Building your moat.

Knowledge-based content can protect young careers in the modern Renaissance.

I entered the workforce in the heart of the financial crisis, and deeply struggled to find a job before finally taking a post-graduate internship that led to my first role. In fact, I memorialized the experience of interviewing (unsuccessfully) with more than 50 companies in a blog post that was picked up and shared in a New York Times roundup (I only link it here because I’m shocked it is still on the internet).

So, I can empathize with young folks who are entering the workforce today. And yet, if I’m honest I have to admit that the situation they face may be far more complex than the one my generation faced just 15 years ago. People entering the workforce today endured COVID during their schooling years, and an oscillating remote work policy that continues to make it difficult for them to gain deep experience and build a leadership reputation within their organizations. And now, as they’re just gaining their footing, the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and macro uncertainty are creating existential headwinds for their growth.

AI agents are on the rise, and OpenAI recently launched “Operator,” an AI assistant that is capable of making reservations, sending emails, and ordering grocery pickups, among many other tasks. We are at the precipice of a dramatic change in how work is done, and these changes will disproportionately impact those in the earlier part of their career. In a new survey by Hult International Business School, 37% of employers surveyed said they’d rather hire an AI than a recent college graduated. This is a staggering statistic.

Creativity is the only job left.

Tasks, “hard skills” like coding, and other operational work is almost assuredly going to go the way of AI in the coming years (or months!). So, if you are a person entering the workforce, or a person in another part of your career who is sensing you will need to pivot, what can you do?

As David Lee, Chief Creative Officer of Squarespace, says, “creativity is the only job left.” I think this simple message sums up not only the environment we all face, but also the call to action we should all feel as we think about our future careers.

I’m fortunate to spend a lot of time with talented Gen-Z folks, as I teach at a college in Boston and through my employer at Monotype have supported several scholarship and “rising star” creative organizations. Aside from teaching me new vernacular and who Sabrina Carpenter and Emma Chamberlain are, they also have a unique perspective on the economy, on brand-building, and on creativity.

Look, I have no idea what the next twenty years will bring, so I won’t pretend to know. But the one piece of advice I would give to this new generation is:

Build & learn & create in plain sight.

Document your journey as a young professional. Share your ideas, your process, your learnings. A resume, especially early in your career journey, is not very useful. This is the opportunity of the modern Renaissance. Everyone is a creator. Whether you are a doctor, an electrician, or an artist, you can build a reputation.

As you gain experience in your career, you learn that your reputation is your moat. It is the key that will continue to unlock opportunities regardless of where and how the market shifts. I’d include the relationships you earn as part of this reputational value.

So much of our creator economy has centered on lifestyle content, and that is a lucrative business for a portion of online personalities. But in this new era of work, young people would be smart to move toward “knowledge” content, building a reputation for their ideas and leaning into a community that aligns with their vision and discipline.

If you want a guide to create for “likes” and for commercial value, I am the last person perhaps on the internet to follow. But I can say that creating in plain site has led to many of the most fruitful relationships and opportunities I’ve had in my career.

Creativity, by its very nature, is a protective force against commoditization. Creative work necessitates adaptation, and as our society continues to grapple with seemingly insurmountable challenges, we will look to the creative class to help us make sense of it all. Today is the best day to start making things, even if you don’t realize the value of the process until much later.

What do you think? What advice would you give to the next generation of industry leader?

Photo by That's Her Business on Unsplash.