To the college grads

You’re worried that you won’t be able to get a job right out of college.  That’s understandable, because you probably won’t.  And if you do, it will be through your dad or your friend’s parents or whatever.  More likely, you’ll be looking at lame jobs for companies that move at a glacial pace.  Companies that stifle creativity, or think creativity’s limits stop at decorating your desk or using props during powerpoint presentations.  The kind of companies that are “safe” and unremarkable.

If you want to work for them, that’s fine.  They’re just not really going anywhere.  And neither will you.  The companies that will thrive in this recession/depression are the ones who take smart risks, differentiate, and innovate.  The companies that will decompose are doing the opposite: playing it safe, standardizing, and sticking with their old routine.

The only way you can get the attention of the innovators is to prove you’re worth hiring.  A bullet point resume doesn’t cut it.

So start building your portfolio.  Take on a project.  Volunteer at local conventions.  Do a month of free work for websites that are thriving.  Start a blog.

Ironically, the thing that has the most potential to hurt your career right now is taking the safe route.  And there are plenty of great opportunities out there if you stray from the common path.  So learn to disdain the status quo and start crafting a remarkable story for yourself.