Brass Tacks

concrete early-career questions

Published: Edited: Reading time: 1 min Tags: everblue Draft: Yes Part of: everblue notes

Sometimes, early-career folks ask me for advice/takes/thoughts. Often, I first ask (in writing) for the same few questions to get a sense of the same few uncertainties. Here are those questions:

  • What do you want out of a job/project/etc? Why?
  • What’s the strongest kind of value you can provide a job/project/etc? What holes can you fill?
  • What preferences & constraints are most strong, idiosyncratic, surprising, cutting-out-the-most-option-space, etc?
  • What are some example jobs/opportunities/projects that you’d be especially excited about? These can be totally unrealistic, even entirely fictitious :)
  • How can someone reading this doc be helpful? What are the top 1-3 actions they could take?
    • (then move your answer to this question to the top!)