Fandom and organization

Anyone who remotely knows me knows that I tend to be organized, which is saying that the last Transformers film contains a few explosions.  I'm actually pretty proud of my organizational abilities, they've helped me on the job and to keep my own life in order (especially good in these tough economic times).  My very job, Project Manager, is based on me being good at planning.

Fandom is a good reason for this.  My hobbies are a big part of how I developed these skills.

If you get involved in fannish activities, like any activity, you have to get organized.  At worst you need to follow the plans of others – collaborate on the writing, show up for the game, etc.  You may even take on larger projects and events, planning cons, writing fanfic epics, etc.

If you have successful fannish activities, you ARE organized.

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Book Review: How to Position Yourself as the Obvious Expert

How to Position Yourself as the Obvious Expert
In 90 Days or Less Without Spending a Fortune on Advertising

by Elsom Eldridge Jr. and Mark L. Eldridge

ISBN-10: 0972094164
ISBN-13: 978-0972094160

PROS: Straightforward, information-dense.  Has quotes, ideas, and examples from a lot of professionals.

CONS: Focus limits the book.  Some exercises not as useful as others.  Erratic consistency.

SUMMARY: A must-read book on self-promotion that is useful to anyone looking to promote themselves, network, and connect.  It is focused on consultants and coaches, but is actually useful to most any professional.

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Frustration Friday – Ch-ch-changes

I figured there's always room for some ranting – it cleanses the soul, expresses issues, and lets people share frustrations.  So thus let's start with Frustration Friday, a weekly look at what drives me and others crazy in the job and economic scene.  If you'd like to guest rant, feel free to write me.

In this case, let me rant about embracing change in the job market.

Yes, I know things have changed in the economy and the job search.  I was there.  I've been working as a professional for seventeen years.  I remember when Windows started, I remember when the internet became the big thing, I remember when small press comics hit big two decades ago and the growing self-publishing boom now..  I've seen changes in employment, economy, and geekonomy.

It's changed.  It's change a lot.  I know it.  Trust me, I know it.

The problem is that right now I see way too many people ONLY talking about change in the job market.  Social media is the big thing right now.  Video resumes were hot awhile ago but that seems to be fading.  For the LONGEST time I heard about how the internet was changing things – from people who did resumes the same way they always had.

It's changed, I get it.

The problem is that change aside the business gurus, advice gurus, and recruiters who are always embracing change are focusing on one part, one fragment, of the job search – the changing part.

They're forgetting the other parts.

There's networking.  There's always networking.  That doesn't change.

There's having good skills.  That's not changing.

There's learning, that's not changing – though it may be about change.

So, I'm getting tired about hearing how everything has changed in the job search.  Everything has NOT changed in the job search – there are more tools and venues, there are changing methods, but a lot has not changed.

At some point someone needs to do a book or a website on what's not changing in the job search.  It'd be a nice antidote to all the others.

– Steven Savage