Five tips for recent graduates
Avoid working for (or with) assholes
1
You’ll	
  recognize	
  them	
  right	
  away.	
  They	
  throw	
  their	
  weight	
  around	
  just	
  so	
  you	
  know	
  who	
  is	
  in	
  charge.	
  They	
  take	
  credit	
  for	
  
your	
  ideas	
  and	
  blame	
  you	
  when	
  theirs	
  don’t	
  work.	
  They	
  compete	
  against	
  you	
  instead	
  of	
  working	
  with	
  you.	
  They	
  tend	
  to	
  
say,	
  “no	
  because,”	
  instead	
  of	
  “yes,	
  and.”	
  They	
  take	
  the	
  joy	
  out	
  of	
  both	
  the	
  work	
  and	
  the	
  workplace.	
  	
  Life	
  is	
  too	
  short	
  to	
  
spend	
  any	
  of	
  it	
  working	
  for	
  an	
  asshole.	
  Please	
  don’t.
Seek clients you believe in
2
Not	
  everyone	
  gets	
  to	
  work	
  on	
  Apple	
  or	
  Nike	
  or	
  Dove	
  or	
  Chipotle.	
  You	
  may	
  Gind	
  yourself	
  selling	
  fast	
  food,	
  sugar-­‐laden	
  soft	
  
drinks,	
  SUVs	
  or	
  hair	
  dyes.	
  And	
  that’s	
  OK,	
  too,	
  if	
  you	
  believe	
  in	
  those	
  products.	
  But	
  if	
  that’s	
  not	
  the	
  case,	
  Gind	
  a	
  way	
  to	
  get	
  off	
  
that	
  business	
  and	
  onto	
  to	
  one	
  you	
  do	
  believe	
  in.	
  	
  Otherwise	
  -­‐-­‐	
  even	
  if	
  you	
  are	
  engaged	
  with	
  the	
  team,	
  and	
  stimulated	
  by	
  the	
  
challenge	
  -­‐-­‐	
  you’ll	
  never	
  love	
  the	
  work	
  you	
  do	
  or	
  be	
  proud	
  of	
  your	
  accomplishments.	
  
Pursue the work not the money
3
You	
  want	
  to	
  wake	
  up	
  every	
  morning	
  excited	
  about	
  what	
  you	
  will	
  create	
  not	
  about	
  how	
  much	
  you’ll	
  get	
  paid.	
  It’s	
  the	
  work	
  
that	
  will	
  make	
  the	
  day	
  Gly	
  by.	
  It’s	
  the	
  work	
  that	
  will	
  keep	
  your	
  brain	
  engaged.	
  It’s	
  the	
  work	
  that	
  will	
  make	
  you	
  want	
  to	
  
come	
  back	
  tomorrow.	
  	
  And,	
  no	
  surprise,	
  if	
  you	
  love	
  the	
  work	
  and	
  what	
  you’re	
  creating,	
  you’ll	
  do	
  a	
  better	
  job	
  and	
  end	
  up	
  
making	
  more	
  money	
  anyway.	
  	
  
Control your own career
4
You	
  have	
  two	
  choices.	
  You	
  can	
  let	
  your	
  career	
  happen	
  to	
  you.	
  Or	
  you	
  can	
  take	
  charge.	
  My	
  suggestion?	
  Don’t	
  leave	
  things	
  to	
  
chance	
  or	
  to	
  someone	
  you	
  work	
  for.	
  Plan	
  ahead,	
  leverage	
  every	
  experience,	
  seek	
  new	
  challenges,	
  stay	
  impatient.	
  
Share everything you learn
5
If	
  you	
  really	
  want	
  to	
  be	
  happy,	
  pass	
  it	
  forward	
  and	
  give	
  it	
  back.	
  Few	
  things	
  can	
  give	
  you	
  as	
  much	
  joy	
  as	
  teaching	
  others	
  what	
  
you	
  know.	
  So	
  help	
  someone	
  older	
  learn	
  a	
  new	
  technology	
  that	
  keeps	
  him	
  relevant.	
  Show	
  a	
  newbie	
  the	
  ropes.	
  Save	
  others	
  
from	
  making	
  whatever	
  mistakes	
  you	
  made	
  as	
  you	
  learn	
  and	
  grow.	
  

Five tips for recent grads

  • 1.
    Five tips forrecent graduates
  • 2.
    Avoid working for(or with) assholes 1 You’ll  recognize  them  right  away.  They  throw  their  weight  around  just  so  you  know  who  is  in  charge.  They  take  credit  for   your  ideas  and  blame  you  when  theirs  don’t  work.  They  compete  against  you  instead  of  working  with  you.  They  tend  to   say,  “no  because,”  instead  of  “yes,  and.”  They  take  the  joy  out  of  both  the  work  and  the  workplace.    Life  is  too  short  to   spend  any  of  it  working  for  an  asshole.  Please  don’t.
  • 3.
    Seek clients youbelieve in 2 Not  everyone  gets  to  work  on  Apple  or  Nike  or  Dove  or  Chipotle.  You  may  Gind  yourself  selling  fast  food,  sugar-­‐laden  soft   drinks,  SUVs  or  hair  dyes.  And  that’s  OK,  too,  if  you  believe  in  those  products.  But  if  that’s  not  the  case,  Gind  a  way  to  get  off   that  business  and  onto  to  one  you  do  believe  in.    Otherwise  -­‐-­‐  even  if  you  are  engaged  with  the  team,  and  stimulated  by  the   challenge  -­‐-­‐  you’ll  never  love  the  work  you  do  or  be  proud  of  your  accomplishments.  
  • 4.
    Pursue the worknot the money 3 You  want  to  wake  up  every  morning  excited  about  what  you  will  create  not  about  how  much  you’ll  get  paid.  It’s  the  work   that  will  make  the  day  Gly  by.  It’s  the  work  that  will  keep  your  brain  engaged.  It’s  the  work  that  will  make  you  want  to   come  back  tomorrow.    And,  no  surprise,  if  you  love  the  work  and  what  you’re  creating,  you’ll  do  a  better  job  and  end  up   making  more  money  anyway.    
  • 5.
    Control your owncareer 4 You  have  two  choices.  You  can  let  your  career  happen  to  you.  Or  you  can  take  charge.  My  suggestion?  Don’t  leave  things  to   chance  or  to  someone  you  work  for.  Plan  ahead,  leverage  every  experience,  seek  new  challenges,  stay  impatient.  
  • 6.
    Share everything youlearn 5 If  you  really  want  to  be  happy,  pass  it  forward  and  give  it  back.  Few  things  can  give  you  as  much  joy  as  teaching  others  what   you  know.  So  help  someone  older  learn  a  new  technology  that  keeps  him  relevant.  Show  a  newbie  the  ropes.  Save  others   from  making  whatever  mistakes  you  made  as  you  learn  and  grow.