MY JOURNEY, SAJINPROGRESS, THIS IS MY STORY

Making Up For Lost Time – Return To Work

Return To Work

One of my worries at the time of my stroke was what happens to my career now? It was a concern because after years of confusion, I had finally figured out what I wanted to do.

Returning To Work After Stroke

Eight months into starting a new job in 2012, I had my stroke. At this point, I had already been in the industry for a little over two years. Considering I was a boot on the ground kind of guy, with limited mobility after my stroke, I did not know what my next move would be. 

Returning To Work After Stroke Life

After being off work for four years, I was finally given the opportunity to gradually return to work at my last place of employment, in a different capacity than my previous role. One thing I noticed when I returned was that many people who started with or after me had made great advancements in their career during my time off, which I felt were opportunities I missed out on. Regardless, I was glad to be at work and made sure it did not bring me down.

I used this opportunity to reestablish my career goals and path, which were constantly evolving. I spent three years reinforcing my existing knowledge and any new knowledge I acquired since returning to work. I decided that I wanted to be a resource that people could reach out to. Within the three years that I was back at my last place of employment, I made one progressive move. Besides that, none of the other opportunities materialized internally, hence I started to look outside the organization. 

Considering I had already been in the industry for nine years and was going into my tenth, I was ready for a move since I had a lot of catching up to do. If there is one thing I have learned in this journey it is that to get results you have to put in the work and be accountable. After numerous applications and interviews, I finally got a job in an organization with endless opportunities for growth. 

Once I returned to work from stroke, I set my priorities and focused on my career. I had to make up for the lost time. After working as a third party contractor for this organization, it was incredible to land a job with them in my tenth year within the industry. If there is one thing I can take away from this, it is that the grass is greener where you water it. Put in the work and you will see the results. If you don’t see the results, then just keep trying and don’t give up.