A Lesson from Batkid
What started out as a routine airplane trip a few months ago, turned into a surprisingly defining moment in my life that will stay with me forever…
After settling into my seat and reading the NY Post, scarfing down a bag a beef jerky, and completing a crossword puzzle, I realized that I had only killed about 20 minutes! So I decided to check out JetBlue’s movie offerings. Mostly crap (not any of JetBlue’s fault, but Hollywood’s--For example:I still don’t get the whole ‘Sharknado’ phenomenon). But then I stumbled on to something called “Batkid”. I liked documentaries… so why not!?
If you haven’t seen it, “Batkid” is an adorable and courageous kid, Miles Scott, who beat lymphoblastic leukemia. The documentary chronicles Miles and his family’s journey through his Make-A-Wish Foundation’s wish to be Batkid for a day. Make-A-Wish turned San Francisco into the famed Gotham City, and created a series of elaborate crime fighting stories that Batkid and his sidekick, Batman, went through. An estimated 25,000 people and volunteers showed up that day to support Miles…Not gonna lie, I got pretty choked up and fought back a tear or two. Talk about restoring my faith in humanity! In an age that seems to be dominated by selfies and updates about taking your dog out for a walk so he can take whiz, it was nice to see people dropping everything from their daily rat race to do something completely selfless to support a little boy they had never met. That’s the kind of world I want to live in, and the type of person I strive, but don’t always succeed, to be.
On the topic of helping others--As a recruiter, I’m seeing more and more people putting their favorite charities, causes they care about, and volunteer work they do on their resumes and LinkedIn profiles. I happen to think it’s a great thing for job seekers to do- as differentiators such as those can be more powerful than many of the vague skills and objectives that clutter up resumes… This is even backed up by LinkedIn data, stating that “41 percent of employers consider volunteer work to be as important as paid work.”
Here are a few reasons I recommend it to my candidates:
1. Demonstrates initiative-Employers place high value on autonomy; it means you’ll be able to take on responsibilities and projects at work without needing to be spoon-fed every 5 minutes.
2. Showcases your communication skills- Communication skills are critical in the workplace and a highly valued skill- and volunteering enables you to develop better relationships with the people around you.
3. Shows you’re a well-rounded individual who cares about your community-Whether you’re teaching or helping to build a construction project, you’re making a difference in the community… and that can translate well in the workplace.
4. Helps develop your leadership skills- You’re going to find yourself in some new situations where you will be forced to problem-solve and come up with solutions. This shows your leadership in making the world a better place.
5. Improves your team building skills- You’ll be working with others to achieve shared goals. The people you will be working with will likely come from different places and have unique life experiences. The fact that you can work as a team and bring these different people together is invaluable to any employer. Plus you’ll learn a thing or two about yourself and the world!
So don’t be shy about putting these charitable acts on there. You are not tooting your horn as much as you are giving a prospective employer a little better insight to who you are…..and giving someone like me a little more faith in humanity.
-Larry