Reach Out

I was reading an opinion piece by a small business owner the other day, and afterwards I girded my loins and read the comments. I usually go out of my way to avoid reading comments, because life is too short to seek out haters, but I was feeling kinda feisty.  I found one comment in particular fascinating; the writer, long unemployed, said that in our “newly” class-conscious America, the unemployed were going to remember which individuals and companies had treated them badly, and not patronize them or their business anymore and in fact start doing everything at home, on their own. One woman even wrote that she’d be framing her own pictures from now on. (Testify, my sister!) 

Um. Okay. First of all, let me make it a hundred, no a thousand percent clear that I have nothing but empathy for people who are unemployed, who have seen their previous way of life gutted. To be unemployed is to feel you have lost not only your lifestyle, but your independence, your value, your friends, etc. We live in a society in which the unemployed are treated like lepers, like third-class citizens, in which it’s easier to discuss being diagnosed with cancer than to admit you’ve lost your job. So, I don’t blame people for being angry. If being angry is going to make people demand long-overdue and necessary changes to our socio-political climate, bring. It. On! (Grrr!)

On the other hand, the idea that any one person can do everything on his or her own, that you don’t need society, that you’re going to punish society…seriously? No one ever did anything on her own.  That’s just one of those popular fictions that we all pretend to believe, like Jennifer Lopez is no longer a soul-sucking diva or that Madonna is totally fine, totally at peace with aging. (Ha.) We live in an time wherein life and opportunity is dictated by social media and our connectivity to each other.…but some people think they can ignore all that and live entirely on their own? Okay, enjoy churning your butter and sewing your own clothes, and I suppose bartering for whatever other goods you need. The cats and I will remain in…well, I suppose Queens technically counts as a form of civilization. I’m going to keep reaching out to others to help improve their lives and, at the same time, my own.  

Listening to WNYC this am (I'm sure that some people instantly stopped reading after "WNYC"...ha!), and  Brian Lehrer covered the infuriating practice of employment ads making it clear that the unemployed will not be considered for positions. The host asked journalist Catherine Rampbell, who has been covering this story for the New York Times, if, when she interviewed HR people, she wasn't tempted to ask if their actions weren't, in some way, unpatriotic. Which, given the state of the country, is an interesting point. How is it helping our country to have all these people unemployed, who otherwise could be contributing to their communities, etc.?
But Catherine Rampbell had a very valid reply: when companies post ads saying only the currently-employed will be considered, they're not doing it to be cruel. From the companies' point of view, it makes perfect sense: they only want to hire people who will make them profitable. People who will be a good long-term investment for them. So, are they stereotyping all unemployed people? Of course. Are they arbitrarily assigning degrees of values to humans? Yep. But successful job-seekers will understand this, and plan their job hunt accordingly.
You must keep your skills current and market them accordingly to what the market wants, not what you think the market should want. This isn't really about you, it's about how are going to fill a need. (In a sense, it's like the difference between a small business and a hobby: a hobby is about what the owner wants, a business is about what the client needs.) You went to a prestigious college or university? Fantastic: use all of those alumni connections to find out about opportunities and get in the door...but then you'll have to have something tangible to sell, besides the fact of your graduation.
You know, and I know, that you have fundamental, intrinsic value simply because you are a unique human being. If necessary, write that down on a post-it note and put it above your desk, next to a great photo of yourself. Look at that whenever you start to feel down. You're fantastic and you deserve a great job...so, how are you going to demonstrate all the value you bring to the table and get that job?
Job-hunting is about what you, and all your skills, your background, your experience and your connections will add to any particular business. And that's nothing personal, it's just business. That seems a little cold-blooded, right? Maybe, but once you understand it... you can make it work for you.
Here's a link to the WNYC piece: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2011/aug/01/unemployed-need-not-apply/