As a creative, when is the last time someone asked for your resume? You probably haven’t been asked for a resume in a very long time, and that’s because your potential employer has figured out other ways to check you out and see if they relate to you and what you do.
What people actually do these days is Google you and assess your talents based on your website, portfolio, and social media profiles. Since people are now hiring based off how they can relate to and identify with you, the bio is your best bet to convey that. Trust comes from personal disclosure. And that kind of sharing is hard to convey in a resume.
Now that we know the bio thumps the resume any day, how do you go about writing a compelling bio that tells the bigger story?
Share a Point of View
You’re a creative. Having something to say is the ultimate proof. What’s missing from the larger conversation? Speak to that. Don’t be afraid to tell the bigger story. We want to know how you see the world. Show us that you have a unique perspective or fresh vantage point on the things that matter most.
Create a Backstory
Explain the origin for how you came to see the world in this way. Maybe it was something that happened to you as a kid or early in your career. Natural authority is speaking from the place of what you know and have lived.
Incorporate External Validators
If you’re doing something new, different, or innovative, you have to anchor it into the familiar to help people see that your novel ideas are connected to things they recognize and trust.
Invite people into a relationship.
Reveal a couple things you obsess about as hobbies or interests. This will make you more approachable and relatable. You’re human, too. Help people find the invisible lines of connection.
To revamp your bio, start with these simple storytelling principles, and always remember that your story sets the boundaries for everything else that follows.