Covid job loss - Let's rewrite our story for empathy than sympathy

What I am writing could possibly be a controversial topic. Let us agree to disagree with valid points in comments and your counter posts

Context: I see a lot of #jobseekers posts in my timeline because my connections try helping everyone who is looking for new opportunity. Most of these posts (in my humble opinion) are using Negative tone and a positive tone. I feel, most use to touch the sympathy nerve than the empathy nerve to get better results. Let's discuss what I mean by this

Note: if you find, my context itself from a non understanding of human behavior, please don't move forward. Navigate away

Pre-Covid era

People used to ask for references and help with their network using a similar script like

Hi connection, Due to various reasons I am looking for a new job. Would it be possible to refer me to the job openings in your organization so that I can get that new job.

This tone of message is perfectly ok because it clearly says that person wants to have a job.

In 2014, when I was looking for a new job, I did sent an email to all my linkedin connections using similar script detailing what I am looking for. This was effective because of 100 connections I sent, about 40 responded to me by asking further clarifying questions and options that they have. Some sent to their network which further helped me in landing a job.

POST-COVID era

Today, if we look at the request for help most of the scripts that people use are about invoking sympathy than empathy. Most in my timeline starts like this

I lost my job due to COVID-19 and it's been a month now, NO Interview calls. It's being tough to handle financial problem being a single earning source for my family.

or

now, i am cracking my heads to  find ways to feed my family as i am the sole breadwinner to feed 4 young hungry mouths

These were say during the start of the pandemic. Now the scripts are changing more towards the usage of deaths in family as leverage.

A friend of mine lost her father due to covid and she was not even allowed to see her father for last time.

and

left job in 2018 mid due to his father's bad health condition

Yes, these posts are making everyone to feel for the person and trying to help. Emotions is a great motivation factor and that's the reason great product marketers use soo much of emotion in their ads. So, there is no wrong in saying your current situation. However, is using sympathy as a path to evoke response?

Some even go to level of accusing people for not liking/commenting.

What I noticed in most of these posts was missing elements like

1. lack of what's best they can bring to table
2. What have they done till now
3. How did they equip themselves for the next opportunity

These are somethings which the organizations look for.

being out of job for couple of months is never a problem if there is a valid reason / upskilling is found during that period

Everyone of us have our personal problems. My friend Anubhav Sinha says,

It is not about being transparent, it is about with whom you want to be transparent

We do need friends and others to support us in this period.

Writing our backstory to evoke empathy.

Dear All,

I am <Name>, I lost my job due to COVID-19 and it's been a month now, waiting for Interview calls that would open the next opportunity

I am seeking for your #helpinghand in this time who can refer me to hiring manager of <your organization / organization name> so to help me to get that interview calls. 

Following is my credentials and what i had achieved in my previous experience. 

1. Point 1

2. Point 2

.

.

.

n. Point n

in order to understand the job functions better, I am also equiping myself with 

1. learning item 1

2. Learning item 2

.

.

.

so on.

I can provide my Resume to you for better understanding. Please do provide your email address in comments / in dm so that i can send you my resume for further discussion. 

I can also be contacted at 

Email:

Phone: 

Other social media: 

Note- If you don't have any vacancies, please do like, comment or share. so that your connection may see it and help me to get the desired Job.

Why I feel above template is better?

It helps your connection to understand your efforts and give a chance to understand you better in a professional setup.

Being Vulnerable is great. #BeingVulnerable is about accepting what you don't know, your mistakes, your learning etc. I found some great Positive way of writing their story online.

The Best one I came across was this one that everyone would love it. Read through. It is concise, well written and what he can bring to the table and a positive story with a dash of fun.

It is my personal experience that emotions evoke response but empathy evoke actions. Emotion evoke your connection to comment for better reach, but empathy evoke action by providing email ids speak to hiring managers and schedule interviews.

I did loose my job in COVID period and it is my connections took my resume spoke to their hiring managers shared their personal feedback about me and convinced the managers for interviews.

My journey is no less than yours. for about 3 weeks my only task was to apply every job related to agile coach and sr. scrum master in linkedin, hirist, iimjobs and many others. Linkedin and hirist was giving me more results and Naukri and monster are waste of time. Will write about it later.

Your network can do amazing things. But it is our duty to not use sympathy while connecting with them.

What I can do to help you?

Sending Email to your connections

As I told in my experience of sending email to connection in 2014, I didn't do that as individual email. I was a software engineer during that time and wrote a .Net program that takes a xml file of linkedin contacts and process a hardcoded template for personalization and send that email using my gmail id.

Pro: Can send upto 500 email from one account

Cons: The code is hardcoded which is never updated. You need c# knowledge & VS 2017 to edit and make it work

help: I can send using your email id (lets discuss if u want)

Resume Building

A resume is a key component in this total process. I am not an expert but a basic knowledge guy who drafted my own resume (had help from some friends)/ Can help you with that.

Pros: Can help you write your resume, can provide feedback on your resume and help with skeleton of the resume

Cons: not a professional resume writer.

If you are interested in discussing further, just message me at [email protected] with subject: "Linkedin: Sea - <your subject>