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It’s OK to Believe.

In the waning moments of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, with my Washington Capitals leading the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the team just one game away from advancing to the next round of the playoffs, Caps radio announcer John Walton said a wonderful thing on the radio:

“It’s OK to believe,” he said.


If you’re a Capitals fan, that was easier said than done. The Capitals had been around for 43 seasons. They had made the playoffs in 28 of those seasons — but prior to this season, had only made one Stanley Cup Finals. In 10 of those seasons, the Capitals had held either a 3-1 or 2-0 series lead in a playoff series — a commanding lead by hockey standards — and lost. No team in NHL history compared when it came to playoff collapses.

And yet, there was John Walton on the radio, reminding all of us: “It’s OK to believe.” I think we all needed that reminder — we’d been through so many playoff losses that the idea of a win seemed almost impossible.

The next game, Game 6, on the road, in overtime, the Capitals finally broke through and beat Pittsburgh.

In the next round, down three games to two, the Capitals won two in a row — shutting out Tampa Bay in both games — to secure a place in the Finals.

And then, after going down 1-0 to Vegas, against a team that hadn’t lost three games in a row all season, the Caps won four consecutive games to win the Stanley Cup.

I still can’t believe it: The Capitals are Stanley Cup champions! Caps fans have been through so much over the years: We were told our team didn’t play hard enough, or were too unlucky to break through. Whatever the case, the team always seemed to lose — until they broke through, shed their playoff baggage, and changed the narrative forever.

I keep thinking back to what John Walton said during the Pittsburgh series. You were right, John: It really is OK to believe.

It’s OK to believe to believe that you can do something great.

It’s OK to believe that all the work you’ve been putting in might lead to something big.

It’s OK to believe in the team around you — even if others have their doubts.

It’s OK to believe that your best work is still ahead of you.

It’s OK to believe that this time will be different.

It’s OK to believe in something that nobody else sees — and to be willing to sacrifice something for the opportunity to prove yourself.

There is so much that goes into being successful at the highest level. You need the team, the resources, and a lot of luck — but the Caps just proved it:

It’s OK to believe.

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That One Time I Sent An Email To Ted Leonsis.

Back in the winter of 2001, I was in 8th grade, and I went to a Caps game with my Dad and my cousin Don. Don always seemed to find new opportunities: he was great at staying in touch with people, was willing to try new things, worked hard, and found ways to open interesting doors for himself. Don had a good idea for me: I should email the new owner of the Caps, Ted Leonsis, and ask him if I could get a press pass to write an article about the Caps for my middle school paper, the Pyle Prowler. This was back in the days when Leonsis — a former AOL executive — would respond to every email from fans. (His email was [email protected].) I was a little nervous, but Don and Dad were so supportive, so I sent Ted the email.

And sure enough, Ted emailed me back to tell me that he was happy to set me up with a press pass for an upcoming game! I got to sit in the press box, eat with the other reporters, interview Olie Kolzig in the locker room, and get a glimpse of what it was like to be a reporter. It was one of those experiences that made me think, “I could probably do this when I grow up.”

It’s incredible to think what’s changed in the years since. I’m lucky enough to work in journalism. And last night, after all those years of heartbreak, I got to watch the Caps win the Stanley Cup.

So I wanted to say: Thanks for the encouragement all those years ago, Don. Thanks for the press pass, Ted. And thanks for the win last night, guys. Thanks for finally — finally! — bringing the Cup home to D.C.

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Simple Ways To Build A Relationship.

I haven’t told a story about my brother, Sam, in a long time. But I wanted to tell you one today.

Sam graduated from college a few years ago, and after school, he got a job managing a restaurant in the midwest. It was a pretty small restaurant, and a few times a week, he had to stop by the bank to make a deposit for work. He started seeing the same employees every week, and to build a relationship with them, he decided to do a very smart thing: Every time he came into the bank, he brought a new joke to tell.

Over the course of a year, Sam built a reputation as “That Guy Who Always Has a Joke of the Day.” It wasn’t a big thing, but it meant that Sam had made a personal connection with the bank’s staff. They knew him, and warmly greeted him whenever he walked in the door.

Last year, he left to manage a different restaurant, and he didn’t need to go back to the bank much. But a few weeks ago, someone from the bank came into his restaurant to buy lunch, and Sam recognized them. “Aren’t you from the bank?” he asked. “Hey, it’s the Joke of the Day guy!” the bank teller said. “We’ve missed you!”

The employee told Sam that when he left, everyone at the bank was a little upset. They actually missed all those corny jokes! So they made Sam’s replacement start coming in with a fact of the day — but it wasn’t quite the same.

Here’s what I love about that story: Going to the bank is one of those tasks that’s so impersonal these days. It’s like going to the grocery store or the airport — you have to do it, but nobody’s especially friendly at those places. And yet, Sam still found a way to build a personal connection!

There are so many wonderful, simple ways ways to start building a relationship like that:

– When someone you know does something great, congratulate them! Send them an email or shoot them a text and tell them how much you loved their work.

– Send someone a birthday card, or give them a birthday call, and tell them what they mean to you.

– Forward someone a link to a story or a video, and tell them that it made you think of them.

These actions are so simple — and yet, they can be deeply meaningful. They make people feel appreciated, loved, and respected. And if you don’t get to see those people very often, a small action like that can be a simple way to stay in touch.

It never hurts to have a lot of friends in a lot of places — you never know when you might be able to open a door for friend, or vice versa. That could all start with something as simple as a joke of the day.

Well done, Sam.

———

That page from a Joke of the Day calendar comes via Amazon.

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Before You Apply To A Job, Make Sure You Can Answer This Question.

Here’s a question I’ve been asking friends who say that they’re ready for a new job: What do you see yourself focusing on in the next 3-5 years?

You, too, should have an answer to that question.

This isn’t quite the old “What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?” kind of question. I’m not looking for you to say, “I’m interesting in being a reporter,” or, “I’d like to be a social media editor.” Don’t just give me a job title — tell me what you’re really excited to do, and why you’re passionate about it.

Here’s what you can tell me: Tell me that you’re interested in building new ways for readers to find stories that don’t involve Facebook’s algorithm, and that’s why you’re so interested in working in newsletters. Tell me that you’re excited to start conversations with readers, and that’s why you want to work in social media. Tell me that you’re curious about new formats for telling stories, and that’s why you’re trying to get a job in podcasting. Tell me that you’ve seen how important the relationship between product and edit can be, and that’s why you’re making a career pivot into product management.

Tell me why you want to do something new, and make sure the resume you’re putting out tells the story of someone who’s been working toward a job in just that kind of role.

If you can’t answer the question yet, don’t send in your resume! If you’re blindly sending out resumes, just trying to cast a wide net, you probably won’t even get to the first interview. Instead, start by trying to answer the question: In the next 3-5 years, I’m really interested in….

Yes, the path you plan to take will probably change. Who knows what the industry will look like in a few years! But by choosing a path, you’re starting to construct a narrative for your job search. You want a hiring manager to hear your story and think, “This is a person who’s been working their entire career towards this exact job.”

Answer the question, and you’ll take a big first step towards the job you really want.

———

That’s a photo of a path cutting through some incredibly pretty fall foliage in upstate Michigan. It was taken by Aaron Burden on Unsplash.

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Here, Watch This.

Former U.S. soccer star Abby Wambach gave a phenomenal commencement address at Barnard College about careers, leadership, and failure. Watch the whole thing: It’s absolutely fantastic. (And if you can’t watch it, read the transcript here.) It’s the best 20 minutes you’ll spend all day.

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Here, Read This.

Every Thanksgiving, I write my Things I Believe post. It’s one of my favorite ways to take stock of who am I, what I stand for, and how I’ve changed over the previous year.

This week, I stumbled upon this: a very Things I Believe-ish list from investor Richard Jenrette, who died in April. There’s a lot of good advice in here. (“Stay in the game. That’s often all you need to do — don’t quit.” “Keep your standards high in all you do.” “Don’t leave old friends behind — you may need them.”) It’s worth a few minutes of your time.

Read it here.

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Invest In Your People.

When someone finds out that I used to work at BuzzFeed, they usually end up asking me: What made that place so special?

I typically give them the short answer: BuzzFeed did an exceptional job of hiring people — people who were funny, smart, hard-working, and unusually curious. When you hire amazing people, and give them the freedom to do great work, you get a place like BuzzFeed.

But there’s a second thing that BuzzFeed did incredibly well, and I don’t mention it often enough: BuzzFeed invested in its people.

At BuzzFeed, there was a Learning & Development team that helped power everything we did. (A big shoutout to Regis, Annie, Michelle, Kris, and everyone else who did such great work on L&D!) Most BuzzFeed staffers were young — in their early-to-mid 20s — which meant that our staff was talented but inexperienced.

That’s where the L&D team came in. They put together classes and learning opportunities for everything. There were classes to help new managers learn how to manage a team, and classes to teach them how to hire someone new. There were classes for employees to learn how to communicate more clearly. There were classes to help with the little details — how to come up with story ideas, or how do more with Google Sheets — and the big picture stuff — how to be persuasive, how to give a great presentation. The L&D team would bring in coaches to work one-on-one with staffers, or invite college professors to speak about their areas of expertise.

What it meant was that BuzzFeed built a culture of learning. You were expected to learn new things, to push yourself, and to take advantage of these opportunities — that was part of your job. It was OK to not have all the answers, because there were always new opportunities to keep learning.

By investing in these L&D opportunities, BuzzFeed sent a pretty clear signal to its employees: We care about you and your growth, and as long as you’re here, we’re going to give you opportunities to grow into new roles. There’s a reason why so many of my co-workers stayed years at the company — even in a climate where many in media seem to switch jobs every year.

If you’re in a leadership role at a company, you should be asking: Does my team have the tools to do their jobs well? Are they learning and growing in their roles? Are we challenging them?

You may discover that you’re not doing that well enough — or at all.

Go out and invest in your people. Get them the coaching and the learning opportunities they need to grow. In turn, it might help you build a truly amazing team.

———

That stock photo at the top comes via Unsplash.

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You Are Not Behind.

A J-school student told me a few weeks ago that she’s worried she’s behind when it comes to her career. Her peers have more experience or have won more awards than she has. She sees college journalists at other schools who seem to be a few steps ahead of her professionally.

“Am I behind?” she asked. “Should I be worried?”

I told her that I remembered feeling the same way in college. Back in 2005, I remember watching ESPN and seeing a headline-making interview that NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens had done with a college sophomore at Syracuse. I’d always thought I was a little ahead of the pack: I’d been published in The Boston Globe, had written for a few different papers at that point, and was in journalism school at Mizzou. I’d won a national award for high school journalists. I was doing pretty well!

And then I watched that ESPN interview and thought, There’s someone else ahead of me! I’m falling behind!

How were they “ahead,” exactly? They’d done something different — something pretty exceptional — and it scared me to think that there were others doing great work, too.

But a few years later, I started to look back and wonder why I’d been so nervous in the first place. I wrote:

I get jealous, sometimes, when I see 25 year olds who are way ahead of where I am. I get competitive. How’d that person pull off a book deal at 25? How’d they get a movie done? How’d they make their first million already?

But then I remember that this isn’t a 400-meter race. We’re not all shooting for the same end goal.

We’re all on different paths. We’re all running our own races at our own speeds.

It’s tough to tell where each of us is going now. It’s only with time — a decade, maybe more — that we’ll start to understand where we’ve been going.

In the meantime, what really matters is that we keep going.

That’s what I reminded that J-school student: There is no race. There is no ahead, or behind. There’s only the path you take, at the speed that suits you best. Keep moving forward — launch things, try things, keep learning. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done at 20, 30, or 70. There’s always more road ahead of you, and new opportunities. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done today — your best work is still ahead.

———

That amazing dirtbike race photo is by Simon Moog on Unsplash.

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Here, Listen To This.

If you’re a sports fan, you might remember the story of Jay Williams, the star point guard for the Chicago Bulls who got into a motorcycle crash that cut his career short. Maybe you haven’t heard the story of what happened after, of how he picked up the pieces and rebuilt his life. In a podcast with Oprah Winfrey, he opened up about how he moved on from the accident. And at about the 32:30 mark, he said something that echoes with something I’ve written about before on the blog: How much it matters to surround yourself with amazing people.

Oprah Winfrey: Anybody who’s going through their own setback, their own challenge, their own difficulty, their own crash, what is your best advice to them?

Jay Williams: I was lucky enough to form a committee. For every successful business, they have a board, a board of advisors. My mother was on my board. My dad was on my board. My girlfriend at the time was on my board. Coach K was on my board. I had some other really good people. And what I did with them is that I sat down and went through the pros and cons about, “What is Jason good at? What is Jason like?” I never took time to actually think about what are my passions.

Oprah Winfrey: You built another kind of team.

Jay Williams: Exactly.

Give the whole thing a listen — it’s a fascinating conversation.

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6 Simple Tips For Writing A Great Resume.

Here’s a not-all-that-surprising declaration, based on 5+ years of looking at resumes: Most resumes aren’t very good. They suffer from the same basic issues in design and editing.

But you — the future job applicant! — can do better! Here’s a simple list of ways to make your resume better right away:

1) Use a template from Google Docs to design your resume — They’re clean, they’re simple, they’re easy to share, they’re free, and they’re designed to help you get all of the key information onto a single page. (They also come with a matching cover letter template, which is a nice touch.) Use their templates — you career’s too important for a resume created in Word!

2) Showcase what you’ve actually done in a role — Every bullet in your resume is an opportunity to show me what you’ve actually done, and how much of it you did. If you had an internship in college at a newspaper, saying, “Wrote stories about _____” is OK, but “Wrote 20 feature stories about _____” is far better.  The more you can show the size of your impact, the better.

3) Be strategic about where you place the education section — If you’re in school or just graduated, education should probably be the first thing on your resume. Recruiters will judge a resume differently if you’re in school or a recent grad. If you’re a few years out, it probably belongs towards the bottom of the resume.

4) Throw in a fast fact about yourself, but only if it’s really great — If you’ve achieved some sort of truly unusual feat — maybe you won your university’s Scrabble tournament, or you’re a championship slam poet — it actually might be worth including! The goal with your resume is to catch a recruiter’s eye, and a detail like that might help you stand out from the crowd. But it would have to be a heck of a tidbit to be worthy. (It’s great that you’re the captain of your rec softball team, but that’s not quite the level of excellence that will help here. And if you do include a fast fact, limit it to one, please!)

5) Put everything in the past tense — I’ve seen resumes where some roles are in present tense, and some are in past tense, and it gets a little unwieldy. Keep it simple, and keep it all in past tense — even your current job.

6) Keep it to one page — A recruiter is using your resume to decide if they’d like to know more about you. The resume is a first glance, not a deep dive. No matter how much you’ve done, you can keep it to a page.

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