vol 24 | May 19th, 2025

As of this week, I've officially been a full-time entrepreneur for an entire year. That is an unreal sentence to type, and it's all because of every single person reading this newsletter and watching my content. So thank you. Here's to many years to come 🥂

How to stand out in the application and interview process

Suzanne, a recent grad from the Philippines now living in New Jersey, reached out on LinkedIn to ask how she can stand out in her job search for a role in Marketing and Advertising. Here's my take:

1. Cross the river: Lucky for you, the Hudson River is the only thing separating you from the center of the advertising and marketing industry. Coming into NYC to attend industry events and mixers, especially during NY Tech Week, Social Media Week, and Advertising Week, will be a networking goldmine. Look at Partiful, Luma, and Eventbrite to find relevant events
2. Bring your goals: When introducing yourself, don't just be a marketing grad "looking for their next opportunity". Even if it's just an initial idea, have a perspective on the career or outcome you'd like to have, for example: "I'm most interested in B2B brand heavily investing in creator-focused marketing". This makes you way more memorable, and this way, the person you're talking to can point you in the right direction if they don't have any opportunity for you.
3. Reach is the new resume: I'm sure you knew this was coming. In 2025, content creation IS career advice. If I were you, I'd be on LinkedIn (at least), giving your take on marketing news, updates on your job search, and more. This builds your network, and it's almost a pre-interview for potential employers.

Have a question you want answered? Send it to me at @careercolin and I'll give my take in next week's newsletter

You got this.

My camera roll

Some favorites from my camera roll recently:

Career Creator Corner

What do you wish you knew 5 years ago?

One of the most common questions I get from people looking to increase their influence on social media is: "What do I talk about?".

We can overthink this question and believe that we lack the experience or education to speak about something from a deep level of expertise. But I've been giving career advice on the internet since I was 24 years old (see above).

And what drove me was the selfish desire to be the career guide I didn't have when I started my career.

So think back to your early years, or even in college. What questions did you not get answered? What confusion did you have when it came to certain roles, industries, and career paths?

And then use that to inform what you post about next.

What I'm reading, watching, and listening to:

Modern Fatherhood, The Longest Table, and Work Radio Bourdain

I came across this essay in the New York Times on how Millennial dads are spending more time with their children than in previous years and generations, and it's made me reflect on my own journey as a Dad. My father was out the door before 6 AM and didn't get home until 8 PM most days, including weekends. So, to be in a position to spend more time with Isaiah means everything to me.

I saw this Reel on Instagram of The Longest Table, a tradition in Brooklyn Heights where a long table becomes the centerpiece for neighborhood connection and community. Now more than ever we need to know and love the people we share space with, and if I'm ever in the neighborhood I'll try my best to get ot the next one!

If you haven't checked it out yet, my Work Radio playlist on YouTube is the perfect companion for your heads-down working sessions. I add new tracks to it every week or so, and I'm going to start adding the music from my videos here as well!

For The Firsts: My meetup club in NYC!

Our next event on May 29th will be a mixer and panel sponsored by Fide, a new invite-only professional social network that helps you figure things out, find your people, and grow with confidence.

We’ll be posting some exclusive pre-event updates in our channel there, so make sure you check out our channel For The Firsts and RSVP for our next event here.

That's all for this week! I hope you enjoyed this edition, and if you have any feedback, questions, or just want to say hey, just respond to this message!

See you soon,

Colin