Ryan Johnson is to become his own Snapchat Snapcode in a bid to boost his career prospects.

Everyone, from work colleagues to the guy who makes the coffee, is given a score based on factors such as cheeriness and diligence.

The higher your ranking, the nicer house you can buy, the better paid job you can achieve — you can even gain more successful friends.

Fail to crack a smile to a stranger and you ranking could plummet.

Now, one ambitious 22-year-old is making a bold bid to turn this new future into a reality.

Ryan Johnson will head to this weekend’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras dressed as his own Snapchat Snapcode in a bid to boost his career prospects. Strangers will be able to scan his costume and instantly follow him.

Getting 1000 new followers was “very achievable,” he told news.com.au.

“We live in a world when likes and follower counts are social currency.

“I’m turning myself into an interactive, scannable advertising campaign.”

The Novocastrian said he wanted to boost his personal brand in the hope of furthering his career in marketing. If he can sell his own “personal brand,” he said, it’s proof he can sell other people’s.

Tens of thousands of people are expected at attend Mardi Gras in Sydney on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy PiperSource:News Corp Australia

He is just one of a number of people taking part in Saturday’s Mardi Gras who are blurring the lines between the digital and the real world.

Another group, who only know each other through Facebook, will be using the event to meet in person for the first time.

Mr Johnson said he thought too many young people were expecting their career to be served to them on a platter.

Last week, a study by GradAustralia found millennial jobseekers were pickier than ever. Students valued social image over salary, and were willing to overlook career opportunities for this reason. Almost half of those entering the job market were unwilling to make sacrifices in their personal life for their jobs.

Are graduates doing enough to get noticed in a crowded job market? Picture: AP Photo/Mike Groll.Source:AP

“The job market is more competitive than ever. Some young people want things now but they don’t want to work for them,” Mr Johnson said.

“A uni degree doesn’t cut it anymore, you need to be proactive, you have to be willing to start at the bottom and prove yourself.”

Mr Johnson, who works in marketing role at a Newcastle hotel, said employers were looking for creative and curious problem solvers who could sell their brand.

“I live and breathe marketing and I tell people that my whole life is a marketing strategy,” he said.

That strategy started at a young age with the classic homemade lemonade stand set up in the front yard.

But a young Mr Johnson guaranteed sales by plying his neighbours with salty popcorn beforehand so by the time the stall opened they were queuing up to quench their thirst.

Last year, he completed a project where he aims to upload up as many Snapchat posts as possible — again boosting his followers and online profile. By December, he had racked up 23,000 interactions — an average of 63 pictures uploaded to or messages exchanged on the service every single day.

People will be able to scan Ryan Godfrey’s shirt — back or front — and instantly follow him.Source:Supplied

He says his career and profile building projects aren’t obsessive. But how do his friends see it?

“They think it’s funny but I’m like ‘this is my life’.”

Anyone with Snapchat will be able to hold their phone to his chest or back, select the Snapcode and the user will be prompted to ‘friend’ Mr Johnson

“Mardi Gras is perfect for this because so many people are about. Sydney is never busier than on Mardi Gras night,” he said.

How many followers will he judge as a success? “It’s got to be hundreds but it would be great to reach 1000, it’s very achievable.”

Mr Johnson insisted he’s not expecting an immediate job offer (“I’m happy where I am now,” he said) but updating your LinkedIn wasn’t going to see him rise above others in his industry.

“The internet is my vehicle to portray my image. It’s an advertising campaign just for me.”

While Mr Johnson is looking to turn real people into digital followers, Dakota — also from Newcastle — is using Mardi Gras to turn people she has only met online into real friends.

Dakota, is one of the organsiers of a LGBTI teen Facebook group, is also using social media in innovative ways at Mardi Gras.Source:Supplied

The 16-year-old, who defines as trans fluid, runs a Facebook group where LGBTI teenagers across NSW can talk and feel less isolated.

“If [our group] was only in person we would probably have only 30 people but using Facebook it’s becomes a group of 16,000 people reaching out to Newcastle and Wollongong and even further away”.

Dakota, and many of the other teens in the group, will be joining the Facebook float at Mardi Gras.

While Dakota knows the names, many of the faces will be all new.

“I hadn’t met anyone before and it’s humungous to meet them in person.”

Mr Johnson said he’s aware of the parallels between his Mardi Gras initiative and Black Mirror.

“That episode paints a very bleak future but let’s look at it glass half full — it’s about connecting with my LGBT brothers and sisters,” he said.

“And who knows, I might end up marrying someone who scans my code.”

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