Fan To Pro - The Blog of Professional Geekery

Giving Them What They Want: A Fizzy, Chocolaty Tale

If you were on a diet, and someone promised you a beverage that tasted just as good as what the people not on diets were drinking . . . would you believe them? Probably not. But if someone actually delivered on that promise, and then some, would you remember their brand next time you went to the grocery store? Oh, yes - because the company delivered exactly what you wanted.

There was a company that did this, and created a genuine cult soda. And believe it or not, there's a lesson in this fizzy tale that can help you on your job search.

Promoting Professional Geekery #23: Start A Pro Section At A Con

The roundup of Promoting Professional Geekery is here.

OK you're speaking at a con about careers.  You might be managing an entire track of career events.  So what more can you do to encourage people attending your convention or conventions to try the route of the professional geek?

Why, by inviting other professionals - but not just to speak.  Give them tables, give them their own area.  Start a Pro Section at your con.

Career Thoughts on the Post-PC/CorpTechPocalypse Era

Yesterday I discussed that I felt the decline of the PC was related strongly to the decline of Corporate IT.  But what does it mean for your career, my fellow progeek?  I figured I'd collect my random thoughts to see if it gave you ideas, or caused panic.  Or something.

Have More Stereotype-Fu!

If you enjoyed our previous columns on the art of Stereotype Fu, I've made a video presentation using my original columns!

http://youtu.be/96FOBFA-ICc

- Steven Savage

Ask Steve: Insane Lists of Job Requirements And You

Thanks to our own Tamara Hecht for noting a need for this post - and it's a chance for me to launch an experimental "Ask A Progeek" section (thinking of having it organized both for individuals and in general).

So it happened.  You found your perfect job, or come to think of it in this economy, any job.  Anyway, you look at the list of requirements, which almost inevitably is some kind of insane wish list, and you realize you don't meet them.  Yet, you still want that job and indeed can do it.

What do you do? 

First, let me put your mind at ease - if you think that that entire list has to be fulfilled perfectly, you're almost inevitably wrong.  Except in the case of certain scientific, engineering, and legal requirements, you don't have to fill the list out perfectly.  Chances are that list has been through so many hands no one actually cares that much.

Keeping that in mind, there's three things to do:

Promoting Professional Geekery #22: Talk To The Parents

If you're a progeek of any kind, it's likely that your parents kind of were worried about your career goals - if they even understand them.  If you were one of the people who had supportive parents who got your goals, you're quite fortunate - I think a changing world and economy makes the generation gaps worse at times.

So right now there's a lot of young future progeeks out there and maybe their parents need to know their children are on the right track, aren't going to starve, and can get some mentorship.  It's time for them to see professional geekery in action so they're fine with their little geeks growing up to make money at what they love.

That, by the way, is where you come in.  If you want to promote the fan-to-pro life, it's time to help out parents so they can guide their kids, not panic, or realize they may be doing things right.

• If you have your own kids, well, hey, do a good job.  Nothing like being a role-model.
• Help out your friends and family with children.  Be accessible to them for questions, offer to help with career advice, and don't be afraid to mention your success.  Be a resource.  Oh, and on Christmas and Birthday's remember those books, memberships, and programs that can be useful career tools to give a hint . . .
• Do events at conventions.  I myself have experimented with a "for parents" event (that is still in revision) to help them "get" what their kids are up to.  If you do, say, anime or game conventions, there's probably a few parents needing something to do- captive audience.  Bring donuts.
• Write.  Yes, you can blog like me, but also there might just be a book in it, a column, a post at a website, etc.  If you think you have the chops to help parents with their future progeeks, seek out the opportunity to share their wisdom.  Heck, talk to us here.
• Get involved in education.  Your local schools, clubs, and more would probably love to have a professional come in and speak to kids and parents.  Also, you're probably free.
• Share the resources.  There are books, websites, and more that are good career guides.  Get them out there.

Help out the next generation - by helping this generation see progeekery is a realistic goal and nothing to panic over.

Plus, if you have kids of your own,a  chance you'll land some babysitting partners . . . 

- Steven Savage

 

Nothing is Lost

“Take chances, get messy, make mistakes.”
- Ms. Frizzle, “The Magic Schoolbus”

I’m one of those writers who gets really emotionally attached to their characters and settings.  I don’t like to let anything go.  As you can probably tell from these blog entries, I am also one of those writers who describes everything in far too many words.  Editing is hard for me.  However, it is a necessary step, as writing is just as much about pruning words as it is about cultivating them.  Writing more than needs to be written merely ensures that there is a lot to choose from.

Anyone out there ever study design?  Every assignment insists that you come up with a minimum of five different designs before you even take one of them to rough copy.  I always thought that was a huge drag, but I have to admit, my fourth or fifth ideas tend to be way better than my first.

Therefore, everything you do, especially those creations that never see the light of day, are incredibly necessary.  Nothing deleted is ever lost.  Those preliminary designs maybe be invisible, but they are indispensable for getting you to the final draft.  Your ultimate product is carrying on for all the drafts and false starts that came before it.  It is enriched by all you learned in creating its predecessors, no matter how distantly they are related.

-Tamara Hecht

Promoting Professional Geekery #21: Start A Geeky Group At Work

Your work place may be the geekiest thing ever or it may be so straight-laced people fear there's going to be an office comedy made of it.  No matter what, it's a great place to form a geeky group - and a great way to support professional geekery.

Think of all the things you can do at work that bands people together for geeky interests, or just band geeks together.  A gaming group, a group for programming arduinos, an anime viewing group, what have you.  Why not found one - you and all your fellow employees may enjoy it.

It's also a great way to support professional geekery.  Yes it may be fun and relaxing, but it's also a huge professional advantage:

• It lets you meet your fellow geeks at work - which lets you band together to work on your careers as well.
• It makes people at work aware of the geeky contingent there - and shows them in a good light (well, hopefully).
• It gives people away to meet the professional geeks at work and get to know them.  You might find a few unrealized professional geeks there.
• It raises your profile at work by being so involved in bringing people together.
• It shows off your skills and interests, which might open opportunities for you to apply them.
• It helps promote other geeky interests at work - who knows what will emerge next from the fertile mind of your fellow progeeks?

There's really no downside as long as you do it right. 

- Steven Savage

Scary Logos, and the Importance of Hitting Your Target Audience

Let me tell you a story about . . . TV corporate logos. You know, those short little bursts of sight and sound at the end of a television show, telling you what studio produced them? Short, forgettable little things, right?

Wrong. From the '60s to the '90s, a bunch of TV logos were produced, and in wide circulation, that literally scared children. To this day, people tremble in fear at the memory of them. They were an example of something with good intentions that went horribly wrong.

They also provide a valuable lesson to all of us in the importance of knowing and catering to your target audience - say, for instance, a potential employer looking at your resume.

Promoting Professional Geekery #20: Help Out Reporters!

Want to help the world appreciate the fan-to-pro ideal, the geeky lifestyle?  Try getting yourself in the news, and in a way that's not overtly embarrassing.

Help out reporters.