1. Young people mistakenly assume the way to start their career is to go into debt, spend four years taking tests, following rules, chasing grades and getting a degree.
2. Paper credentials won’t launch your career. Employers don’t care about degrees, they care about the right skills.
3. But you’ve gotta prove you have those skills. You can’t just tell people and expect them to believe you! You’ve got to be your own credential.
4. That means instead of padding a resume, build a portfolio of projects that showcase your ability!
5. Example. Cade Summers. 19, no degree, no experience, landed a great marketing job at a startup.
6. How? Gained a few key skills, made a portfolio of projects, researched the company, put together a marketing plan for them, and made a short video walking through it.
7. They were blown away by the creativity and initiative he showed while everyone else had boring resumes and degrees.
8. Young people get your hands dirty! Degree or not, get out of the classroom and start building something. Podcast, YouTube, website. You’ll learn more and be more interesting and impressive.
