Creating a Career Development Plan

The best personal brand is living a life worth talking about. Not manufacturing one. Most "personal branding" feels like dressing up as someone you think others want to see. But what if you focused on living an interesting life instead? Try something difficult. Make something unusual. Solve interesting problems. Share what you learn along the way. When you're genuinely passionate about your work and experiences, you don't need clever marketing tactics. Your enthusiasm becomes contagious. Your stories become memorable. Your insights become valuable. The strategy isn't complicated: Do things that matter to you. Tell the truth about them. Repeat. No need to manufacture a persona. Your personal brand isn't something you create separately from your life – it's what naturally emerges when you're living authentically. The most compelling stories come from people who aren't trying to be compelling. They're just being themselves. Here's how to tell your story authentically, day in and day out, here on LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/eh9pVVuf

We all know we're supposed to "show instead of tell." But most design portfolios fail to do this and here's why. 👇 Designers love showcasing their raw work in their portfolios including outputs or deliverables such as: → Sketches → Diagrams → User flows → Wireframes → Sticky notes → Journey maps But to be honest, 90% of the time, I have absolutely no idea what is going on in those images. For example, I'll often come across a screenshot or picture of 25+ sticky notes, but: → They are too zoomed out. → If I zoom in, they're too blurry. → Even if I can seem them, they're too overwhelming. Then I start asking myself questions such as: → Am I supposed to read every sticky note? → What's important about these sticky notes? → Is this worth my time and attention to decipher? This is where storytelling comes in. What if instead of showing a raw zoomed out screenshot of sticky notes, we instead pulled out the key highlights and takeaways? Then we can guide the reader's attention to what's actually important, and optionally include a link to the original raw image afterwards. This creates a far more compelling narrative for our audience (hiring managers and recruiters), and ensures we're showing the right level of detail that is necessary to understand the story. Now to be clear, I'm not saying you should entirely avoid raw images or assets (or even raw Figma files). For example, these can be effective during the interview process because the designer can use their voice to guide their audience through the image. But when it's an online written case study submitted with an application, then you won't be in the room when a hiring manager first sees it. In that moment, your story will need to stand on it's own. It will need to communicate the right level of clarity and detail to compel the hiring manager to offer you an interview. In summary, when we want to "show instead of tell", that doesn't mean slapping a raw screenshot or image in our portfolio. It means reflecting on how we're using our words and images to give context, clarity, and tell an impactful story. Use it effectively to your advantage. What are your thoughts? #ux #design #portfolio #casestudy #storytelling

I’ve reviewed > 400 portfolios this year. Observation #1: The ones that got interviews weren’t the prettiest. They were the clearest. → Clear intent (what roles they’re targeting) → Clear structure (who they helped + what changed) → Clear thinking (how they made decisions) Observation #2: Hiring managers responded best to portfolios that made it easy to scan, not admire. → 3-5 second headlines that told the story → Metrics up top, visuals in the middle, lessons at the end → Less storytelling. More signal. Observation #3: The portfolios that ‘failed’? → Opened with “Hi, I’m Alex and I love solving problems” → Contained 30+ screenshots with no explanation → Didn’t articulate business impact or their role → Had no opinion, no POV, no process If I were applying today? → I’d restructure my case studies to lead with outcomes → I’d add a design philosophy section to show how I think → I’d cut 40% of the fluff and focus on what actually matters → I’d communicate my USP and elevator pitch up front Your portfolio isn’t a gallery. It’s a business case for why you’re worth hiring. ----- Just thought I'd share this after reviewing some notes over the weekend. Hope it helps! ----- #ux #tech #design #ai #business #careers

People think personal branding = content but I think personal branding = strategy first, content second Before working on a client’s personal brand, I didn’t post a single thing. ❌️No trendy posts. ❌️ No guesswork. ✅️Just one solid foundation a week-by-week strategy we made just for them. Because personal branding isn’t about doing what everyone else is doing. It’s about showing up with the right positioning, for the right audience, in the right way. Every profile I work on is different 👉 Different goals 👉 Different industries 👉 Different tones of voice And that’s why copy-paste plans don’t work. We built a week-by-week strategy we made, aligned with their strengths, story, and end goal. The result? ✅️ Higher visibility ✅️ More inbound leads ✅️ Actual authority in their niche If you’ve been posting content without clarity it’s time to change that. Let’s build a personal brand that brings real results, not just likes #LinkedInStrategy #PersonalBranding #LinkedIn #LinkedInnews

At my cousin's wedding, I watched the photographer work. 3,000 photos taken. 47 delivered. "Why so few?" I asked. "Madam, people don't want to see everything. They want to see the best version of their story." That's when it clicked me🔻 This is exactly how we should manage our careers. We're taking 3,000 skills, and showing all 3,000. Result? Confusion, not clarity. 📌As per LinkedIn’s data: Profiles with 5 focused skills get 17x more views than those listing 20+. The paradox: More is less when everything matters equally. So, here’s the "Portfolio Curation Method" I now teach: Capture Everything (backstage) -Document all projects -Track all learnings -Note all connections Curate Strategically (frontstage) -Show 3-5 signature strengths -Highlight pattern of impact -Tell a cohesive story Archive Wisely (storage) -Keep records for depth -Pull when relevant -Update quarterly Example transformation: BEFORE: "Experienced in project management, data analysis, team building, Excel, presentation skills, communication, leadership, problem-solving..." AFTER: "I transform complex data into stories that drive million-dollar decisions." Understand the pattern: Same person with a curated story getting 10x more interviews. Last quarter, a client reduced her LinkedIn skills from 23 to 4. Recruiter messages increased 300%. Why? Because when you stand for everything, you stand out for nothing. The photographer was right: People don't want to see everything. They want to see the best version of your story. P.S. What would happen if you showed only your best 47 photos instead of all 3,000? #CareerPortfolio #PersonalBranding #StorytellingInBusiness #ProfessionalBrand #CareerStrategy #LinkedInTips #PortfolioCuration

The first month of the year usually brings about a flurry of "New Year, New Job" resolutions. We all know someone who is updating their resume, tweaking their LinkedIn headline, and hitting the "Easy Apply" button on this app, hoping to snag any number of roles that were posted over the holiday. But at Braven, we’ve seen a shift in the landscape of work that is leading to my latest prediction for the economy and workforce development. It’s this: In 2026, a resume is no longer your most valuable employment asset. The "New You" aspect of the New Year shouldn't focus solely on finding a new employer; rather, it should zoom in on building an employment portfolio of impact. Similar to the impact portfolios put together by financial companies, your employment portfolio of impact - once you create it - provides the talking points you would bring to every job interview or performance review. It’s a deep dive into your work whys and hows, and it highlights your results. Once you design this portfolio, you can turn your results into a narrative story or data points that illustrate your value in the workplace. The CV might get you in the door, but your portfolio of impact is what might well hook the job, the internship or that promotion. How do you do it? Simple. Try these three steps. 1. Solve Micro-Problems. You don’t need a fancy title to lead. Look for, and think about, the problems you have solved for your current organization or a local non-profit. Did you tweak or build a spreadsheet for the team? Did you volunteer to balance the holiday party budget? Did you pick up extra work because someone else was ill? Document how and why you solved a problem. Provide the "before" and "after." Those details are the meat of your impact. 2. Leverage Your humanity. As AI handles more technical execution, your portfolio should highlight your human-centric successes. Highlight times you navigated a difficult team conflict, mentored a peer, or used empathy to solve a customer's problem. Highlight how you used AI to automate a bottleneck and improve efficiency. These are the skills we emphasize at Braven. 3. Build in public. Don’t wait for an interview to share your work. Use LinkedIn to broadcast a weekly "lesson learned" or a project update – this is also part of your portfolio. When you build in public, you create a trail of breadcrumbs that leads recruiters and collaborators directly to you. At Braven, we believe that talent is everywhere and everyone can be ready when the opportunity presents itself. We also know that when our Fellows approach the world with a "builder" mindset, they become undeniable. They aren't just looking for a seat at the table; they are demonstrating their value. How will you move the needle this month? Where are you making the most impact? I’d love to hear about it.

The smartest people I know are bored. Why? Because they are trying to squeeze 100% of their potential into a job description written for 50% of their skills. Stop shrinking to fit the role. Expand the role to fit you. Build what I call an "And" Career. Old career model: Junior → Senior → Manager → Director → VP → Retire. (Linear. Safe. Boring.) New career model: VP & Investor. Founder & Content Creator. Consultant & Triathlete. (Fluid. Risky. Fulfilling.) Your career is not a ladder anymore, it's a portfolio. The old linear model feels secure. But the most impactful careers are multifaceted. They are “And” careers. Building an "And" career was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I'm a brand and communications leader. I'm a personal brand coach. I'm a keynote speaker. I'm a content creator. No, I don't fit nicely into a box. But why should it? The question I always hear: “Will I be taken seriously?” Here is how to build an “And” career that gets taken seriously: 1. Define your “And.” What are the unique intersections of your skills and passions? Do not just add, integrate. Create a clear personal narrative. 2. Communicate your narrative consistently. Every interaction. Every post. Every email. It builds trust. It signals intention. 3. Show, do not just tell. Build a portfolio of work. Side projects. Board roles. Mentorships. Proof points validate your multifaceted identity. 4. Cultivate an intentional network. Connect with people who embody the “And” model. Seek out those who celebrate fluid career paths. 5. Own your expertise. Stop asking if you will be taken seriously. Start acting like you already are. Your confidence is your greatest credential. Building an “And” career demands clarity. It demands courage. It demands you take yourself seriously first. What “And” are you adding to your career this year?

Your portfolio might be missing these underrated elements. Most people focus on polished case studies and pretty visuals. But what actually makes a recruiter pause and think “I want to talk to this person” are the things you don’t usually see. Here are 4 to start adding. 1️⃣ Show your decision trade-offs Don’t just show the final design. Show the fork in the road. What options did you consider, and why did you choose the one you did? Side-by-side screenshots + a short explanation = proof of your critical thinking. 2️⃣ Highlight collaboration moments Portfolios often read like solo projects, but hiring managers want to see you as a teammate. Call out where a PM, dev, or researcher’s input shifted the outcome. Add a quick “before & after” to show the impact of collaboration. 3️⃣ Call out constraints Great design isn’t created in a vacuum. Were you working under a tight deadline? Legacy tech? Limited resources? Own it. Explain how you adapted your solution within the real-world boundaries. That’s what makes your work practical and credible. 4️⃣ Add a “What I’d do differently” section Reflection shows growth. Wrap up each case study with 2–3 quick bullets: what worked, what you’d approach differently, and what you learned. It signals self-awareness without undermining your work. These details don’t just show your work, they show how you work. Now, let’s turn this into a community resource 👇 If you’ve got a portfolio you’re proud of (or one in progress!), drop it in the comments so we can start building a list for visibility and inspiration!

How do you stay relevant today? So many people have asked me this question as they look for ways to grow. Adding certifications. Taking on more projects. Saying yes to everything. Yet they still feel behind. Hustle culture says: add more. A portfolio career says: design better. The difference is intention. When I first learned about portfolio careers, it opened up a world of possibilities for me. It also made sense. As an artist in high school, my portfolio encompassed my full body of work. Similarly, a portfolio career allows me to integrate my skills, interests, and roles that reinforce each other and fuel my growth. ◾ Leading technology teams This started with trying something new, which helped me uncover my strength in developing people and showed me how to leverage my interdisciplinary skills. ◾ Teaching First I shared knowledge with peers, mentees, and broader audiences, which eventually led to an adjunct role. ◾ Speaking I followed my curiosity, exploring topics that interested me, which helped me build momentum around my ideas and sharpen my communication skills as I introduced these topics to new audiences. ◾ Content creation Years ago I created a website over a single weekend and published my first blog post, then I began creating content on LinkedIn, and eventually moved into a role leading technology content strategy. A portfolio career approach helped me actualize my growth and development now, instead of waiting for “someday.” It also put me in control of designing my mix of professional and personal ambitions with intention. It can help you combine different roles so you’re always stretching and learning. A portfolio career: ◾ Builds adaptability ◾ Accelerates growth ◾ Promotes versatility ◾ Aligns identity Design from your values and interests and ask: What mix of projects, skills, and relationships will grow my value? What’s your portfolio career mix?

Most professionals give up on personal branding because they're doing the right things in the wrong order. Posting daily before finding clarity in their messaging. Chasing Authority before they've earned Credibility. Building on quicksand and wondering why their brands never compound. Here's what I've learned coaching senior professionals across industries: A personal brand isn't built in a viral moment. It's built in stages. And skipping one doesn't accelerate the journey. It derails it. Stage 1 – Obscurity: ↳ You possess enormous value, but the market doesn't know it yet. ↳ No inbound opportunities. No leverage. No market signal. Stage 2 – Clarity: ↳ You stop trying to be all things to all people. ↳ You craft a razor-sharp personal branding statement and define your target audience (a niche within a niche). Stage 3 – Consistency: ↳ This is where most people quit. ↳ You show up week after week — A/B testing your messaging and pivot as required. Stage 4 – Credibility: ↳ Social proof starts doing the talking. ↳ Speaking invitations. Peer-reviewed publications. A market that trusts you because of high-quality thought leadership. Stage 5 – Authority: ↳ Your brand opens consulting opportunities, paid public speaking gigs and generates consistent organic leads. ↳ You set the price, and the client respects your value. The professionals who reach Stage 5 don't get there by accident. They get there because they mastered each stage before moving on to the next. I've seen brilliant people stall at Stage 3 — not because they lacked expertise, but because they never built the foundation that catalyses consistency. A stellar personal brand is a result of consistent, long-term effort — with deliberate sequencing of compounding actions. What else would you add? DM me if you feel your personal brand is moving slower than tectonic plates, or simply don't know where to start. #personalbranding #thoughtleadership #careertips