Professional Geekery

Promoting Professional Geekery #11: Career Track

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Last week I suggested that, to help promote professional geekiness and the fan-to-pro idea, that you speak at a convention and share your knowledge (or at least horror stories).  OK, so far so good, maybe you're even doing that.

So let's take it farther and reach even more people.

I want you to go to a convention and inspire/run/create a career TRACK.

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Promoting Professional Geekery #10: Present At A Convention

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OK folks, you want to share your professional fan stories with people and inspire them.  So let's ask – why aren't you at a convention spewing wisdom in every direction like a water sprinkler of knowledge?

(And if your answer is "because I'm relaxing or I'm usually found intoxicated Saturday night dressed as Dean Venture" then nevermind).

But for the rest of you who don't mind a little work or not being involved in an animation-related scandal, go speak at a convention and share your career wisdom.

Look you've got a few years (or decades) under your belt doing geeky things for money legally.  You have a lot of experience and skills and interesting tales.  Use that experience before you forget it or become completely cynical!

Here's a few things to try:

  • Tell your success story, possibly along with other people with similar stories.
  • Tell your greatest failures, and talk with other people who've made terrific mistakes.  This is a great way to get attention and use a contrarian approach to teach about geeky careers.
  • Organize a specific panel or workshop around your given knowledge.
  • Try a freeform discussion about career options.
  • Do a roundtable of people on a given career subject.
  • If you're not good at speaking or frankly not that interesting, get your friends/co-workers to do panels.  Hey, you might have a future as an agent.

I'm sure you have many excuses not to do this, since it can be quite stressful, so let me address those:

  • You feel you have nothing to share.  If you've had a good career you can share that.  If you have a bad one you can be a warning.
  • You're afraid to speak in public.  That's not going away without trying to overcome it – so here's your chance.
  • You're not a good speaker.  Well, see the above.  Learn.  Or, heck, record something.
  • You have no conventions to go to.  OK, that's a problem, but maybe you can inspire people or take that trip you wanted.

Having spoken at conventions for years, having helped with them (heck, having written a book on career events), I want to emphasize this is one of the most fun methods to spread the fan-to-pro message.  It's social, it's entertaining, it's a growth experience, and it reaches people directly.

So, here's your assignment – what con in your area could you speak at in the next six months – and what are you going to do there?

– Steven Savage

Hobby As Language

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When we have a particular passion, be it for sports figures or media properties or specific foods, we learn a lot.  Our "fandom education" may include statistics or instructions or timelines, but learning those things means that we need to have the proper words, terms, and ideas to express and understand them.  Our geekery, our fandoms, require us, in a way, to learn a new language.

Soon these languages we learn become part of our lives, our friendships, and our activities.  We are probably not aware of it in many cases, just the way a good craftsman's tools feel a part of their body, or a musician finds themselves automatically learning music.  We have this part of us, perhaps a part that was a radical change/addition to who we are, and quickly we loose direct awareness of it.

The fact that our hobbies have a language all their own fascinates me.  It fascinates me partially because of it's obscurity – we become easy to it so quickly, I wonder what we're missing.  I also realize it's a powerful tool we have, and wonder what it means for us as professional geeks, fans, otaku, and more.

We're equipped with concepts, words, ideas that connect us with our passions – and that few others experience, understand, or even know of.  So how do we put them to use professionally?

  • It gives us a language to share with people of similar interests.  Many is the time I've found a common enthusiasm, book, or passion let me communicate better with others.
  • It gives us the ability to think differently – which can be valuable for solving problems.  RPG players are used to thinking in statistics and numbers and breakdowns.  Cooking enthusiasts know spice and mix and visceral feelings.  You see the world differently- that may mean you see solutions others can't.
  • It gives us the opportunity to reuse terms and ideas in "non-fandom situations."  Ever find you lack the right word or term?  Introduce one from your hobbyist experiences that fits – and you have a tool you and at least some others can relate to.
  • It gives us the tools to understand parts of the culture and even economy others may not.  Anyone who's an enthusiast for any technology or culture knows what that's like – we have concepts and ideas and terms to communicate and analyze that others do not.

Ask yourself about your fandom/hobby/geekiness languages and what opportunities they give you.  You may be surprised.

– Steven Savage

ADDENDUM: For myself, I'd say video games gave me a huge boost in the "fandom language" format.  From being able to bond over them to understanding the tech industry, or being able to introduce new concepts (I'm fond of "nerfing"), it's been quite helpful.