We Need to Learn to Help Others Find Jobs Even If They Are Strangers

One thing we need to change in our society is the belief that we should only help people we know. Sometimes, a simple job advert shared with a stranger can completely change that person’s life.

You do not need to be related to someone to tell them about a job opportunity. You do not need to be their friend to forward their... CV. You do not need to know them personally to recommend them when you know they have the right qualifications and experience.

Many people are struggling silently. Some have qualifications but no connections. Others have experience but no one to guide them towards the right opportunities. Sometimes, all they need is one person to say, “I saw this job and thought you might qualify,” or “Send me your CV; I know someone who is hiring.”

Helping someone find a job does not take away your own opportunities. Another person’s success does not reduce your chances of succeeding. There is room for all of us to grow.

We should build a culture where we share opportunities, connect job seekers with employers, review CVs, give career advice, and recommend deserving people — even when they are strangers.

You may forget the job advert you forwarded, but the person who got employed because of it may remember your kindness for the rest of their life.

Sometimes, helping a stranger find a job is not just helping them find employment. You may be helping an entire family find hope again.

Let us learn to open doors for others, even when we do not know them personally. One day, we may also need a stranger to open a door for us.
 
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  • I agree. Helping gives a great sense of satisfaction, no matter who it is. Pay it forward if you know someone is hiring. We all win when gainful... employment is obtained. more

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  • I will

  • No, then you might be an unqualified hire because ai just gave you the answers.

  • I would say reflect and assess what really matters to you in the end, and what are the things you can leave with and what things are absolutely... nonnegotiable. It sounds like your current role is challenging but there are changes that are being proposed that could ultimately change and improve the challenges. Peace is golden and definitely makes a difference in jobs. I totally believe people leave jobs to escape challenging bosses in search of peace. With that said, you have to weigh this with the next opportunity. Increase in pay is always nice, but you also have to ask, what challenges are tied to the increase. The purpose of my comment is to paint the picture so you can ultimately made the best decision that will continue to contribute to how you navigate your career path successfully. All the best to you.  more

  • If it's 4 - 12s it may be doable, but 1. remember that productivity is at 50% at the end of 12 hours and 2 - what is the new work environment. People... tend to forget to evaluate the work environment to take the pay. Look into it.
    If you are thinking of staying where you are, the improvements they are considering display a willingness to listen and change in order to make things better for you.
    Is this or the other a better work environment for you?
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  • Retirement account can come for 401k Funds

  • Honestly! A better work-life balance and supportive team. In any aspect of life, when all crumples down, the clique that involved a close and... respectful associations, regardless of position nor ethnicity, formidably creates peace, trust, friendship and family. Relationships humble, capacity builds and additionally brings forth value of peace and growth within the supportive teams.  more

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  • If you can financially stick it out with the remote job- STAY!!! I am trying to find a remote position. It is NOT worth it going in 5 days a week.... Stay remote!!! more

  • Your time also has value. Remote work frees up time to do other things and not having to commute is a gift and in my opinion, worth more than 35%. I... agree with a previous comment that 35% is not enough of an increase to compensate for all the time you will be losing by having to commute and keep office hours. And how much money does an extra 35% really look like after taxes? Is it enough for you to make any major, meaningful lifestyle upgrades?  more

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  • Sometimes you have to choose more salary and give up on certain things like family. Endeavor to way options

  • You enjoy the job but still want a raise? It’s possible to get that raise only if you speak out about the value you’re bringing to the table else if... so much about money it’s easier to get it done with the new company than continue to make your case in the current company. If they really valued you, you would’ve gotten a raise already before asking for it. more

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  • I actually just went through this. I was promoted into management and new managers being hired externally are coming in at 6k more annually. I asked... for a raise. Didn't get matched but I got SOMETHING  more

  • Try to find out some new skills that can make you more marketable and competitive

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  • Fruitful feedback Johnson always gives negative feedback about his subordinates until he fell ill and found himself relying on them for support. This... experience made him realize the value of constructive criticism and the impact his words had on their morale. He began to appreciate the importance of fruitful feedback, understanding that encouragement and positive reinforcement can lead to a more motivated and productive team. more

  • with conditions it can happen,as long as the off days in a week is scheduled promptly

  • 10 to 15 hours is a lot and no one can do that unless after a month you break shortly

  • There's no universal number, but many people would accept a meaningful pay cut for a much better manager because your direct boss has a huge impact on... stress, growth, and day-to-day satisfaction. more

  • There's no universal number, but many people would accept a meaningful pay cut for a much better manager because your direct boss has a huge impact on... stress, growth, and day-to-day satisfaction. more

  • Being loyal to a job means that the job isn't only about profits or gains but rather considerate of the well-being and progress of the employee. No... one will be loyal and stay longer in a toxic work environment or around an employer who can't appreciate efforts more

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  • It probably is not what it used to be, no, unless there's a pension attached (which most companies have gotten rid of). The key is whether you are... still being challenged, learning, and enjoying what you are doing. In tech, that generally is not the case. We tend to stagnate in the same role and lose skills over time. Job-changing is no longer a bad strategy, and companies that look down on it are not where you want to be anyway.  more

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  • Absolutely yes, because it help employee to value their worth basing on the time subjected.

  • Rather negotiate salary, but a general expected range lets me know if it is even worth my time.

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I got laid off from IBM over 2 years ago and I'm still unemployed. I don't want my kids to feel like anything is wrong.


This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Fatema Ali, a job seeker in her 30s who lives in Texas. She previously worked for IBM as a project manager before being laid off in 2024. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

In early 2024, I began to worry that my time at IBM could be coming to an end.

I was a delivery project manager based in the Dallas area and had been... working remotely since joining IBM in 2018. That January, IBM announced that all US managers would be required to report to an office or client location at least three days a week or risk losing their jobs. There was an office about 15 minutes from my home, and I started going in regularly.

In February, my manager started warning me that broader layoffs could be on the horizon. By the time I was laid off in April, I wasn't completely surprised.

More than two years later, I'm still looking for full-time work.

My husband and I were suddenly both out of work at the same time

What made the layoff more difficult was that a few months earlier, my husband had left his job to pursue a startup idea that wasn't yet generating income. We had three children to support, and suddenly neither of us had a traditional full-time job.

One thing working in our favor was that we had already paid off our house. That gave us some breathing room and relieved some financial pressure.

Even so, there was a lot of financial uncertainty. We cut back where we could and tried to live more simply, including traveling less with the kids. For a period, we were largely living off savings and the severance I received, which amounted to about three months of salary.

I started looking for work immediately, both inside and outside IBM. There was one promising internal opportunity I applied for, but it would've required me to move to North Carolina. I had recently bought a home in Texas, had family nearby, and didn't want to uproot my three children.

Instead, I focused on finding opportunities closer to home, primarily in project and program management, while also applying for roles in higher education, nonprofits, and government.

The job search feels harder than it did during the Great Recession

When I graduated from college in 2008 during the Great Recession, the job market was difficult. Looking back, it almost feels like a walk in the park compared with what I've experienced over the last two years. Back then, I was getting more interview opportunities.

One of the most frustrating parts of the process has been dealing with applicant tracking systems. I have dozens of résumé versions for different roles because I know résumés can be filtered out if they're missing the right keywords. It feels like strong candidates can be overlooked before anyone has a chance to review their experience.

I can spend hours tailoring an application and never speak with a human recruiter. It's become a nightmare.

I try to reach out to people in my network. If I see a mutual connection who works at an organization where I'm applying, I'll try to reconnect with them directly. Simply applying online without a referral has become one of my least effective job-search strategies.

I've landed a few interviews over the last two years and have made it through multiple rounds with some employers. In many cases, companies ultimately chose an internal candidate or someone with more experience in a specific area. Occasionally, I check LinkedIn to try to figure out who ended up getting the role based on their title and start date.

I've tried to make the most of my time away from work

While I've been looking for work since my layoff, I haven't always been consistent with my applications. I spent time helping my husband with his startup and devoted a lot of time to caring for my youngest child.

Last year, my husband decided to focus less on his startup and return to the workforce, landing a new job in November. That provided some financial relief for our family.

As my children have gotten older, I've also had more freedom to focus on my career again. By the middle of last year, I became much more consistent with my job search.

While I'm still looking for work, I've scaled back my job search somewhat in recent months to spend more time pursuing projects with my husband, notably P1loop, an app we launched together. My husband used his experience as an iOS developer to help build it.

The app is designed to help teams communicate about urgent operational issues. It isn't generating any income yet, but we're hopeful. My layoff experience has forced me to rethink stability, take a risk, and try to build something meaningful from scratch.

The biggest lesson I've learned is patience

I've been working since I was 19, and I'm looking forward to returning to work.

My job search has been stressful, but I didn't want that pressure to show on my face. I don't want my children to feel like there is anything wrong. I want to carry on with the day and stay grounded as best as I can.

Being unemployed hasn't felt like much of a break. When you're dealing with financial uncertainty, caring for children, looking for work, and trying to build something new, your mind is always racing.

My best advice to anyone going through this is to stay patient, whether you've worked really hard and things are going exactly the way you hoped, or things aren't falling into place yet.

While I'm still looking for the right opportunity, I've learned the importance of staying the course.
 
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  • People underestimate the attention and intelligence of children. They know when things are different, they just pretend they don’t know to protect us... and their attention span isn’t developed enough to comprehend all that is happening. But trust, you can’t hide it from them and I don’t recommend it depending on their age. Have a family and life conversation and explain that mom and dad are going to be around a bit more and things will work out in time. more

  • Wow, I actually thought it was easier in the developed countries. Job hunting has become something else.

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  • Tell them absolutely not. Thats an act of nature. Find a better employer and do what you have to do until you find one.

  • Unless you have another one

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  • Sounds like a place you shouldn’t want to work for anyway.

  • Sorry that will be a feeling just be patient with them.

  • Why choose?
    One is working the same number of hours per week!
    I once worked in a company where we had a choice, one didn't have to gamble .
    Plus,... we had profit-sharing.
    ---
    Only an employer will profit financially from such an unfair offer.
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  • I’m hiring

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  • I will like to know the reasons behind it and try to help myself

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  • Not my pay grade, not my wheelhouse, not my circus, not my monkeys, not my problem. If I like the job and pay I stay. Otherwise I go.