We need to talk about how to signal that you're Open To Work. Why do some people believe you shouldn't mark yourself as open to work even if you've lost your job? I get it if you're actively searching while still employed, but is that the only scenario? Let's break it down. For the same reason, I know for sure (because hundreds, thousands tell me), some people who lost their jobs don't want a public announcement that it happened. They think people will see it and think: YOU'RE WORSE OFF NOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE UNEMPLOYED! Isn't that the scariest thing to imagine? Do you realize that's what you're saying when you judge someone in that way? We can analyse 100 reasons why people lose jobs: macroeconomic changes, whims of capitalist managers that make no sense, product and service failures that are completely unpredictable, technological changes, and many other dynamics. Week after week, I hear people say on the same platform and in many other places: "Don't mark yourself – people will think you're desperate." Frankly, I find that disgusting. People often talk to me about improving mental health. Want to improve mental health? Let's start with simple things, like not telling people they are less because they lost a job at every possible opportunity, not to mention putting a little green circle around their profile just to help them find the next chance. Honestly, if you look down on someone because they're advertising they're job hunting on a platform designed for job searching, building those tools as a primary switch for that reason, I think you need to reassess your approach to many, many things. I always tell you all that I do things for MANY specific reasons, even if I don't explain them every time. The reason I have all these job postings and lists of job seekers is precisely this: I'm doing everything in my power to ensure that publicly saying "I lost my job" isn't stigmatized. Help me find another way. Honestly, it's astonishing to me, considering all the serious, real work left to do to get thousands of people back to work in games, that this is a topic taking up mental space in dozens of posts I see every month: should you mark yourself as Open To Work if you've lost your job and are seeking a new one because of how people will react? Let's all grow up and focus on solving real problems, and if you're genuinely looking for work, let me be one of many to support you in saying you should use every tool at your disposal, and it's on all of us to change our attitudes and mature.
#OpenToWork #JobSearch #CareerAdvice #Employment #WorkOpportunity #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerSupport #JobHuntingTips #EndJobStigma #MentalHealthAwareness #EmpathyInJobSearch #SupportEachOther #CareerMindset #WorkplaceCulture #JobSeekers #ChangePerceptions #WorkplaceRespect #CareerEmpowerment #JobMarketInsights #JobSeekerAdvocacy #CareerPositivity #JobLossRealities #CareerChallenges #LinkedIn