Gratitude for my network, and a plea to job seekers

I’m feeling grateful to all the people who have taken the time to chat, listen, share, advise, and make intros.

Things are happening, and I am proud of the humble, servant work I am trying to do in building Dan Radin Strategy.

As I am reconnecting (Schmooze Mode fully engaged) with the further reaches of my network, I am discovering that there are a shocking number of very talented, hardworking folks who are out of work. Both recently and longer term.

Having been there myself, and with genuine empathy, I want to say that if you’re looking, activating your network is the key to getting up off the mat.

It feels comfortable to submit cold form application after application, even though you know that most will result in crickets, automated rejections, and a vanishingly low success rate getting to a recruiter screen, let alone an actual interview. It takes humbling yourself and asking for help, for others to be able help you. We all know warm intros are the key to getting things done, but we often forget when we’re not feeling our most social and energetic.

And for somebody like me who has done a ton of self-discovery and self-reflection, I know that it can feel really heavy—even embarrassing or shameful—to ask for help.

But business is a team sport, and even if it doesn’t feel like it right now, you are worthy of others’ support, you are valuable to your industry, and your next chapter is out there. You’ll find it a lot faster with help. Don’t go it alone.

It’s tough out there. Take care of yourselves, keep building and improving your healthy habits, try to learn something, and don’t forget that, at least where I am, it’s summer, so take advantage of the fact that you can start after noon, wrap up early, and take a day off to balance your search with a life well lived. Getting away from the computer and phone might be just what you need to start rebuilding what might be eroded confidence.

Or at least that’s what I think.

Oh yeah, and if you’re working for a company that’s cost-cutting, restructuring, rightsizing, downsizing, reducing in force, or any of the other euphemisms for layoffs, there is a growing army of hungry, rested, haven’t-had-12-meetings-today talent you can contract, hire freelance, or outsource to, to advance your mandate in the face of your leaner in-house team.

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