I finally got a job after nearly 8 months off and want to post my top tips and strategies which helped me get my career back on track while still pursuing recovery from RSI. I will discuss how to stay at your job after your injury, then ways to consider pivoting to more accessible (and in some cases more lucrative) jobs within your industry or trade, and finally my thoughts on starting over completely in a new career or field.
Prerequisites: Life balance tips
- Pursue recovery
No matter your financial situation, when you have RSI, part of your daily activities need to be driving you towards wellness and recovery.
Establish a health maintenance routine: exercise, foam roll/self-massage, balanced meals, and regular breaks away from the desk/phone during the workday.
- Brainstorm your specific needs, capabilities, preferences, strengths, and accommodations.
In a journal, make a list of skills that you still have: perhaps you have people skills or negotiating skills. If you have experience in your career, then you have specific knowledge of your employer or field.
Write down skills that you may not consider related to your career, such as cooking, sports, gardening, art, or singing/musical instruments.
Given your condition and recovery goals, describe your ideal job. What work conditions and duties would suit your physical needs as well as your personality, your lifestyle, and your long-term career goals?
- Consider taking an extended career hiatus to consider your options, rest your body, and explore new hobbies and passions.
I did not start working full time until 8 months after I quit my last job. That time off was unbelievably beneficial for my recovery; those months provided me time to pursue new (and sometimes profitable) interests and long spans of time to ponder my next career move. I have talked about it before in my other blog post: Keys to RSI Recovery (Part 5), so I won’t repeat myself here.
Keep your job (or stay in school)
Most people who suffer a new work-related injury understandably desire to keep their jobs. This was my instinct as well; I remained with my employer for nearly a year following my injury. Here are some tips to help you keep your job!
- Be honest with your employer/boss/school about your accommodations and needs
You won’t receive what you don’t ask for. Oftentimes employers, colleges, and perhaps K-12 schools can provide funds for accessibility tools/gadgets like Dragon NaturallySpeaking or alternative ergonomic equipment like a foot pedal.
Some accommodations are extremely easy to provide. If you need to work from home, need private rooms to dictate your sensitive information/messages, or need 1-on-1 help from an IT coworker to help you set up your computer accessibility settings, these are things almost always within your grasp.
- If you were injured at work, report your injury and start receiving workers’ compensation benefits
In almost all cases, employers are required to carry workers’ comp insurance. Don’t leave potential free medical care or other benefits on the table if they are owed to you. Talk to your boss or HR representative as soon as possible if you have an unreported work injury.
- Be a good teammate/coworker/boss
This point is applicable not only to keeping your job, but also to the other tips considered further in this blog post. Being trusted, reliable, and easy to work with will endear others to you and encourage them to help you when you need them to.
I was first injured in the middle of a big project. This led to delays in the short term, but gave me the opportunity to delegate the major technical keyboard work to some less experienced coworkers. The project ultimately got done, the team got some phenomenal experience, and in the end I stepped back and made sure that those coworkers received credit. If I had acted like a jerk, or expected too much credit, or had stopped supporting the project/my teammates, then I may have had to leave the job earlier and with my reputation worse off.
Find a different job in your industry or trade (Pivot)
Perhaps you are ready to reenter the workforce after some time off; You may be exploring the job market to find a better ergonomic or financial situation; You may be, like I was, curious to see how hiring managers react when they are told you won’t use a keyboard! Only you can decide when it’s time to make a change – here’s what went through my head when I knew I had to leave my technical job due to RSI.
- Consider your background: What peripheral jobs can you pivot to which by their nature do not involve as much keyboard/computer use?
For example, you could manage the team instead of being an individual contributor on the team. Consider teaching or training a subject that you are experienced with. Instead of being at a desk, look for jobs or ask your employer if you can work in the field.
Leverage your network
Your professional network can be extremely valuable. Old coworkers, bosses, or employees can provide letters of recommendation or direct referrals to opportunities. If you are young, hopefully you can rely on friends, family, and teachers/counselors to introduce you to their professional contacts (or maybe hire you directly).
Before you begin reaching out to your contacts, be sure to completely know your workplace preferences and ideal job or jobs. I have found that my networking efforts lead to the best results when I communicate my goals and my talents effectively and specifically.
- Good pivot examples for those with computer-related RSI
- Mentor to new employees
- Freelance/independent
- Project manager*
- Present best-practices training sessions for your organization. This can pertain to any discipline, so come up with courses and curricula in whatever you specialize in.
- Salesperson*. This job description and daily activities vary across industries and employers, so this can be a flexible career if you find the right job. Talking to prospects, entertaining clients, studying the product, understanding the customer needs, and the plethora of other sales activities can be done mostly by talking to people.
- Manager/leader*
- What jobs did I miss? Comment your ideas below!
*As long as you can delegate most of the documentation, data entry, and PowerPoints work
Start over
Everyone with RSI has considered this option at some point or other. When you are at your wit’s end and can’t work in your job or field at all, or if you want to try something new for a while here are some ideas to help you stay on your feet.
- Pursue passive sources of income
When you have RSI, the idea of earning income with minimal direct involvement becomes more appealing. Renting out a room of your home, investing in dividend stocks, and many other ideas (google “passive income” for more detailed ideas) can start planting the seeds. Don’t get me wrong – I do not mean to imply that this is easy or quick. Passive income needs long periods of time and steady effort in order to make a big difference.
If you need some serious time off to heal/rehab your RSI then passive income makes that goal easier to attain. Passive income can help you pay the bills, even if only a little bit, and allow you that much more flexibility in your options.
Jobs with low barriers to entry:
- Personal fitness trainer
- Animal trainer
- Security guard
- Tutor
- Gardener
- Tour guide
- Librarian
- Teacher/subtitute teacher
- Dog walker
- Custodian
Interview tips
- Be picky. Hold yourself to high standards and don’t settle for work conditions that exacerbate your symptoms.
- Practice talking about how you can get your work done and still provide value without using your hands.
- Be prepared for a long and strenuous job search, as with any job search.
- Communicate your needs, capabilities, preferences, strengths, and accommodations concisely and confidently. Practice with a trusted friend, career counselor, or in front of the mirror.
Additional resources
All Ability Recruiting helps disabled folks find jobs. I don’t personally know anyone who they have helped, but I imagine it can’t hurt to give them a call if you are disabled and looking for a job.
Thanks for reading! I wish you the best of luck in your career and job search.
For those interested in using a computer HANDS-FREE, check out Dragon Dictation and the 3DRudder Footmouse!
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