In this episode, I sat down with Courtney Johnson, career strategist, social media expert, and author of ⁠Career Cheat Codes.⁠

Courtney is someone who built an audience of millions by loudly and openly sharing some hard truths about career advice:

• Working hard in silence is not a strategy, and it won’t get you extra “humility” points.

• Visibility is a skill.

• Knowing how to make the right people aware of what you do is just as important as doing it well.

Her “Problematic Career Cheat Codes” series went viral on TikTok before becoming a book, which is itself a masterclass in the very principles she writes about.

In this episode, we talk about what personal brand actually means for people who would never describe themselves as content creators and about how the art world might be one of the industries that needs this conversation most urgently. We get into the unspoken rules of competitive, gatekept industries, how to convert visibility into opportunity, and what it looks like to build a career with intention rather than just accumulating experience and hoping someone notices. We also compare notes as two authors who have recently released books on career-building in very different worlds, which made for a conversation I found incredibly useful not only for listeners but also for my own thinking and growth.

I think this episode will resonate whether you work in the arts or not, and if you do work in the arts, it might reframe a few things you’ve been told in terms of what it means to go down predetermined paths or what it means to create your own from scratch.

Thank you Courtney for coming on the podcast!

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Keep up to date on Instagram @allaboutartpodcast ⁠https://www.instagram.com/allaboutartpodcast/⁠

ABOUT THE HOST:

I am an Austrian-American art historian, curator, and writer. I obtained my BA in History of Art at University College London and my MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths, University of London. My specializations are in contemporary art and the contemporary art market along with accessibility, engagement, and the demystification of the professional art sector.

SOCIALS:

• Instagram⁠ @alexandrasteinacker https://www.instagram.com/alexandrasteinacker
• and LinkedIn at ⁠Alexandra Steinacker-Clark⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-steinacker/

This episode is produced at Synergy https://synergy.tech/the-clubhouse/the-podcast-studio/

COVER ART: Lisa Schrofner a.k.a Liser⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.liser-art.com/ and Luca Laurence https://www.graffitikunst.at/