For the past 15 years, cocktail parties were tough. When people would ask what I do for work, my response, "I build online communities for business," would serve as a natural repellant to further conversation. Confused or suspicious about this mysterious response, the martini-holding listener would likely divert the conversation elsewhere in short order, as they had absolutely no idea what an online community-builder is or does.
I am happy to report that my social life is getting better these days, as online communities are all the rage. There are still elements of mystery that shrouds the community-building profession - but there is also a new-found curiosity.
So, late one evening, I tried write a description of what it means to be an online community builder. And instead of developing a cohesive job description, I wound up with a pile of words. (Leave it to a community builder to approach a puzzle with a unique solution!). While my outcome most certainly does not replace the utility of a straightforward party-line, I think it will resonate will community builders worldwide who have evoked a similar suite of words at the dreaded cocktail party... when faced with the question "what do you do for a living?"
I am happy to report that my social life is getting better these days, as online communities are all the rage. There are still elements of mystery that shrouds the community-building profession - but there is also a new-found curiosity.
So, late one evening, I tried write a description of what it means to be an online community builder. And instead of developing a cohesive job description, I wound up with a pile of words. (Leave it to a community builder to approach a puzzle with a unique solution!). While my outcome most certainly does not replace the utility of a straightforward party-line, I think it will resonate will community builders worldwide who have evoked a similar suite of words at the dreaded cocktail party... when faced with the question "what do you do for a living?"
You think YOU have a problem, V, then try MY line: "I'm a publisher of flight simulator add-ons."
ReplyDelete:-)))))
Truth be told, and you know, I'm a community animal myself, and without that I would not have a chance in hell to be an add-on publisher in a worldwide hobby market of people clustered to their monitors!
So yes, your 'social problem' - even in this day and age of social networks(!) is very much resonating through the house here ;-)
I just last night ran into it once again. I had my birthday party and as usual we only have some close friends come and have a drink and a chat. After my 10 years in this particular business the only thing they can remember still is that I LOST my JOB and hence am jobless. And oh yes, I chat on the computer all day long and travel a lot.
Frankly, I gave up :-D
For most of the past decade I've just stuck with a mixture of working in IT or marketing in order to save the blank expressions that normally greet my real job.
ReplyDeleteAll of which is quite ironic isn't it? I mean I've heard community managers described as party hosts before, yet our profession is like catnip at real parties :)