Career Advice

Every so often, someone in their 20s reaches out to me for career advice. They're usually on Wall Street—investment banking or junior roles in private equity. Their résumés are strong: good schools, stellar grades, jobs at well known firms. They are trying to figure out what they need to do to get to that next stage in their careers. Some are in, or thinking of, going to business school, others wanting to transition to another industry and some just wanting to figure out what they need to do to get to their idealized career outcome. 

My advice to them can be summed up below:

You are a Commodity

It's not that you're not smart or hardworking. You are. But so are all your peers. You've all followed the same path, collected the similar accolades, worked at the same type of companies. This isn't your fault. In fact, it's the result of doing exactly what you were supposed to do. But in doing so you and your peers are all very interchangeable. You are all commodities. Once you accept this you can start to take charge of redefining yourself and figuring out how you can stand apart.

Look for Arbitrage Opportunities

One way to differentiate yourself is to seek what is referred to as "intellectual arbitrage." This means taking knowledge or skills from one area where they're common and applying them in another area where they're rare. So if you want to excel in private equity, spend some time in an operational role at a manufacturing company. You'll gain insights most of your peers lack. Or dive into building AI applications, so you understand the technology's strengths and limitations firsthand. This kind of cross-pollination makes you more adaptable and sets you apart. This all sound too drastic? You can simply start by developing an understanding in an area that you find interesting and is different from your current chosen field. This is as easy as reading and talking to people outside your usual circles. Learn to ask good questions and listen actively and write about what you learn. The goal is to first become deeply interested which will result in your becoming interesting.

Develop Your Own Point of View

As you gather diverse experiences and understanding, patterns will start to emerge. You'll notice things others don't. When you find these, dig deeper on them. Keep doing this and you will soon develop a perspective that's uniquely yours.

Having your own point of view is valuable. It transforms you from someone who just executes tasks to someone who can offer insights and direction. Your perspective will evolve over time, and that's okay. The important thing is to start articulating it now, ideally to the world, but most importantly to yourself.

This is the first step towards mastering something. Stress test and work on your unique worldview relentlessly, striving to improve it all the time. This is how you can truly set yourself apart.

Show & Tell

Write essays, build things, and put your projects out into the world. This not only helps you refine your ideas but also attracts opportunities. It allows you to move beyond your internal thoughts and know what it takes  to clarify your thinking and deepen your understanding. Sharing your work invites feedback, which can help you refine your ideas and improve your skills. It's a cycle of continuous learning and improvement. And putting your work out publicly increases your surface area of luck. It not only showcases how you think but can lead to unexpected opportunities. 

Finally, think of your career as a narrative, a story that you need to be able to tell well. That means blending your insights and achievements into a package that others find interesting. Doing this will make it so much easier for them to grasp your value.

Payoff

Following a well-traveled path is often the prudent way to begin your career, but it may not take you where you truly want to go. Many of the people I speak with underestimate how much control they actually have over their career. The issue isn’t ability—it’s often a lack of imagination, which causes them to blend in with the countless others on the same path. They don’t invest in honing their craft or developing a unique perspective. While doing so requires time, effort, and thought, it often leads to a richer narrative—one that makes a person more valuable, distinctive, and sought after.

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The 1 Simple Trick To Save Your Organization Months & Millions: Large companies are very good at wasting resources on things that seem “innovative”. Here is a simple framework to prevent that from occurring.

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