Finding a Job in Linux

This week, I had the opportunity to visit Madison and present to the MadLUG--Linux User Group--about finding a job in Linux. Knowing just enough about Linux to be dangerous, I (wisely) chose to speak more generally of the career and job search advice I generally give to technology professionals.

The presentation is pretty text-centric and not my usual, but here it is:

Finding A Job In Linux 4 Google

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Volunteering During Job Transition: Good Idea!

I wanted to take a moment to say a word or two about volunteering during career transition. While it is not always feasible to give your time to unpaid work when you've been laid off, downsized or outsourced, it is something that you should consider carefully. As the organizer of the JobCamp event, I was helped by over 150 dedicated volunteers, foremost among them a group of twelve selfless individuals who put in an effort that any company would be proud sing about.

I could not tell you how many of the 150 interviewers and resume doctors and presenters are currently without employment (probably many of them), but I can tell you that many--most--of the core organizing team are unemployed or severely underemployed.

In other circumstances you may question the wisdom of why someone would devote so much time and effort to something that would not put a cent into their pockets. Granted, there is a certain amount of feelgood popularity that results from being involved in an event that benefits the community and that's enough reason for some to do it. But when you look at the resounding recommenation that it gives those individuals when they walk into their next interview and explain what they did when the chips were down?

Wow.

I challenge any area employer not to be impressed with the individuals who worked on the Milwaukee JobCamp team. They exemplified the very best qualities we seek in employees--dedication, belief in the mission of the organization, consideration and teamwork, communication, the ability to prioritize, diplomacy, and camaraderie.

Before dismissing any opportunity out of hand when you are in transition, consider the opportunity and adventure that it might provide. And consider the message that it sends to your next potential employer.

Twitter and Hiring: Back to Classifieds? It's About Time!

I frequently hear hiring professionals debating the value of Twitter as a hiring tool. The space is replete with thousands of social media experts who feel you should tweet but are often maddeningly short on details when it comes down to the specifics.

In my daily life, Twitter has been a tool that I use to promote myself, my company, my events, and thought leadership about recruiting and quality hiring. That's a lot of purposes for a 140-character-limit platform! Being a good citizen of the Twitter world seems to require of me (still feeling it out, of course) a balance between offering good information, responding to interesting messages and friends, and, yep, throwing out the occasional job opportunity.

I find that Twitter works especially well in the IT space, where a lot of engaged discussions go on with regards to open source technologies and programming languages. It's like walking into a room of experts who can probably point you in the right direction and announcing a need for help.

But probably the most intriguing thing about using Twitter--and status updates on LinkedIn and Facebook for that matter--is the space limitation. It reminds me a great deal of how classified ads worked--or still, work, I suppose, though I can't imagine anyone in the IT space still paying much attention to the printed classifieds.

One of the endemic problems of moving job advertisements to the online world was something that seemed like a huge benefit at first: the lack of limitations. Suddenly, it was five times more cost effective to write as much as you wanted in a job description and have it posted online. Isn't that great? Unfortunately, the lack of writing strictures has brought us to a place where economy of words and careful description has gone away. Look at any job board and you'll find thousands of horribly written position descriptions that are geared more toward Human Resources departments than the job seekers they ought ot be aimed at.

Position descriptions as they exist on the boards and on corporate web sites today consist of endless bulleted lists; obtuse, vague, trite or inaccurate descriptions; legalistic jargon; and exclusionary requirements. These descriptions have the effect of convincing the potential hire that a company is asking for too much specialization (a purple squirrel hunt is what it's called in the recruiting biz).

It's no wonder that hiring professionals are now looking at Twitter with a bit of a jaundiced eye. It would require us to get back to the business of writing a compelling, intriguing description of an available position along with a clear call to apply. It does not bore us with endless bullet points (like in PowerPoint, all bullets in job descriptions probably ought to be banned), nor does it exclude, nor does it stultify the company. Tweeting an interesting compelling position description that drives someone to my web site to apply or to ask me direct questions about my work opportunities is a welcome addition to the recruiter's arsenal.

I've Got A Job--Why Should I Attend JobCamp?

The Milwaukee JobCamp this Thursday at Potawatomi's Conference Center will serve at least 1,000 people, a majority of whom are in an active search for a new position. However, there are compelling reasons why it's important for people who are currently employed need to be present that day.

The event is called a "day camp for your career" because we're bringing together some of the best subject matter experts in Milwaukee to help people think about the work they do (disclosure: I'm the organizer for the event along with about 150 volunteers from across southeastern Wisconsin). Work takes up so much of our lives, is there any good reason to not to afford it careful consideration whether we're in a job or not?

In difficult economic times, we do not always have the luxury of taking on work that is conducive to our long term career goals. You may have been forced to take temporary employment or even a full-time position that just pays the bills, in which case an event like the JobCamp could be a crucial place for you to go to remind yourself that the search for a new position is not over.

The old adage that it's easier to find a job when you have a job also applies. You may make important new contacts at JobCamp who will help you take your career to its next logical step--or maybe even an unexpected but more fulfilling step.

In any case, being open to new employment situations is something I always counsel job seekers to do. Your resume should always be up to date and you need to continue looking at and talking to people about new opportunities. Having a conversation with a potential new employer does not mean that you are going to leave your current job. In fact, it may confirm for you that you're in exactly the job that's right for you.

For too many individuals, the reactivation of one's professional network only occurs when you're in between jobs. That's unfortunate. It is far too tempting, especially when you take a job in a large company, to allow your active professional network to atrophy to the point where it's just the people inside your organization. True, those contacts can prove critical to your effectiveness, to getting a job done in a timely way. But what of all the people you used to know and work with at your last job? What of other professionals you met the last time you were in transition? Do they go by the wayside? A career management event like JobCamp, which doesn't necessarily trumpet that you're looking for a job is a nice way to stay connected to these individuals.

Networking often brings unseen benefits to your current employer in that you may learn new ideas and discover new resources that helps you to do your job in different or better ways.

Finally, and perhaps the most compelling reason for "the employed" to attend JobCamp is that those who are in an active search right now need hope. They need to see and hear from people who have recently landed a job, to know that their searches are not fruitless, that there are jobs out there. They also need to meet people who have kept their jobs to see that there are indeed stable companies out there that may have had to tighten their collective belts but are nonetheless keeping their employees. People who have kept their jobs are also important ambassadors to their companies and getting out to meet job seekers can mean winning new talent for your current employer. Plus, most employers offer some sort of incentive bonus if you are responsible for bringing in a new hire. Why not benefit from that.

The obvious excuse for not coming to the event is that you're working right now and simply cannot take the time off. That's why we're running the event from 11 am to 7 pm, though. Stop by over your lunch hour or after 5 pm. There is still an awful lot going on that day and I'm sure you'll get a lot out of it. Don't forget to bring along a non-perishable food item, too, that will go to the Hunger Task Force and feed needy families in the Milwaukee area.

I hope to see you there.