Hi Cici415, Hope your recovery from the accident is going well and doesn't leave you with residual pain or disability. Brushes with our own mortality can sometimes help us see clearly what is important to us... and how precious our time on this planet is.
Congratulations on moving forward with your life, including preparing for career advancement, and especially on making it to the point where you feel ready to transition!
Some people who intend to spend a great deal of time (or the rest of their career!) at one employer will wait to go to work for that particular employer until after they have transitioned, because they want to enjoy the experience of being "just a woman" or "just a man" to the people that they work with there.
I already loved the company I was working for, and considered my coworkers friends, so I carefully came out, and transitioned, in the company where I worked the previous 9 years. So far it has been great for me, so I don't intend to leave. Of course, many people aren't so fortunate and end up losing their job due to direct discrimination, or have to quit due to harassment.
I wouldn't recommend putting off re-entering the workforce - jobs are precious, good jobs more so. I would recommend being chosey if you can, and pick an employer that is more likely to be supportive of your transitioning or at least provide a safe and non-harassy environment.
Some but not all transitioning people find the early parts of transition somewhat awkward, and can encounter serious and severe (though sometimes subtle) discrimination when it comes to hiring. So it is better to be employed (so they already know what you can do for them and already formed their opinion of your value to their company, and where you may already have some friends and allies) than to try to find work while your presentation is under construction, when their conscious or unconscious prejudices may make them averse to hiring you.
This is just my opinion and experience. Every one's situation (and location!) is unique.
