More than a Resume
My Bold Prediction for the future!
The struggles of a 4.0 student. My Sophomore year of college left me burnt out more than any other year of my life. Even last year, when in 6 months I made and produced over 50 episodes, and then another 50 over the next 6 months, sophomore year still leaves more of a mark in terms of energy expenditure. What made it so intense was I began my involvement on campus, joining two pre-law groups, one of them being Mock Trial. All the while, attempting to earn straight A’s. Most nights, were late ones, leaving, at most times, being kicked out, of the library at midnight, and coming back to my dorm to continue my work or studying not getting to bed till 2 or 3 AM, and beginning the day again at 7 AM. It took an immense toll on my life, and by the end of my Sophmore year I was completely exhausted. Additionally in the Spring semester, I began to study for the dreaded LSAT.
I am a big believer that all things are meant to happen for a reason, and looking back on your life and journey, things truly do start to make sense. But that summer going into Junior year was an immense struggle. I was fed up and felt as if I was stuck in concrete. There was something about the rat race of maintaining grades, all those late nights, the normal pathway ate away at me every single day. I knew in those moments that summer of 2023, something needed to change.
I knew I had so much more to offer than the grades I had, but ultimately, in the context of Law School, grades and your LSAT score are the main drivers of your scholarships and opportunities. I knew something needed to change in my life to get out of this rut I was in. All these feelings would culminate after my 151 LSAT score.
It was the shot to the gut I truly needed, and I thank God every day that I did so poorly (Ironic isn’t it). It would lead to the start of the podcast, one that started a mere minutes after the LSAT. But I can’t sit here and say that starting this endeavor wasn’t scary. What scared me to death was if it didn’t work out. With my incoming negative feelings about the prospect of going to Law School, I needed, something else. Many nights led to so much tossing and turning, about a future so incredibly uncertain, aimlessly moving through the fog of life.
What I have created is a platform for people across the globe to tell their stories. Law students and Legal Professionals, discuss their experiences and all the wisdom that comes with it.
But with such a radical approach, comes a radical conclusion. My hypothesis for the future is an opportunity to reimagine recruiting and reimagine what it means to show off your value.
What I hypothesize is a resume-less future. One that allows prospective employees to show off what they can contribute without a resume, and a cover letter.
Throughout my journey podcasting, I have come to realize, particularly with Law Students, that the vast experiences they have had in their life, the great wisdom and learning lessons they encountered in their experience, cannot be summed up in a one-page resume and cover letters.
I predict that podcasts, newsletters, blogs, and content creation in general, will replace the traditional forms of personal branding we see today. Resumes and Cover letters will become obsolete.
Instead, content creation can become a vehicle for employers to have a deeper look into a prospective employee. When I think about the Law Students who have come on the podcast, I believe that showing employers my podcast with them, and all the content creation they have made, offers something that resumes and cover letters can’t show.
In the future, those who may not have the best grades, or did all the extracurricular activities at their respective institutions, can present to their employers they offer value that goes beyond the typical two pages they offer. As the late great Randy Savage puts it,
The Cream always rises to the top.
In my personal experience, I have always struggled to allow grades to define me. Getting an A- instead of an A always lit a fire under me like none other. It would quite literally, enrage me. I would have immense disappointment in myself and felt as if it was a new low for me. In retrospect, as many of my guests tell me in their experience, it’s just a letter on the screen, and should never define you. But with that I say, we can all have something else that defines us.
Our initiative to create content, be on podcasts, and start a blog, shows something greater than our grades could ever show. Now I must be clear, I am not saying that you shouldn’t get good grades, or for Law School, strive for a high LSAT score. Rather for those who may inherently know that the pacing of school or the extremely challenging nature of the LSAT is gonna get the best of you, the future holds a new way to show why you are the cream of the crop.
Creating content in any way shape or form brings something new and authentic to the table. Not defined by grades and scores, but by exploring ideas, detailing experiences, sharing knowledge, and gaining knowledge from others, all things that show a skill set of a willingness to learn, willingness to be vulnerable, admit you are wrong, and a willingness to take the initiative to become
More Than a Resume
Will I be right? I am unsure, as I can’t tell the future, nor can anyone else. However, as the attention economy becomes a staple of the internet, all signs point towards my hypothesis being somewhat true at the heart of it all.
By becoming more than a resume, you increase your network, be seen by folks you would have never imagined interacting with, and carve out your own credibility in any space or industry you are pursuing. I have talked about the power of podcasting once already, but I believe it will become even more powerful than previously detailed. It will become a vehicle to show off all that a person has to offer, and more. I once again, am not here to diminish the value of college, law school, or grades in general, but just to show that in the future, there is another way to insert yourself a position in any industry.
I admittingly, feel no longer defined by the grades I get. I try my best to learn something new about myself or the world through my grades. It is more of a reflection of my interests in the class itself. Just as I speak on the podcast about the significance of finding out what you want to do with the Law, but especially the significance of finding out what you don’t want to do with the Law, this perspective can be broadened to our advantage. If you are like me, not the biggest lover of school, and always feeling like you have to empty every amount of your energy to succeed, it may be time to pivot to a different endeavor. Start writing about the interests you have, create a podcast, or start a newsletter, there are so many ways, and more ways on the way, to find your spot in the world. But it all starts where we started, the world is moving to where you (yes you reading this!) can become,
More Than a Resume
Well folks that’s all from me, Nate Crespo, your host for today and FOREVER. Let me know if you think I will be right! I am unsure, but as time has gone on, and from speaking to so many people, all signs point towards the conclusion I propose. Nevertheless, enjoy the weekend, and I hope all my lovely friends reading this have a very happy Holidays!