Top five tools for creatives to check in 2023
LinkedIn has never been a place for creatives. Dribbble and Behance are not what they used to be. In a world where digital transformation is affecting every domain of life, your portfolio cannot remain unchangeable.
Following are several new tools – innovative, trendy, and tried and true — to keep your job level up and updated.
# 1 Create a mindful professional profile on Read.cv
Read.cv ( or CV, occasionally) is an ultra-minimalistic platform for bold professionals who want to be known not only for their job. Beyond work experience, education, and other professional achievements, on Read.cv you can show some cool stuff like the projects you are proud of, your personal side projects, articles you've been featured in, talks, etc. Since Read.cv is created for creatives, it couldn't be complete without a session of exhibitions you've visited. From my experience, CV has a significant advantage in good visual design and simplicity of use, which can make your profile stand out. So you can scrutinize Read.cv right now on your own.
# 2 Explore, research and find some inspiration with Are.na
Are.na is a typical social network for creatives, makers, and even engineers. It is a sleek model of add-free and self-sustainable platforms. Are.na is backed by the community and its existence relies directly on the users. Are.na's finances are transparent and open to anyone. There is no coincidence why Are.na is known as a vehicle for conscious Internet browsing, playlists, but for ideas, and a toolkit for assembling new worlds.
# 3 Make Layers your new home
Layers reminds me of Dribbble in the early stage when the state of digital design was far different from today: a community of designers who show and tell their best shots, share inspiration, and occasionally get inquiries. Over years, design and technology changed a lot, designer communities changed a lot, and eventually, Dribbble couldn't be the same. Now Dribbble gives you more opportunities for sharing, connections, marketplace, and monetization, but sometimes it looks too much. If you want to be part of a small and strong community of excellent designers, you have to consider Layers. The platform is still in the beta phase and it works with waitlists. So, you are in time to set up your profile.
# 4 Express yourself with Polywork
For creatives, makers, multitaskers, and those who make multi-hyphenated work, Polywork is here. Early users are largely people who work in technology full-time and want to diversify their side hustles as angel investors, podcasters, newsletter writers, etc. In other words, it's like LinkedIn, but cooler, with a more interesting user journey, and gives you the opportunity of creating a poly-talented professional network. It is (still) free and waiting for you to join the board.
# 5 Keep all your stuff on your Bento
One of the effects of social media rise has been the importance of the link in bio. Those who do not maintain a personal website, or just want to change the URL of the link in their bio, can just use a social media reference landing page. Today you can find a dozen of link in bio services, but Bento stands out. You can put all the things you make and all the things you like, and it will look perfectly fine in the Bento layout. Since it is (still) free, you have to take your spot on Bento. ___
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Written with ♥ for a positive work culture.
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