Trying to promote professional geekiness, encourage your fellows to turn hobbies into jobs, or at least hook up fellow fans with careers? Get your business involved.
Maybe it's your business, maybe it's someone you work for, but find ways to get your job directly involved in promoting the fan-to-pro lifestyle.
You're already blowing 40+ hours a week there one way or another, so why not apply it to helping people with their careers. Your job is just a tool waiting to be used:
- Recruit people at your job to speak at conventions, blog, do video blogs, etc.
- Get your co-workers or even your entire company involved in documentaries, blogs, or interviews. It's free publicity for them.
- Do a tour of your business as part of a con or just exposing people to interesting careers. Be it a group of fans or a school tour, share the possibilities with people.
- Help your business recruit at cons, fansites, etc.
- Fansource activities for your business – it builds connections and may give people a leg up.
Even if you're not fond of your job, this might just be the way to bridge the fan-to-pro gap a bit more. You might be surprised at what you achieve and what you find.
Me, I've found wherever I've gone employers have been thrilled to get involved in the hobbies and interests of their employees. It's good publicity, good for recruiting, and just plain fun. Plus it shows interest in your career – which is always good.