Cancer and Careers: Blog Recap

The Cancer and Careers blog is a hub of information on the various challenges that arise when work and cancer collide. From networking, to managing cancer day-to-day at work there are numerous issues that are important to think about as you approach work after a cancer diagnosis. Here is a recap of some of our most recent blog topics:

• How to Deal with Workplace Distractions: It is rare to work in an office that has complete silence and little interruption. The reality of most work environments is that there are numerous distractions encountered throughout the workday. For many working during or after cancer treatment, fatigue and lack of focus, also known as “chemo brain” can be a lingering side effect. Though this does add to the difficulty of concentration, there are some helpful ways to deal with common distractions found in the workplace.
• How to Stay Resilient During Challenging Times: Cancer can be both physically and emotionally taxing. However, those who are also working through a diagnosis or return to work after treatment, may experience other complicated feelings such as lower self-confidence and self-esteem. While such feelings are not at all uncommon, it helps to know how to handle these types of emotions.
• Common Resume Mistakes to Avoid: A resume is a potential employer’s first impression of you, so it is important that it highlights your best skills and assets. Unfortunately, many job seekers make small mistakes that can prevent them from even getting an interview. For cancer patients and survivors, the issue of a resume gap may be present as well. It’s important to be aware of the common resume mistakes and best practices for structuring your resume, to avoid being passed over from your resume alone.
• What if My Job References Know I Have Cancer?: A major step in preparing for a job search is ensuring you have enough good references to provide. But for cancer patients and survivors, it’s a bit more complicated when references are aware of your diagnosis. Having a strategy for this situation can help you to make sure that information that you wanted to be private, stays that way, and you’re able to utilize positive references.

For more information on balancing work and cancer, check out http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en.