Community: Experience you can get for free (and in your PJ's)

[seanpmcclean]

TLDR (Too Long Didn't Read): Playing an active part of the ServiceNow community is like an internship that you don’t have to apply for, has flexible hours, and that you can do in your pajamas. Jump in there and read, comment, and answer questions.

OK, I know it’s not the same as a real internship, and I mean absolutely no disparagement intended for those who have internships. But I also know that there are more people looking for internships that there are, well internships.  

I also know that sometimes the hardest thing to get without experience, is, well, experience. But approached in the right way, the community can help get you about as close as you can be to the kind of experience that comes from doing the job - just think about it:

In the community, people that have the job you might want, are asking for help, or talking about what that job is like:

• They are giving you insight into the challenges of the job you might be looking for
• They are giving you the opportunity to try to answer some of their questions
• Answering questions gives you the opportunity to start making a name for yourself, gaining recognition
• The cost of a mistaken answer? Zero. Zilch. In fact, if you don't give the "best solution", there will likely be correct answers and guidance for the next time from other community members

‘K’so.  Sounds Nifty - but can you give me the step by steps? Sure thing:

• Sign up / sign in to the community
• Follow a channel you are interested in
• Make a regular schedule of reading - try to come up with a comment that reflects you understand, but asks another question or restates a cool point
• Make another regular schedule of trying to answer a question, or, trying to understand the answer to one of the questions - again, try to come up with a comment that adds to the discussion
• Track your comments / answers (oh wait, the community does that for you! In your profile!)

In no time you’ll find you’ve absorbed the “experience” of ServiceNowSpeak - almost through osmosis.

Can you put it down as a job? Maybe not.

But lemmee try something out: Someone asks me..

“Sean what kind of experience do you have”

“Well Kevin, just last week I was helping with a really challenging problem - you see (explain  question…) so I helped them by putting together (explain answer)”

Or

“As a matter of fact Kevin at the (Fill in ServiceNow User Group of choice) I did a little talk on …(Fill in Topic)”

Or

“Well Kevin, it’s funny you mention that, on the (Fill in ServiceNow User Group Community) I helped set up a round table forum on  (Fill in the cool topic), where we were working on (repeat the cool topic)...”

See? Experience!

So.  Get on your pajamas, get on your couch with your laptop or keyboard, and get some experience with the community!