1. Why You Don’t Have Your Dream Job
Presented by Steven Savage

2. What is all this about?
You want a job that uses all your hobbies and interests and skills – and you don’t.
You want to know how you ended up in this situation – because you’re not sure what happened.
You’re not sure where to start to fix things – because there’s so much that is wrong.
You’re at a conference – and you have an hour to kill.

3. What We’ll Cover
Culture – Important lessons and age-old wisdom that is totally and completely wrong.
Career – Why the jobs we love and the things we want to do create fear and irrationality.
Skills – How life has equipped us to approach out careers with no idea what to do.
Situations – How the world economy means we can blame others for our problems.

4. Who Am I?
A Professional – A Program Manager with a lot of certifications you never heard of.
A Professional Geek – I work in graphics technology, and have had a 17 year career in Information technology.
A Recreational Geek – I run multiple websites, play video games, speak at conventions, watch anime.
A Geek Job Coach – My major interest is in teaching geeks, fans, otaku, etc. to use their interests professionally

5. Culture, Failure, and REALLY Bad Ideas

6. Wrong Idea #1: What You Like Is Silly
The Situation: Down deep we’re taught that our hobbies, interests and passions are silly, useless, immature, an so on. The Diagnosis: Shame, self-loathing, second-guessing, and the idea that your best job would be something boring that makes you miserable.

7. Wrong Idea #1: What You Like Is Silly
The Solution: Realizing that a lot of what you’re taught isn’t necessarily true and doing plenty of research. Suggested Exercise: Take one of your hobbies and write down every job you can think of remotely related to them. See what appeals to you.

8. Wrong Idea #2: You Can’t Do What You Like
The Situation: You believe that it is impossible to have a career and make money at something you like. The Diagnosis: Believing the above. Giving up before you give it a try. Being mopey and downtrodden until it makes people crazy.

9. Wrong Idea #2: You Can’t Do What You Like
The Solution: Realizing this is wrong. Realizing that if you don’t do what you like you’ll be unhappy – and do a lousy job. Suggested Exercise: Spend five or more minutes going over all the reasons you should and can do what you like as a career.

10. Wrong Idea #3: The Must-Do Job Myth
The Situation: You believe you can only succeed in making your hobby into a job if you follow a limited career path or paths. The Diagnosis: When asked about how you want to use your interests in your career you can only come up with one or two answers. Others feel “unreal.”

11. Wrong Idea #3: The Must-Do Job Myth
The Solution: Watch out to be sure this myth doesn’t catch you. Research on your different options. Appreciating your hobbies. Suggested Exercise: List the jobs you THINK are “appropriate” for a fan. Now list every job you can think of that’s needed to support those jobs or is related. See how many options you have.

12. Wrong Idea #4: You Must Be Famous to be a “Success”
The Situation: You believe you’re a failure if you’re not famous for what you do. Without that chance, you give up easily. The Diagnosis: Pretty obvious if you think about it.

13. Wrong Idea #4: You Must Be Famous to be a “Success”
The Solution: Realizing fame is just about being known and how many people are happy without it – or don’t care. Suggested Exercise: List every reason you would not want to be famous or overly famous. That will often help cure some delusions after the terror passes.

14. Wrong Idea #5: You Must Be Rich to be a “Success”
The Situation: You believe you’re a failure if you’re not rich or likely to be rich from doing what you like. The Diagnosis: Also petty obvious if you think about it.

15. Wrong Idea #5: You Must Be Rich to be a “Success””
The Solution: Realizing wealth is not a measure of success, and is a tool. Setting independent financial goals. Suggested Exercise: Ask what you want to do in your career. Then explore your financial goals and determine how to get them to work together.

16. The Jobs We Want, and Our Utter Terror at Having Them

17. Fear #1: Ideal Jobs are Hard
The Situation: The jobs we want are hard to get, have, continue, do, etc. Whatever, they’re just hard. The Diagnosis: You look at something you’d like to do and give up because you’re sure it’s too hard.

18. Fear #1: Ideal Jobs are Hard
The Solution: Admitting these jobs are often hard, and finding out how to face the challenges. Suggested Exercise: Read up on people who do just what you want to do and find out how they did it.

19. Fear #2: Losing the Fun
The Situation: You’re afraid that if you do what you like as a job you’ll loose your sense of fun. The Diagnosis: Obvious. It may be possible you use this as an excuse for other issues.

20. Fear #2: Losing the Fun
The Solution: Facing the fear and realizing it’s self-defeating. Suggested Exercise: Come up with a list of ways to keep the fun of what you love even when its work.

21. Fear #3: Fear of Selling Out
The Situation: You’re afraid that if you get an ideal job, you’ll become a sell-out. The Diagnosis: Do you talk about selling out a lot – or have other people done that with you?

22. Fear #3: Fear of Selling Out
The Solution: Reviewing just what you mean by “selling out” and understanding the fear. Suggested Exercise: List the signs of selling out. Now, ask yourself how you’ll be sure you don’t do them.

23. Your Job Search and Why You’re Bad At It

24. Mistake #1: Not Doing Your Research
The Situation: You’re not doing research on the careers, companies, certifications, and more you need do do what you like to do. The Diagnosis: You find yourself constantly wrong, unsure, confused – or fear you are ignorant.

25. Mistake #1: Not Doing Your Research
The Solution: Organized research. Set a goal to truly know things and be able to explain them. Suggested Exercise: Find an area of interest you’re passionate about. Go get one book or magazine on it and make it your goal to read it in a short time. Make it a habit.

26. Mistake #2: Bad Job Search Skills
The Situation: You have no idea how to get out of your lousy job. The Diagnosis: What part of “You have no idea how to get out of your lousy job” wasn’t clear?

27. Mistake #2: Bad Job Search Skills
The Solution:
Treat job searching as:
A separate skill.
Something you do regularly.
Suggested Exercise:
Design your own plan to improve your job search – and measure it.

28. Note: Things You Need Know How To Do Career-Wise
Be sure you know how to:
Create a good resume and cover letter.
Create a good portfolio.
Network with people.
Know how to get proper education and certifications.

29. Note: Things You Need To Do Career-Wise
Be sure you:
Have a personal website for business/online presence.
Have a LinkedIn.com account – and use it.
Join local groups or associations relevant to your career goals – and get involved.

30. Situational Issues: When Things Are Lousy

31. Issue #1: The Economy Is Lousy
The Situation: The economy is a mess, things cost more, there are less jobs, and you’re miserable about it. The Diagnosis: Watching the news requires prozac. Not watching it means you worry you missed something.

32. Issue #1: The Economy Is Lousy
The Solution: Face it head on. Learn about the economy so you can cope with it. Suggested Exercise: Find a reliable news source or sources on the economy and review it once a day. Continue until it makes sense.

33. Issue #2: Industries are Changing
The Situation: The companies, industries, an areas you want to work are changing rapidly. The Diagnosis: You have no idea what’s going on and have the suspicion neither does anyone else.

34. Issue #2: Industries are Changing
The Solution: Keeping up. Make sure you stay informed. Suggested Exercise: Locate at least 3 useful news sources on your industry, and review them once a day in a news feed.

35. In Closing: How To Make Your Job Less Annoying

36. Knowledge Is Power The Key to Success is Knowledge: Know yourself.
Know your profession.
Know the economy.
Know how to know.

37. Knowledge Has To Be Applied
Be sure you:
Develop a plan for your career – and know how to measure success.
Don’t put things off.
Work on your “career” materials – website, cards, portfolio, etc.
Network, connect, and join.

38. For More Information Check your handout for useful information!
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