Hack your career the artist way

One of my relative at her early 20s just talked to me about getting started with her career. “I’m glad you asked.” I said. Not because I’m awesome at finding jobs myself (in fact I have never attended a job interview), but because we all have to sharpen ourselves for the perfect opportunities in our lives.

Even though artist might not look like they are good at job hunting, but we are definitely playing the role of opportunity seekers, all the time. Here is how you can hack your career the artist way:

Be a survivor, then follow your heart.

A career is a life long journey, there will be hardship and stormy nights. Passion is the drive that will help you to overcome difficulties, so take it on board from the very beginning. Of course, you have to survive first, before you can give a damn about passion.

Try one thing at a time.

You might feel like leaving many doors open for yourself is a good idea. However, that’s not how opportunity see you. Competition only reward the best and brightest (unless, of course, if the aim is to find the jack of all trade). And you have the same amount of time as your competitors, make good use of it and focus can make you stand out in the crowd. Why do successful artists have distinctive styles? Not only because they can focus on mastering their art, the public also respect their commitment and acknowledge it.

Create your hit list.

Seeking the perfect organisation to work for is much like seeking the perfect gallery. It’s not a number’s game and you probably should follow your heart. Make a list of your most desired places you’d like to work for/with, and get yourself ready when opportunities arrive. Be careful with your pick because you might have to wait for a while.

Hunt for opportunities, all the time.

Now you have decided what you wanted to do, and you have created a hit list, it’s time to get out and do some hunting. No I’m not talking about sending a bunch of emails and wait for the results. There are lots of things you can do on the internet to get to know more about an organisation: read their social network updates, join the conversation, help someone, asking questions, sign up for their mailing list, learn something new to fill the skill gap. It’s much like dating, get to know them and get yourself known, find your perfect match and opportunities will reveal themselves in the process.

You can make your own opportunities too.

With the help of internet, there are plenty ways to get yourself out there. Fight for a cause, do some good deeds, while showing off your skill and humour, the world will thank you and opportunities will fly to you (like this guy)

Polish your skill, all the time.

If you love what you do, polishing your skill should happen naturally. It’s also the only way you can stay in the flow. The world is changing rapidly, so if you stand still, you will be left behind.