Finding the Third Door: My Path from Sixth Form to the House of Lords

careercolin is one of my favourite superstars of CareerTok, and it is through his content that I was introduced to the “third door” concept. This is all about carving your own path to success and a resourcefulness that allows you to achieve success – whatever that looks like to you – via unconventional, non-traditional methods.

"The Third Door," a concept popularized by Alex Banayan in his book of the same name, explores the idea that success is not solely achieved through traditional paths (the "first door") or formal education and credentials (the "second door"). Instead, Banayan argues that there's always a "third door"—a creative and unconventional route individuals can take to reach their goals. This notion resonates deeply in today’s competitive job market, where innovation and resourcefulness often pave the way for unique opportunities. For more insights on this transformative idea, you can check out Banayan’s book, The Third Door, which is filled with inspiring stories and practical advice for anyone looking to carve their own path to success.

According to Banayan, the first two doors represent conventional paths to success:

First Door: The traditional route to success, this involves following established norms, i.e., getting a degree, landing a corporate job, or climbing the corporate ladder through promotions. It’s the path most people take, relying on widely accepted methods to achieve their goals.

Second Door: This is the route of credentials and qualifications, internships, and grad schemes. The second door is about being qualified and using the prestigious names of institutions and degrees to develop your personal brand.

careercolin claims that this “second door” is for VIPs who can use their access and influence (nepo babies) to “skip the line”, the “first door”. Regardless of whether you disagree with him or not, both “doors” are undoubtedly great ways to progress into the dream career that you deserve, but what about the third?

Ultimately an exercise in creative thinking and resourcefulness, the “third door” is unique. What works for you might not work for someone else, and that is why, in Banayan’s words, there’s always a way.

I should know.

During the closing chapters of my time at Newton Abbot College Sixth Form, I began looking for internships. Now I had never even heard of the “third door” concept at this time, but already I had begun writing for some start-up publications and completing online courses in my spare time. That was my CV. I knew this wasn’t going to be enough, so I began to reach out to people, email-marketing myself, determined to create opportunities where none seemed to exist.

Turns out, my first breakthrough came on Twitter, where I created, and planted the seeds for my first internship in – wait for it – the House of Lords. I simply messaged the peer I wanted to work for, and after a brief exchange, I was on to the parliamentary aide that got all the details sorted for me. I was ecstatic, as the photo below might suggest.

It’s impossible to make this up, I thought, I had actually arranged my own internship with a Baroness (and her wonderful aide, Chloe) and former leader of the Green Party, over Twitter messaging. The audacity of this young man, Baroness Bennett and the aide to the Green Party peers must have thought. And, truth be told, this audacity has never left me. But at the time I didn’t care. I had done it, I had broken into parliament (not literally, don’t worry).

My experience in getting – no, creating - my first internship in the Lords taught me one thing that I’ve carried with me since: There’s always a way.

Of course, the third door is not always one that everyone can go through. I was privileged to have access to not only a good education, but to the technology I needed to send the countless emails, messages, and applications that initially got me to where I wanted to be. The tactics I used – ones that I later discovered to be covered by “the third door” – were simply me capitalising on what I had in front of me and using it to go around the conventional routes.

Nevertheless, whatever that “third door” looks like to you, creating your own opportunities is, in my opinion, much more fun and 10x more rewarding than simply finding existing ones or applying for established programmes and schemes. Do your own scheming, as I did, and don’t wait for your dream career to sail on past you in a rejected application or forgotten-about deadline.

There’s always (another!) way.

1 comment