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Waiting for an ideal opportunity can delay the start of a career. For billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, the alternative is to start working and use that experience to build a track record that can open the door to new opportunities.
“Don’t get the perfect job because those are hard to find. Just get a job,” he said in an interview with The Diary of a CEO, reported by Fortune in a Oct. 29, 2026, post.
Why he recommends starting even if the job is not ideal
During the conversation with Steven Bartlett, Cuban explained that he often gives that advice to recent college graduates. He also said that once you land a job, it is important to work hard, do the job well and honestly assess your own performance.
To illustrate the point, he cited jobs at McDonald’s and Dairy Queen. In his view, moving up within those companies can help show another employer what you can do, even if running a fast-food location is not the long-term career goal.
What value is there in moving up within a company?
The entrepreneur highlighted the importance of being able to show a record of growth and having strong references. If an employer values the work you have done and wants to keep you, that can become a credential for the next opportunity.
Cuban said that kind of progress can take two or three years. He also acknowledged the frustration of feeling stuck, but advised against letting that feeling take over a person’s life.
An early experience that can open other doors
The advice focuses on what a person can show while working by taking on responsibility and advancing within an organization. In that view, the first job is an opportunity to build a track record.
So taking a job that does not match the ultimate goal does not necessarily mean staying there for an entire career. Cuban’s idea is to use that step to gain experience and present future employers with results that back up your skills.