When I saw the Careers Guidance service listed on the Steel Bones website, I was nearly ten years out of paid employment. Most of those ten years had been dedicated to recovering my physical and mental health after a traumatic limb loss, a second elective amputation and a long process of learning to live without the support of a personal assistant or carer. I felt daunted by the prospect of returning to the world of job hunting, interviews and paid work after so long out of that world. Not only has my life been completely altered since I was last in work, the sectors that I am experienced in have also changed significantly, and so has the process of looking for and applying for jobs. Most challenging though was feeling confused about what I wanted to do, or what I was realistically capable of taking on with the added challenges of being a bilateral amputee. The prospect of over-shooting and dealing with rejection or failure was very scary and off-putting. Without a career goal or clear purpose in mind, there was little incentive to face those challenges, so I was stuck.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I referred myself to the career support service. After my initial call with Tony, I was surprised to find that I was already feeling less overwhelmed and my thought processes around my prospects were less chaotic. It helped to learn that the daunting process of getting my confidence and capacity for work back is much simpler, and even quite exciting, when taken on step by step.
I received follow-up summary emails with action points after our sessions, which kept me motivated and focussed. These and the personalised career clarity report took the confusion and worry out of the process, and I always knew I could contact Tony for more guidance if concerns or questions came up.
With his support, I have landed on a career goal that speaks to my passions for advocacy and social justice. My training begins in the new year, and while I expect it to be challenging, I also feel fully prepared and equipped with a new optimistic drive. When I initially reached out for careers support I felt held back by my sense of inadequacy, overwhelm and lack of knowledge. But Tony put me at ease right away, affirming my promising capabilities and interests from the very first call. Our sessions were powerfully motivating, informative and practical. I’m delighted by the outcome and looking forward to beginning a new stage of my working life with confidence, knowing there is support available from the career guidance service should I need it.
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