Being Open to Work

Why we all should add the green ring to our LinkedIn profile

The social machine of work tells us that unless we’re packed to the brim with a high demand of clients, or own our own company, or are meaningfully employed by a company we love, there’s something taboo about looking for work.

I imagine there’s ties here to the shame many feel about being unemployed or underemployed, survivor’s guilt of NOT being laid off or having a great job in a bad economy, and the overall societal messaging that how much money one makes determines how successful of a human being you are.

There’s also the practical fear for those employed by others that if we signal we’re open to new offers, there might be retaliation or awkwardness at the next annual review.

Of course, our society has also built up the myth of the lone hero who manages to do it all on their own, when in reality we’re only as good as our support structures that we have in place.

Whether that’s a trust fund from our parents or a rag-tag band of ride or die friends or the tech stack your solopreneur project is built on that consists of technology other people have built, nothing you do is by yourself.

As a man, it’s important for me to debunk the lone hero myth, as it’s especially pervasive and…