Success in a tech career can be defined in many ways: titles, compensation, number of weeks of vacation, etc. But most of what I just listed are goals that business people value, not necessarily what a geek might value.

That's the reason why many tech workers are perpetually frustrated. Their managers and HR departments aren't aware of nor oriented towards the things that motivate geeks: recognition, mentorship, knowledge-sharing, and non-management leadership opportunities.

Does this sound like you?

Becoming a manager is not the only form of "advancement" available to you. With some guidance and brainstorming, we can figure out how to expand your role to attract the recognition that can also get you more opportunities, better pay, and more. (If you want to see examples of how I expanded the tech jobs I've had, see the About Toolie page.)

Let's start with a quick call. You can book some time on my calendar by visiting www.TalktoToolie.com and choosing Brainstorming Session.

Mentorship

Welcome to Geek While Blonde -- that's me up there, Toolie^® Garner -- the blonde geek. If you've found my website, it's probably because you're a geek too.

Being a worker in technology is exciting and challenging, and you've worked hard to get and stay there. The discipline and study required to work in this industry is sometimes lost on family members, friends, and even employers. And yet we persist, because we love it.

I created this site to bring to light some of the challenges within tech that aren't so great: long working hours, under-trained managers, and the sheer volume of work we're expected to produce. I'm here to encourage both the hands-on tech professionals and their immediate managers in their quest for reasonable working conditions, opportunities for growth and professional development, and well-functioning teams that produce quality software and services.

What's In It for You?

You are the unsung heros of the technology industry; the engine of commerce that makes it possible to live as we do. I'm here to help you as best I can.

• Non-managers: My desire is to help you expand your role in ways that keep you hands-on with the software and services while still earning the respect and the pay you deserve. Not everyone is meant to be a manager. I'm here to help you figure out ways to become a leader and share your knowledge without necessarily moving into management. To learn more see v2 Geek Careers. 
  
  
• Managers: My purpose is to help you with management of humans: the developers, testers, DevOps, program managers, project managers, support desk personnel, technical writers, and others who are part of your team and/or within your sphere of influence. There are plenty of other places where you can learn the management of the software development process. I am here to help you interact with, motivate, and support the humans who are doing that work. To learn more, visit www.GeekDynamics.net.

Research on Tech Workers

To better serve the people I am meant to help, I conduct primary research on this slice of the software development world. That means I'm not relying data from others, I'm collecting it myself. Rather than using statistics from human resource organizations, I seek out information directly from the people doing the work, using online surveys. I have an anonymous method for submitting information to me about issues you're facing in your workplace. See the Contact page.

To participate the latest research, please visit www.TellToolie.com. Most surveys take less than 10 minutes.

Want to Get in Touch?

Please see the Contact page for my email address, phone, and other methods for reaching out. I'd also love to connect with you on LinkedIn.

I've been blessed to work in the tech industry for the last 30 years. I've served in nearly every role connected with the development and production of software products and services. I made a couple of tables below that sum up the breadth of my experience.

Why should you care? Well the guidance and mentorship I offer is based on real-world experience: hands-on coding, testing, writing, presenting, report-writing, you name it. I can truly empathize with you. I want to help you strategize on your professional growth, career, and your leadership of others in this space.

• If you're a non-manager, see v2 Geek Careers on this site to learn more.
• If you're a manager, visit www.GeekDyamics.net to learn more.

Toolie's Career to Date