Beg Me for Work? ME?

I go to professional development functions all the time – it keeps me sharp and knowledgeable about the latest trends in my field.

Maybe I look the part of the successful, always hiring person, because I always run into people – or more likely they run into me – who want jobs.

It always starts off painless, with some small talk about the function. Then they ask me what I do, and I in turn do the same. Though usually, it ends with them asking me if I’m hiring, or know anyone who is hiring.

I know it is important to network in today’s world of work. Most people get jobs from those they know – which is often where I come in. As most people get hired for who they know, rather than what they know, I’m often called in to clean up the mess.

But that doesn’t mean I’m an instant resource for the unemployed. I may occasionally have job leads, or I may occasionally even be able to hire someone on to fill a void. Note – occasionally – not often, not always, just occasionally.

But I am always hit up for jobs by those looking for something better, or those who don’t have anything at all.

Maybe it is because I dress for success – but isn’t that what we were all told to do to be successful? Maybe I should stop polishing my shoes, washing my clothes, and combing my hair, so that I look the part of an unemployed person.

But then, although I may keep those looking for work away, I’d probably also lose a lot of contracts in the process. Then I’d be the one nagging working professionals at professional development functions for a job!

Well, probably not – I’ve been nagged enough to know that nagging doesn’t pay. I enjoy talking with people in the field, and learning what they do and how they resolve situations. I may have encountered similar situations, or may encounter those situations in the future. But I don’t go to these things looking for work.

Work is something you have to find on your own. It is something that we all must do, and we all must find our own way. It isn’t easy, especially with overcrowding in our cities, the economy faltering, and the workforce changing to a more service-based sector.

But it is one of those things which we all must do – we all need to work to survive. That is until I win the lottery. Maybe my numbers are up – I’d better go and check . . .