How to get a JOB!

We all need one, fortunately or unfortunately!

To let you know about my little expertise in this area. Here are a few tidbits of my life:

• I got my first internship when I was just 18.

• I did my first freelance project when I was 18.

• And got my first real job when I was 20.

From then on, I have left two jobs due to various reasons and have been let go from one as well. I'm still just 23, so take my advice with a pinch of salt. Although I know I am directionally correct.

I have no degree(I dropped out in my second year), so the advice I am giving applies to pretty much everyone. It doesn’t matter which degree you have.

And because I was young, I got to experiment quite a lot with different jobs. You don’t have that much time to experiment. So, I am trying to make it super simple for you.

Build a skill

This is completely the opposite of what I did.

I didn’t build any skills - I just started applying on internshala, tried to get gigs on Discord and from my friends whom I met on Discord only. I learnt on the job.

Was it dumb? no!

Is it dumb now? Yes!

It worked for me because there was no AI for me to compete with. But you need to be better than AI to get any money at all. That’s why I will never ask someone to pursue writing as a career now. Keep it as a hobby.

Also, I was going for an easy skill — writing. It doesn’t work for design, coding, sales, product management and actual marketing.

But all these skills can be learned through pure dedication of 6-12 months for free on the internet, and they will pay you back all your whole life.

So, keep your head down and learn one of these skills before you even try to go and get a job out there.

Side note - choose one that goes with your existing qualities, not your passion. I was always a little bit good at writing and into psychology. That’s why writing and eventually marketing worked out for me.

Showcase your skills

Your ability to showcase your skill will always matter more than your skill. You won’t go to a great restaurant in a bad location. In the same way, no one will buy your skills if you can’t showcase them correctly.

So, do the basics right:

1. Have good projects

2. Have a clean one-page resume

3. And have a good proof of work(POW)(Don’t worry, I will show you mine)

I won’t say I have the best POW or resume. But I have a long list of marketing experiments(projects) to show:

1. Launching ebooks

2. Growing my Twitter

3. Growing my Substack

4. Too many Podcasts

5. Freelancing experience

6. And multiple internships.

I don’t always need a great POW or resume. But, go ahead and look for a reference here and here. Mostly, I just share my POW. And I keep a resume for applying to job portals.

Your priority should be: good projects >> good POW >> good resume

I use the word “good” because you can keep tweaking all three of these things until death to make it perfect. Don’t go for perfect, go for showable.

There are so many people I know who are earning less than they should. And so many dumb people with exaggerated claims doing well in life. All because of showcasing.

Market yourself

This is the step that most people don’t know. I was lucky that I got good friends, and I was in marketing, so I got this step right. And your luck is reading this newsletter.

You have to put yourself out there to increase your chances of getting found. There’s no other way anymore because the competition is too high and your college isn't going to help. And I know it’s hard, but extremely simple as well.

Make a LinkedIn account. Only follow/connect with people you want to work for or with in future. And start commenting and posting daily.

Here are a few basic rules:

• Don’t comment just for the sake of commenting

• Don’t put anything out there that your future employer might hate

• Don’t post certificates

• Don’t judge other people

• Don’t copy and paste someone else’s work

• Don’t be an assh*le

• Post about your projects or teach whatever you are learning

• Learn from what others are posting to get new ideas

• Join as many communities as possible. You can always leave later

• And make friends along the way

Most of us are not born with connections that can advance our careers (Yes, I am talking about nepotism/privilege). But having a social media following with friends in the same industry has the same kind of networking effect.

I attribute 90% of my success to my friends I met on social media. They referred me for opportunities that I would not have gotten otherwise and made me a better person along the way. Thanks to all of them.

This step can be started while you are still upskilling. And I will highly suggest it as long as you don’t prioritise it over learning the skill. You will find opportunities, you didn’t think you could get.

Getting a job right now!

Now, all of this is good, but what about if you need a job right away?

Unfortunately. It’s not possible anymore because of AI. You need to have some skills.

But if you have good enough skills and you are still not able to find a job. Here’s what I would suggest, and that’s what I do:

1. Get your positioning right

You can get a job with good enough skills, but then your positioning matters even more. So, make a great resume and POW to compensate for that. Also, you will need it for the next step.

2. Go and shout!

Tell all your friends that you need a job and ask if they can refer you. For the referral, they will need your resume and POW. So, it must be good.

I will never share a bad resume with my company. But, I will be the first person to get you into the company I am working in if you are doing good work.

Everyone knows what it’s like not to have a job. So, most people would like to help you get one. But if you never ask or ask with a bad resume, you won’t make it.

3. Shout More!

Go and apply to every job out there and DM the HR from the company on LinkedIn. You can also DM the CEO or some senior, but don’t DM regular employees. They can’t help you that much.

Also, it doesn’t mean spamming people with — here’s my resume, I need a job. But finding people who can employ you and tell them what you can do for them. Here’s one example:

Don’t be so casual right away. I had talked to this guy, and I am just trying to show you how I provided value upfront. Here’s another example:

I can write a whole newsletter about writing DMs, but I don’t have that much time. So, here’s my famous Twitter thread on how to DM people. And here’s one lecture on how to communicate.

The more you DM people while correctly showcasing your skills, the more chances you will have of getting a job.

Btw, don’t forget to take a few follow-ups. People who are hiring are usually busy and get a lot of DMs.

Absolute Nuances

1. Most people try to only apply for jobs they are qualified for. It doesn’t work because in most jobs, the requirements list is too much for anyone to fulfil. So, I apply to every job I know I can figure out. Even if I tick 3 out of 5 requirements, they are looking for. I go for it. You might get rejected later. But you still get a call, and you are in their HR folder for later

2. Be extremely nice and empathetic during the whole process. There’s no point saying or messaging something you will regret. I have been on the hiring side as well, and it’s tough to get good candidates. So, if they reject you, give a delayed response, or even say anything bad. Don’t retaliate. It’s not always their fault, and it’s not worth it.

3. Your last salary always matters.

4. Your age matters. I was once asked whether I had any marriage plans.

5. If you do an assignment and don’t get a job. Just put it in your POW. It helps.

6. Don’t leave your job until you don’t have a new one. A few exceptions being that you can go back to your home when you are unemployed, or your family is not dependent on you, or you are confident in your ability to get a new job. Don’t kill yourself over a job. You can always find another.

7. Always be upskilling, whether in your job or outside the job.

And that’s it. All the best for your job search.

If you need any help or some honest feedback. You can always reach out to me on Twitter.

Thanks for reading!