How to Get Ahead in Your Future Career

Over the past several months, I’ve been working with a large group of other students on a little thing called Treedome Productions. What started as a pet project to give me something to help with my filmmaking, has now quickly expanded to become an interconnected web of artists and creators, collaborating and making art. Now, as a college student, starting a company is a bit of an oddity. But for what it’s worth, making this has been huge for multiple reasons and for all you dreamers out there, maybe this will give you some confidence in finally pursuing.

The first and most obvious thing I’ve gained from Treedome Productions is the occupation benefits. Within only a few months, I’ve suddenly gone from “That one guy who talks about movies too much” to someone with actual clout in the art community. When I go and talk to people like venue owners and musicians, people have begun to recognize me. In terms of job opportunities and business deals, this is a huge plus. In terms of connections and communications, working with others in the community is a huge benefit. You don’t have to own a company, of course; as long as you produce worthwhile content, the opportunities will follow. And at this particularly open time in our lives, it’s best to use it to experiment and grow in your work.

Next comes resume building. For me, Treedome has give me a plethora of opportunities to grow my resume. For one, my portfolio is getting stacked with new pieces of various types and styles. Employers will (hopefully) look at that and see I’m not a one-trick pony. No matter what career you’re pursuing, it’s important to not stick to just one type of work. I, for one, cover everything from news writing, to filmmaking, to the occasional blog. The more you do, the better it will look. But of course, the benefits don’t lie solely in portfolio works. Experience gained in collaboration and planning can be beneficial in any kind of job. Focusing on learning new skills and talents is important for job searching, and there’s no reason you shouldn’t give it a shot.

There’s also the mental portion of the project, which has been a huge benefit to me. I’m fairly open about my history of depression and anxiety, and much of that stemmed from my lack of confidence in the public realm. With Treedome, I have the opportunity to not only make work that I’m proud of and that people enjoy, but also help others do the same. For once, it actually feels like the things I’m producing are not just for some ambiguous letter handed down by a professor; these things are for me, and people are starting to get interested. Sometimes, working with others can be a bit difficult. But the connections you form are integral to your development as an individual, and whatever career path you choose, it’s good to look to others who have the same ideas as you.

This connects to the most important aspect of the project: enjoying what I do, and doing what I enjoy. In college, it can be hard to focus in on what you really want to do for the rest of your life. Whether you’re a writer, coder, mathematician, or a scientist, it’s likely that the majority of your out of class work doesn’t connect to your future. More importantly, these things are often done because you HAVE to do them, not that you want to. That’s the biggest difference. Finding a way to do what you love in whatever way possible is important, especially now. Without finding that passion, that dream, you’ll just end up going through the motions and doing only what is necessary. That’s no way to live. So here’s my recommendation: don’t just sit around and do nothing. In the words of the immortal Shia LaBeouf, “Don’t let your dreams be dreams. Just. Do it.”