Building Confidence To Get Back To Work With A Disability

The thought of getting back to work after a long break due to disability can feel like standing at the base of a mountain you have to climb. Whether you haven’t worked in weeks, months or years, the prospect of re-entering the workforce brings a mix of emotions and practical considerations.

We hear questions on this all the time. How do I restart my career after a long break? How do I get a job when I haven't worked in 20 years? This might be a return to a job that kept evolving while you were gone or be the beginning of totally new career. Either way, you’re taking on a life-changing project.

If you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), the Ticket To Work Program exists as a way to attempt returning to work without losing your benefits right away. This little-known but powerful program from the Social Security Administration (SSA) is included in SSDI and allows you to  work with an Employment Network (EN) or Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency for free.

This journey involves moving through the usual difficulty of finding a job while managing health considerations, benefit protections and possible workplace accommodations. Understanding the scope of the challenge and what strategies to use for each point along the way helps to build realistic expectations, optimism and confidence.

Work And Self Perception

Being away from work for a long time can change how you see yourself as a worker. If you've been out longer than you first expected, this shift in how you think about yourself is normal but not permanent. Understanding this helps explain why going back to work can feel so emotionally difficult.

Receiving disability benefits may create mixed feelings about money versus independence. While benefits provide important support, they can also cause concern about trying to work and possibly losing that support. These conflicted feelings are normal in this complicated situation.

Common emotional challenges include fear of failure and worry about your performance. You might wonder if your skills are still good enough or if your health will get in the way of doing your job well. Worrying about when to tell employers about your disability and whether they'll accept you adds even more stress.

The good news is there are many ways to resolve these challenges.

Knowing You’re Ready

Knowing your current abilities is the starting point for how to get back to work after a long break. Compare your old skills to your current abilities; you may find you’ve developed new strengths.

Weighing your abilities realistically can help you make informed decisions. Some individuals find they are capable of more than they initially expected when they begin exploring work options. Being honest about your abilities requires balance. Many people exploring a return to work find that their abilities exceed their expectations. Through gradual reentry and real-world experience, they often realize they can handle more than they initially thought.

While away from work, you probably developed skills you don't realize you have. Managing your health requires problem-solving, persistence and resilience -- exactly the qualities employers value. Many people also learn new technology skills, especially healthcare management tools, communication apps or accessibility software.

These abilities are highly valued by employers. Many job seekers find success when they emphasize these strengths in resumes, conversations and interviews.

Checking – And Growing – Your Skills

Gaining confidence in your skills involves understanding which skills you possess, what roles might fit best, what gaps might exist and how to build your skills.

Writing down existing skills, education and job experience can help arrive at a current skill list. The Skills Matcher from CareerOneStop is one useful tool for finding your skill list. There are also skills people with disabilities often have which add value to the workplace, and can be added to the existing skill list.

Knowing how to get back to work after a long break can come down to finding the right fit, which can be done a few ways. O*NET OnLine has a soft Skills Matcher where you can select key skill sets then find matches to job roles. MyNextMove.org also has an Interest Profiler to help match your interests to work.

Finding out how your field has changed over time can help you figure out what new skills you might need to learn. You can look at job descriptions for a role of interest and take note of common qualifications and requirements to find a general skill set, then compare with your own skills. These gaps often become areas where people choose to focus their skill-building efforts.

There are many ways to improve your skills, which can help increase confidence and readiness.

• Online classes allow learning at an individual’s pace and on a workable schedule. Many of these websites have features that make them easier to use for people with disabilities, and you can work at your own pace.
• Volunteering may offer a way to practice skills without pressure while helping others.
• Training programs designed for people with disabilities may offer flexible pacing and additional support.

Some sources for free or low-cost training include LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, edX, Khan Academy, Skillshare. Government sources include CareerOneStop, ApprenticeshipUSA or find your local American Job Center.

READ MORE:

Discovering New Career Paths With A Disability

Using Self-Assessment To Find Your New Career After Disability

Using Goals To Step Forward

Setting realistic goals can be a major part of how to get back to work after a long break. Good goal setting usually includes both what you want to achieve soon (short term) and what you hope for later (long term). Goals that match current capacity and health needs will tend to be the most achievable. Staying flexible can help as your health condition might impact your plans or timing.

Tracking your progress with small steps helps in several ways. When you complete each small goal, it often makes you feel more confident and keeps you motivated when things get difficult. These steps also show which approaches work best for your situation. Many people find that celebrating small wins helps them stay positive and builds strength for future challenges.

Big goals feel less overwhelming when you break them into specific, smaller tasks. Examples include updating your resume, looking up companies you might want to work for, or practicing how to answer interview questions. Many often say that finishing individual tasks gives them a feeling of moving forward and getting things done, rather than feeling stressed about everything they need to do.

READ MORE: How To Navigate A Job Search For People With Disabilities

Creating A Supportive Environment

Getting help from career advice professionals can make a big difference when you're trying to get back to work. There are a number who offer support and expertise.

• Employment Networks (such as Allsup Employment Services, or AES) and state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies have experts who understand employment for people with disabilities.
• Career counselors who work specifically with people with disabilities know a lot about getting workplace accommodations, deciding when to tell employers about your disability and how to handle workplace situations. Their knowledge can help you avoid common mistakes and find jobs that match your abilities and interests. The vocational experts with AES have specific training and experience in this.
• Support groups with other people with similar experiences offer different but equally helpful perspectives. Connection can be found with others who understand what you're going through.

Your personal support system needs careful attention and clear communication.

• Family and friends might have strong feelings about your return to work. They may be sources of helpful insight and energy.
• Your doctors can give valuable advice about what kind of work you can do and what accommodations you might need. Healthcare providers are able to give their most effective input when they understand work goals and how employment fits a health plan.

Making A Job Work For You

Understanding how health conditions affect work capacity helps determine what accommodations are best. Common accommodations include flexible schedules, changes to your workspace, assistive technology or modified job duties. When you ask for accommodations, you'll usually have conversations with employers about solutions that work for both your needs and the company's needs.

Information about workplace rights can be learned from familiarizing with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), while the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a great source for details on discussing and handling workplace accommodations.

Managing stress and taking care of yourself becomes extra important when you're balancing work with healthcare. Many successful workers with disabilities have specific ways to handle work-related worry, including how to prepare for difficult situations and daily routines that help them stay healthy while doing their job well. They are able to recognize signs that indicate more support or accommodation might be called for.

Sharing What’s Necessary

Legal protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) start once you tell an employer about your disability, but when you tell them can significantly affect your job search success. Some people find that talking to employers about a disability during the application process allows for early discussions about accommodations, while others prefer to show their qualifications first before talking about disability-related needs.

Good communication about your abilities and needs involves talking about your disability in terms of what you can contribute to the workplace. Talking about accommodations as business solutions that help you be productive helps employers understand the practical benefits of hiring you.

Ticket To Work And Allsup Employment Services As A Safety Net

Many common worries about going back to work are helped by the SSA’s Ticket To Work Program.

The Ticket to Work Program is a free, voluntary program offered by the SSA. If you’re aged 18 through 64 and receive SSDI or SSI, you’re eligible to participate. It’s designed to help you prepare for, find and maintain employment—without jeopardizing your benefits during the transition.

You’re not required to join the program, but choosing to use your “ticket” gives you access to powerful resources through approved Employment Networks like AES.

Allsup Employment Services is an SSA-authorized EN for the Ticket To Work Program. We have over 10 years of experience helping thousands return to work successfully – and overcoming barriers to employment for people with disabilities. We can help guide you through the SSDI work incentives on your return-to-work journey.

The Ticket To Work Program helps you protect your SSA disability benefits, and working with AES you can:

• Earn More. Make as much income as you choose during the Trial Work Period and protect your full SSDI benefits.
• Stress Less. Avoid medical disability reviews and the worry that comes with them.
• Keep Medicare. While working, you can keep Medicare for over seven years.
• Avoid Risk. If you stop working anytime within five years, your SSDI benefits can resume through a reinstatement process.
• Pay Nothing. As a Social Security-authorized Employment Network, our services are provided at no cost.

Choosing AES means working with an EN who’s focused on your goals and will work with you every step of the way.

Get started with no cost and no obligation.

You can reach Allsup Employment Services today by calling 866-540-5105 or requesting a call.