The Wall Goes Up

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When my IT career first got really going, way back in 1995-1996, I had applied the "modern" tools of job searching.  These were advanced things like online job ads, fax modems, and so forth.  Yes, there was a time when people not only used faxes a lot, doing it from your computer was impressive.

So as my career progressed in 1996, I was speculating on my career and noting the role of technology in the job search.  I met people who were keeping up with technology in their job searches, and I sensed something happening, a division among people in how they used technology in their careers.  Technology was an "enhancer" and people using it would get more and better connected, and it would produce a cultural shift.

I christened it "The Wall."  As technology advanced, some people would be more on the "inside", connected by technology and social understanding to career opportunities, some would not keep up on the technical changes to the job search and career building and loose out.

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Geek Pride: Giant Robots, Inspiration, and You

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So there I was, taking a break from being, well, busy, and giant robots helped me get my working mojo back.

I know, you may need to reread that line again.

Essentially I was watching Gurren Lagann, an unusual anime that is hard to describe.  It's a giant robot show, a space show, a drama, parts of a comedy, strangely sincere yet with winking nods and references.  A big part of the show is the power of fighting spirit and people's emotions to drive them on and empower them.  This is an anime that people who don't watch anime won't get.

It was actually quite inspiring, and it struck me that's something we geeks and fans need to keep in mind – we can find inspiration in seemingly mundane things, and that can push us on.

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Frustration Friday: Curse of the Awful Resumes

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One of my great arch nemeses are the Archetypically Bad Resumes, or ABRs for short.  They're out there, mocking me and in general screwing up the resumes of decent people who see the ABRs and take them for templates.

You're out there, ABRs, somewhere.  You have to be because the only way I can explain some of the awful resumes I've seen, some of the terrible advice I've seen people follow, is that out there there must be some universally awful resumes that innocent people have used as examples.

It's the only logical explanation . . . OK it's not logical really. I'm ranting.  But honestly, when I see bad resumes or see people having problems with resumes it's almost always the same things.  It's like there's some mind-controlling Platonic Lousy Resumes out there burrowing into people's minds.

Seriously.  The bad resumes I see or the mistakes people make always seem to be the same ones.  It's gone beyond amusing in that painful human folly sense to downright creepy.

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