Today, I spoke to Ryan Healy, who is the COO and Co-Founder of Brazen Careerist (A site that I partner with). Ryan, along with co-founders Penelope Trunk and Ryan Paugh, just launched their newest feature, Social Resumes. I filled mine out today, and I have to say that it’s a very interesting concept. Their Social Resumes allow you to organize the important ideas that you are already sharing online and give people a clear place to show what their personal brand is all about. In this interview, Ryan Healy discuses Social Resumes, his own personal branding tips and why the traditional resume is no longer enough.
What do you see as the biggest challenges for people trying to manage their personal brands
through social media?
Social media is amazing; you have the ability to become known for whatever you want by simply sharing your thoughts and ideas and having conversations with people. The biggest challenge though, is how do you let people see the things that you want them to see? Tweets get lost in a constant flow of conversations and blog posts end up in your archives never to be seen again. Making sure you are showing people what they need to see can turn into a full time job.
Obviously, all of us who are interested in creating a personal brand are doing it so we can progress in our careers. If you let social media consume you and become obsessed with maintaining an image, it’s tough to actually do the things you need to do to be great at your job. With all the new tools out there, balancing your work and your brand is getting harder every day.
Why is the traditional resume no longer enough, and how does Brazen Careerist fill in the gap?
Traditional resumes are great. They show people your experience; what you’ve done, where you’ve worked and what you’ve accomplished. This is all useful information, but it doesn’t provide any insight into how you think or what you plan to do in the future.
Brazen Careerist fills this gap by letting you show the world your potential through the ideas and conversations you are already having online. You have 10 chances to show people what you’re all about by sharing your blog posts, tweets or conversations. It’s an opportunity to show people your entire personal brand in one easy to read place.
Can you share any success stories from the community so far?
Some of my favorite Social Resumes so far are from Dale Beermann, Emily Jasper and Ellen Nordahl. They’ve each taken a unique approach to their Social Resume, and I’m blown away by the ideas they are sharing and how they are each using the tool. Definitely check them out when you have a chance.
What tips can you give to people who are trying to stand out in their given professions?
If you’re trying to stand out in your profession, it all boils down to two things.
- You need to work harder than you can possibly imagine working. When people are sleeping in, you should be working. When your friends are out partying, you should be talking shop.
- You need to tell people about all the great things you’re doing. You should be marketing yourself all the time. Hard work is the first step, but to really stand out, you need to make people notice you, don’t be shy.
What the most important thing that you’ve learned about Personal Branding since you started BrazenCareerist.com?
I’ve learned that Personal Branding is a means to an end. You need to think about your end goal, decide why you want to build a personal brand, and how your personal brand will help you achieve whatever it is you want to achieve. Whether you want to be an entrepreneur, a lawyer, a dentist or just rich and famous, you have to start with the end goal in mind, and then back into your dream by building a brand that makes sense for you and your career.
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Ryan Healy is a Co-Founder of Brazen Careerist, a venture backed start-up company that helps companies locate hard-to-find candidates. Recently he was named one of the country’s 25 top Human Resource thought leaders by World at Work and Accenture. He is a recognized workplace expert for the young workforce, appearing in print publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Business Week and he has appeared as a spokesperson for the new generation of workers – Generation Y, on CBS’s 60 Minutes, 20/20, and National Public Radio. He is also a featured keynote speaker on Human Resources, generations, social media and career related topics.
