It is easy to be your best self when everything is going right, but when times are tough – that is when you find out what you are made of. Here in America the economy is tanking, and it has affected people in ways they never would have imagined. As children we are asked what we want to be when we grow up, and we are encouraged to come up with exciting or well-paying jobs. Very few children could ever foresee a time when they need a job but can’t get one.
Unfortunately, that is exactly what is happening to people all over the country. The unemployment rate is currently around 4% in this country. That might not seem like much, but when you consider the fact that the recorded population is over 326,000,000, you can start to imagine just how many people are unemployed.
Not to mention, the calculated rate of unemployment does not accurately indicate the number of working-age people who are unemployed. There are many people who have been without jobs for so long that they have given up. Since they are not actively seeking employment, they are not factored into the published unemployment rate. So there are even more people suffering from joblessness.
David Casarez is only 26 years old, but he has already faced enough financial hardship for a lifetime. The young man earned his bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Texas A&M University. He worked for a while as a web developer, but he ultimately found that he wanted to pursue his own passions.
David headed out to California with a dream of opening his own technological start-up company. He moved to Silicone Valley, but his journey was only beginning. Things didn’t exactly go according to plan, and this man found himself stuck in a tricky situation.
He wound up in Mountain View, California, where he lived in his car for over a year. Just beyond a month ago his vehicle was repossessed. David was out of money and out of options, so he found himself living in a local park.
Even though his situation was desperate, David never lost sight of who he was. He was a hardworking person with some great creativity, so he decided to put it to use. He came up with a plan that just might get him back on his feet. “It was basically a make-or-break moment,” he explained to Fox 8.
The man got his hands on a piece of cardboard and some markers. He made a sign and committed himself to standing at a nearby intersection. This might seem like what any other homeless man would do, but it was the words on David’s sign that made him stand out from the crowd.
Instead of asking for money, this homeless man asked for something much more valuable: an opportunity. His sign read, “Homeless. Hungry 4 success. Take a resume.” He brought a big stack of resumes with him, complete with a professional statement and all. He hoped someone would see his struggle and help him to find a job.
David had tried to gain employment on his own, but he had been unsuccessful. Fortunately, this time things were a little different. This man was backed by the support of his community, along with countless other individuals.
As she was driving by, Jasmine Scofield noticed David and took his picture. She posted it on Twitter, explaining the man’s position and asking others to help spread the word.
Today I saw this young homeless man asking for people to take a resume rather than asking for money. If anyone in the Silicon Valley could help him out, that would be amazing. Please RT so we can help David out! pic.twitter.com/ewoE3PKFx7
— FullMakeup Alchemist (@jaysc0) July 27, 2018
“Today I saw this young homeless man asking for people to take a resume rather than asking for money. If anyone in the Silicon Valley could help him out, that would be amazing. Please RT so we can help David out!”
The post instantly went viral. It was liked more than 225,000 times, and it was retweeted over 100,000 times. With all that publicity, it was much easier for David to find a new job. In fact, he received offers by the hundreds!
The next day David was looking at 200 job offers, some of which were from big companies. “Google reached out to me,” he shared. So many other companies. Pandora. A bunch of startups.”
They must have liked the idea that even in the most bleak of situations, David never lost the will to work hard. Now he has his pick of jobs, and soon this miserable experience will be in the past.
When times are hard, your true character comes out. This man proved himself to be a motivated individual, even when it seemed the odds were stacked against him. His determination is an inspiration to us all.
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