When you’re living with chronic fatigue, it can be difficult to navigate the challenges of the workplace.
Whether you have myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID), or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), the extreme fatigue, muscle pain, and sensitivity to noise that you experience regularly can make finding suitable employment difficult without the right support.
It can feel daunting, but it’s important to find the right employment opportunities that are not only the right fit for you, but will help you thrive day-to-day.
This is especially beneficial since steady employment has been shown to provide great health, financial, and social benefits for those who are living with chronic fatigue.
What jobs are right for me?
When looking for employment, it’s important to take stock of your own unique skill set to find the right role which empowers you and motivates you.
Take your past experiences, your special passions, and natural interests and use these to help guide you on your job search.
Every person who lives with chronic fatigue experiences their symptoms differently, it’s up to you to define what your requirements are for the roles that you’re seeking, too.
If stress exacerbates your symptoms, finding a role in a low-stress or low social contact environment can take the pressure off and keep you working without experiencing severe discomfort.
Roles that involve a range of standing and sitting tasks such as administration or library roles won’t be too tiring or strenuous on the body.
Perhaps you’re after a role that isn’t the regular 9-5, because working a 40 hour work week can be difficult to manage with chronic fatigue.
If this is the case, consider finding a role that has more flexibility, and where you can work part-time, or even work from home.
How do I find suitable jobs for me?
Nowadays, walking into businesses and shops to hand in your resume is only one way to apply for work.
More and more companies are utilising a mixture of job boards and career websites to advertise job vacancies and streamline the application process for potential candidates.
Make sure to look for vacancies on websites such as Seek, LinkedIn, Indeed, and other specialised industry job boards. It also helps to ask the people in your network if they know of potential job opportunities!
You’ll be surprised how frequently friends and family or even former colleagues can bring up great opportunities that you otherwise wouldn’t have been able to apply for, so make sure you utilise the help and support available to you.
And, if you’re really wanting personalised and comprehensive support, it’s important to remember that people living with chronic fatigue can be eligible for your local disability employment services program.
These programs are created to help people who are living with injury, illness, or disability find meaningful employment that suits their personal circumstances and thrive in the workplace by finding the right solutions and support to help you achieve your goals.
Make sure to find a local disability employment services program with a proven track record of helping thousands of job seekers find meaningful work. Take the time to look through client testimonials to see if the program is right for you and your needs.
When you register for the disability employment services program, you’ll be supported in all aspects of job seeking:
- creating a striking resume and cover letter
- finding suitable job opportunities
- preparing for interviews
- accessing workplace accommodations and support once you’ve acquired the right employment for you.
It’s important to remember that while living with chronic fatigue can be a challenge, there’s no need to navigate the employment market and the workplace alone.
There’s always help available – from friends and family, to your local disability employment services program.
