scared and don't know what to do next or what I could do next.

Any advice?

I don't know that I've got any wisdom to impart, tht's a bummer of a situation. I needed a desk job for health reasons, too, and that turned into CAD Management, and I eventually parlayed it into System Administration.

I'll tell you one thing about the job applications that I was told at my Uni's career counseling center... though they were specifically directed at me as a woman with a CS degree.
That, on average, men will apply for a job if they qualify for 50% of the job description, but, women won't normally apply unless they feel like they match the posting at least 90%.

So, basic takeaway? No one else is qualified for it either, but, they apply and someone's got to get it, so, just remind yourself to focus on the parts that do match, and your ability to pick up the other parts as you go along.

I got my current gig with no experience even using the software I'm supporting, let alone administering it, but, I did it at the encouragement of a friend and was able to draw parallels between my past work and the new work so I looked competent.
I heard some of the others who applied and actually had some experience with the software, but, they didn't prove they could adapt, I guess.

I think you should look into taking some classes online at your local college or university. That way, you could get your degree without having to walk everywhere. If that's not an option, and mobility really is an issue for you, you should look into getting some handicapped plates and talk to a guidance counselor at your school- both about accommodations and about your career prospects in your major. I really think there's hope for you as a copy editor or technical writer or grant writer or administrative support or something along those lines. None of those would really require that you spend time on your feet. In fact all of those should still be possible if you end up confined to a wheelchair or scooter or whatever.

Do you have a lot of education in lineart illustration, web (HTML, CSS), and graphic design? If so, highlight it when sending out applications for those kinds of jobs, because those are also things you can do without standing or moving around too much. Do you have a portfolio of your work that you can showcase? If not, I think you should put one together. Especially if it's something you don't have a degree in, employers like to see examples of your work that clearly demonstrate your proficiency. This is also true for writing positions.

If you're good at customer support, that's great. Not every customer support job requires you to spend any time on your feet. I think though, given your abilities and education, you'd be better off highlighting your customer service background and selling yourself as a writer/editor/graphic designer/ lineart allustrator/web and graphic designer.

I think you should seriously consider moving for the right job as well. Look into it. I may be way off here, but i think there would llikely be something for you in magazines or publishing even if not as a journalist. Maybe look into advertising as well.

My brain is going at a million miles per hour in every which direction right now so I'm having trouble getting down my thoughts, but THANK YOU to both of you for your thoughts, encouragement, and advice.

I'm currently forging forward as best as I can (by following and having followed some of both of your ideas re: looking at jobs I may be able to do even though I may not quite fit the bill, rebuilding my portfolio, looking at educational opportunities, considering moving etc...)...

but at the same time, I feel very close to 'becoming an ostrich' as I'm feeling really overwhelmed and so I'm fighting myself to not give in and to keep pushing.

MissDorkness, the comment about the 50% vs 90% business really resonated with me as did the sharing of your own story; thank you.

I think part of my problem right now is is that I am hypersensitive about the fact that I have to accommodate my foot in addition to an unrelated pre-existing medical condition. The idea of these issues popping up at my future workplace (despite the fact that I would be getting a mostly desk job) and causing workplace issues is frightening.

May I ask you a personal question related to what you shared with me?

How did you address your issue of getting a desk job for health reasons? Is this something your employer knew/knows of re: need to accommodate or not? Was/is the health issue still relevant in the sense of affecting your ability to work?

BetwixtBetween:

The online classes is something I didn't really think about - mostly because my university at the time I was attending wasn't 'into' online courses. Thank you for reminding me about that possibility and I will look into it.

My illustrating and writing and HTML and CSS are all things that are mostly self-taught (writing probably being an exception as I majored in English lit) so yes, I do have a portfolio to work with. It just needs a bit of a remodel as my current/past job had no need for it and so I haven't updated it... yet! Will do so now, for sure.

The moving bit is very practical... I just need to be brave enough to seriously consider it (and actually I have been; my brain has just been going AAAAAHHH over the possibility so I've considered other possibilities first)

In regards to the possible job opportunities in publishing, do you have any advice on 'being stuck' in terms of applying for positions?

When I say 'stuck', I mean between being an 'entry-level' position (because I don't have documented work experience in those areas even though I have great interest in them) and yet being 'unqualified' for the positions that do open because the entry-level positions are being offered almost exclusively all to 'you need to be able to receive school credit' interns?

Maybe it's just where I am, but ever since the 'recession', a lot of the decent entry-level writing-related jobs have been pushed towards internship-only positions.

(Going back to school is looking like a better option the more I think about it...)

Thanks in advance!

Regretfully, I have no clue. That may or may not be something your guidance counselor could tell you or help you with. If they don't know and can't help, you may just have to personally get in contact with your alumni office. The alumni office keeps track of where their graduates are and what they're doing. I would expect them to count at least a few publishing professionals among them. You may be able to get preference for an internship or a job based on your shared connection with the school. At the very least, they might be able and willing to give you some insight as far as where to apply, what positions to go for, and what skills are in particularly high demand.

If you managed to connect with one of your professors while you were there before, you may want to ask for a meeting with them as well, both to feel them out as a potential reference, and to present your current situation to them. They might say: "oh you know what? I've got an old student over at ________. Let me give them a call."

Sorry to hear about your foot.

I can relate alot to this thread. I have css and html experience, but jobs in those areas are a huge list of all sorts of skills for coding and so on. I have no idea how anyone manages to get into these types of jobs. It just seems like such unrealistic expectations, or maybe I'm just a mediocre candidate... Entry level jobs are almost non-existant. It's that old connundrum, you can't get work without experience and you can't get experience without work.

I lucked out and found an administration job that required maintenance of the company website as part of the role, so that helped me get my foot in the door and now I have been given more responsiblity in the web marketing side of things, but I don't know if I'll ever get an actual web developer type job. I have wondered about doing evening classes.

I have to work a sedentary role too due to health reasons. My employer is ok with this and understands my limitations. I can't rememeber how I brought it up. I've been in this job for a few years now. It's not the kind of place where I am required to do masses of overtime and run myself into the ground. The people here have a good work/life balance and it suits my health needs. I sort of fell into a nice little niche. I've had alot of jobs before ending up here though.

What you've written here makes you sound like a good candidate for employment. You come over well in written form here and seem to have good qulaifications and skills.

I agree with what the others say about completing your courses online and speaking to a guidance counsellor to help you find a method of study that suits your circumstances.

That resonated with me, too, and it was the excuse I needed to apply for jobs I didn't feel qualified for.

I can understand your worry.

Sure.

I did not reveal my condition to my employer. It's possible my coworker, whom I knew through church and introduced me to his boss, might have mentioned it, but, it was never brought up.
It most definitely did impact my work. I have Myasthenia Gravis. It's an autoimmune disorder that interrupts neural pathways. This leads to muscle weakness, slurred speech, mild cognitive impairment, etc. So, I had to do things like do my hardest work (physical or mental) first thing in the morning, when I wasn't as tired. I was really fortunate in that I worked alone. My work was self directed so I could usually schedule my activities that way. And, because the building was so quiet and I had my own office, I didn't get stressed out about the environmental factors, the way I do in my current job.
Sometimes my boss would get frustrated with me when I would procrastinate on site surveys until I felt up to them, or because I would stay in my office to eat by myself rather than going with the others (the long walk to the cafeteria plus the mess I could make when I had problems chewing... No way I'd have eaten lunch with others... I was always made fun of or stared at or accused of being drunk... Discussing would've revealed too much pain that I couldn't handle then.).

I have been in remission from that since my first child was born, so, I am not certain how I would handle that situation right now, to be honest. I have so much more confidence now than I did back then, as well as a practical view of the things that are wrong or different about me. ~shrugs~

I'm in a similar situation. I can't finish one of my degrees on campus because of health and I'm essentially done with the degree. To switch to an online school, you're probably going to have to switch majors and start over. The schools I have talked to don't like the idea of doing all the same classes over again and they won't grant you a degree if you only paid for one class with them.