Working for good

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve being doing some work for an organization that has the potential to do a lot of good, helping the unemployed connect with jobs. I volunteered as product manager for the web site and application functionality—both of which really need a PM’s guidance.

But as part of this activity, the executive director asked me to help staff the group’s table at two events this past weekend, a job fair for a Chinese tech association on Saturday and a ministries fair at a local Episcopal church yesterday. I’m not wild about that sort of duty, but I believe in this mission, so I said yes.

The CASPA event was long—I was there from 1130 to 1600, hawking like a carny. “Are you looking to expand your job searching network?” Then the spiel about the group.

I think we collected about 60 names/email addresses; although how many of those will convert to members I can’t say. A lot of the people clearly had limited English skills, not many understood the concept of a networking group. They just wanted to leave their résumé with us.

In fact, when we were packing up, we saw that one guy had done just that.

But, by comparison, the ministry fair event was, well, “dire” is the word that comes to mind.

I happen to attend this church, which is in Cupertino, and I’d had, you know, expectations. Career Actions is based on the Good Samaritan principle—all our members, be they employed or not, have committed to helping people find jobs. No strings attached. We have a lot of functionality to work out in the technology, but on the human side it’s an amazing concept and an exceptional organization.

And you’d have thought that the whole “good Samaritan” thing would have played into the principles usually found in Episcopal parishes. (Although, evidently one reason why the ED wanted this push was because of the 17 or so communities of faith participating in Career Actions for three years, this is the first from the Episcopalian diocese.)

But you’d have thought wrong.

First of all, our table was set up outside the parish hall. One of two; all the other ministries’ tables were inside the hall, along with the refreshments table and the band (not making that up). We had no traffic.

Then, they paired us with what has been passing for an “employment outreach ministry” at a church in Mountain View. Let me tell you what they mean by “employment outreach”: a team of three people who from the looks of them have been retired since before this millennium, who “critique resumes [sic]”. Were I looking for a résumé rewrite, I would decidedly not be filled with confidence that these geezers would be, um, au courant with what’s wanted in today’s business climate. They don’t look like they even have PCs. In fact, I suspect there are inkwells and sharpened quills involved in their services.

But there we were, the ED, the host church sponsor and these three, all crowded around a single table—which the three of them had appropriated in its entirety while the three of us were in the service. And when anyone by mistake wandered past us they went into their pitch, making the prospects think that we were all from a single organization, which offers not a whole lot by way of job search help.

So, between the location, the brand dilution and the competing pitches, we didn’t have many people sign up, either as job seekers or employed good Samaritans.

The host church sponsor (who, and I am not making this up, is 92, and--while very enthusiastic and well-meaning, seems to be able to grasp only one idea at a time and sticks with it whether or not it’s really working) told the ED and me that the résumé crowd really wanted to stick with us at other events, because we “give them a new lease”. Well, yeah—I can see that. But they’re killing us. My heart sank.

But here’s what really bothers me: the Episcopalians I’ve rubbed elbows with in the past have been deeply committed to making a positive change in the community. We wanted to sign up both job seekers and company insiders. We understood that in an affluent parish like this in Cupertino (home of both Apple and HP; neighbor to Google, Facebook, Symantec and on and on), there might not be a lot of job seekers (although it’s truly unlikely that there’s anyone around who doesn’t know someone who’s looking for work). But we thought we’d get a lot of the employed who’d commit to help make connections to work.

I mean—where’s your commitment to loving your neighbor as yourself?

We got a total of 14 people to give us their email address, to get an invitation to join. I’m betting we won’t get even half of them to actually register. As for actually helping…

One woman, who serves some sort of leadership role in the parish, just flat out said she didn’t want anything to do with it.

What I really don’t get is that the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real has done so little in this arena and apparently isn’t much interested in opening themselves up to it. The résumé writers at one parish? They’re it. And they’re not even mentioned on their own church’s web site.

I get it that Episcopalians are in large part…comfortable. Professionals. And, apparently, even in this economy, not worried about losing their jobs. I don’t get that they’re not looking around them and thinking of ways they can help those who aren’t so well-placed.

Not only do I not get it; I'm ashamed of it.