Sometimes the simplest idea can make the biggest difference.   When someone does a favor don’t pay it back, pay it forward.   As my son is in the process of working on his Eagle project for the Boy Scouts they call this methodology “Do a Good Turn Daily”.  Do something positive for a stranger you don’t even know, make a positive impact. 

The movie that debut in the year 2000 was about a school social studies assignment that leads to social changes that spread from city-to-city. Assigned to come up with some idea that will improve mankind, a young boy decides that if he can do three good deeds for someone and they in turn can "pay it forward" and so forth, positive changes can occur. What appears to initially be a failure is indeed a success that is not immediately known but is traced backwards by a reporter who is a benefactor.

What does this movie or the term have with Linkedin?  Actually there is a lot of synergy with the universe of users within Linkedin.  Everyday questions or discussions within groups are happening every minute within the platform; i.e., questions that are asked from those that are looking to start a new business, those that have found themselves responsible for new areas and need advise, to those that need to bounce ideas off specialist prior to spending too much money testing the actual idea.  

How Have I Used Linkedin to “Pay if Forward”?

We all know that this economy has been very tough for folks to obtain jobs after being laid off, fired, or even after just graduating college.  One skill I have achieved over my twenty years is the ability to write resumes, cover letters, pretty cool thank you letters, and ways to prepare for the interview.   My Mother thinks I should charge for that skill, and she may be right that it is a missed income opportunity, but these folks are generally in a tough place and need some decent, free advise.  My only request to the beneficiaries of my help is to truly “Pay it Forward” – utilize their skill to impact someone’s life for the positive.  Within the past six months I have offered my services to some complete strangers within LinkedIn who have asked questions about resumes or needed help with their on-line resume. 

Through helping these people, some that are senior executive to those that recently graduated college, and throughout the world, from Italy to New Jersey, LinkedIn has provided positive impact since they have been able to obtain jobs within this chaotic market; in addition, they have passed my information to their friends that need resume help.  For those that are not using LinkedIn I stress the importance of this business community.  As I’ve been on LinkedIn for way over four years and have felt the positive power of the community I spread the word by inviting those into the community. 

From time to time I send out a message to my community about someone that I’m helping look for an opportunity and I include the persons portfolio.  As I’ve done this many times over the four years through LinkedIn I’ve been fortunate to find matches for about 80% of the folks that I’ve helped.   I have received feedback that many of these people have Paid it Forward after receiving my help. They have been able to use their specific skill to help perfect strangers. 

Another positive Pay it Forward connection within LinkedIn was my ability to connect a start-up business with an angel investor so they can continue to grow their business during this downward economy.  This happened between three complete strangers and it was due to the LinkedIn connections and the power of Pay it Forward. 

In closing, with the Department of Labor announcing on April 3, 2009 that   unemployment is at 8.5% with 5.1 million jobs lost since the beginning of 2008, the importance of “Pay it Forward” takes on even more of importance.  From helping those in your LinkedIn network to find a job to donating food items in your local food pantry, to helping those that are in a time of need, remember, the smallest good deed is better than the grandest good intention.