According to CNBC, there are currently more than 200 million people with that familiar green badge around their LinkedIn profile picture announcing that they are #opentowork. There are different ways to take this. Is it depressing that there are millions of people out there seeking new employment? Maybe. Recruiters have mixed opinions about whether it helps candidates get noticed, or whether it makes them look desperate and distracts from their strengths.
After starting my career with corporate jobs at IBM, American General Insurance, and Prudential Bank and Trust, I’ve taken a more entrepreneurial path. For almost all of the past 20 years I’ve either been self-employed or worked for small firms. Today I make a living supporting a series of event projects where I serve as both an advisor and a freelance executive resource. It’s been a great run and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved, but I’ve had to piece it together.
As a freelancer and entrepreneur, #opentowork is a way of life and not a temporary condition or a transitional phase. By necessity, I’m always chasing the next opportunity, building new relationships, and seeking to find new venues where my skills and experience can add value. The pursuit is both about continuing to do the work that I really love and finding income to help support my family. Even when I find it, and I’m in the middle of doing the job, I’m always looking for the next one.
Great events are powerful catalysts to build businesses, professional communities, and even entire industries. But making the magic happen requires an amazing amount of creativity and hard work. I absolutely love it – and from years of experience I’ve learned how to do it well.
And so, starting today, I’ve decided to add that green #opentowork badge to my LinkedIn profile. It’s not because I’ve launched a job search to return to the corporate world. No, that badge will probably be there for awhile, because I’m always seeking that next opportunity.
Are you in an organization in the fintech space that needs some bandwidth and expertise to help design, launch, and execute your events strategy? Call me. I’m #opentowork.