Dear Group: I wish everyone a good Martin Luther King Day! We had an interesting concept come up in yesterday's coffee hour: the idea that many of us are introverts, so that may be a challenge for us. I imagine that, if some of us want to become influencers and post videos, or maybe even engage in public speaking events, that may also be an issue. I would like to offer a thought, in case it is helpful. Back in high school, some people were surprised that I used to act in middle school. They thought that I was too shy and quiet to perform on stage. What they did not realize was that acting on stage felt, paradoxically, like one of the most private things I ever did - because I felt like I was not exposing myself. I was playing a role, acting as a character. So, I wonder if that might help us if we want to do presentations or engage in public speaking? What if we were to play a role, present a character, instead of exposing ourselves? Having said that - I wonder if some people might want to rebel against what I am saying - and make an effort to be as authentic and themselves as much as possible! Thank you very much for your time and attention.

I got my start in IT the 1990s. I learned and grew into bigger roles. I ran endpoint security for a fortune 500 company. And then I moved up to a Fortune one company consulting to their endpoint security architectural update for 320,000 nodes. But then two years working for the world’s largest dedicated security company broke me. I sustained a serious back injury from working 100 hours a week to meet a deadline. Then that company got bought out by private equity and started laying off in droves. Luckily a friend of mine dusted me off and put me back to work and I got debt free. However that consulting work would end badly when I was terminated illegally. I had no idea how bad the white collar recession was until I had to try to find a job in it. 1000 applications and counting. The whole time I was working in IT I was also accumulating real estate. After my injury (that insurance would not cover) and workers comp had expired (in just one year in Texas), I was scared because I couldn’t take care of the buildings myself and with 25 units and having a property manager in each of three states was unwieldy. Especially when they steal from you. So I sold all of the real estate and luckily I have a small income. Still it’s not enough to properly provide for my wife and I which is embarrassing. So I’m probably leaving IT security for more passive income source. I found a property near me that is actually a six unit RV park. The price is right and since it is USDA rural I can get it with no money down. My banker was out on Friday because his wife is having a baby and it will be their third child. I think this approach is going to work better for me because sitting at a computer(standing, yoga ball) for so long has taken its toll. Thankfully I have the real estate investment experience and luckily somehow my credit is still quite good. So here’s to hoping. I think after expenses this property should bring in about $2000 per month. And that plus my small residual income should be enough for my wife and I to live comfortably in Bali if we want to. Absolutely fell in love with that place… And then with her :)

Hi everyone. I am Sakkie, 52 and stay in South Africa. I must just tell you I am not a Racist but White men my age just to get to work and try to support their families. Even if you have the qualifications the job goes to a other ethnic group. It is actually very sad. So now I am trying anything 😔. Started with AI as it is basically the only option and then affiliate marketing

Hi all. Preet here from London, England. Just joined the group. I'm 59 and was recently laid off from an 18-year tech job. Looking to reinvent myself as a writer now. 3 months into my journey. Lots of invisible progress and small encouraging signs, but now looking to create publishable work, put it out there and see what doors open for me.😀

I have been reading some very depressing things about the job market these days. It sounds like a lot of people are stuck — we just keep sending out resumes and job applications to no avail. It makes me feel like asking: Does one need to forge a relationship with an employer in advance to get a job? I do not know for sure, but it feels like the situation is desperate for so many of us - so please be patient with me as I try to suggest a creative solution. Now, notice I did not say “network” to get a job. By ‘forging a relationship,’ I am thinking of something different than what I usually think of as networking. When I think of networking, I usually think of a whole lot of people, often most of them jobseekers, meeting at a mixer of some kind and exchanging business cards. And, I suspect that most of them forget who they met minutes later. By 'forging a relationship', I think we would have to look to what my kid did to get their first job. I know, it may sound weird for grown adults to be learning job strategies from a child— but please hear me out. What my kid did is: First, they took sailing lessons for several summers at the sailing club at our local pond. They became skilled at sailing, forged a relationship with the sailing club, and proved that they had skills. They leveraged their relationship and reputation with the club to obtain a job as a sailing instructor there. I understand that they initially faced rejection. However, they did not take ‘no’ for an answer and just kept asking until they were accepted for a job. I wonder: could we extrapolate a job-seeking strategy from my kid’s experience? Don’t just send out resumes. #1. Find an employer you like and become active with them. Maybe take classes or some kind of other activities with them. #2. Learn skills relevant to that employer. #3. Prove your skills and worth to that employer. #4. Forge a relationship with the people at that employer who can actually give you a job. #5. Apply for a job and keep making your case until you (hopefully) get from ‘no’ to ‘yes’.