Promoting Professional Geekery

Promoting Professional Geekery #44 – Make Your Personal Page Progeeky

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(For more Promoting Professional Geekery, see this Roundup of past columns.)

If you’ve followed my writings for any time you know that having a good personal page is something I advocate very strongly (along with networking, etc.)  So, yes i’m going to emphasize it again, but for a different reason.

Kind of.

A great way to promote professional geekery is to let people see it in practice.  That’s you, the current or future progeek, by the way.  If you have a personal website, then that’s a chance to emphasizes your progeekiness in your writings, posts, identity, and more.

So why do this?

  • It shows the possibility of professional geekery – something not everyone gets.  Seeing your hobbies tied into your careers, seeing you going beyond “pro” to “progeek” shoes the possibility.  It’s something they may embrace, or understand.
  • It shows people pride in professional geekery.  They see that people can be proud of the lifestyle, and can find that pride in themselves.  They may also understand others with such pride.
  • It humanizes geeks and progeeks by showing it as part of you, a regular (more or less) human being.
  • It of course has professional and personal advantages since you’re being honest.

You’re the progeek.  Let the world see it on your web page.

Try a few things like this:

  • Emphasize this in your personal statements and content (which is pretty much what I do at https://www.stevensavage.com/).
  • Include links to your geek projects – which not only emptyasizes it but also helps people see your lifestyle and the broadness of what you do.
  • Include any specific writings and references that fit your progeekery if possible – it also means your site is a good place to put things you’re not sure where to put.
  • Don’t forget to link to interesting external resources relevant to your interests.
  • If you’re like me and like to emphasize progeekery, you can add separate sections.

You’ve got the page (or should).  Use it!

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach for professional and potentially professional geeks, fans, and otaku. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/

 

Promoting Professional Geekery #43 – Cooperate On A Book

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(For more Promoting Professional Geekery, see this Roundup of past columns.)

So you’re really not up for writing a book on your particular progeeky subject.  Fine, that gives me a room to sell more.

But still you might have knowledge that’ll help on a book.  You may have editing skills that would come in handy.  You may be able to do cover art (and of course pick up a credit).  You may pen an introduction, you may . . .

. . . well you get the idea.  You could be a big help in getting out that progeeky book on careers, or skills, or whatever your friends, family, or co-workers are working on.

Go for it.

  1. You probably have something to contribute to a book of some kind, even if it’s a viewpoint.  Ask just what that something or somethings are.
  2. You likely know people who want to write a book, or people that do want to write a book; probably they’ve already talked to you about it.
  3. If you don’t, mention to people that you’ve got an interest in helping people on certain subjects.  They may know someone or have advice (or point you in other directions).
  4. If you help one person, they may know others you can help.

This may sound simplistic, but as a writer of books, let me note a few things:

  • Putting out a book is pretty bloody hard.  Any support is appreciated.
  • Almost no one is able to do a book on their own, and those who can do a book on their own probably shouldn’t (usually there’s a need for editing).
  • Authors need all the support they can get – sometimes it’s that extra person that gets the book out.

So, you’re not up for a book.  You can just help make others possible in the realm of progeekery.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach for professional and potentially professional geeks, fans, and otaku. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/

Promoting Professional Geekery #42 – Be Interviewed

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(The Promoting Professional Geekery Roundup Is Here)

A big way to promote the ideal of the professional geek, the fan-to-pro dream, is to be that dream.  However people actually have to see it in action, and there’s more to do after the usual blogging, books, con speeches, and so forth.

That is to be available for interviews – and to get interviewed.

See you’re testimony to the Power of Progeek.  Also you’re probably good-looking and charismatic.  So we need you out there sharing your wisdom and experiences, and if nothing else your bad examples.

So first, be available for interviews:

  • Make sure there’s contact information on your site, blogs, cards, etc.
  • Make sure that if you are interviewed, you list it on your website with contact information, so people know you can and will be reached.
  • Respond to any contact requests on interviews promptly.
  • If anyone contacts you about information, note your availability for said interviews.

Secondly, go get interviewed.  No, this isn’t arrogant, this is about you sharing your knowledge in a format that people like.  If you’re uncomfortable then reconsider or tone it down, but you need to seek out changes to share you and what you do.

  • Join groups like Help A Reporter Out (http://www.helpareporter.com/) and respond to the posts for information and interviews.  Yes, journalists and researchers are seeking people like you, so go get involved.
  • If you hear about calls for research, information, and interviews go for it!
  • If you’re helping out people with a website or other form of communication, offer to do an interview as a way to share information.  It’s a pretty efficient format, actually.

You’ve got a lot of wisdom to share.  This is just one method to do it – and one that’s pretty efficient when you do it right.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach for professional and potentially professional geeks, fans, and otaku. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/