(even if you’re just starting out)

𝟭. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲.
If you’re waiting for a first job to feel “legit,” you’ll be waiting forever. Every shot you finish is a signal. Stack enough signals, and studios stop asking if you’re “ready.”

𝟮. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲.
You don’t need 100 shots. You need 5 good ones. Because once you prove you can fix real problems, people stop caring about your title.

𝟯. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀.
Leads don’t want juniors they have to babysit. If you can deliver shots cleanly, you stop being “junior labor” and start being “the one they want on the next project.”

𝟰. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁.
Referrals, coffee chats, “Hey, we need help on this new project” messages, these never hit LinkedIn. They flow to juniors who prove they can execute.

𝟱. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽.
You don’t need to grind forever. A handful of clean, production-level shots done right will snowball. Proof beats hope. And once you’ve got it, even seniors start rooting for you.

Okay, now the “downside”:

Some classmates might say you’re trying too hard.
(Until they’re asking how you got hired before them.)

The upside is wild.

And the gap between those who do this and those who don’t has never been wider.

If you’re done waiting:

Start comping. Stack wins. Force the door open.