Helping Others

My philosophy is that we, as human beings, are obligated to help others however we can. This has nothing to do with leadership and everything to do with the way we choose to live our lives.

You can help others in small or large ways. I don’t think any of us are multimillionaires, but do you know that even $5 can mean that a parent won’t have to skip a meal so the kids can eat? Or maybe you have a job lead so that another person can find a position and help him/herself.

We have many people in the Silicon Valley who are living on the edge. A few years ago, in the depths of our Depression, I was in a networking group through a local top MBA program. One of the participants had been a highly paid individual who did save money but also admittedly lived “high on the hog”, treating himself to many dinners out, expensive vacations, and very expensive clothing. When we met he had been out of work for over two years and literally sold every CD and DVD and extra items he owned via eBay and Yahoo. He was eating once a day and making soup last a long time. He turned the heat down and slept in sweatshirt and pants. He economized in every way. This was a highly educated professional who was scared about the next step – seeing if he could move in with his parents. He had done “survival jobs” he could but it really isn’t enough to live in this area, especially if you live alone. He was very honest about his situation. Thankfully he was able to find his new position via networking. And he learned a huge lesson about how to save money for the rainy day, as you never know when it will storm.

There are many people who are still living on the edge and I have to say that as someone who was born in the USA and used to think we were the greatest superpower, I find it shocking to think about this. I’m not trying to be political at all right now. I’m just saying that I used to think of people in this position as having some reason: mental illness, drug or alcohol abuse, people who have just dropped out of our society for some reason. That really isn’t the case now. There are plenty of people who are working but it’s so expensive to live here and healthcare is through the roof, they are suffering.

InnVision is in need of donations: cash, clothing, electronics, computers, food, or other contributions are greatly appreciated. If you’d like to volunteer or donate directly, please go to http://www.innvision.org/.

We have many job seekers who have posted resumes on our bulletin board at http://www.ourhrsite.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=NeedAJob. If you have an opening, please think about going there and reviewing the postings. We have some GREAT people looking for their next opportunity. If you’re seeking work, remember that many companies choose not to post positions but do search through our board for free resumes.

If you have an open position, HR or otherwise, please post on our board. Our site averages over 2,000 views each day, the board is free, and you never know who the readers know.