As anyone who looks at my About Me page will know, I’m looking for work. This is obviously a full-time job as it is, searching for leads, attempting to network through LinkedIn, as well as attending as many networking events as I can fit into my schedule.
So why start a blog? Why spend time, significant time, writing and compiling articles, etc., when I also need to be searching for openings, networking in, applying, and all the things that a person who is looking for work needs to do?
First and foremost, as a Conservative Jew, I believe in Tikkun Olam – literally, “healing the world”. If an article I post helps someone, if an essay of mine touches a hiring manager and gets them to hire someone… then I have done a small, small thing in helping make the world a better place. For example, check out my aggregates of articles related to job searching:
https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/tag/aggregate/
And my JOBS in New England compilations:
https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/tag/new-england/
Second, it’s an insight into my character for possible hiring managers and HR people to see: I help people. More importantly, I help people without hope of direct reward because it’s the right thing to do.
Third, I like to write. This gives me a venue to do so and hopefully help people at the same time. This has the added benefit of not only showing that I can write engagingly – unlike many engineers – but that I have a mind that quests beyond engineering to other things… showing intellectual breadth. My original essays are here.
Lastly, I post pictures, puns, and quotes to provide a bit of levity.
In a presentation I have developed and gave at Acton Networkers recently – about networking to find work – I challenged people to help others in a pay-it-forward way.
- If you’re on a company’s website anyway – copy-and-post/forward the leads to groups you are in, or individuals you know who could use the info.
- If you pass by an industrial park, write down the names of the companies there and post/forward them.
- If you find a useful article, ditto.
All these things are not just good things to do, but they put credits in your networking “bank account” against which you can draw when you have a specific need. I challenge you to spend 30 minutes a day healing the world.
Shalom. (Peace.)
David Hunt, PE... Mechanical Engineer on the loose! 
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I love your paragraph on networking; “…help others in a pay-it-forward way.” and the ideas that follow. You have put into words what I believe most networkers do, but alas don’t realize they are doing it.
Thank you Lisa!
I enjoyed learning about Tikkun Olam. I have always believed in the ‘pay it forward’ concept and try to mindfully practice it in daily routines and involvement with non-profits doing good works as well as my participation with the Granite State Forward campaign. Thank you David for your blogs that always give me some new thought to ponder as well as for all your work with the Temple Emmanuel networking group.
Shalom, shalom
Bernadette Halloran
Thank you for your kind words, Bernadette!! If my article aggregates and job postings help someone, fantastic. If my articles inspire someone to change their thinking for the better, again fantastic.
Hi David, thank you so much for your blog. I is very heartening to someone like me who has been on the sidelines of the corporate world (self-employed as a freelance editor) for many years, then relatively abruptly clientless and feeling squeezed out of the job market while approaching 50 – not a happy situation. Your ability to stay positive is very much appreciated.
Never, never. never give up.
I think the fact that so many things are wrong with the recruitment process puts intelligent driven professionals who can consider the a-z of a business as having a strong advantage. I think the same applies for being self employed..
A wonderful philosophy. I just discovered your blog, I look forward to reading more.
Thank you so much. I have several essays in progress, including a second iteration of “Show Me the Stupid”.
David
Very great post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wished to say that I have truly enjoyed
surfing around your blog posts. In any case I will be subscribing
in your feed and I am hoping you write again very soon!
A wonderful post, David. Couldn’t agree more with whatever you’ve written here. I’ve been feeling down for a while and wasn’t able to help myself. Then I said that let me try and do good to others at least. That might help them and give me some satisfaction too. In the last seven months, I helped three people get good job offers after I helped improve their resumes and Linkedin profiles. Additionally, I started putting some startup ideas on my Linkedin account as well on my blog, hoping that somebody will like the idea and take off from there. Obviously, I cannot be a part of all the startup ideas anyway.
I’m now working on a startup idea that could get me involved and could give me the much-needed sense of fulfilment that I need to live in this world. I can see that you’re a very capable man. You will certainly get the opportunity that you’re waiting for. Sometimes waiting is the correct thing to do.
Respectfully,
Alok
David,
Almost 24 months ago, I participated in a survey entitled “Why Men and Women Stay in Engineering” (http://insight.ieeeusa.org/insight/content/policy/67866). You should have received an invitation to participate too. Apparently, the report has yet to be published. I’m wondering how mendacious it will be when it finally appears.
Also, you once said, “I’ve had more than a few people tell me that they can’t figure out why a person with my background and accomplishments is still not employed.” I’ve been told pretty much the same thing by more than one person. I’ll never forget the time a very nice headhunter — I think he was based in Wisconsin — said, “I can’t figure out why you’re not getting offers.”
Omar Schmidlap