Grass-roots ‘Angels’ help connect seekers, jobs
For the AJC
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Need help with your job search? Speak, no make that ‘tweet’ up! JobAngels, a grass-roots movement of workers who want to help others find jobs, is ready and willing to assist you. You can find them on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, or on the Web.
On Jan. 29, Mark Stelzner, a human resources consultant with Inflexion Advisors LLC in Washington, was reading the dismal job-loss news and wondering what his industry could do to make a difference. He had a brainstorm and decided to share it with his 700-plus following on Twitter.
Leita Cowart/AJC Special
Scott Steinberg, publisher of DigitalTrends.com, works from a coffee shop with his laptop and iPhone to social network.
“Was thinking that if each of us helped just 1 person find a job, we could start making a dent in unemployment,” the tweet said. “You game?”
The response was instantaneous and overwhelmingly positive, Stelzner said.
“Within an hour we had the name JobAngels and a Twitter site. Within two hours we were on LinkedIn, and by three, we were on Facebook,” Stelzner said.
He estimates more than 20,000 JobAngels have volunteered to help friends, colleagues or total strangers find job leads, expand their network or overhaul their résumés.
“So many people feel helpless in this economy,” Stelzner said. “I think what motivates people is that this is something they can do. It’s an attainable goal. They can help one person, and it feels good.”
Kim Freedman, president of Catalyst Leadership Coaching LLC, reached out to a woman on LinkedIn.
“She was confused about the next career step, and I offered to help her make a plan,” Freedman said. “It turned out that she was also in the middle of a move and not really ready yet.”
Freedman has reached out to several other people in the meantime.
“What made me respond is I have a passion for wanting to help people. That’s why I’m a coach,” Freedman said. “It’s a small thing to look over someone’s résumé or help him make a contact.”
Reading the JobAngels’ streams, Freedman believes that job seekers are getting smarter about their requests for angels.
“They’re asking for leads in a specific city or industry,” she said.
Stelzner called it “fascinating to watch.”
“I see a nurse in New Jersey reading a résumé from someone in San Diego,” he said. “People are coming together to lend a hand, or raise a wing.”
A dedicated virtual leadership team is creating a JobAngels Web site and working toward making the movement a true nonprofit organization. Stelzner speaks often to job-seeking groups and wants to reach the many people who won’t seek help online.
“I talked to a conference of construction workers. Most aren’t on LinkedIn, but they need to learn to network and to use all the free resources out there,” Stelzner said. “We’ve forgotten the power of one-on-one connections.”
Scott Steinberg, publisher and trend-tracker of Atlanta-based Digital Trends.com, thinks we’re starting to remember.
“Everyone feels the impact of this recession. Everyone knows someone who has lost a job,” Steinberg said. “Essentially, I see people pulling together more than ever. I’m seeing a new sense of community developing, and because of the new social media technology, it’s easier than ever. It takes a few seconds to help someone, so why not do it?” he asked.
Many other groups are creating help-one-another trends. The Society for Human Resource Management in Atlanta recently hosted an “HR Helping HR” forum for job seekers in the industry. Mike Esposito, founder of the Espo’s HR Group on Linked-
In, a site where working human resource professionals share job leads and information with job seekers, was keynote speaker.
“I admonished them to help each other more,” said Esposito, who spent a year unemployed and learned the value of networking and helping others. “I told them they aren’t competing with the person sitting next to them, because everyone is different and companies hire for fit.
“So while job hunting, why not help each other?” he said. “Psychologically, they’ll be helping themselves, as well. There is absolutely no downside to the ‘paying it forward’ concept.”