Casting.

I get a lot of calls from friends and people something like friends who have reached a state of career arrears. (Flattering myself, I'd say "career arrears" is a Cole Porter-ish way of saying they've been fucked up the arse by macro-economics.)

I've spent my career in career arrears and I've learned exactly one thing:

Do something.

It doesn't much matter what.

But do something.

Something that gets you noticed. 
Something that gets people curious about you.
Something that's funny and pass-along-able.
Reach out to people you like.
Reach out to people you've had a falling out with.
But do something.

Speaking of doing something, about thirty years ago I shot a fairly large package of commercials with Errol Morris. When I flew out to Santa Monica for casting, I was a-twitter with excitement. Casting with Errol Morris--a man who always seems to make precisely the right casting choice. I sat at the cheap folding table right next to him, and prepared to be wowed by his absolute genius of discernment and direction.

In six hours or so, 94% of the time we were seeing talent he said only two things. Better life advice you'll never get.

When talent stood on the little piece of tape and stared into the video camera, Errol would say (in his charming, slightly cross-eyed and daffy way) "do something."

If he liked the do they did he'd start them over again. He'd say "do something different."

If you spend anytime whatsoever on LinkedIn, or read what's left of the advertising trade magazines, there is no shortage of absolutely stunningly asinine advertising advice about breaking through in whatever they call today's era. 

They'll be bushwa about influencers. And AI. And algorithms. And "craft." They're be absolute nonsense from painerchuks and the like about "authenticity." There will more pablum than you'd get from a presidential press conference wrapped in a new business pitch covered in an agency about section.

None of any of that is anything more than a modern rendition of Shakespeare's Polonius lip-flapping platitudes masquerading as wisdom.

Your job when you're looking for work (and smart people are always looking for work) is to

a) stand out;

b) get noticed; 

c) make an impression and

d) stay top of mind.

There's really not too much more to job-hunting, advertising and life than that.

I've written about this before. But since most of all readers soak up information like a cheap locker-room towel soaks up sweat, it's probably swirled down your mental drain.

Over 50 years ago, I read this book.

I remembered the author, whom I liked, sorted amerikan presidents into one of four categories.

You can sort almost anything into these categories, including yourself.

There's only one demarcation that's any good if you want to survive what in many cases is a world that seems bent on knocking you down.

Passivity, while it might work if you're staring down a bear in the woods, is not usually an option in every day life. Good things might come to those who wait but more good things come to those who go and get them.

So we're left with one box.

Active (do something) positive (memorable.)

That's the brief, boys and girls.

It's not about what you've done (I won this award. I pitched this business. So and so recommended me.)
It's about what you're doing.

Every day.

It's about being avid.

Being fearless.

Letting your ass flap in the wind.

Even leaving my readers with that horrific image is better than leaving them with nothing.

I'll probably get a job out of this post.