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97 Actions You Should Take To Become THE Person Companies Want To Hire

This is a brain-dump of strategies, tactics, and other random stuff that I know will help you land a great job.

Heads up: This post is kinda ginormous. Don’t overwhelm yourself and try to do everything here at once. Pick a couple things to work on at a time, and save the rest for later – maybe bookmark this post so you know where to find it.

I have 97 tips to share with you today. Many come from direct experience – after receiving an internship offer without even interviewing (which I accepted), getting 7 other interview requests during the same semester, and working with recruiters and career advisers, I think my tactics are pretty effective.

Others come from the minds of friends, mentors, and experts whom I trust.

Each tip is brief, but lots of them link out to great resources where you can learn more.

1. Don’t let your grades take precedence over more important things.

This is fresh on my mind from last week, so I’ll lead in with it. Put simply, realize that your GPA is only one component that goes into impressing a hiring manager. Don’t spend a ton of time trying to get a 4.0 and neglect important things like networking, personal branding, and gaining experience. Balance and prioritization are key.

2. Get (or stay) healthy.

Beautifully obvious advice, so often willfully ignored. Aside from the whole “not dying” thing, though, keeping yourself healthy will make you more energetic, attractive, and happy. All things that’ll help you impress those you build relationships with. Fitocracy is an excellent exercise motivator (and you can be friends with me there), and my friend Steve’s site Nerd Fitness is the best place to start learning how to get healthy.

3. Tailor your resume to the company you’re applying with.

Sending the same resume to different types of companies says, “I’m lazy”. Ask yourself what qualities and experience each company is looking for, and make those stand out on your resume. Your career adviser can help you do this, so go see them.

4. Write a non-boring cover letter. Don’t be afraid to sound a bit corny; just stand out.

I really like the SUCCES model for creating memorable ideas from Dan and Chip Heath’s book Made to Stick; take a look at the acronym’s parts and see if you can craft your cover letter (and other messages you send out) using some of them.

5. Learn from others all the time.

Ramit Sethi (of I Will Teach You to Be Rich) has said you can learn a lot from studying anyone, and I tend to agree. I learned how to write about myself without sounding like a tool by studying the bios and “About Me” pages of celebrities, authors, and other well-known people. Similarly, I studied some of my favorite websites to get inspiration for the new blog design I launched last month.

6. Research the companies you want to work for.

Know what they’ve done, what they do now, and what they want to do. Study their website, read their press releases, and make yourself more than just a punk who wants a job. If you can communicate that you understand their goals and can help achieve them, they’ll want you on their team.

7. Research the person who will be interviewing you.

If you can find out this information beforehand, you can check out your interviewer on LinkedIn, Twitter, or maybe even Facebook. If they have a personal website, check it out and see what they’re passionate about. Goodreads account? Hey, maybe you share some reading interests.

8. Build a personal website.

Speaking of websites, you should have one as well. Building one only takes a few hours, and it helps you communicate your skills and experience far better than a resume does. Plus, people might stumble across it. I had a doctor from Ireland randomly hire me for a freelance job last year simply because he found my personal website. Not sure what to put on yours? Here are my recommendations.

9. Ask someone to lunch.

This is often called an informational interview, and you should do more than one. Email someone at a company you admire, tell them who you are and about your goals (but don’t outright ask for a job), and ask if you can take them out to lunch. Pick their brain about what they do and how they got there. Pay for their lunch (duh), and keep in contact.

This is a common career tip, but most students completely ignore it because they’re scared. Don’t. People love talking about themselves and will most likely be flattered to hear from you. I had my girlfriend do this recently, and now she’s meeting up with several professional designers for lunch this weekend.

10. Start using LinkedIn.

Like having a personal website, it puts you ahead of the curve and makes you more visible. Most recruiters are on LinkedIn, and so you should be too. Connect with me if you’d like an example of a well-made profile.

11. Learn how to search for connections on LinkedIn

Once you’re on LinkedIn, make sure that you’re using it to connect with everyone you know. Here’s LinkedIn’s official guide to finding connections (even if you can’t remember the person’s name). Be sure to check out our complete guide to LinkedIn for students as well.

12. Get involved in social networks relevant to your major.

Designer? Dribbble and Behance are your friends. Programmer? Get on Github, and start getting involved on Hacker News. Entrepreneur? I’m liking ProductHunt lately.

13. Play Assassin’s Creed.

Alright, maybe a bit specific. What I really mean is to expose yourself to things that will pique your curiosity and make you want to learn. Assassin’s Creed currently has me staying up late reading about Roman history, Nikola Tesla, the Tunguska Incident, and other cool stuff – so it’s my personal example. As they say, “Interested people are also interesting.”

14. Learn the basics of business.

No matter what your major is, you’re probably going to work for a business. That’s just how the world works. Being an expert at your craft is essential, but it’ll also help you stand out if you understand how businesses actually function. Knowing that stuff will let your future employer know that you’re both on the same page when it comes to the goals of their business. Reading The Personal MBA by Josh Kauffman will give you a more than sufficient education.

15. Go to conferences.

Conferences present awesome opportunities to make connections in your area of interest – and you might even be able to get your school to pay for them. My school’s Honors program does that, and one of my scholarship programs had a fund specifically for learning events requiring travel.

16. Start a blog.

Having a well-maintained blog can help you establish yourself as an expert, gain some exposure, and show that you’re serious about learning (and helping others).

17. Look for internships 9 months in advance.

I’m surprised at how many students don’t know this. A lot of companies start their intern recruiting efforts around August-September of the year before the internship program starts. Want an internships during Summer 2015? Start looking August 2014.

18. Keep up with your email.

I know way too many people that have cluttered email inboxes with hundreds of unorganized, unread emails. Learn how to organize your inbox so you don’t miss anything important, and so you are more likely to respond to things in a timely manner.

19. Set useful goals.

The goals on my Impossible List have given me a ton of motivation to get out of my comfort zone, which has led to a lot of cool opportunities. You should learn to set deliberate goals as well.

My goal: Be as cool as these guys some day (it will never happen)
My goal: Be as cool as these guys some day (it will never happen)

20. Volunteer.

I was once told, “You meet all the coolest people volunteering.” I don’t remember who said that, but they weren’t wrong. Alternative spring break programs are a good option.

21. Learn to work with technology.

I’ve heard the, “Everyone should learn to code.” advice many times, but I don’t think you have to learn to code. Rather, you should learn how to work well with technology, so you can integrate it into your work in whatever way makes the most sense.

22. Minimize your debt load.

Graduating with a lot of debt won’t automatically make hiring managers reject you, but it might force you into a job situation where you’re working solely for money to pay off that debt – which means you’ll have to turn down other opportunities that you’d be more excited about.

23. Keep involved with friends, acquaintances, and connections.

“There are so many, and I’m an introvert.” Yeah, I feel the same way. But keeping in touch is very rewarding, so you should make the effort. You never know who might introduce you to your future employer. For keeping up with relationships, I love my friend Tyler’s “Friends Game” system.

24. Have a part-time job while you’re in school.

One that gets you experiences in your major area is best. Second best is a job that forces you to build communication and interpersonal skills. Barring that, find a job that gives you down time to work on homework and personal projects.

25. Learn a second language.

Aside from simply being able to communicate with a whole new group of people, learning a new language makes you a more attractive candidate, it increases your learning skills, and it enables much richer travel opportunities. However, looking better to recruiters shouldn’t be your primary motivation, so be mindful.

26. Travel to a new country.

Traveling gives you new perspectives, makes you adventurous, and gives you stories to tell that make you interesting. In short, it’s amazing. I prefer traveling solo or with friends, but a study abroad program is a good option as well.

Just a normal day in Japan
Just a normal day in Japan

27. Do practice interviews.

Your school’s career office probably offers practice interview sessions. Sometimes they’re done by career counselors, and other times they’re graciously put on my reps from cool companies. Either way, do them.

28. Have a side hustle.

College Info Geek started out as my side hustle. It’s now my full-time business, but before that, it helped me get jobs, learn a ton of new skills, and meet a lot of cool people. You should be building a cool side project as well.

29. Try out CollegeFeed.

They do this cool thing where they take your profile and use it to introduce you to potential employers. It’s free, so you might as well try it out.

30. Take a speech class.

My speech professor was one of the greatest teachers I ever had, so I may be biased. Still, communication skills are among the most valuable you can have, and a speech class will majorly boost them.

31. Implement measures to stop wasting time on the internet.

Distracting websites are the destroyers of dreams.

32. Listen to podcasts.

Great ones that’ll help your career: Entrepreneurial Thought LeadersBack to Work, and (obligatory) the CIG podcast. Others will make you smarter in general. My current favorite: The History of Rome.

33. Use your down time wisely.

You’ve got lots of “hidden time” during the day: Time spent waiting in line, bus rides, pooping time, etc. Use it wisely! Get a flash card app on your phone for language learning, Tweet useful stuff, read a book, or whatever. Just don’t waste it.

34. Establish a good Twitter presence.

Speaking of Twitter: are you on it? You should be. It’s literally the easiest way to connect with people whose work you admire. It’s also a great way to share things and to start building your brand.

35. Live below your means.

When you graduate, keep living like a student. You don’t need a new car or a house. Living below your means will allow you to pursue opportunities that you’d normally have to pass up for financial reasons.

36. Create an accomplishment journal.

Whenever I accomplish something big, I get what I like to call the “accomplishment high”. You probably know it – you feel like you can do so much when you’re riding it. Creating an accomplishment journal will only amplify that affect, and allow you to go back and look at what you’ve done in the past. Plus, keeping one ensures you won’t forget cool things that you might want to mention in interviews.

hulksjournal

37. Save your bios, personal statements, old cover letters, and other documents.

I have an Evernote notebook where I keep every bio, cover letter, thank-you note, and other personal statement I’ve written. This means I don’t have to start from scratch when writing about myself. It’s pretty dang convenient.

38. Start networking now.

“Show up, and have something to show.” is a saying I lived by for most of college. The first half is all about getting out there and building relationships, which you should place incredibly high priority upon. This tip is here to drill it into your head; other on this list give specifics.

39. Learn the basics of personal branding, and start building your own brand.

Your personal brand is essentially what people think of when they hear your name. What do you want to be known for, and how can you communicate that to the right people effectively?

40. Forge relationships with your professors.

Go to office hours. Break the ice at the beginning of the semester by asking if it’s cool to use your laptop and showing them how cool Evernote is. Send them articles you think would be interesting. Be the person that helps them hand out stuff.

41. Follow channels that have or share opportunities.

I landed my internship through relationships built at a career conference – which I learned about because my school’s career office posted a link on Twitter and I was following them. Make sure you’re following channels like these. (another good reason to be on Twitter)

42. Make a great first impression; it’s more important than you think.

Our brains naturally make judgements about people based on information we learn within a few moments of meeting them. This is called the Halo Effect, and it’s why first impressions are really important.

43. Read widely.

Your brain is a connection machine, and the more widely and heavily you read, the more connections it makes. Reading simply makes you smarter.

44. Read narrowly and deeply.

You should aim to focus on one area (your major or career focus) and learn as much as you can about it. Build expertise. As a freshman, I was able to impress the VP of IT Infrastructure at Principal Financial, a Fortune 500 company, by holding my own in a conversation on computer networks, enterprise IT, and security.

I had barely any hands-on experience with any of these – but I did spend a lot of time reading TechRepublic, sysadmin forums, and the Bastard Operator from Hell archives.

45. Aim to become a T-shaped person. 

The last two tips are not contradictory; rather, they illustrate the concept of becoming a “t-shaped” person. Essentially, you should strive to become incredibly knowledgeable and skilled in one area, but also to educate yourself on a broad range of topics. This enables you to be the “go-to” person for a specific thing, but also to connect it to other areas, bring in outside knowledge, and innovate.

46. Be ruthless about what you focus on.

prioritization

You’re likely to get nowhere by trying to do a million things at once. For one, there’s Hick’s Law. Two, you can’t make much progress if you don’t give yourself ample time to focus and work deeply. Use a tool like Pick Four or Commit to demand focus on your goals each day.

47. Become a Solution Finder.

Solution Finders are confident in their ability to solve problems on their own. They know how to find resources, and they’re not constantly asking for help. This means that employers can trust them to get things done without much hand-holding.

48. Follow the 15-minute rule.

The rule of thumb: work on a tough problem alone for 15 minutes; after that, ask for help. There’s a balance between being a self-reliant Solution Finder and wasting time. Read this: You Must Try, and Then You Must Ask

49. Remember names.

I’m pretty sure everyone is “bad with names.” I know I am – but it’s essential to remember them. I love Shelley’s name trick from The House Bunny, where she says a person’s name in a deep, guttural voice when she meets them. I skip the devil-voice part myself, but I’m always sure to repeat a name soon after I hear it. Art of Manliness has more tips if you need them.

50. Thank everyone in the interview process.

You’ve probably been told that you should send a thank-you note after you do an interview. Did you think to send one to the receptionist, though? How about the exec your interviewer introduced you to when you toured the office?

You should send a thank-you to everyone in the process – your interviewer probably isn’t the only person making the hiring decision. This is one huge reason why it’s important to remember names!

51. Don’t just thank.

When writing a follow-up message to the person (or group) your interviewed with, realize that they most likely enjoyed the conversation as well. Don’t just thank and kiss ass; thank them and also re-state your enthusiasm for the job and how you’d be a great asset to their team.

52. Make business cards.

While they’re not essential tools for remembering contact info anymore (a website or Twitter account is best now), well-designed business cards can basically make you look like you know what you’re doing.

53. Look at interviews for what they really are.

An interview is not an interaction in which you, the lowly soon-to-be-grad, are judged by an almighty recruiter who just might bestow a job upon your sorry ass. It’s simply a conversation between two people that helps each one find out if they’d be able to help each other. So many students look at it the first way. I’ve always forced myself to see it the second way, and that’s made all the difference.

54. Start putting money into an “Oh Crap” fund.

One sure-fire way to bomb an interview is to come off as desperate, and you’re more likely to look that way if you feel like your back is up against the wall. I started saving money during my sophomore year, and it’s allowed me to feel more confident when going into interviews.

55. Learn how to do a phone interview.

You might have to do one. It’s different from a regular interview – no nonverbal communication. You’ll have to compensate for that.

56. Don’t sell yourself short.

A great quote from this Thought Catalog article:

“No one will blow your horn for you, except you. A job interview is not the place for false modesty. Be clear, but not boastful, about your accomplishments and qualities.”

57. You can’t always “follow your passion”.

There’s so much “follow your passion” advice being thrown around, but the simple truth is that passion won’t earn you a paycheck if you don’t have skills to back it up and someone willing to pay for what you make. It’s better to build expertise.

58. Stay informed about current goings-on.

Say you’re at an after-party of a big conference, and the people you’re talking to bring up a recent news story. What’s better: remaining silent because you know nothing, or being able to contribute something interesting to the conversation? Well, duh.

Now, reading widely will help your brain make connections and allow you to add in interesting things to the conversation, but you’ve still got to stay up to date to know what they’re talking about in the first place. I try to stay relatively informed about news, and use Hacker News to keep abreast of what’s happening in the entrepreneur/tech space.

59. Work on your listening skills.

So often we only listen in a half-assed manner while we try to think up our own smart reply. I’m guilty of it, and I’m working to get better.

60. Learn proper body language.

Eye contact. Posture. Leaning back in a chair (makes you seem disinterested). Using one “action of understanding” – nodding, “mh hmm”, etc – too repetitively. These are all things that we can easily forget when we’re facing a nerve-wracking interview.

61. Be prepared for common interview questions.

Even though you should view an interview as a conversation rather than as a test, it’s still good to be prepared.

62. Ask your own questions in an interview.

Never be question-less. It makes you seem like you don’t actually have an interest in the job. If you did your research, you’ll probably have some questions anyway.

63. Adopt the “Fan First” mentality.

When I want to connect with someone who I think is awesome, I become their fan first. I share their stuff, follow them on Twitter, and tell them I love their work. Then I reach out and connect as a colleague.

64. Carry a healthy amount of narcissism.

AKA confidence. Another great quote from the Thought Catalog article, which mirrors that mindset I’ve always adopted:

“This has always worked for me. I convince myself that if this company doesn’t hire me they will go out of business. I am the best effing employee to ever fill out an app at this place.”

65. Never rest on your laurels.

Those who are considering working with you want to know what you’ve done recently and what you can do. What you did far in the past doesn’t matter much if you’re not continuing to learn, grow, and create things now.

66. Be politely persistent. 

Never be one to give up immediately – but don’t become a stalker either. This article is written for entrepreneurs, but I think it applies for students as well.

67. Become a connector.

Be the person that brings other people together. Point out opportunities to those you think would benefit from them, and introduce people who should know each other.

68. Find under-used channels of communication.

The MIS club at my school always has a networking event the night before the school’s big career fair that a lot of recruiters attend. I always made far better connections at that event. Look for less-crowded events like these and utilize them.

69. Be a go-giver.

The common advice is that you should be a “go-getter”. Valid, but you’ll be better off if you continually give rather than seek to only get. It’s reciprocity.

70. Learn to notice when you are confused.

People often fail to truly notice confusion and realize it as a sign of an inconsistency between their model of the world and something they’ve seen or heard. Learn to notice these events.

71. Do something that makes you happy.

Don’t work all the time. I’m all about the hustle, but even when I held down two jobs, this blog, and a full class schedule, I still found time to play Marvel vs. Capcom, do parkour, and be stupid with friends. Having regular fun time gives you something to look forward to, which will make your work time more focused. Plus, it’ll keep you from burning out (which is never a good thing.)

72. Be an eternal student.

I once heard a quote that goes something like this:

“Always keep learning. When you think you’re done learning, you become bitter.”

Realize that there’s always more to learn, and keep that learner’s fire alive. People will notice, and you’ll be a more attractive candidate for it.

73. Sometimes the “2nd choice” is the best choice.

Remember this scene from A Beautiful Mind?

While you should definitely go for your goals, it’s not always worth pursuing the same thing everyone else is going for. Example: When I was at Blogworld in 2012 with my friends Alex and Sean, there was a hugely packed session with a famous speaker everyone wanted to attend.

Instead of trying to squeeze in, we went to a concurrent session, which turned out to be the best session of the conference – hands out. Plus we got to meet the speaker and talk for a while uninterrupted.

Think about this the next time you’re at a career fair; when there’s a huge line at the big, popular company’s booth, there might be a recruiter around the corner looking for an intern for her small but kick-ass consulting company.

74. Go to hackathons.

Even if you don’t fancy yourself a hacker or entrepreneur, I’d urge you to attend one. Get on a team and build something cool. You’ll learn a lot during the weekend, meet a ton of cool people, and maybe get on the radar of some recruiters.

Remember what I said about under-used channels? I recently judged a hackathon, and the other judges were reps from several companies. They were definitely there looking for talent.

75. Always seek truth. 

I grew up with a world view that basically boiled down to “always follow your principles”. Unfortunately, this caused me to often follow dogma rather than being open to changing my mind in light of new evidence. Switching away from this mindset has helped me to learn a lot more, and I recommend you try to adopt it as well.

The video “How to Want to Change Your Mind” by Julia Galef is a good starting point.

76. Never badmouth previous employers.

Even if your last boss was a giant bag of dicks. You never want to give the impression to a potential future boss that you might do the same to them.

77. Just got hired? Start impressing early on.

If you’re starting your first real job out of college, an internship, or just a part-time job on campus, you should take any steps you can to hit the ground running and impress your superiors right away. It’ll pay huge dividends when you’re looking to move up or work somewhere else.

78. Find a mentor.

There are a lot of people who have gone before you, and you can learn a lot from them. If you know someone who you admire and who you think you could learn from, turning them into a mentor can be incredibly beneficial. The catch? Just asking isn’t likely to get you very far. Instead, I’d ask if you can help them with something they’re working on. Turn it into a learning experience.

79. Meet the hiring manager in person. 

This is a little trick my mom taught me. Instead of handing your resume or application to a receptionist (or even worse, dropping it in a box), ask to meet the manager/hiring director in person. If they’re available, they’ll probably take 5 minutes to meet you.

Shake their hand, let them know you’re interested in working for them, and hand them your stuff. Boom – you just connected a face and an in-person meeting to your application. Everyone else didn’t do that.

80. Make the time you need to achieve your goals.

81. Create a position for yourself. 

When I interviewed Gary Vaynerchuk, he said he’d love to see a student create a blog that points out when marketing pointed at Millennials is done badly. I say go one step further – if you see a company making a mistake or missing an opportunity, reach out and show them how you could help them do it better. Florian Holstein did this for Adidas, and they hired him.

82. Learn how to write an email that’ll actually get a response.

Keep emails short and to the point. (Yeah, I’m breaking that rule here – but if you’re reading this, it’s proof that rule-breaking occasionally works). Communicate your purpose clearly.

83. “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”

This is the 5th habit from The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, which is one of the essential books I think all students should read. Adopting this habit changed my life; in the past, I often sought to get my point out first. Now I listen and try to understand where others are coming from, which helps me get to the correct solutions more quickly and form stronger connections with people.

84. Read Confessions of a Recruiting Director.

Speaking of the books I recommend for all students – I’d be crazy not to recommend this one. Brad Karsh is a former recruiting director who has gone through thousands of resumes and conducted countless interviews. I read his book after watching one of his videos in my school’s class on job-hunting, and honestly I think they should have made the book required reading.

85. Focus on your achievements.

Chumps list their past job duties on their resume, as if a hiring manager is going to care about what they were required to do. Buck the trend and show them what you achieved – the more specific, impactful, and quantified, the better. An example from my resume: “Developed an automated script for research document processing that saved 240 man-hours of work.”

86. Get in tight with your career adviser.

You’ve already heard a million times that you should go see her. I say go further and get to know her. How? I worked for the career services office as a junior. You can also volunteer to help out at your school’s career fair.

87. Always arrive early for interviews.

One of the sarcastic mottoes of the military is “show up and wait” – referring to what happens when everyone in the chain of command wants to be ready early for their commanding officer. The general says everyone marches at 0800, so the major tells his captains to be ready at 0700, and so on down the line until the soldiers are out standing in the field at 3 A.M in the morning.

Drill Instructor
“0300’s too early? How about 0300 push-ups, maggot!”

It’s silly in that context, but you should still adopt the military mindset for time management. Always arrive early for an interview – that way you’ll never be late on accident. Plus, you’ll have time to chat with the receptionist and built some rapport early on.

88. Do a job shadow.

This goes one step further from the informational interview strategy from tip #9. A job shadow is simply a day when you’ll follow someone around and get a feel for how they do their job, while also making a connection with them. Try setting one up through your school’s alumni network. Your career adviser can most likely help you achieve this, and will likely be impressed to see you asking to set it up.

89. Become a walking tool directory.

Some would say I’m just a walking tool. That’s fine. Being a “tool directory” has definitely benefited me, though. By that, I mean to simply be aware of tools that exist – apps, websites, programs, and resources. I browse app review sites, startup blogs like Betalist, resource roundup sites like The Toolbox, and the App Store regularly.

As a result, I’m often able to suggest tools that help other people become more productive. Do this, and you become the go-to guy/girl when people need to find a tool for something.

90. Figure out how to introduce yourself.

A lot of students break out in a cold sweat when someone says, “Tell me about yourself!”. This is something you should prepare for. This used to be the simple “elevator pitch”, but I think there are now different pitches for different situations. Anticipate the mediums and situations in which you’ll be introduced to people, and prepare specific introductions for each.

91. Minor in a really beneficial subject.

If it makes sense within the constraints of your schedule, you can really give yourself a leg up by minoring in a subject that’ll help you stand out. I actually had a speech communication minor for a while, though I eventually dropped it so I had more time for CIG. A speech minor will definitely help, as will something complimentary to your major. Other helpful minors: business, economics, and IT.

92. Spend some time on Slideshare. 

Specifically, go through the 84 slides of Congratulations Graduate! Eleven Reasons Why I Will Never Hire You. It’s been viewed 1.5 million times, and if you’re not among those views, you’re shooting yourself in the foot.

93. Adopt the “Always Be Shipping” mentality.

I hear way too many people make the same silly excuse for not doing things – “I don’t know how?” Just do things. Make things and show them to people. They might suck. But that suckage will eventually give way to awesome things that can only be made through practice.

94. Play Magic the Gathering. Or Chess. Or Fire Emblem.

Dan Schawbel – a successful author and career expert – did research with over 1,000 companies to find the most desirable skills companies look for in employees. Strategic thinking and analytical skills are in the top 10. So do things with your free time that build those skills.

95. Hack your motivation.

Procrastination will hurt your success, and a lack of motivation is the root cause of procrastination. Know the motivation equation:

procrastination-equation

Expentancy: How likely you think you are to succeed. Value: How much success is worth. Impulsiveness: How easily you can be distracted from your goal. Delay: How long it’ll take to get the reward. Learn how to tweak these values to amp your motivation.

96. Make others look good.

Talk up other people you know. Share their work. Tweet out their blog posts. Make sure they get credit. Again, (though this shouldn’t be your only motivation) reciprocity.

97. Remember this.


…because the universe won’t remember it for you.

Boom.

97 ways you can start to get a leg up on the competition and find that kick-ass job you want. I’d pay special attention to #95, because all the advice in the world won’t do jack unless you use it.

If I missed a great tip, or if you still have a question this list didn’t cover, leave a comment (or tweet it).

What, you want more after all that? Fine, here’s my favorite GIF of all time. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m Audi 5000.

Photos: Hartmann

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Work stats: This post took 12.285834 hours to write, curate, and edit. Plus an extra 5 minutes when my girlfriend’s cat distracted me by chasing its tail.

It...it was part of me this whole time...
It…it was part of me this whole time… (Photo: dat’ by きゃりこ, CC-BY-ND 2.0)

If you got something useful from these tips, pass them on! Look at those beautifully simple buttons down there. What if one actually brings up a picture of Mr. T riding a dinosaur? You’ll just have to find out.

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