Finding the right career for you is important, especially as someone with a bleeding or blood disorder. It’s important to think about what interests you, what your talents are, and what excites you. It is also important to think about the type of environment that is right and safe for you. In this section, you will find helpful tips for finding a career that fits you no matter your age.
At this stage of life, you may be just starting to explore career interests or you could be working your first part time job. You may even be starting your first full time job on your career pathway. Getting experience on the job to see what you like and don’t like is a good way to help narrow your interests.
Learn more about Exploring Different Careers.
If you are in college, it might be helpful to visit your career center early. At the career center you use their resources. These resources include support in selecting your academic major, job and internship search help, and resume and cover letter advice. If you are not in school, or you would just like more information, there are a number of resources online and in the Step Out section on Your Career Search.
One thing to remember is that there is a range of careers that could be a good fit for you. Also, what might be a great fit for you today might not be a good fit for you later in your life.As you begin your job or career search, you may want to ask yourself:
- What type of job will make me feel happy and fulfilled?
- What type of physical demands will I face in the workplace?
- Will my bleeding or blood disorder affect my career choice?
Will the type of work you do place stress on your joints or body? Could you get hurt? You can think about how likely it will be that your job creates a target joint or makes one worse. Think about how you will move your body to complete your daily tasks. Ask yourself if this job makes you sit at a desk or will you be standing all day.
You may also want to think about how the amount of physical activity you do at work will affect your time outside of work. If you have a very active job, you may feel tired or feel strained when you're not at work. Think about the activities you enjoy in your free time. Will your job affect you being physically able to enjoy these activities?
When assessing a job, consider the benefits. This includes monetary benefits, such as health or life insurance, promotion, saving plans, and vacations. Think about whether this job offers ways to grow your career.
Find out if the company you want to work for offers health insurance plans to its employees and what the coverage is like. Be aware that not all employers offer insurance, and that benefits can differ greatly from one health plan to the next. If you do end up working in a job that offers insurance, you cannot be denied coverage based on the high treatment costs of your disorder. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) states that an individual cannot be excluded from employer group health insurance because of a medical condition.
For more information on what to look for in an insurance plan, please go to Health Insurance: Options and Types.
What Is HIPAA?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a law that helps people with a health problem that they had before they got new health insurance (called pre-existing conditions) still get insurance coverage. Currently under HIPAA, you cannot be denied insurance coverage based on a pre-existing condition if your insurance coverage before has not run out for more than 63 days. If you have had a break in your insurance coverage, insurance companies can exclude you from coverage because of your pre-existing condition.
For more information on HIPPA, click here.
No matter what type of job you start out with, it’s likely that as you gain more knowledge and skills, you will want to move forward in your career. This can look like taking on more responsibility and earning a higher salary. You may want to see what professional development opportunities are offered by the companies you are interested in joining. Some workplaces offer mentoring programs that pair up new employees with the more established and experienced company employees. Some make conferences, seminars, and training available. Some may even offer educational benefits that cover the cost of classes at a college or other institution.
In addition to career development opportunities, you may be interested in whether the company offers any financial benefits. For example, after you work somewhere for a certain length of time, your employer might add to investment or retirement accounts.
These may not be important factors when you decide to take a job. However, the more information you gather and assess, the better your decision will be.
For people with bleeding disorders, the physical work environment can be a help or a challenge. The work environment can greatly impact overall quality of life.
Here are some of the working options that may be available to you:
Some companies allow working from home or working from a location outside of the office. If this option is available to you, you may find that it’s convenient to work from home. At home you can store your supplies and use your blood or bleeding disorder medicine easily. However, you may miss out on the teamwork and social interaction you get from being onsite in the workplace.
Working in an office allows for easy contact with coworkers. In an office you can access office supplies, printers, copy machines, and other tools you may need to complete your job. If you need to use your blood or bleeding disorder medication while in the workplace, you will need to think about how to store your supplies and where you will be able to use your medication.
In these settings you may want to think about what type of machinery you will be using. Think about the risk of injury and the amount of physical activity that will be required. There may be ways for you to make a job in this setting work well for you. If you work in a warehouse, for example, you might be able to drive a forklift instead of bending and lifting items on your own.
The military has strict medical requirements that must be met to enlist. All branches of the military follow the Medical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction in the Military Services. These standards ensure that everyone serving in the military is both free of disease and medically capable of performing all duties.
Bleeding disorders do not meet the health standard, and the military will not accept someone with a bleeding disorder.1
For more information about choosing the right career for you, please go to Your Career Search in Step Out.
- U.S. Department of Defense. (2022, November 16). DOD Instruction 6130.03, Volume 1 Medical Standards for Military Service: Appointment, Enlistment or Induction. Executive Services Directorate Washington Headquarters Services. Retrieved February 10, 2023, from https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/613003_vol1.PDF?ver=7fhqacc0jGX_R9_1iexudA%3D%3D