Advice

How A Helpful Letter Produced A Firestorm

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OK, clearly I missed the whole Shea Gunther drama, so let me recap.

  • Monday, Mr. Gunther sends out an email to people who applied to a job for a cleantech news site, listing criticisms and giving advice on the job search process. It hit the newsat the Guardian.
  • This hit the Gakwer network, who posted it in a rather negative context.
  • This produced what we technically call a “shitstorm” and Mr. Gunther ended up with a predictable amount of trolls and insults – as well as people praising him. Though the usual dogpile of would-be internet tough guys/gals is odd to see as this is about job search advice, and I don’t get why it’d get people that riled up.  Mr. Gunther summarizes the experience here.
  • You can read his entire list of advice in this Scribd document.

I’ve read it Know what? It’s good advice. In fact, I advise that anyone read it, as his tips are accurate, if skewed towards the writing positions in question. Mr. Gunther lists a whole lot of trends that are troublesome, gives advice, and makes good points about what people do wrong.

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Ask A Progeek: What DO I bring to the position?

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What’s our question this week?

How do you answer “What do you bring to the position” in a job interview without reciting the job posting OR going too off track?  What’s the right balance of requirements and outside details?

I don’t know anyone that really enjoys answering this question (OK, I kind of do, but I like a challenge).  The problem with saying “what do I bring to the position?” is that we’re not sure if we’re answering the question, or answering the question for the person asking it, or . . . well, you get an idea.

Really, we don’t know what kind of questions we’re answering or who we’re answering them for.  We’ve just been asked “what do we bring” after filling out a lot of forms and reading a laundry list of requirements (or, just as bad, no list).

The first thing to do is to realize that the question is coming and prepare.  If you’re shocked this comes up, then you’re not ready.

The second thing is to review the position – not just the requirements, not just what people said it is, but what it really is.  Do your research, read up, etc.  If you’ve been in a profession for awhile you probably know it pretty intimately.

With this review, then compose your answers for “what do you bring to this position?” ahead of time.  Make sure it answers what you can really do for the real position.  Feel free to work in a few bullet points or catchphrases if you think it’s needed, but make sure it’s a real answer – a real in-context answer.

Third, prepare to be pre-emptive on this question.  If an opportunity comes up to show what you can do, use it – just don’t blatantly spit out a bunch of catchphrases or prepared statements.  If someone asks about specific experience, focus on the stuff you’ve done and know relevant to the job – in context (as I always say).  Make sure you’re answering the question ahead of time.

If you do it right, you’ll possibly spare your poor interviewer from having to ask “what do you bring to the position,” because they’re probably tired of asking it and getting a verbal tsunami of an answer (or blank looks).

Fourth, work this into your personal branding – very big for us professional geeks.  Is there a chance to show that what you bring to the position is, well, you?  Can you use your meekness as an edge in answering (or preemptively answering) that question.

So the question’s coming.  Be ready.

– Steven Savage

Promoting Professional Geekery #31 – Revive And Repurpose

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When doing research for my books, I’ve found the internet is a kind of necropolis of dead and inactive sites.  Sure they’re out there, they’re visible, but nothing is happening, updates haven’t been made in years, no one is paying attention.  They’re frozen, mummified, and mounted on the sides of servers for us to see as we pass by.

You’re probably nodding – many people have “dead sites” that are visible, just with no signs of life.

There’s also plenty of other dead things in our geeky and professional lives; the con that faded away, the column that’s no longer updated, the career book that has no sequel.  In the age of print-on-demand, instant-blogging, and ez-post technology it’s surprising how much is just dead.

You’d think that great career blog would be easy to restart, or you could suggest to that author that maybe that sequel to that job guide come out . . .

Yes, I’m challenging you to look at dead sites, books, columns, cons, etc. that were really great for progeeks.  Ressurect them.  Be a geek necromancer*

(Or if, say it’s a con, resurrect it WITH some more professional tracks.)

If your mind isn’t already reeling back to that awesome blog that you realized hadn’t been updated in 4 years, or that con you miss, you’re not trying hard enough.  Go have some coffee and get back to me.

So, why resurrect a geeky career site or publication or event?  Think of it this way:

  • Name recognition.  If you get it back and running, you get all the old name recognition, which instantly helps promote your efforts.
  • Attention.  When a band gets back together or a game gets re-released it’s free publicity.  You could get this on a smaller scale – or with a little smart PR work, make it as big as anything.
  • Past work.  That dead site you’re resurrecting, that book whose author you’re bugging, all have plenty of material already there.  You get to build on that (which calls attention to it and saves effort).
  • Learning.  You’ll learn a lot digging into the past of a website or publication.  Some of it may be depressing, but it’s still educational.
  • Staff and allies.  Bringing an old con or book series back to life for progeeks is also going to give you allies new and old.  You might be surprised what you can do – and who will help.
  • Re-focus.  Maybe a con or publication had some good career stuff – the “revived” version can do even more.

Sure I’m all for new stuff.  But if you’re looking to give your fellow professional geeks a hand career-wise, maybe the old stuff is where you look first.  There’s plenty of advantages to be had.

– Steven Savage

 

* That would also be a good name for a band.