Career

Ask A Progeek: When To Negotiate

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Now here’s a good question, especially in these tough and crazy times?

“How advanced in your career do you have to be before you can negotiate your terms?

I’d say that the real question is not “how advanced in your career do you have to be” is really more “when should you negotiate?” So lets take a look at how you decide when you can negotiate.

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Here Come The Sony Job Cuts

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Looks like 10,000 people are being cut.  You can get more details here at layoffwatch.

Takeaways

  • Issues with the Japanese economy and the TV market seem to be a big part of this.
  • This is not the first time Sony has done big layoffs – in fact they’ve done some with selloffs and consolidation recently.  I’d say this is more of a trend.
  • The cuts are, obviously, in the display area.  Half the cuts are unspecified – so get ready for politics.
  • Some execs are being asked to return their bonuses.  This may be an act to force contrition and look like accountability – which I buy.  So I think Sony has an image concern.
  • Considering Sony’s reach this could affect various Geekonomic-heavy cities/areas, so pay attention.

– Steven Savage

Ask A Progeek: My future or current job?

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And our “Ask A Progeek Question” today is . . .

In filling out an online profile (such as on Linked In), what should you list as your job; the one you have or the one you want?

First, kudos on using online profiles.  They’re pretty much indispensable to the job search.  This has been my normal, pathetic, pimping of LinkedIn.

Now beyond that, what do you do?

First, you put the job you’re actually doing in there.  People aren’t looking for your hopes and dreams (in most cases) and putting something else in there that you’re not can look awful deceptive.

But  . . . you do need to communicate your hopes, skills, and dreams.  So let’s look at ways to do that.

Summary: Many profiles (LinkedIn included) have a summary section.  You can put your hopes/dreams/ambitions in there.

Skills: If you have skills relevant to your ambitions (but not your current job), put them in any skills profiles.

Jobs: If you have a hobby that’s also joblike, you may want to put it in your profile so people can see what you do – and so you can get recommendations.  This is a bit of a fine line as it may make you look like you’re disloyal or splint in your ambitions – or it may make you look ambitious and forward thinking.

This is something I do even though I have a job and a career – I have an entry for my side hobbies so people can learn more about me.  Since it walks the line between hobby and job, I like to include it.

Other Areas: Listings of publications, hobbies, associations, etc. also lets you communicate your interests and ambitions.  If you don’t work in gaming, but belong to the IGDA, that says something.

As always, the goal is to communicate who you are.  You don’t want to say the wrong thing in the wrong place, but you do want to say the right things.

– Steven Savage