Advice

Activities For The Civic Geek: Teaching And Workshops

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Chances are any geek has a pretty valuable skillset others would like to learn from or use – so why not get educational and teach people.

If you’re a geek you’re enthused about something, and quite likely you do something with it.  From fanfic to coding games, from cosplaying to running cons, from historical enthusiasms to your extensive film library you have developed quite a set of skills.

Of course you may also be good at stuff that may not seem particularly geeky that’s still valuable.  Your writing skills that forge both fanfic and video game reviews may also be useful for your technical writing career.  You might be well organized which is why you run your club and game clan.  Maybe you just have skills you share in a geeky setting (such as the way I talk job skills in geekdom).

You and your crew are smart and skilled in things both geeky and not. Start sharing it.

  • Teach geeky skills to people who don’t have them – how many folks would like to be a bit better at computers, use your cosplay knowledge to sew better, or enjoy learning about Japanese cooking (that you learned due to your love of anime).
  • Teach geeky skills to your fellow geeks.  I mean, we all have to start somewhere.
  • Teach skills that your fellow geeks need.  Sure there’s many budding authors and artists, but your work in PR could be what they need to know how to sell themselves.

You also have plenty of venues to do this in:

  • You could take your skills to any community center, school, or what have you.  This is great for all those geek skills others may need.
  • You can hold events at conventions or other geek events.  They’re always looking for panels and features.
  • You can do workshops and get people hands-on.  After all hands-on is one of the best ways to learn.

Best of all when you do these things, alone or as part of a team, you learn how to teach and instruct.  As you do more of it, you get better at it.  This can open up new options in lives and careers, just be useful overall – or be something you eventually do panels and training on for others . . .

  • Steve

 

 

 

Make It So: Say Hi, Shut Up, Have A Creative Jam!

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Colored Pencils Circle Rainbow

Creative people all the help they can get. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re writer or artist of some kind, if in the amateur sense, and know the challenges that face you, from publishing to editing. If you’re not a creative, you almost certainly know an artist or cosplayer or the like and their travail (which they will share gladly). Even if you, mysteriously, know no creative people, you’ve heard of the challenges they face unless you’re living under the proverbial rock (and a rock with no internet).

One of the issues that creators face is a peculiar paradox – they both need alone time to write, but often thrive in the company of their fellows. The stimulation of interacting with fellow writers or artists, for the most part, is inspiring and reinforcing. The time to actually make something is an invaluable window to create uninterrupted. This paradox seems, on the surface, to be best resolved by separating socialization and activity.

However, a local writer’s group has a different way to fulfill the need for both time and connections – and one I think we geeks should run with at cons and even other events.

You can combine both.

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Using LinkedIn – Steve’s Take, Part 2

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LinkedInLogo

And let’s get back to ways to use LinkedIn.

As noted last time, I treat LinkedIn as a software suite. it’s a series of tools that share data and perform various tasks. We covered the resume-adjacent elements and the way it can be a portal on the web. Now let’s dig deeper . . .

LinkedIn Function #3: The Job Search Tool

Writing about how LinkedIn is a job search tool is like saying water is wet, wrestling is fixed, and the next Star Wars film may get some viewers. It’s known, it’s obvious.

It’s just that until you look at it you don’t see what kind of tool it is.

LinkedIn is not going to have the broadness of some sites like Indeed or the specificity of say, a Dice. But what it provides is a solid job search tool companies use – and I’ve found more and more are using it over time. At this rate any job search not using LinkedIn is probably incomplete, at least for most professionals.

The job search tools also connect to other LinkedIn services. There’s a company profile for most companies seeking employees. You can check out how you’re connected to the recruiter. The job search options tie into everything else on the site.

So here’s how you use it:

FIll Out That Profile – No, really, do. I know I’ve emphasized it, but again, get it right.  You there’s a lot of power in it for recruiters, but also because . .

Many LinkedIn Job Posts Use The Profile – Which is an incredible time-saver. One reason to use LinkedIn is the profile/search synergy just saves time. Take advantage of this (but always send a full resume if possible).

Personal Story – When I was doing a job search, I realized how much time this could save, especially as text-processing job search sites still often make mistakes. I got a lot more done once I realized this.

Make You Profile Searchable – More and more lLinkedIn is used by people to recruit others. You should make sure your profile is up to date because people are looking for you and a good profile makes it easier.

A Research Tool – Got an interview? Look up the person on LinkedIn. You can see if you have any connections to them, learn more about them, and do a better interview.

Personal Story – Several times I’ve been able to carry on better interviews as I got to know the person before I knew the person. It definitely made a difference in my interview – and made it easier on the interviewer.

Post Announcements – Looking for a job? Let people know. Much as you should tell everyone so they an help you, announcing your openness on LinkedIn may get people to rally and help you out, especially if you cultivated a community.

Oh, and on that subject.

Linked In Function #4: The Social Media Tool

LinkedIn is a social media tool used by people for business and career reasons. It has ways to post, to communicate, to link up, and so on. To maximize the benefit of it, you have to remember it is both a social media tool and a business tool.

Here’s what you do.

Network, Network, Network – LinkedIn is, obviously a networking tool. You can bring people into your network, see statuses, have information on them, and so on. Add everyone relevant to your career that you can as that is just more resources for them and you to call on. Like any social media tool, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it.

Recommend, Recommend, Recommend – LinkedIn is a tool to let you leave references for people and receive them. People do pay attention to the recommendations, so ask for them but also give them. Remember these go on your profile – which is used for other purposes.

Personal Story – Several times when I’ve given or gotten a recommendation it’s resulted in a cascade of recommendations for people. If you keep it up, the recommendations pile up.

Join Up – LinkedIn provides any numbers of groups for you to join if you’re so inclined – or you can create your own. Some of these communities get very active, so be sure to take time to visit them and check them out – and when you’re part of a group with others you can send them invitations to your network!

Have A Plan – However as we all know social media can go a bit nuts. Approach these requests and connections and communities with a goal in mind – otherwise you’ll get lost.

LinkedIn Function #5: The Research Tool

LinkedIn has a lot of data, a lot of information, a lot of ways to get it. That means it’s also a research tool for you to use. Think of all that data sitting out there – and you’re given access to it.

The amount of data you can get out of LinkedIn is actually kind of amazing. Depending on what you need you can find all sorts of things. What kinds and what can you do with it?  Glad you asked . . .

Company Research – LinkedIn keeps profiles of a lot of companies, so you can quickly heck them to get some details and do some research. It’s not, say, Glassdoor, but it’s convenient – and tells you about jobs there and connections you may have.

Check Your Stats – LinkedIn gives you a quick blurb on how people found you on the site. So, pay attention to that – and you can get even more at http://blog.linkedin.com/2014/02/24/making-it-easier-to-manage-your-professional-identity-on-linkedin/

Download Data – Did you now you can download your connections in various formats? Yep, you just go to your connections and select the right option. This lets you analyze your own connections or get useful data.  Just go to your connections page, click on the “gear” icon, and you’ll have a variety of options – including one to export connections.

Personal Story – I do this regularly, to both back up my contacts, but to also find people I can ask for assistance in my projects.

Sonar Search – LinkedIn’s job search tool is easy, simple, yet surprisingly deep. You can also try doing a job search just to see what the market is like. Since the information in LinkedIn has is all tied together, a single search can reveal a wealth of information.

LinkedIn will probably keep adding new features, so pay attention.

Linked In Function #6: Alert Systems

LinkedIn is also a way to keep on top of various events and happenings So much data flows through linked in, so many people are giving updates, it’s a constant flow of information. Pay attention and you can find out a lot.

What should you look for?

Company Activity – You can actually decide to “watch” a company and get announcements about job postings and the link. So, go do that if you’re stuck on a few particular employers or want to keep up on them.

Personal Activity – When people in your network change jobs, have a work anniversary, etc. you can be alerted. THis lets you follow up, maintain contact, or just be reminded they’re there. It helps me keep up with people.

Personal Story – I use this a lot. It lets me check in on people, be appropriately social, and remember when I need to leave a reference or ask for one.

Check The Pulse – LinkedIn’s experiment in news services, you can keep up with cultivated content from “influencers.” Not my cup of tea, but it may be something you’re interested in -and who knows what’ll come up next.

There’s a lot of data there. Use it!

Use The Tool Wisely

So LinkedIn is a tool and a powerful one. But I want to end with a few bits of advice on using it better – and in manners less likely to cause problems.

We Can See This: Your profile is public and connected to your name. Don’ do anything to embarrass yourself, have a good personal photo, and be thoughtful.

You Get Out Of It What You Put Into It: LinkedIn is not a magical solution, it’s a tool. The more you put into it the more you can get out of it. Maybe you just don’t have time – that’s fine – but be aware.

It Can Be Overwhelming: LinkedIn offers so much it’s almost too much. Use what you need, try other things out, but decide just what you can do and need to do.

Everyone Does It: Yes, everyone does have a LinkedIn profile, so just having a decent one is almost expected. It’s important to be aware of this as it could go from “sort of expected” to “why don’t you have one?” – and I think we’re close.

Using It Is A Skill: YOu have to practice on LinkedIn and keep up on it to use it right. It may be a good idea to set aside a block of time to get good at it.

Forward To Well-Organized Adventure

I wish you well in your use of LinkedIn. Be sure to let me know of any ideas, tips, and advice I can share.

Respectfully,

– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/