Recovery, the Lifehacking Version

Lifehack that thing, Seriously..

One thing I love to do with colleagues and clients in Recovery is help them to think outside the box about how to put their life back in order. There's the crap everybody knows-Don't Use, Get a bank account, Don't carry cash unless you need to, Don't go to the package store to by groceries, Get a job, etc. All these are good things, but you have to plan around them and honestly, the whole “Just go look for work” thing is played out. Sometimes, you need to think differently then the standard line sold to you by case managers or others. Dependency on your Case Manager, or PO, or Social Worker isn't going to get you far. If I had a dime for everyone who told me how horridly unprepared and disorganized their Case Manager is, I'd be rich by now. “But, I thought my Case Manager was supposed to help me get my ID, and a JOB, and an Apartment!” you protest, stammering in shock. Well, I have yet to see that happen besides, maybe on the rare occasion, someone actually does the work to help you get the ID. The other part? Yeah.. I don't think so. Case Managers are usually somewhat trained, underpaid, and often given caseloads that make giving everyone their full effort and attention nearly impossible. If you are in a caseload with 40 other people, and you are number 41, that means you are vying for help with 40 other people as desperate as you are, all with varying needs. While High Intensity level Case Management has been statistically proven to reduce chronic homelessness and lead to better outcomes, consider the sobering fact that just at DV shelters, they are about 156% over capacity nationally, on average. Again: CASE MANAGERS ARE NOT MIRACLE WORKERS.. DON'T TREAT THEM AS SUCH!

Recovery is hard enough. Rebuilding? That honestly Just SUCKS.. SERIOUSLY. It's hard, messy work, and often getting bad advice doesn't help it get any less sucky. So many people come out of rehabs, detox, or prison not having a single person who has told them how to do things like balance a checkbook, or get a Gmail account, or network online. A guy the other day wanted me to walk with him to places he wanted to apply because he thought it would help if he told me “This is my coach, he can vouch for me”. Sorry Man.. doesn't work that way.. you're an adult now. Instead, I told him a few places I know that are hiring and a place that trains and pays it's trainees to learn construction trades and work in the field. Some people I know have gotten decent contract jobs with local builders or road repair crews, though I haven't been able to utilize this organization myself. Thinking about a hard reset on life, Here's some lifehacking tips I have used myself or seen work for people:

1. If you are able to, get on Linkedin. You may think you are not “Professional” enough to use this site, but honestly it's one of the BEST tools to network your way into a job and look more polished. Get a good shirt and have a friend take your photo so it doesn't look like a selfie. If your last job was in prison as a cook, you can put your tagline as “Food Service professional seeking to advance my passion for cooking”. In my case, my headline notes my certification and passion for fighting addiction. I went from being a formerly incarcerated person with no connections to having conversations with lots of professional people and well over 1,200 followers. Post content relative to your niche in groups and just to your network, use the #openforwork hashtag, and engage with other users.

2. Delete any Social Media posts from your IG or other media that show you drinking, using gang signs, wearing anything with questionable slogans or jargon, smoking, or political stuff. Make your accounts friends only. If you DO plan on using IG openly, make a separate professional account and use it as if you are a CEO influencer-Keep it strictly aimed at your professional skills.

3. Don't go to Job fairs-This advice is actually not how people get work in 2026. Job fairs are OK for getting info, not for convincing someone from the front office to take your resume and call you. Nobody takes resumes from you at job fairs anymore. I went to one and all they wanted me to do was sign a clipboard with my info or take a flyer with a QR code. Nobody talked to me.. they didn't have the time, nor did they care. Instead? Fill out applications, go to places you know are hiring or might be and talk to them, talk to people you know about your skills, and please.. please.. GET A RESUME. I don't care if you have ChatGPT write it for you. You want to be taken seriously? Carry a resume with you.

4. Get whatever training you can, whether it's a CDL, ServeSafe for food service, OSHA 10, Coding, etc. The economy is rough for those with no real education or measurable skills. Certifications also show you are competent and motivated, shedding the “lazy junkie” stereotype and proving you to be hardworking and dependable.

5. This is a big one, but if you don't have references, use a Church pastor/Rabbi/Imam/etc, someone at AA/NA, or anyone who can speak to your character. Don't use their name without their consent. Create a template for what you want them to address, bring it to them, and ask if they will create a reference letter or act as a reference for you. If so, DON'T put them on your Resume, simply note in emails or calls or on an application that you will provide “References upon request”. References are GREAT ways to help combat stereotypes. I have 3 people I use for references, and in at least one case, the employer DID call them. They might never call, but being prepared in case they do is key. Usually the more professional level a job is, the more References are expected.

Reentry classes sometimes teach this stuff, but not hardly. I have NEVER heard of a class that told people you use Linkedin, nor how to network for a job. I've never heard of a case manager tell someone how to write a cover letter, or to make copies of a resume, and that's a shame. The more you do the things other people are NOT willing to do to get work, get stability, and build a career, the faster you will get where you want. Those people who walk around the Sober House trying to look busy while sleeping in or hanging out in the park all day because they can't stay at the Sober House until curfew time? Yeah.. you know the type and they are going NOWHERE FAST. The people who get where they want to go are the people who are metaphorically driving the car, not waiting for the bus to come. Who will you be? Driver or Passenger?