I love geographic information systems! The creativity in map design, the science of spatial analysis, and the cross-industry power are amazing.

First off, I love ESRI, but I can use QGIS.

Second, I learned a very valuable lesson when I was unemployed in GIS… for MONTHS about GIS software.

Before I developed Permissionless GIS which doubled my GIS job interviews and landed me an amazing job, I made a huge mistake in my GIS interviews.

This mistake was so bad, that I was kicked out of several interviews…

That was a joke, but I did get strange looks and no job offer.

I said the following when asked about software:

“I don’t like open source GIS software”

This didn’t seem so bad since the jobs required ESRI products.

But it was a red flag for the hiring company.

Here is another red flag you never want to say in a job interview:

“I don’t like paid GIS software”.

Confused? Let me explain.

Many companies use a hybrid system in their GIS. They will use a combination of GIS software for financial reasons, convenience, or for clients.

They may even have their own internal software or industry specific GIS software you may never have heard of.

If you say you don’t like open source or paid GIS software, you are telling the company to keep looking for someone else.

If you say “I don’t like X GIS software”, they hear “I CAN’T USE X GIS software”.

You shouldn’t say you like or dislike any GIS software package.

I am not saying lie, I am saying take this into consideration.

GIS software essentially do all the same things

Seriously, there are only so many ways you can “Clip”, “Add table”, “Project”, complete imagery analysis, or “Buffer”.

All top GIS software do these things, just with different clicks and different names.

That means, roughly speaking, YOU can use all GIS software if you understand GIS.

If one GIS software package does something well now, the others will do it next release, or differently on the next release, or better on the next release.

There is always going to be a GIS software “arms race”.

Open source will come up with an idea that the paid copy… I mean be inspired by.

The paid software will streamline new innovations because they have the cash to test the latest “thing” and see if it works.

There will always be new software.

Something better will come along. Whether it’s a new open source or paid, something new always comes along.

The best thing you can do is be flexible and always learn.

This brings me to what you need to say in a job interview when asked about GIS software:

“I have used X Brand GIS software mostly, but can easily use Y Brand GIS software”

Or

“I am unfamiliar with Z Brand, but I do understand GIS concepts that are easily transferable across software packages”

I AM NOT SAYING YOU SHOULD LIE.

I want you to think about it this way… here are 2 truths and 1 lie you can think about.

1. I don’t know how to use X GIS software
2. I can figure out how to use X GIS software
3. I know ALL GIS software.

One of those answers is correct, and the other two are wrong (most likely).

As a GIS professional you will need to use multiple different GIS software. Your ability to adapt matters. Your ability and understanding of GIS matter the most.

You can learn and adapt easily, especially if you know GIS concepts and terminology.

I have more information in my book, Permissionless GIS: Double Your GIS Interviews NOW.

Knowing that what you should and shouldn’t do is:

Have fun!

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out my other links!

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I am going to show you how you can become 5 to 10 times as hirable in GIS / Geoscience using social media.

What I am going to show you is easy because you already have the skills you need.

What I am going to teach you today I have used successfully to get thousands of followers, 10s of thousands of views, 100s of thousands of impressions, and 10s of thousands of clicks.

Knowing that you can do this too, is half the battle!

Because of this, I love social media, especially when it comes to GIS and geoscience.

However, social media can be a “fake news”, celebrity hot-take, conspiracy theory, troll ridden, dumpster fire

You use social media, or you ignore it at your own peril.

You can become depressed using social media.

You can become permanently outraged using social media.

Social needs to come with warnings… just watch “The Social Dilemma”

But social media is here to stay… you have to navigate it properly.

If you want to get ahead faster, you have no choice but to use social media.

Here are three reasons you HAVE to engage on social media.

1. 80% of jobs are filled through networking

Your network use to be people you talked to in person.

Now, social media extends your network… massively.

You want a job sooner… you need a big network.

In an interconnected world, a virtual network will inevitably bring you success… if you do it right.

2. Employers are scanning your social media before they hire you.

Resumes used to be pieces of paper… then digital documents…

Your social media presence is now your resume… whether you like it or not.

How you engage online will reflect on you.

How you DON’T engage online will reflect on you.

Engaging online PROPERLY will get you into work faster.

3. You have full control over how people see you on social media

Choosing the right foot to put forward is in your control.

Showing what skills you bring to the table is in your control.

The whole process is in your control… if you choose it.

Now that I told you why, I am going to give you an action plan so you can start engaging online and become 5 to 10 times more hirable.

Your plan is to engage online by showing what you know.

Show what you know allows you to control how people see you on social media.

Your post ARE valuable to some people (not everyone… and this is ok), which will expand your network as people like your content.

Recruiters and companies, when they start scanning your social media, will see you are adding value to the world.

Let’s get started ACTION PLAN NOW!

1. Start with an “easy” topic you know well.

Easy can be starting from first principles like hydrocarbon traps, basic python programming, cooking, or  map projections.

I say “easy” because your knowledge is advanced for many people.

Your “easy” knowledge, is valuable to beginners (who are most people out there)

2. Break this “easy” topic in multiple small steps

These small steps help you focus your attention and your audience’s attention.

You didn’t learn everything all at once, you don’t have to post it all at once.

Small steps spoon feeds your knowledge to the world.

3. Distill the first step into an easy-to-understand “Chunk” of information

This “chunk” can be the following:

• 280 Characters
• A single Instagram size image (1080×1080) or series of images
• A 60-second to 5-minute long video.
• A short presentation

Don’t use jargon. Don’t use overly technical language.

User conversational language, like you, were talking to a friend

4. Post the step online

Post to LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TickToc, or whatever social media platform exists into the future

This is where you can see your impressions, likes (clicks), and network grow.

You can also adjust your posts depending on how your network reacts.

5. Repeat all the steps

Repeat!

Posting on social media is not for the lazy, repeating is the way to stay ahead of the pack.

Your social media is your resume, you social media is your reputation. Again… you use it or ignore it at your own peril.

Have fun!

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out my other links!

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I love geographic information systems! The creativity in map design, the science of spatial analysis, and the cross-industry power are amazing.

I also love Geoscience. Geoscience makes the world go. We find minerals for your phone, computers and batteries.  We find cheap energy to power the world.

I am going to give you little insight into something you may not have considered.

Technology changes fast, and people change slowly.

Your education may be great… but there is something called Moore’s Law which will start erasing your education by the minutes.

Moore’s law says that computing power will double every two years (roughly speaking).

Consider the “Human Law”… it took 100,000 thousand years for us to think the digital watch is a pretty neat idea.

It took you 2-4 years to get your degree.

This means, that keeping up is going to be a challenge… BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE!

And knowing that you have to keep up, and how to keep up is half the battle.

I talk about how to keep up in my post on “Learning how to learn, and Learning how to teach”.

I am also going to give you a couple more insights here.

You see when I first started doing geographic information systems in the geoscience, I was amazed.

…amazed at just how backward GIS in geoscience was.

Still use paper for field maps. Limited field connectivity. No data analytics.

Things were changing while I was still doing field ops, but it made me realize there are three areas that every GIS and Geoscience person needs to focus on.

Some of these you might say “I knew that” to.

But are you really doing them? Are you REALLY doing them with your data?

Web Connectivity

If your data is stuck on a land computer… you are doing EVERYTHING wrong.

The internet is not a novelty. It is here to stay.

You can refuse to order your books from Amazon, but you can’t refuse to connect your geoscience / GIS to the internet.

You need to always think about how you can put your data online to ensure you stay competitive.

Mobile Technology

Mobile technology follows us into the toilet… if you are not harnessing this opportunity for GIS or Geoscience, you are already behind.

Perhaps a few years ago you could complain that mobile tech was not that useful.

This is not the case. There are apps for everything.

Luckily more companies are doing what ESRI is doing and letting you harness their apps for your mobile operations.

All you have to do is use your imagination (I have given you some ideas below)

Cloud Technology

Cloud tech is the super child of mobile and web connectivity… the future is all in the Cloud.

There could well be a future where we no longer have home computers, only terminals and online cloud computers.

You could light up a supercomputer for 10 minutes to process your GIS data, and spin it down to go back to a normal computer for everyday use.

Cloud storage is no longer a novelty, it is a necessity.

I remember a time when losing a hard drive to a random crash was scary. Dead drive means lost data.

Just think how useful Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive area. The future is Cloud… get there sooner.

Stumped about ideas for GIS and Geoscience… here is a quick ideas I came up with ON THE FLY (I will show you how this is done in a future blog post).

Some of these might already be created… I don’t know, but I do know you can come up with your own.

1. Cloud computing for seismic processing (already started!)
2. Mobile technology for field safety
3. Web connectivity for office/field communication
4. Cloud computing for automated core log analysis
5. Mobile technology for geological mapping
6. Web connectivity for operation monitoring
7. Cloud computing for automatic survey design
8. Mobile real-time operation updates
9. Web connectivity for up-to-the-minute operational analytics
10. Cloud computing for massive seismic data storage (already started!)
11. Mobile equipment analytics
12. Web connectivity for client interactions
13. Cloud computing to save on computer purchase
14. Mobile permit documentation
15. Web… to connect all of this

Have fun, you now have a ton of ideas to go out and make happen.

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out my other links!

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I love geographic information systems! The creativity of map making, the science of spatial analysis, and the cross-industry value are amazing!

But… being fired sucks.

Being fired from a job you love sucks even more.

Being fired from a job you love AND you are good at really sucks.

I was fired from a job I loved and was GREAT at… and it sucked

I was mad, sad, frustrated, angry, furious, and scared. All those emotions over a very short period of time.

I blamed my former boss, I blamed the economy, I blamed my career choices, and I blamed myself.

And then I found out they kept a lower-paid co-worker who was nowhere near as good as I was.

And I was really mad… for a short time.

Most people go through the stages of grief when something like this happens.

This is normal, this is ok… BUT DON’T STAY MAD FOR LONG

I wasn’t completely delusional, I didn’t think my job was completely secure. But I also thought what I was doing was enough to keep me there.

I know now that this was a great learning experience… and as I like to say:

Before I go any further, the person they kept was perfectly capable of doing what the company needed. I don’t hold a grudge and wish them well.

Luckily for me, I was doing these steps I am going to share with you below.

These steps will help you stay hire-able if you are let go, and will even ensure you are kept employed at your current position.

The reason… you are investing in yourself.

1. Get Cross-Industry Skills NOW.

The old saying goes, never put all your eggs in one basket. The new saying is… GET CROSS-INDUSTRY SKILLS NOW.

It is very important to have high-value industry specific unique skills. These skills can make your career… but… they are most likely useless in other industries.

I come from a geoscience background. These skills can be very niche… and this means useless outside of geoscience.

You need to think about cross-industries skills, you need to think about how things interconnect.

Here is a short list of cross-industry skills you can start learning right now:

Marketing / Management / Agile / Coding / Video production/ copywriting / Graphic Design / GIS / Coaching / Excel / Access

Cross-industry skills will help you the most when the going gets tough.

2. Always put in more value than you get paid for.

Note I said value… not time. Value may be time, but value will help you 10x more.

Putting in more value means you have to do extra work. This is OK, because you will be learning from the extra work / extra value you are putting in.

What does value look like?

Adding more statistical analysis to a project, presenting using animations rather than just images, and making decisions ahead of time rather than asking permission.

You put in more VALUE, and you get more EXPERIENCE.

(Note: Beware of pointless work… limit the useless, maximize the useful)

This experience is yours… not the companies which lead to the next one.

3. You OWN your experience.

Your experience is your own. You get let go… You can go to a competitor. You can make your own business.

Unlike your work computer, all the code you wrote, all the documents you created (those are property of the company you worked for) YOUR EXPERIENCE IS YOURS!

Once you are no longer employed, any IDEAS you had are yours and you are free to pursue.

You cannot take any documents, code, proprietary material, trade secrets

You can use your experience, no one can stop you from using: your knowledge of software, databases, writing, leadership… THIS IS YOURS.

Note… I am not a lawyer, so don’t take this as legal advice. There is a lot of nuance about what can and can’t be done after you are let go… but you are allowed to use your experience.

4. Making money for someone else works… but won’t solve the problem… hire yourself.

If you think like an employee, that is all you will ever be.

If you want to be unfireable, hire yourself.

This is not for the timid or faint of heart. It takes time and patience.

Make social media your jump-off point!

If you have built the skills, you can market yourself on social media.

It takes time and effort, but you can do this while you are working for someone else.

5. Always move forward

Spend as little time worrying about being fired, and more time planning your next move.

Yes it sucks getting fired. But what sucks more is not having a plan for getting hired.

If you wait, you will wake up one day and 6 months will have gone by with you have done nothing.

While you wait, other people are planning and moving on.

While you wait, students are passing courses and getting ahead.

Don’t wait… START NOW.

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out my other links!

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I love geographic information systems! The artistic nature of mapping and symbology, the science and statistics of geospatial analysis, and the cross industry value is amazing.

Here is something you need to consider.

You are going to go obsolete in GIS VERY QUICKLY… if you aren’t careful.

Technology changes fast… faster than humans can possibly change.

Humans are slow… it took us 10’s of thousands of years to figure out the wheel, and now we have new technology updates monthly.

Now say this with me… THIS IS OK! I CAN HANDLE THIS.

You can handle this because knowing what is happening is half the battle!

First I am going to tell you the two skills YOU NEED TO LEARN NOW.

And then I am going to tell you the only four steps you need to get this done.

The two powerful skills you need are:

Learning how to Learn and Learning How to Teach

These two skills are the currency of the future.

Your ability to use these skills for yourself, for your group, or your organization will determine your success.

Learning how to Learn

You have to learn how to learn because the world changes fast, technology changes fast, and the work environment changes fast.

Part of it is counter intuitive. You have to learn what to forget what you don’t need, so you ONLY learn what is IMPORTANT.

You have to be selective in your learning, and you have to be FAST.

This type of learning happens on the edges. This will put you out of your comfort zone.

You have to have removed the phrases “I knew that” and “I disagree” from your vocabulary.

You THINK you have the skills, but chances are you DON’T have them. This is because of your PERSPECTIVE.

You think you have the answers, you think you know what is going on, but you miss out on learning if you already KNOW and DISAGREE.

Learning how to Teach

Your ability to explain a topic reveals just how much you have learned about it.

Something magical happens in our minds when we teach. A responsibility switch is clicked on and we start to understand what we are teaching better.

Teaching takes guts. Teaching takes time. Teaching takes skill. All of which you can learn over time.

Now… the fours steps to being able to Learn how to learn and learn how to teach.

Step 1 – Know your Purpose

Your first step is to know your purpose in life. It can also be as simple as know your purpose in learning how to learn.

Your purpose will drive you forward and be as easy to understand as “Get a great job I love”.

This is the “WHY” of your life or current ideas. There is nothing more powerful than your massive “WHY” and purpose.

With purpose, you have a starting point to focus and push yourself forward.

Step 2 – Focus Focus Focus

Your ability to focus your attention over time will determine your level of success in your purpose.

To focus better can be as simple as turning off your social media.

It can also mean you isolating yourself socially for long periods of time to get jobs done.

Focus compounds over time allowing you to create something amazing.

Step 3 – Stay Aware

Your purpose will change over time, the world will change over time, and your life will change over time… YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF AND MAKE NEW DECISSIONS BASED ON THESE CHANGES.

It is ok to change and adjust your direction and purpose.

Your purpose doesn’t have to stay static for years on end. You can alter it constantly to better fit new information.

“I want to be an astronaut” can rapidly turn into “I want to be an engineer” to “I want to invent a better car” to “I want to program safety into drones”.

Step 4 – Create Bulletproof Mindsets

The way you think about the world and how you fit in it matter. Your ability to harness your mind matters.

Great mindsets will add to your purpose, make your focus 10 times better, and keep you aware of changes you have to adjust to.

Here are several great mindsets:

Plan ahead

Success loves speed

No one cares, they want their problems fixed

Most of all… HAVE FUN!

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out my other links!

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I love geographic information systems (GIS)! The creativity and artistic nature of mapping, the science of spatial analytics, and the cross industry value is amazing.

I hope you feel the same way, but here are a few things you might not have considered.

You go to school, or learn on the job. You have mad GIS skills.

You actually have a lot of GIS skills that you will never use.

You also have a subset of GIS skills that you use all the time and are probably awesome at.

You will be building your education and the skills you use over the years.

Consider your education raw gold, and your skills the jewellery you make from that gold.

You always, always, ALWAYS need a strong education in GIS. As I have said in another post, your GIS education is essential.

Your skills, you need to pick carefully. I cover this in another blog post.

But how does anyone know you have a GIS education? How does anyone know you have GIS skills?

If no one knows about either your education or current skill set, you might as well be shouting into the void.

There is another component in this education and skill equation that you need to start thinking about.

This additional component is your network.

These are the people who know you. This could be interpersonal relationships, personal knowledge of, reputation, or perhaps even fame.

You can think of your network in relational database terms… One-to-One, One-to-Many, and Many-to-Many.

This is about what you are known for… good or bad.

One-to-one relationship is for people like your spouse, children, and close family. Very important, but not great for your career in this sense.

Then you have one-to-many networking, where you maintain several dozen professional relationships in your career.

This type of one to many is useful, old-school, and limited. This is your old-school network.

These people knew your education and skills. They know you in person. This is the way humans have networked for eons.

Enter the digital age of the internet where one-to-many changes meaning and many-to-many take over.

The New One-to-Many

Your digital network is now the most powerful tools you have at your disposal.

Every post, every LinkedIn addition, and every email that you create builds you up.

Your education and your skill sets are amplified in this one-to-many network.

Your education and skills increase by a factor of 10t 100 if you get this right.

(You can also get this wrong… but that is for another blog post)

YOU HAVE THIS ABILITY RIGHT NOW

Add a professional LinkedIn Pic

Add all your education details

Add all your work details

Post your current school work, post your achievements, and update your LinkedIn.

The next is for advanced users.

The New Many-to-Many.

This is not just for advanced GIS people. This is for GIS people willing to take a risk. This is is not for the lazy or the fearful.

The risk is to seriously put your skills out there.

This is where you combine your none-GIS skills and shout them to the world.

Videos, Graphics, Animations, Baking, Crafting, Lifting Heavy, All of these can open up HUGE possibilities for you.

The risk is getting on the internet and doing it.

Stay tuned for my eBook on how to get the New One-to-Many and New Many-to-Many working for you!

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out my other links!

Double your GIS Job Interviews now

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