It’s been a little over a month since I was employed. I didn’t immediately start looking for work. In fact, I wanted to do some soul-searching. This is my opportunity to find my dream job and I have the luxury of being able to hold out for it, thanks to my immensely supportive family.
The process of introspection has lead to a career and life focus that I’ve needed and know is necessary to find my dream position. After reading a couple of personality books (checkout my LinkedIn profile to see the list), I realized a part of my character yearns to help people!
This wasn’t a terrible surprise. After all, I take a sense of pride in helping friends and coworkers start off on the path of, if not attain, what they set out to achieve professionally.
With this refined knowledge, I’ve continued my genuine quest to help my fellow man or woman find work and grow. In fact, my earlier post today was for a project manager position I’ve come across in my meetings with various folks and former employers. Before the post, late last night I sent out an email to a handful of close friends and previous co-workers as well as post to a closed networking group with 50+ active members. As a result, I received five responses in less than 12 hours. One of the responses came just minutes after my post!
The pleasure I received from speaking with these folks and prepping them for a potential interview, knowing full well that I potentially had a hand in their professional and financial well-being, gave me great joy. I wont’ receive any financial or professional benefit from it. In fact, the motivation to make the announcement was to help my friends with the position find the best candidate, while helping someone else land that position. I was delighted just to hear the excitement and thanks.
The point of all of this is quite simple: I hope you’ll do the same if not more than what I’ve done. Make a genuine effort to help someone every day. What I’m asking you to do is something more than forwarding a job listing or information you receive on the phone. Take that extra step. Meet the people you’ll refer and the employer, if you can. Do some of the leg work and research the company as well as the people. It takes a couple of hours out of your life, but your efforts will leave a lasting impression, not to mention create good luck for all around.
It’s simple, really. You just have to take that first step.
I could not have said it any better. Paying it forward is not a quick fix, but a life long commitment. During my transition I also reached out to offer help to others and met a lot of people at several Starbucks. Some of the people that reacted to my post actually became good friends. You will see it is amazing what happens, when you decide not think straight away what is in it for me.
Sven