[Catch]

I've been really struggling for the past year at my legal secretary job. Boith of my bosses now complain about a general decline in my work, I can't take the stress and have even had loud spats with a couple of office mates.

I'm scared, depressed, and my ego is crushed. I know some of this is just PMS and I'll feel better in a couple of days,but it does not change the fact that the complaints about my work are true.

I can't remember what happened with a certain client, I mix them up in my head, bringing my boss the Smith file when he asked for Jones. I make changes to documents but when I print the document, the changes are not there. (Makes me feel like I halucinated making the changes.) I forget I printed something, then print it again, forget, and then wonder what I'm doing with four copies!

A disability claim in So Cal can take more than a year to process from what I understand, and you have to already be out of work for 5 months before they'll even consider your claim. The thing is I can still do a job like mine, but not in law or where my cognitive issues could cause some real problems.

I'm resigned to looking for a less stressful and demanding job, maybe closer to home. I'm also looking at a minimum $5,000 a year drop in pay, if not significantly more. Still, working would be better than not, as no one can live on disability.

So, do I dumb down my resume, or how do I explain why I want to take on less responsibility, not more? Maybe get out of office administration and into something new, but I have no idea how to highlight my skills in any other setting.

Any websites, guidance is appreciated. For free, please, I can find a zillion "Career Coaches" who will help me, but I'm not an MD picking a new career, just a lowly secretary, one of the lower middle class.

[Blessings2You]

"I feel your pain" sounds corny, but it's so true. It was very depressing to observe the decline in my capacity to do my job, the job I loved for almost 30 years by the time I retired on disability.

I was afraid that I'd make a blunder that would make real problems for a customer, and the stress of thinking that, of course, increased my anxiety and other symptoms.

You're right, no one can live on disability, but we're sure trying.

I'll be interested to hear what other folks have for suggestions about how you can present yourself honestly, but without saying to a prospective employer: "Hi, I have MS...will you hire me anyway?"

[Dejibo]

I say lying comes back to bite you 99% of the time and to mis-represent yourself intentionally can lead to automatic dismissal later on. If you are going to lie, make it a lie of omission. Just dont tell them you have MS or cognitive issues. or you can wait to be fired from your current job and collect unemployement yes? This will give you pay while you search for work.

I would reccomend talking to your current boss or bosses. Explain to them what is going on. the ADA says that they MUST provide accomodations for you. They may be able to hire an assitant for you, or find computer programs to help you keep track, or even someone from the MS society may be able to come teach you better work habits. This way you wouldnt lose out on your paycheck, current job and would be able to keep up.

If you are so fed up you simply want to jump ship then be prepared to answer why you left a high position and want one lower on the ladder. A quick explaination of the stressors of the higher level rungs on the ladder is usually enough to elicit sympathy from others without having to play the MS card.

Either way I wish you luck. its so hard to keep working in a spot that you feel overwhelmed in, and when bosses or co workers start pushing it doesnt help.

[mochagirl13]

Originally Posted by Catch

I've been really struggling for the past year at my legal secretary job. Boith of my bosses now complain about a general decline in my work, I can't take the stress and have even had loud spats with a couple of office mates.

I'm scared, depressed, and my ego is crushed. I know some of this is just PMS and I'll feel better in a couple of days,but it does not change the fact that the complaints about my work are true.

I can't remember what happened with a certain client, I mix them up in my head, bringing my boss the Smith file when he asked for Jones. I make changes to documents but when I print the document, the changes are not there. (Makes me feel like I halucinated making the changes.) I forget I printed something, then print it again, forget, and then wonder what I'm doing with four copies!

A disability claim in So Cal can take more than a year to process from what I understand, and you have to already be out of work for 5 months before they'll even consider your claim. The thing is I can still do a job like mine, but not in law or where my cognitive issues could cause some real problems.

I'm resigned to looking for a less stressful and demanding job, maybe closer to home. I'm also looking at a minimum $5,000 a year drop in pay, if not significantly more. Still, working would be better than not, as no one can live on disability.

So, do I dumb down my resume, or how do I explain why I want to take on less responsibility, not more? Maybe get out of office administration and into something new, but I have no idea how to highlight my skills in any other setting.

Any websites, guidance is appreciated. For free, please, I can find a zillion "Career Coaches" who will help me, but I'm not an MD picking a new career, just a lowly secretary, one of the lower middle class.

I feel your pain. I was in school to be a teacher when I was diagnosed but I have dropped out. I finished all but 9 hours for a Master's and student teaching is my next step. I dropped out and think that I can not handle a classroom of fifth or sixth graders. I am currently an office administrator.

I spoke with my manager when I was diagnosed and he was very understanding. Maybe a less demanding position is what you need but they would get the added bonus of you being able to do more than the job calls for. I am overqualified for my current job on paper but I do so much more and I think that is why the manager hired me.

[Catch]

I have spoken with JAN about this before, and my bosses have made concessions. I've had cognitive testing and training. I don't want to lie to any potential employer, but I really need to know if I'll be able to handle a particular job. When I say I have a stressful job, you have an idea, but what is stressful? Everyone's stress level is different. I guess that's when I sell my house and go on disability, and try to sell nose mittens on Etsy.

[Blessings2You]

"nose mittens on Etsy".... I like your style.

[SallyC]

Good luck and good wishes with your decision..

[NeuroNixed Craig]

I understand exactly where you're coming from and trying to go right now with your career. I had been doing organ transplantation for five years and was so burned out due to the stress and rotating hours I wasn't even aware of it. Not to mention I didn't realize at that time my disease symptoms had started to affect my work.

In that business it doesn't take a very important or big mistake to actually kill someone due to oversight. I walked away with no job prospects in sight vowing to find a less stressful position.

I didn't know how to rework my resume and people were very gun shy believing if I found something better than what I was applying for I would be out the door in a heartbeat. No one could understand why I was trying to cut back and I realized that is really not the type of person most businesses are looking for, but just the opposite.

I took a $15,000 a year cut in pay and damn my work ethic, produced well in excess of my compensation putting myself right back into the stressed out situation. I again made a change to another position making up and exceeding the income cut by another $8,000. Luckily the company was small, family run, very accommodating right through to my total disability.

Short answer, is yes, dumb down the actual resume and go from there. Don't attempt to explain your "why" as people just don't/won't get it and think the worst of you with great suspicion. Good luck though and let us know how this works out for you.