1421: Blogging is the New Resume by Ryan Hoover on Career Success & Job Prospects

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_00]: This is Optimal Work Daily. Blogging is the New Resume by Ryan Hoover of Ryanhoover.me

[00:00:06] [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm Dan, I am your host here and I read to you every single day helping you to optimize your business life with some great content from some terrific authors who've agreed to let us share their work with you.

[00:00:19] [SPEAKER_00]: And now let's hear today's post as we optimize your life.

[00:00:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Blogging is the New Resume by Ryan Hoover of Ryanhoover.me

[00:00:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Can we all agree that resumes are crummy?

[00:00:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Can you really communicate your life's accomplishments and skill set through an 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper?

[00:00:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Does anyone even read your resume anyway?

[00:00:43] [SPEAKER_00]: These manufactured documents might help weed you out from the obvious hello candidates, but do a poor job of communicating your capabilities.

[00:00:50] [SPEAKER_00]: More often than not, hiring managers rely on trusted recommendations and evaluate applicants based on tangible things they've accomplished.

[00:00:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And this is where GitHub shines.

[00:00:59] [SPEAKER_00]: GitHub can be a fantastic resume for software developers.

[00:01:04] [SPEAKER_00]: The open platform showcases candidates' creations, free to inspect and critique.

[00:01:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Well kept GitHub profiles exemplify one's breadth and expertise in various programming languages

[00:01:14] [SPEAKER_00]: and their contributions to open source and side projects, exemplifying programmers' eagerness to create.

[00:01:21] [SPEAKER_00]: GitHub shows hiring managers what they have accomplished.

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER_00]: That's a lot better than telling in a resume.

[00:01:26] [SPEAKER_00]: But if you're non-technical, what is your GitHub equivalent?

[00:01:30] [SPEAKER_00]: How can you stand out from the forest of resumes?

[00:01:33] [SPEAKER_00]: I think you know the punchline.

[00:01:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Blogging is the New Resume.

[00:01:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Blogging is an effective way to illustrate expertise, personality and, most importantly, thought process.

[00:01:44] [SPEAKER_00]: The way product managers, UX designers and other non-technical roles think communicates their ability and culture fit.

[00:01:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Resumes lack this entirely.

[00:01:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Blogging opens doors.

[00:01:56] [SPEAKER_00]: A year ago, I started actively blogging, writing one to three essays each week.

[00:02:01] [SPEAKER_00]: I write for fun. I write to learn.

[00:02:03] [SPEAKER_00]: I write about startups, product design, user experience, psychology and other topics I'm passionate about.

[00:02:09] [SPEAKER_00]: The research and introspective thinking that goes into blogging hones my expertise in these topics

[00:02:15] [SPEAKER_00]: and the more I write, the better I write.

[00:02:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Early on, a few of my pieces hit the front page of hacker news.

[00:02:20] [SPEAKER_00]: My Twitter following increased and I began to get more attention in tech and blogging communities.

[00:02:26] [SPEAKER_00]: My writing has been featured on Pando Daily, FastCo, Forbes and other prominent publications

[00:02:31] [SPEAKER_00]: in addition to well-respected blogs like Andrew Chen's and Near Aol.

[00:02:36] [SPEAKER_00]: When I announced I was leaving Playhaven to work on something new, I was nervous.

[00:02:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I wanted a new challenge but was I going to end up unemployed and depressed?

[00:02:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Fortunately, writing paid off.

[00:02:46] [SPEAKER_00]: When I announced my departure without a plan, the network I grew from blogging reached out with support.

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Several followers offered me a job and introductions to other founders.

[00:02:56] [SPEAKER_00]: I ended up having more than enough opportunity. I was going to be fine.

[00:03:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Of course, while my professional experience and accomplishments were instrumental in creating these opportunities,

[00:03:06] [SPEAKER_00]: blogging amplified people's interest in me and helped market my expertise.

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_00]: We can all benefit from blogging.

[00:03:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Not everyone can or wants to maintain my level of dedication to the craft and that's fine.

[00:03:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Regardless of exposure, blogging is an excellent vehicle to share ideas, expertise and interests.

[00:03:24] [SPEAKER_00]: It's an evergreen resume.

[00:03:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Take Lenny Hu's blog as an example.

[00:03:28] [SPEAKER_00]: I was first introduced to Lenny through a blog post he wrote titled Let's Lunch Landing Page

[00:03:32] [SPEAKER_00]: where he designed a new homepage and described his thought process for the changes.

[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_00]: His post remains memorable even a year later as I reflect on my admiration

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_00]: for his proactiveness and ability.

[00:03:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Since then, he's continued to write product deconstructions and share his thoughts on product design.

[00:03:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Despite Lenny's relatively small following and infrequent blogging routine,

[00:03:53] [SPEAKER_00]: he's built himself a strong, long-lasting resume and it paid off.

[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Lenny recently sent me this direct message on Twitter.

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Hey Ryan, I got hired on as a short-term consultant for a stealth startup.

[00:04:04] [SPEAKER_00]: So random! They saw my blog.

[00:04:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Blog to build.

[00:04:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Blogging may result in a role at your dream startup or the successful launch of your own.

[00:04:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Nathan Bashaw and I recently launched Product Hunt,

[00:04:16] [SPEAKER_00]: a site to share, discover and geek out about products.

[00:04:20] [SPEAKER_00]: We seeded the community largely with relationships formed through my writing,

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_00]: inviting several dozen well-respected startup founders, investors and product people to participate.

[00:04:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Shortly after its private release, we announced Product Hunt in the press

[00:04:33] [SPEAKER_00]: and shared with our audience, acquiring another 1,000 users over the next week.

[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_00]: None of this would have been feasible 12 months ago

[00:04:40] [SPEAKER_00]: before I had established a network of supporters through my writing.

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Blogging isn't for everyone.

[00:04:46] [SPEAKER_00]: I highly encourage people to blog for many reasons,

[00:04:49] [SPEAKER_00]: but before you jump in gung-ho, here are a few things to keep in mind.

[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_00]: One, you need to enjoy it.

[00:04:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Blogging isn't for everyone.

[00:04:57] [SPEAKER_00]: It's difficult to blog sustainably.

[00:05:00] [SPEAKER_00]: If you're not intrinsically motivated to do so, you'll quit.

[00:05:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Blogging does not mandate frequent writing,

[00:05:05] [SPEAKER_00]: but the more you put in, the more you'll get out.

[00:05:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Two, it's a long-term investment.

[00:05:11] [SPEAKER_00]: It's highly unlikely your first, second, third or fiftieth post will go viral.

[00:05:15] [SPEAKER_00]: First, you must accept that most people don't care what you think

[00:05:18] [SPEAKER_00]: and that quantity leads to quality.

[00:05:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Three, it's not about you.

[00:05:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Readers also don't care how awesome you are.

[00:05:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Too many bloggers continually write self-promotional pieces.

[00:05:29] [SPEAKER_00]: The occasional hashtag humble brag is okay,

[00:05:32] [SPEAKER_00]: but if you're always writing about you or your startup successes,

[00:05:35] [SPEAKER_00]: readers will turn away.

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Four, write about your passions.

[00:05:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Another common mistake is to choose topics based on other people's interests.

[00:05:44] [SPEAKER_00]: You shouldn't write about growth hacking just because it's vogue.

[00:05:46] [SPEAKER_00]: You should write about growth hacking if you're genuinely passionate about it.

[00:05:50] [SPEAKER_00]: And if you're passionate about topics without mass appeal, that's fine.

[00:05:54] [SPEAKER_00]: I guarantee there are several others also interested.

[00:05:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Five, you don't know everything.

[00:05:59] [SPEAKER_00]: You must have conviction in what you write, but it's important to have humility

[00:06:03] [SPEAKER_00]: and recognize your context.

[00:06:05] [SPEAKER_00]: When criticizing people or startups, remember that you lack full context.

[00:06:09] [SPEAKER_00]: People may have specific reasons or data not privy to outsiders to support their decisions.

[00:06:15] [SPEAKER_00]: And six, don't let it become a distraction.

[00:06:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Once you've built an audience and habit of writing, it can be hard to stop.

[00:06:22] [SPEAKER_00]: While valuable, don't let blogging substitute the important things in your startup or life

[00:06:27] [SPEAKER_00]: that may not be as enjoyable.

[00:06:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Do shtty work.

[00:06:31] [SPEAKER_00]: R.I.P. Resume

[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_00]: When startups ask about my background and expertise,

[00:06:36] [SPEAKER_00]: I respond with a brief bio and link them a few select articles I've written

[00:06:40] [SPEAKER_00]: relevant to their situation.

[00:06:42] [SPEAKER_00]: If you read my writing, you will know how I think.

[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_00]: If you agree with my analysis and recommendations,

[00:06:47] [SPEAKER_00]: you will trust my product decisions.

[00:06:49] [SPEAKER_00]: If you disagree, then we shouldn't work together anyway.

[00:06:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Resumes fail to communicate any of this.

[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_00]: I hope to never touch my resume again.

[00:07:01] [SPEAKER_00]: You just listened to the post titled,

[00:07:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Blogging is the New Resume by Ryan Hoover of ryanhoover.me

[00:07:07] [SPEAKER_00]: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

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[00:08:06] [SPEAKER_00]: That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P dot com slash workdaily.

[00:08:11] [SPEAKER_00]: And thank you to Ryan Hoover, our author today,

[00:08:14] [SPEAKER_00]: who is the creator of Product Hunt.

[00:08:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Product Hunt is a massive product discovery site,

[00:08:20] [SPEAKER_00]: although not just products necessarily,

[00:08:22] [SPEAKER_00]: and the way it works is people upvote and downvote what they like,

[00:08:26] [SPEAKER_00]: so it's kind of like Reddit but for product recommendations.

[00:08:29] [SPEAKER_00]: And Ryan also contributed to Nier Eyal's book

[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_00]: and Nier is another author you'll be hearing from on this show.

[00:08:35] [SPEAKER_00]: The book is called Hooked, How to Build Habit-Forming Products.

[00:08:39] [SPEAKER_00]: It is well reviewed and worth checking out if you're interested.

[00:08:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Ryan actually gives away the first chapter of the book on his site,

[00:08:46] [SPEAKER_00]: so you can visit ryanhoover.me, that's ryanhoover.me,

[00:08:49] [SPEAKER_00]: for that and a lot more.

[00:08:52] [SPEAKER_00]: But I think that is going to do it for me today.

[00:08:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much for being a subscriber to the show.

[00:08:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Hope you're enjoying our content.

[00:08:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Have a great rest of your day,

[00:08:59] [SPEAKER_00]: and I'll see you back here tomorrow

[00:09:01] [SPEAKER_00]: where your optimal life awaits.