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Going back to work
An early, and important decision you’ll need to make is what workdo you wish to do?
You might want to pick up where you left off. However, particularly if it’s a long time since you were last employed, starting again where you left off might not be an option.
Alternatively, you might want to use your return to work as an opportunity to change direction and enter a new line of work.
For some people with HIV, it’s not a question of “returning” to work, but of entering the workplace for the first time.
Whatever situation you’re in, there’s a good chance you’ll need some training to help you prepare, both practically and mentally, for work.
Training
If you want to gain new skills or experience, you could perhaps do some voluntary work, enroll in a course, or register on a training scheme.
Volunteering can provide an opportunity to gain new skills and at the same time gain a familiarity with working conditions. The routine of volunteering can also help simulate the routine of working, and if you are volunteering in an area similar to the one in which you’d like to work, it can provide an opportunity to discover if this really is something you’d like to do.
Many people find that volunteering helps boost their self-confidence and acts as a useful bridge back to work.
Studying
To gain employment in your area of interest, it might be necessary to gain specific skills or a qualification. Colleges and universities around the country have part-time study opportunities for adults, ranging from open access courses with no entry requirements to higher degrees.
As well as equipping you with skills and qualifications, studying can help focus your attention on what job or career you’d like to undertake, and build your confidence.
Help for applying for jobs
Local job centres and some HIV organisations can help you develop or enhance your job application and interview skills.
The impact of returning to work or study
If you left work a number of years ago, or have never worked, the prospect of getting a job can be daunting. Your confidence might be low, you might feel left behind or deskilled. Although you may be able to go straight into full-time employment, a more realistic plan might be to undertake some part-time work, either paid or voluntary, or study, and find a working balance that suits you.
The impact that working or studying can have on your benefits can be a real worry. Many people with HIV have reported being in a “benefits trap”. If you qualify for the maximum rate of benefits, you might actually be financially worse off if you return to work, unless the job is very well paid.
You might also be deterred from thinking about work or study because you are uncertain about how long you’ll remain healthy, or are worried that working might damage your health.