Grim Freedom

I'm wishing, echo: I'm wishing
For the job I love,
To find me, echo: to find me
Today, echo: today...

..the same in any language, around the world...

Have jobseekers given up? Have their hopes to secure employment been dashed upon the rocks of today? Recent studies have stated that some of the jobless have given up, their despair is so great that they have flat out just stopped looking for jobs, they have a new-found freedom. Grim freedom.

What responsibilities do we have, as citizens of the world, to police this new liberty with whom so many have recently become acquainted? The songs of freedom don't really fit in with this most recent fight. Tipperary is indeed a long way, the land of cotton has dried up and is all but forgotten, and cymbals crash no more. And we may need more than an inside-out rally cap.

I read an article over the weekend about a recruiter-turned-counselor whose executive search firm has turned into more of guidance counselor's office with squelched hopes sticking to the walls better than most résumés. The Recruiting Animal's most recent show housed a couch full of coaches ready to sell their goods to job seekers et al. I suppose you will be able to draw your own conclusions. And that picture will look a lot like a sea of stick figures standing in lines, filling out applications, or sleeping on sofas while The Guiding Light drones in the background and fades into syndication.

Do we, as keepers of knowledge and seekers of men/women, owe a certain amount of give back/charity to the jobless? To the huddled masses tired of their current grip of reality? What about our own grip? Doesn't charity begin at home?
Do you believe in fate? Do you believe in karma?
Each of us faces our own grim freedom at one point or another.
Does the man in the mirror look back at you or is he too ashamed?

by rayannethorn

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Maureen Sharib on July 28, 2009 at 9:37am

Geez Rayanne, you're askin' some tough questions. You think the populace is ready (able) to answer?

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Permalink Reply by Dan Nuroo on July 28, 2009 at 9:55am

Deep Rayanne...very deep.

I believe, Recruiters should offer guidance help, resumes, interview tips etc as part of their value add. Paying for someone to review your cv, better guarantee me results I'd think (can't give that guarantee).

Cheers

Dan

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Permalink Reply by Jim Canto on July 28, 2009 at 10:15am

If real relationships are built on give and take, then this seems like a real opportunity to "give."

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Permalink Reply by pam claughton on July 28, 2009 at 11:26am

Like Dan, I've always believed that offering guidance, resume and interviewing tips, etc. is part of the free service we provide for candidates. Over the years we've often spoken to schools and groups on how to interview, network etc., and have stepped up those efforts in this market, volunteering through our church with a local group to provide support for folks who are unemployed or who have been laid off, we're going back in a few weeks to give another workshop on interviewing and the state of the market.

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Permalink Reply by Ambrish Kochikar on July 28, 2009 at 11:41am

Interesting thought. Enjoyed reading everyone's comments too. Professional recruiters may have considerably more leverage and our words might carry more weight for job seekers in these and other times, than we might come to realize. We work with, guide and on occasion, even counsel job seekers. It is that last act, counseling, that needs more careful consideration and thoughtfulness to bear out the results we desire it to. A lot of job seekers are out of options and a bit despondent and eager to hear 'expert' opinions and we hope that they get and heed objective clear headed guidance from seasoned professionals. It's a matter of pride when you understand that your involvement in someone's search for a fulfilling career leads to vastly improved job prospects for them when you do your job well. I couldn't agree more with Sandra's summation.

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Permalink Reply by See_Jane_Recruit on July 28, 2009 at 4:05pm

Personally, I think my ability to sympathize and offer counsel to candidates keeps them coming back. It's not my job to be anyone's therapist but I don't want alienate my candidates either. Having been on the candidate side I can see the psychology behind a lot of what my candidates say and do and this is the business of dealing with people. There are always going to be people who try to capitalize off of tragedy--I try not to be that person.

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Permalink Reply by Thomas Patrick Chuna on July 28, 2009 at 8:50pm

I get asked to do resume evaluations quite a bit by people who are out ( sometimes way out) of my specialty - I don't charge for that, but if I'm asked to implement my suggestions via an overhaul or construct a resume from scratch, then the meter is running.

Now, when it comes to folks within my specialty who I can make money by placing, I don't charge them..then everything is value add. it wouldn't be right to charge them, and then collect a fee on top of that.

I'm ok with charging folks - they get my best efforts, and money means they take my suggestions seriously. Of course I vary rates and terms depending on circumstances, ( hell, I've even bartered ) but the bottom line is this - working on resumes means time not spent on business development, or working on positions, or whatever else..I value my time, so there's a slight fee involved.

As for the charity question - I owe ( and I give) everyone my best efforts, insight, and advice, with no false hopes attached...taking an amount of money when I'm actually doing real work for the job seeker means I can stay in business, pay my bills, and remain viable long enough to help even more people. And not that I like to talk of such things, but an amount of what I charge does make its way to the basket on sunday mornings..

If we take the karma question to the extreme, why not just do all of our work for free, even in the good times? people benefit, and god will bless us right? well, then we should all be monks and live in a tent, cause if we're working for free, we'll be "freed" of all of worldly possessions by a bankruptcy judge soon enough..so then we're all poor and nobody can help anybody.

That's not to say I've never worked for free when led to do so, but I sure don't think we're called to do that continually.