I just got back from an interview to begin volunteering, doing office work, for a local hospice. They have to do a background check, and I have to do some orientation modules, then I can start, hopefully next week.
I’m so excited! People there were really nice to me, especially the volunteer coordinator. I think this will be a great stepping stone to a full-time job.
Good for you. That sounds great !
Congratulations @anon39736208!
Good for you! 
Cheers, I used to do hospice work before I was diagnosed. It can be very rewarding.
How many days and how many hours per day will you start at? Are you going to increase your days and hours overtime to prepare you for full time work?
I will start doing two four-hour shifts per week, and I’m open to doing more than that if there is a need. There is one other office volunteer though, so I have to balance out my hours with hers. I don’t want to take work away from someone else after they’ve been there longer than me.
I am actively searching for full-time work, I’m just not finding many accounting clerk jobs to apply for. I interviewed for one job that ended up being too entry level for me and I have one other resume out there for an accounts payable processor. Other than that, everything in an office has been administrative assistant work.
I have to have a desk job because I have a collapsed disc in my lower spine and I walk with a cane. Otherwise I would start out doing retail work until I found the right accounting job. I can’t handle the standing though.
Until I get a full-time job, I think the hospice work will be a good opportunity. It will get me out of the house and give me some recent experience. I’ve been on disability since January 2015 so I have a large gap in my resume. That gives me a disadvantage when competing with others who are currently employed.
My disability is through my state’s retirement system, and I’m approved through January 31, so I have some time to find the right job. My pdoc won’t clear me to return to work if it’s a front desk position because it’s too stressful. I need to find an accounting clerk job where I only manage my own workload and phone calls.
You’ve got a great plan going! I think the recent work idea is a really good one. And volunteers are treated well so it should be a pleasant experience. Best of luck to you in your job search!
Thank you! You’re right that volunteers are treated well. I hadn’t considered that when I decided to start volunteering, but it should be a positive office experience to get back in the groove of working again. It’s also right across the street from my pdoc, so there will be a mental sense of security as I start working again.
Good luck!!! 
@anon39736208
Thrilled for you! What meaningful and significant volunteer work! Excited for your next steps! Keep us posted!
Thank you! I spent an hour doing online orientation modules so far. I am doing the patient visitation ones too, just because knowing what others do might help me do my own job better.
I really want to be able to fit in well. The office is so nice, open layouts, bright light, modern. Much different than the cubicle farms I’m used to working in. I’m looking forward to starting. I see my pdoc next Wednesday, she’s going to be really happy that I’m doing this until I find full-time work.
Maybe if you prefer hospice work, you can consider an administrative job for a non profit or somewhere you like as well. I really enjoyed working at a literacy non profit because of the environment. I did hospice visitation and it’s really rewarding to hear what people have to say.
I would be very open to working with a non-profit again. I used to do payroll in a non-profit hospital and I loved it. Non-profits attract people who want to make a real difference in the world. They are often really good to work with.
I used to buy my own office supplies when I worked at the hospital because they would buy the cheapest options that weren’t often the best. I bought my own adding machine, my own pens and pencils, and a few other things. I didn’t mind. We used to file timecards in empty letterhead envelope boxes because it was just as good as the ones you buy.
I finally got my start date for my hospice job - Monday at 10. The volunteer coordinator and office manager are going to introduce me to all the people in the office so I can be oriented to everything they do, then they are going to show me things I can help with. I already completed some online orientation.
I had to wait for my criminal record background check to come back clean. It took longer than usual to be received for some reason.
I’m happy. I want to have a chance to get used to working in an office again before I go full-time. There is an executive admin assistant job I applied for with the local fire department that I am really interested in. It would involve some accounting and budgeting work as well as supporting the fire chief. I did the exact same job for three years at a jail, so I’m very well qualified for it.
It’s been listed on the city job page as well as Indeed and Linked In for two weeks. I’m nervous about competing with people who don’t have a 4 1/2 year gap in employment. Indeed and Linked In get a lot of traffic. I bet they got a lot of applications. I have a good feeling about it for some reason though. I hope I get to interview. It would be a really great fit, even though it’s not strictly accounting.
I loved my job at the jail because the deputies were so cool, they always included me in stuff and treated me well. Public safety personnel tend to stay put in the same place long-term, so they build a family type working environment. I thrived on that at the jail, and I bet it’s the same with the fire department. It makes working easier for me. We’ll see how it goes. The job posting closes tonight at 5 p.m.
Good luck! :). Monday am is great! You get to start right away!
Just got back from four hours of volunteering at the hospice office.
I was nervous this morning before I went, just because I don’t know how they do things yet, and I want to be good at my job. I needn’t have worried, there are a lot of people there who haven’t been in their jobs for very long yet, so they are asking a lot of questions too! Most of the staff was out visiting patients, but I did get a chance to meet a few.
It was basically an overview today. The office manager is going to save work for me to do on Friday, when I go back next. There is another volunteer office worker who will be there tomorrow, and they have their big bi-weekly interdisciplinary meetings on Wednesday and Thursday so most people will be in that all day. By Friday there will be more things for me to do.
I think I can do this! I know I am ready to start working again, but getting started is kinda rough after 4 1/2 years. I just have to keep reminding myself, no one there knows I am sza, there is no reason to be paranoid. I couldn’t have picked a more supportive work environment, everyone there just jumps right in even if they don’t know what they’re doing yet, and they just yell down the hall to each other. It’s pretty informal. I liked that, I didn’t have to pretend to be something I’m not just to impress people
That sounds great, @anon39736208! I bet it’ll be great for you.
Wow! This is AWESOME! Hospice sounds like a GREAT fit for you! It is sooo smart of you to get back into an office volunteering before you go back to work! They sound like really nice people! And the informality is less stressful!
I hope you get the fire dept job! That would be cool! But if you don’t, I trust you will find another wonderful fit!
I’m so happy for you @anon39736208! How exciting!
I couldnt read all of the thread, concentration is a bit finished for today. But im happy that you found this volunteer job and it seems like a good way to get new experiences and build your resumé with them. Great! Good luck!