Dealing with a Job Loss Due to a Gambling Addiction

Man struggling with gambling addiction

Contributor: Jane McGuire, BS, Executive Assistant for Eating Disorder Hope and Addiction Hope

An addiction to gambling may have far-reaching consequences. One such consequence can be the loss of employment due to the addiction.

Job Loss

dollar bills and change on a tableDealing with the loss of a job can be difficult. Not only can this affect you personally, it may have an impact on your family as well. If you are the primary or secondary breadwinner for your household, others may be impacted by your unemployment.

The first step in addressing this issue is to seek help for your addiction. This is crucial, if the cause of the job loss, in this case, is due the addiction itself, simply finding another job will not address the root of the problem. The addiction must be addressed first.

Seek help from a trained professional. Look for help by finding a treatment center or therapist that has a gambling addiction focus is important. Seek support groups in your community where you may obtain a sponsor who will help you become accountable.

Share your addiction story with a trusted family member or loved one that can support your recovery and encourage you along the way.

Looking for a Job

Your next step is addressing the employment issue. One avenue that helps supplement your income is unemployment. Go to your local state employment office and complete the steps for obtaining unemployment. They may require you to complete testing to discover where your skills may be best utilized.

It is recommended to complete this testing; it helps the agency with placing you in a position that is a better fit for you. They will often times work closely with local businesses seeking staff and new businesses coming into the area.

Guy with head on deskThe businesses will contract with the employment agency and then the employment agency staff will be able to choose applicants that have the skills the business is desiring.

This may be an opportunity for you to get your foot in a door that would not be open to public applications.

The employment office will have requirements for you to seek work during the week and report in on a weekly basis.

It’s important for you to maintain these routines and check in as instructed, this will allow you to maintain your unemployment payments as long as you are eligible.

Employment Programs

Often times addictions are associated with a mental health diagnosis. If this is the case in your situation you may qualify for assistance through a Department of Human Services program called Vocational Rehabilitation.

Vocational Rehabilitation works with individuals who have barriers to employment and helps provide them with assistance in obtaining employment. This is a great program for those eligible. Call the office in your local area and request information on eligibility and requirements.

Speak to the temporary employment agencies in your area as well. A temporary placement in a position could lead to a permanent placement once the employer sees what an asset you are to their organization. Stay focused and do your best, it could lead to an offer down the road.

Business people waiting for job interviewJob preparation and resumes are important! Resumes tell the story of the individual seeking employment and are worth the time it takes to put one together.

If you are working with the employment agency, ask for tips and have them review your completed product.

Often times your local office will have resume and interviewing classes to help you prepare to seek and obtain employment.

Search for resume examples online, choose one that best fits your situation and then begin to tell the story of your employment history, your qualifications and why you should be hired.

Use spell check to make sure everything is accurate. Read your resume aloud to make sure your sentence structure flows well. Have a trusted friend review your resume and give you constructive criticism on what updates should be made and make them.

Prepare for the interview as well. There are a number of sites that provide information on interviewing. They provide sample questions and advice on how to sell your skills to an employer to get the job.

Once you have completed the job preparation, print your completed resume on nice paper and place it in a plastic covered folder to protect it from weather and wrinkling. Take your resume to places where you are interested in working, ask to hand deliver it to the manager.

If you are unable to meet with the manager that day, drop your resume off with a smile and check back in a couple of days. Consider stopping in or calling weekly to check the status of your resume and application. The follow through and initiative that you show will demonstrate to the employer your level of interest.

Remember to let your friends know that you are looking for employment. Ask them if they know of anyone who is hiring. Word of mouth and networking are a great way to get your foot in the door. Keep your chin up, stay focused on your recovery and know that you can overcome this time! You’ve got this!

 


Jane McGuireAbout the author: Jane McGuire is the Executive Assistant for Jacquelyn Ekern, Founder of Eating Disorder Hope and Addiction Hope. Jane graduated from Eastern Oregon University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business. Jane believes that everyone has a story of trial, that when shared, can be used to benefit and encourage someone else who is struggling to find hope and direction.


The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of addictions. These are not necessarily the views of Addiction Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Addiction Hope understand that addictions result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an addiction, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on January 11, 2016
Published on AddictionHope.com

About Baxter Ekern

Baxter Ekern is the Vice President of Ekern Enterprises, Inc. He contributed and helped write a major portion of Addiction Hope and is responsible for the operations of the website.