Writer, Agilist, Elder Geek
So after reading Richard Florida's "The Great Reset" I began asking myself what's coming next. What will we, the profans, progeeks, working otaku, and the rest of us face as the economy of the world re-aligns after the Great Recession of the early 21st century? What do I think is next?
So, with credit to the inspiration of Mr. Florida and everyone else I read for advice, here's what I've been thinking.
There is almost nothing I do in my life or my career that has not been improved by modern technology, or made possible by it. I have taken online training and researched careers, published books and gotten job advice, run websites and found work. Modern technology is why I'm where I am now.
In fact, as I look around, the IT age has made it far, far easier to live our dreams. You can publish your novel via an online service and get it out to the world. You can take classes online. You can publish a web comic. You can find a new job.
So why is it so hard for many of us to find the careers we want, to be happy, to find integrated lives of professionalism and unrepentant geekitude?
In a tough job market we all want an edge. In a good job market we still want an edge since we want the best jobs. Either way we're all looking for that edge, that advantage, that something that'll give us a leg up to get the job, client, and career we're looking for.
It's probably why you're here reading this now.
We all know the standard things we're supposed to do – get educated, network, etc. We know all the edges we're supposed to have (even if we don't actually use them or acquire them). So I'd like to talk about one that is very important, one that you may or may not have, but may not be aware of.
Best of all it's an edge that's very powerful.