Tuesday Tech

So, once again I am late. I'll get on a scheduling system sooner or later. Of course, then again, the relevancy of the articles I read will be a little out of date.

Anyway...

I found an article with the most employable careers 2015 (Link goes out to MSN).

A piece of advice I have for people pursuing a degree, look at what jobs you want, not what topic interests you. If you like creativity and social media, look for jobs in those areas. Often, a specific degree is required, and a bunch of knowledge you need to have to do that job.

Then, major in the field that will get you the jobs you want. I linked to the employable careers as a starting point, but really get to know what kind of job you're interested in. It can be broad, like design or utilities. Then look at the related jobs and their descriptions, it interests you, then look at the qualifications.

If you want to be a writer, then look for jobs where you can write. It may not be creative writing, but writing something in general (and the editing practice that goes with it) is important. But, like so many people suggest, don't forgo the day job so you can write (unless you have the means to do so. Even then I still recommend a part time job).

1) You need an income. Living (and dying) isn't free. So, make money doing something else you enjoy, or at least can sharpen your writing skills.

2) You need to live life. I'm not saying that people who just write or don't have a job don't live life, but for so many people, work is a big part of their lives. At work you can listen to other people's experiences and learn about other cultures so easily. This can provide inspiration for characters or stories.

The other part to the "living life" is that it often costs money to go places. Sometimes, companies will send you places for work (San Diego Comic Con anyone?) It's a good opportunity to get some other perspectives.

3) You need a break from writing. This is more for me and people like me. I need a balance in my life. I need to do some technical and analytical thinking or my brain starts feeling like mush. When that happens, my creativity goes on the fritz. It's not pretty. But, working, though it's been taking time away from writing, has been helpful for me. It gives me distance from my MS, it gives me other experiences, and I can work with a bunch of interesting people.

So, the keyword of the day is "jobs". I just wanted to throw this out there. Unemployment isn't fun (believe me, I was there for a long time), but it can give you the time and space you need to discover things you love (like writing).

Well, that's my two cents, soapbox, pamphlet advice.