Excuse me. May I have a minute of your time?

[H]i, My name is Daniel and I’m a user experience designer with a decade of experience. I love the work I do, I’m pretty good at it and I’m an all around good guy.

I’m also an unemployed designer and have been looking for work in my field for almost 6 months. I’ve shown up for hour-long phone and in-person interviews for graphic design based positions with more than 7 different companies over the last 3 months. I’ve also applied to several local car wash stores, supermarkets and local small business stores in my area, while I continue to interview and apply to jobs in my field. It’s been quite the process for these positions too.

Last December I was faced with two major life choices, die or call for help. I chose to get help and I checked myself into rehab for depression and alcohol abuse. Prior to seeking treatment, I was living a lie. I wasn’t honest with my family, friends, co-workers, employers and most importantly myself. Although I continued to produce good work during the day, at night I isolated from the world and I drank to deal with my depression, which only made matters worst. Eventually, my addiction became noticeable to friends, family and even co-workers. I had some personal issues that I ignored and I masked them with work and alcohol multiplied by the fact that I convinced myself alcohol was the best way to handle my depression. I was not at peace. I was dying inside, I was heartbroken and full of pain. I couldn’t continue living with myself under those conditions and I really didn’t want to end my life. I sought a better solution. I dropped everything: work, surface level relationships, some commitments and, more so that I could enter treatment in Florida, to be honest with myself and get the help I need to live the life I was created to live. I can’t be fully present to family, friends, employers, co-workers, anyone or anything unless I was honest with myself first and stop running from myself.

Although deciding to seek treatment in Florida has been mostly very beneficial to my mental and physical well-being it has taken a huge toll on my ability to get back into the workforce and begin creating and building again.

I’m better off now that I went to treatment! I still have work I need to do on myself but I have the help and tools I need to move forward with my life and my promise now. Since this is true, it’s also true that I have more to offer employers and teammates now. I’m able to think more clearly now.

I felt that I could only come clear to others about some of the personal issues after being honest with myself first. That said, I apologize to all those I’ve let down and/or disappointed during my time of struggle. The thought of letting you guys down was one of the hardest decisions I had to make before going to treatment.

I’m dealing with the results of my decision to come to treatment right now more than any other time since I’ve been out of treatment.

I still have a lot to offer creatively and I’m in a much better place now. I’ve never used LinkedIn for anything like this before. If you or anyone you know are looking for a talented and experienced user experience designer, please contact me at info@danielbrooksmoore.com or (267) 975-6826.

Feel free to learn more about me and view my work: www.danielbrooksmoore.com.

Thank you for reading, for your help and to all those who have reached out to me already.

Sincerely,

Daniel Brooks Moore.
(Originally posted by me on LinkedIn)