Ep 61 Career: Portfolio, resume and personal branding refresher

Show notes

After a brief hiatus, Stephen Gates returns with a raw, unfiltered, and essential episode on what it really takes to land a creative job today. Having just reviewed over 400 resumes while building a new team at InVision, he revisits one of the podcast’s most important themes: why most creatives are still getting in their own way—and what to do about it.

Key Takeaways

1. Give a Damn (For Real)

• Applying for a creative job? Then your resume, portfolio, and presence must reflect that creativity.
• Minimal effort = minimal results. If your resume is in 12-point Courier in Word, don’t expect serious interest.
• A thoughtful, well-designed brand presence is your baseline, not a bonus.

2. Clarity > Buzzwords

• Get clear on who you are and what you bring. Being all things to all people just makes you forgettable.
• Avoid generic descriptors and industry buzzwords.
• Know what you want—and say it.

3. Build and Maintain Your Brand

• Have a personal website. It doesn’t need to be custom-coded but it must be thoughtful and up to date.
• Customize templates and WordPress themes to reflect your voice and value.
• Include real context in your portfolio—not just screenshots. What was the problem? What did you do? Why did it matter?

4. Watch the Details

• Outdated links, broken sites, or empty social channels hurt your credibility.
• “Dear Sir” in a cover letter? That’s an outdated assumption with real implications.
• Those software skill charts (e.g., 90% Sketch, 86% Photoshop)? They’re meaningless without context.

5. Change the Application Game

• Don’t just apply—connect. Reach out personally when you’re genuinely passionate about a role.
• Build a network before you need one.
• Great jobs often don’t get posted. You need to be top of mind before the posting even exists.

6. Define Success On Your Terms

• Most creatives never stop to define what they need to be happy and successful.
• Without that clarity, you’ll keep accepting whatever comes along—and wondering why you’re unfulfilled.

Bold Closing There’s no shortcut here. If you want the dream job, you’ve got to put in the real work. No one’s coming to rescue your career—you have to own it. Give a damn about your craft. Give a damn about your brand. And give a damn about yourself.

Stay crazy. And stay intentional.

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building a brand career advice career growth creative careers creative industry creative job market employment tips hiring process job search success job search tips personal personal branding standing out Stephen Gates The Crazy One podcast