When you were living a life of addiction, your focus was on the addictive substance that controlled your life. When you entered rehab, your focus turned inward as you tried to ferret out causes and become mindful of emotional triggers. Your hard work and commitment have led you to success in Sobriety College and now you are ready to step out into the job market. Once again, you will be called upon to change your focus.Ask Yourself, “What Is This Employer Looking For?”
Knowing yourself and what you want from a job is important, but it’s not so important to an employer. An employer is looking for specific skills and characteristics that will bring value to their company. To convince them that you meet their unique needs, you must know and be able to articulate how you can fulfill those needs.
• Do some research. Know something about the position before you apply for it. Read the job description carefully, looking for specific skills or talents that are mentioned.
• Use this information to review your resume. Does it reflect these specifics? If not, you might want to make some changes to emphasize that you have experience or talent that is pertinent to the job.
• Are you short on job experience? Most young people are. Be creative in evaluating your abilities. Being a good listener may be as important for a sales position as knowing the specifics of a product.
• Worried that being in recovery might be a negative? Make it a positive. Be able to explain how your newfound self-understanding makes you a more confident, proactive employee. Emphasize that it has taken courage, resolve, and discipline to go through rehab while returning to school and completing your education. Those qualities will also make you a reliable and hard-working team member.
Keep a Positive Attitude
Hunting for a job is a challenge for anyone, especially in today’s economy. Try keeping a journal of your experiences. Note the people you talk to, their comments or questions, and your responses. Review it with a counselor or your support group. When the job search drags on (as it commonly does), it is easy to turn your focus inward with self-doubt. That’s the time to remember how far you have come since you entered rehab, and to refocus on what you have to contribute to a new job.
The job prep program at Hope Academy helps young adults successfully transition from rehab back into the workforce. If your career has been disrupted by substance abuse, we can help. Call 866-670-4673 to speak to a member of our admissions team about your opportunities for continuing your education while recovering from addiction, or to discuss the possibility of attending vocational training during rehabilitation.
