Writer, Agilist, Elder Geek
I've wondered if the Economic downturn is encouraging or discouraging profans and progeeks.
On one hand the economy is bad and people don't want to take chances. It's hard to live your dreams when you're worried about layoffs, health care, housing prices, etc. It's often a taking a chance to try and go live your dreams, and its hard when you want to be sure you can pay the bills. Worse, a tough economy means less chance to fall back on friends and family if there's a crisis.
Related to my previous post on geeky jobs, another issue I encounter with people wanting to use their skills on their jobs is the feeling that what they do know, what they enjoy, just isn't going to have a plance in the areas they want to work. They're good at something that doesn't seem overly fannish, and they just can't see how it relates to the cool things they want to do or the place they want to work.
I relate of course, as a Project Manager. I seriously enjoy gant charts, forms, coordinating, and organizing. I've had moments where I am probably having more fun than anyone else on a project.
Indeed, there were times I wondered where I would go with this, many years ago I began looking at ways to go "the whole fan" and do what I liked where I liked. I was in IT, which satisfied my geek, but I wanted to do more.
That desire to move to a fannish/geeky job is strong for many of us, yet the challenges can be daunting for people in some professions:
* You may be in a profession that's "geeky" but not quite geeky enough. You're programmer that wants to work in gaming, but your specialty is inventory systems (been there myself).
* You may be in a purely non-geeky profession: marketing, accounting, infrastructure management, etc. You like it, you're a fan of it (I've known people who, for instance, adore working in transportation), but how can you go farther to relate it to what you fan over and love.
In this case, it's time to start thinking what I call a lateral move to a fannish job.