We've talked leveraging your geekyness, fandom, and otakuness. We've talked what you do, what you make, who you work for, and even where you work physically. There's another to consider.
Who you work with.
Who you work with can let you leverage what you care about and your hobbies in a number of ways:
- If you do "support" skills like accounting or admin or more, you can support people who do and make geeky things. This can be very fulfilling.
- If the people you work with are people, well, like you, then you'll enjoy what you do – and your geekyness becomes a networking and morale-building tool.
- The people you work with may be people you want to become more like because their careers reflect your interests. You can find yourself working with a legion of future mentors.
- You may have a legion of customers that you like and want to work with – if you're a lawyer who works in entertainment law, you may be in geek heaven.
It's too easy to forget the people you work with are a big part of enjoying your job and career. In fact it's a huge part of it, because no matter what you'll be dealing with people.
I'm a Project Manager. I work in gaming. I don't make the games, but I support those who do and those who make gaming components. It's incredibly fulfilling. The people I work with are great to work with – and since I'm a technology and process geek as well, it's heavenly.
So keep in mind that who you work with may take a job from "just a job" to "using your geekery." You might even make some great friends on the way.
– Steven Savage