Being unemployed or underemployed is something most people face at some point. It is overwhelming, all-consuming and scary — and the barrier is rarely skill or effort. It is usually just finding the right opportunities to apply for.
I have spent time on both sides of that. Most of what follows came out of it.
A monthly gathering of people in the middle of a job search, meeting the first Friday of every month in Framingham, Massachusetts. Everyone goes around the table, says where they are, and trades ideas and introductions.
I keep going back because it works in both directions. I have taken real help out of that room, and as one of the more senior people there I am now usually able to put something back in. If you are job searching in the area, it is worth your time.
The tool that became BGH Scout began as something I built for my own search and then started sharing with anyone who asked. The problem it solves is not a technical one so much as a visibility one — people applying into the void, refreshing the same job boards, never seeing the small and mid-sized employers that would actually have hired them.
If you are in a search right now and want a second set of eyes — on a resume, on a target list, on where to point your energy this week — reach out. I am happy to help, the same way people helped me.