Are you thinking about getting a job and returning to work again? For many people living with HIV, success with their anti-retroviral treatments has had a significant effect on their health and well-being. Instead of focusing on failing treatments, recurrent opportunistic infections and a never-ending schedule of visits to doctors and specialists, they are now able to concentrate their energies on maintaining good health and looking ahead to new opportunities and possibilities. A return to work is one of many possibilities they can now seriously consider. The reasons people give for wanting to get work vary from one person to the next. As one would expect, the ability to earn more money is important to a lot of people. But it isn’t just about money. This factsheet explores some of the issues facing people considering a return to work and aims to provide some clear practical information and advice. Contact details for all the organisations referred to in this factsheet are listed on the last page.
Work is a lot of things to a lot of people:
“
It’s a reason to get up and get out of the house It provides contact with other people I’ve made new friends at work It breaks the routine of doing nothing and allows me to use my brain again I have more money to spend on going out with friends I am doing something meaningful and worthwhile with my time
”
A good starting point in considering a return to work is to ask one question:
‘Why do I want to get a job?’ ✜ ✜ ✜ ✜ ✜
Do you want to do something that you have done before or something new and different? Do you need more money to pay the bills and have more financial independence? Do you want a job that is meaningful and adds purpose to your life? Do you want a job that will allow you to develop new skills? Do you want a job or a career?
If you have been out of the workforce for a number of years, your ideas about work may have totally changed. Take time to really think about why you want to go back to work and as part of that process talk to as many people as you can to get information, advice and ideas.
Consider ✜ ✜ ✜ ✜
What are the pros and cons of getting a job? What sort of work would you like to get? What really interests you? What skills and experience do you already have? What new skills and experience will you need to get a job you want?
It may be useful to write down your answers to the questions above. It can help you focus and order your thoughts. When doing this, some other questions to consider are: