It Is Our Responsibility To Create Better Days

Talking about potential future employers on LinkedIn seems to be the kiss of death for me, but I feel that this topic is vital to changing our time.

I am in the midst of a prolonged interview process.? It does not seem like I have much competition for the role and the lack of strong candidate pool may be cause for things to be moving slower than advertised.

Part of the reason that there are so few candidates is that company is located in the middle of nowhere.? Everyone with whom I interviewed either live near me or an hour in another direction.? No one was local.

I had never been to the town, but I imagined it was some bucolic place with this company tucked just outside of town.? I knew that it was 10 miles to the fast food and 25 to the nearest national retailer.

What I did not realize was that the town itself is quite depressed and depressing.? Beyond a small town, it is a town that once had some level of prosperity but has been left to wither on the vine.? There are two newly built buildings amongst the rundown downtown.? One is a local franchise of a national insurance agency, and the other is the clubhouse of a biker group.

I am left to wonder as someone who wishes to change their time if I should have a role in revitalizing the town… Should my potential employer have a role?

I believe that it is incumbent upon the entire populous and business community to make improvements to commerce and livability.

The lack of quick service dining in town or near the office should be a priority.? Getting a simple hamburger for lunch will take 30 minutes of travel.? Sure, they can go down the road and get something from the gas station (it is the highest rated restaurant in town), but that can only serve so many.

One of the responsibilities of my potential role is take care of out-of-town guests of the company.? At present, they are picked up from the nearest airport which is an hour away and driven another half-an-hour to a really nice resort on a golf course.? So, guests have to be driven 90 miles each way to visit the office.? They have to travel 30 to 45 minutes to get to a decent restaurant let alone one that is impressive.

Moving the airport is not a viable option, but having decent lodging and dining near the office is needed. It also demonstrates that my potential employer is a good corporate citizen.? Fixing up the town and bringing in new businesses benefits everyone.? Potential clients do not have to drive through a rundown town to get to meetings.? Employees will be more likely to be more efficient with their lunch hours by travelling less.

It is a win-win situation; however, everyone has to be on board for it to be successful.? It is my responsibility to do everything in my power to make it happen.? I cannot in good conscience turn a blind eye as I pass through town on my way home.? ?

Image courtesy of Ryan Carpenter