On 8 November 2023, Karl Geiger gave a talk to the IEEE Buenaventura Section – Computer Society Chapter. (Video, Slides)

For the soon-to-be employed, newly employed, or the employed but confused.

New entrants to the workforce may find the work place confusing, especially when entering directly from school after finishing a degree. The motivations and reasoning behind management decisions can seem unclear and confusing because professional training focuses on particular technical skills instead of business, economics, and “soft skills” such as workplace politics. This talk gives the soon-to-be employed, the newly employed, or the already-employed-but-confused a leg up.

Hear why and how companies make decisions that affect their employees and business, what sort of companies and managers exist and what they expect, and how to maximize your skills and treat yourself as a “business of one.” The presentation concludes with resources useful for adopting a “business mindset” to let you become more capable, well-rounded, and valuable to your bosses and yourself.

About the Speaker
Karl Geiger has over forty years work experience working in higher education (University of Southern California), in private industry (Amgen, Inc), at numerous smaller companies/startups in Silicon Valley and southern California, and as a volunteer. He has worked as an individual contributor software developer, architect, and project manager as well as a full-time manager in charge of team building, team management, hiring, termination, budgeting, and downsizing. Mr. Geiger holds a BA in Classics (Latin, Greek) and an MS in Computer Science and is a Senior member of the IEEE. He still enjoys programming in C.