How Shall We Grow Up?

How Shall We Grow Up?

I’m an experienced, older worker. I’m very good at what I do. It seems that there is still a need for my talents. I’m in a job search. As others have noted, it can be excruciatingly slow, with lots of ups and lots of downs. Mostly it feels like there are more downs than ups.

Job search can be hard. There are a lot of talented people in a competitive market. There is a lot of conflicting advice on how, what, where and when to do search activities. Regardless, there are no easy answers, no shortcuts. Unless you get lucky, job search is a grind.

Technology is changing job search. We can get AI to write resumes and cover letters. We can use job boards to push job postings to us. We can use search engines to research opportunities. We can use social media to broadcast availability, demonstrate competence, and find connections to help us land jobs.

We can follow up with recruiters. We can attend networking and industry events. We can meet old friends and new acquaintances for lunch, coffee, or happy hour.

We can ask for help. There are a lot of great, caring compassionate people that are willing and able to help. It’s not hard to find (or be) a mentor.

How Shall We Grow Up?

But what should we not do? What are some of the energy zappers that suck the living joy out of the platform?

It’s easy to blame someone, something, some group of people for our woes.

It feels good to vent our frustrations in the open, where others may feel the same way and jump on the same bandwagon.

It may have short-term emotional benefits for the venter and those in strong agreement, but the community suffers in the long-term.

I get it that people have some bad experiences that turn into baggage.

I get it that there are unscrupulous people that try to take advantage of us.

I get it that we are targeted for service offerings we don’t need and don’t want.

I get it that there are people at all different levels of skill and maturity.

I get it that there are a lot of posts and advertisements to navigate through to get to the gold.

There is a lot of zigs and zags along the way.

How Shall We Grow Up?

What ever happened to common, professional courtesy?

What ever happened to the benefit of the doubt?

What ever happened to live and let live?

What ever happened to agreeing to disagree in an agreeable manner?

What ever happened to empathy and empathetic listening?

What ever happened to healthy debate, discussion, and discourse?

What ever happened to compassion?

I don’t have to step on someone else to be recognized, noticed, affirmed.

I am comfortable in my own skin, with my own track record.? Is my track record perfect? No, but it’s pretty darn good.

It concerns me when I see posts filled with negativity. It concerns me when I see posts that construe one negative experience with a whole class of professionals. It concerns me when I see flippant, non-professional posts that do absolutely nothing to build toward a brighter future.

I’m okay with controversy. I’m not okay with controversy for controversy’s sake – it just stalls us out and sets us back.

I’m proud of the scars I’ve collected. I’m proud of the gray hair I’ve earned. I’m proud of the professional friends and associates I call my Linked In family.

Can we please tone down the rhetoric and get back to a business climate that fosters trust, encourages collaboration, and grows the pie so each of us can have a good-sized piece? I believe there really is enough for all of us.

Maybe my viewpoint is pollyannish, maybe my viewpoint is unrealistic, maybe my viewpoint is out-dated. But maybe, just maybe, my viewpoint helps build toward a brighter future.

Let’s build that brighter future together.

I still need to ask the question – How Shall We Grow Up?

I look forward to your answers in the comments.