Vertically Rising » Work

The Practical Steps From: My Road to Becoming a Community Manager

Randall — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:42:06 +0000

So in my last post, I talked a lot about my personal journey on becoming a Community Manager in the gaming industry. Looking back and wanting to provide something for the community, I wanted to make a posting with some actual practical steps that can be taken from my story.

1. Be Active, if even on a volunteer basis.

I started out by just volunteering my time on a forum. Others I know started by writing reviews on community gaming sites. Being active and staying involved helps to show a passion towards being part of a community and the industry.

2. Get on Twitter/Facebook & Network!

If you’re not using Social Media (Twitter – Facebook – Google+, etc.), you should be. Brands and their respective Community Managers all use these as tools to reach their audience. Most of them also have their own accounts that can be followed. …

My Road Becoming a Community Manager aka How I Broke into the Gaming Industry

Randall — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:45:51 +0000

Growing up as a kid, we all have had our dream jobs and careers. I used to want to be a Paleontologist and discover some new dinosaur. At one point I wanted to be involved in the comic book industry, but my art was terrible, so I thought maybe I could ink (and in the words of Kevin Smith’s “Chasing Amy” film, it’s just tracing!).

I’ve spoke about how I started playing video games at a young age with the Nintendo Entertainment System, and while I never quite had a moment in life where I knew I wanted to work in the gaming industry like Cliff Bleszinski, I just didn’t think there was an actually opportunity to walk down that path.

in 2008, I had been part of a group of gamers from my church who played Halo 3 and Gears of War almost nightly. One of them had recently …

PAX 2010 Plans

Randall — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 02:08:08 +0000

For those not familiar, PAX stands for Penny Arcade Expo, a convention of sort for gamers that was started by the website/web comic Penny Arcade. Starting in 2004, it’s grown every year, and even added a PAX East hosted in Boston in the Spring of 2010.

For me, this’ll be my first PAX. I’ll be hanging probably with the ASTRO Gaming crew and a bunch of the Destructoid guys (BTW: As a plug for Destructoid, if you’ve haven’t visited their site yet, you should. They do a great job of bringing in people into a gaming community close to you with NARPS (No Apparent Reason Parties). Going to one this weekend. ). Being that I haven’t been to a PAX before, I’ll probably be like a kid in a candy store, only this “store” has tons of great free play stations with the games that are coming …

Weekend Update, Thundercats! Oooooohh, I’m Lion-O!!

Randall — Sun, 27 Jan 2002 03:21:46 +0000

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Well it’s been a lil while since I’ve updated. The CD project is coming along. Still doing most of the guitar work for the project, and haven’t gotten around to doing the vocals yet. Still aiming for the April 1st release date, hehe.

We got a drum set in our house now. Nate came down last weekend and dropped it off. All the guys in the house (well Derek, Ricky, and I) have been playing with it, and trying to learn. I went out and got some Hot Rod drum sticks for it, cuz I like them a lot, though they’re getting abused a lil. The drum set will help for the recording, whooo. I don’t have to lug my computer to my church anymore.

I got a new CD this week at Berean. It’s from this group called Relient K, and they’re cool! haha, they’re kinda punk music, but

It’s too early….

Randall — Wed, 16 Jan 2002 15:36:42 +0000

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Man, it’s like 8:30, and I need to head off to work, but it’s so early!!! ahhhhh. I’m gonna die going into work this early. *sigh* oh well.

I’m feeling a lil down too, so it doesn’t make going into work early any easier either. I just wanted to lay in bed and sleep all day. hah!

current mood: disappointed

Ugly Pimple on my Nose, and Ray’s in the Bathroom

Randall — Wed, 09 Jan 2002 15:30:27 +0000

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Doh, I have work in roughly 30 minutes, and have an ugly big pimple on my nose, and Ray’s in the bathroom, so I can’t brush my teeth or use my Oil-Free Face Wash. =P *sigh*

current mood: moody

Work Work Work

Randall — Wed, 09 Jan 2002 02:04:10 +0000

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Wow, what a busy day yesterday and today. We’re busy doing returns about the whole story, because of Christmas. Whatever didn’t sell, we’re trying to sell back to the company that we ordered it from (which is kinda neat, thought they would just make us store it till next year, lol). Anyways, since I’m now in the music department, I was busy doing a bunch of Christmas returns. We filled up a WHOLE WHOLE big cart, and it was probably atleast 3000 cds that we’re returning to 8 different companies. The biggest return was Avalon’s Christmas album, “Joy”. We’re returning 441 of those CDs. And I had to peel off every single Berean UPC sticker from them. Luckily, by that time, Sandy (one of the Office Associates) gave me a “Scraper” which has a edge that you can peel things off, or scrap them off. Too bad I didn’t have

Man!

Randall — Mon, 07 Jan 2002 19:23:21 +0000

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I forgot my devotional back in San Francisco!! argh! It’s really good, and it’s called, “A Godward Life” by John Piper. John Piper is a pastor of a church in Minniapolis, MN, and he speaks for seminars and such (as well as at OneDay 2000, where I got to hear him speak on Boasting Only in the Cross). Anyways, he has a lot of really interesting views on living our Christian lives, and some real paradigm shifts. One of which is this:

God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him.

I can’t go into much detail into that, but just thinking about that idea gives me goosebumps! It’s really true that God is glorified in us, when we satisfied living out His purpose for us here on earth. If we’re doing what He’s telling us, He’s the one getting all the glory for it! and

Work Work Work, oh, and a Birthday thrown in

Randall — Wed, 24 Oct 2001 01:28:47 +0000

Worked for my 3rd day today. (Third Day? hehe, they’re new album comes out in November, mark your calendars!) The first day I was put in cashering, 2nd was customer service, and today I did all recieving (where they get all the packages, and products, and sticker them and put them out). Not really sure which one I like best….probably customer service, or cashering. Each one of the days I got to see less and less customers, which I guess wasn’t that great, hah. But work so far seems pretty cool. I enjoy it a lot and the people who work there are great! Fun people, and we joke around with each other a lot, but don’t put one another down, just have fun with each other. =) Good enviroment definately!

Hrm, so for my birthday today, we’re gonna go out to Red Robins a little later. Not sure how …

Whooooo

Randall — Wed, 17 Oct 2001 20:07:54 +0000

Hey there, I got hired for Berean today. Cool stuff. =) I go in for Orientation tommorrow morning. Wheeeeee! Praise Jesus!

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