promoting professional geekery

Promoting Professional Geekery #38: Raise The Children Well

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

When did you first realize your hardcore geekdom was a possible career?  Me, I think I was about 7 or 8.

I was into science and medicine and such, and already figured that’d be my job.  I got some encouragement from my family, and even more later on in my life.  It probably helped that only a few people even knew what the hell I was talking about, but at least no one tried to derail me.

And, decades later, it worked out pretty good.

So if you want to promote the professional geek ideal start helping out young people.  They’ve got enough challenges to face right now with a failing economy, bad school systems, poor . . . er, wait, I’m depressing myself.

Let’s focus on the positive.  If you’ve got a way with the younger generation, from experience with your own children to recently having been the younger generation, start helping them out.  Bring them into the progeeky fold.

Here’s ways where you can start helping progeeky kids with an early step up:

  • If you do the con scene, do events for young creative, geeky, technical people.  Crafty things, fun events, what have you.
  • Teach, work with, or other wise help at youth events and clubs.
  • Encourage your local schools to start after-school classes or events on careers that you (and your friends) can speak and advise on.
  • If you have kids of your own, younger siblings, or friends with kids, always be supportive of them career-wise.  Even if you don’t have children, the kids and their parents may give you ideas of how you can do more.
  • If you write, then consider books for a younger set on career issues.

Think of what you can do to educate, help, and support.  For that matter, think how many parents may be thrilled that their children are getting some career ideas early that they also enjoy.  That helps a lot when they look at the cost of college.

Come to think of it the parents are someone you should keep in mind, and that’s for next column . . .

– Steven Savage

Promoting Professional Geekery #37 – Be Con Event Support

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

Several of my promoting Professional Geekery are about how you can encourage Progeekery at a con, from doing a presentation to doing a career track.  There’s more you can do.

You can be “Event Support.”

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Promoting Professional Geekery #36 – Have A Book List

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

OK you’ve got those must-read books, right?  And they’re really important to people’s careers.  You being the progeek that you are know what to read, and often tell people about it.

Of course I’m pretty sure you’re usually forgetting it.  Or adding to it – and forgetting it.  Or you’re not sure.  Or you forgot everything.

So here’s one of the simplest tips to help out progeeks – keep a list of the best books you’d recommend to your fellow geeky pros and share them with people.  A lot.  Yes, write it the heck down.

Yeah that’s . . . pretty much it.

Of course half the benefit of this is actually, truly, asking what is indispensable for people to read – and that alone is going to provide you a lot of benefit right there.  You’re not tossing off an exhaustive list, or a single book – you’re having to ask yourself “what is a reasonable list of books people should read.”

That question is going to help you help others.  It’ll also make you think seriously about the lessons you learned.

If possible, keep a copy of each book you’d recommend to lend out to people.  Just be sure to get them back.

What’s my progeek booklist?  I actually have three must-reads.

  • Me 2.0 by Dan Schwabel.  It may be a few years out of date but the basic concepts and ideas are strong.
  • Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi.  The book everyone says you must read?  Is actually a must read guide to good networking.
  • The Unwritten Rules of the Highly Effective Job Search by Orville Pearson.  A rational, intelligent guide to a good job search.

So what’s in your list?

– Steven Savage