You’re out of rehab and ready to confront the world in recovery, but you’ve got a major milestone you need to hit first: now that treatment is over, you need a job!
Whether you left your job prior to rehab, were fired, or are leaving during recovery due to old associations, new employment is now a must as you work on the problem of having a career after rehab.
If you’re lucky, you can just head back to your old job. An understanding employer and a good work history may have kept your position waiting for you on your return.
But many cannot count on such a thing. They may hold a job that needs to be filled right away and they can’t expect to have a position ready for them on emerging from rehab. They may have been fired after addiction’s growing influence led to poor job performance. Or they may have returned to work, only to find their old job is too connected with their life under addiction for them to return to the job site without experiencing dangerous triggers that might lead to relapse, necessitating a change in employment.
So you need a new job now that you’re out of rehab, but how to find such a job? After all, the same triggers that may have hit you on your old job may occur on the new job, too. But a job is a must, after all, so you need to find a way to procure new employment, and soon.
There are certain steps you can take, though, to start the process.
First, try your rehab center. Many addiction treatment programs have services to help new patients in recovery find available jobs. Work is a vital part of the recovery process and many programs take that to heart and help you find the job you need as part of that process.
Check with friends and loved ones. They may not be hiring or in a position to hire anyone, but it’s likely someone you know will be able to put you on the scent of a new job with the right word in the right place. And don’t be afraid to ask people in your circle who you might not consider a friend but still have your best interests at heart. A therapist or doctor could have the right job recommendation to get you the employment you need, should you ask.
There are also resources to help you find jobs from the state and online. Heck, you can scour your local newspaper’s help wanted ads. Nothing is out of the question. Look around, ask questions and find out what your options are.
Remember that your addiction can’t be held against you in hiring. Federal law forbids employers from discriminating against you due to your former addiction, as it is considered a disability. Still, understand there may be setbacks. You may miss out on a few jobs. And some may not be the right fit: you need a job that won’t push you back into addiction, so you’ll need to be careful in selecting a job without the triggers that might push you out of sobriety.
Good Landing Recovery helps patients navigate recovery in every way, including in finding employment. With the help of their services, you have a better chance of finding the right job in your post-addiction life than you might fear.
Having a career after rehab isn’t only possible, it’s essential. With the right help from the right people and places, you can make it happen for yourself, too. Give Good Landing a call and get started today.
