This post is part of the series entitled, “25 Ways to Get a New, Better or Different Job.” The series is an effort to provide something actionable that anyone (not just Gen Y) can do that may directly or indirectly help you get a job. If you have any suggestions please e-mail me or leave them in the comments. After all, this series is for you!
I am graduating on December 12th with a Masters of Science in Marketing from Texas A&M University. I am very fortunate in that I will most likely have a job on the day I graduate. Last year at this time, all of last years’ graduating class were already signed with some great companies making some great money. That is not true of this year.
The economic recession is affecting all of us. There are a lot of people out there saying that companies are still looking for rockstars, and that if you are a rockstar you should have nothing to worry about. That may very well be true, unless those companies don’t know you’re a rockstar.
Having a 4.0 is great, but it doesn’t mean anything if your resume is buried in a stack because you submitted it online through monster.com. So how do you let people know you’re a rockstar? You start a blog!
Here’s what co-founder of Brazen Careerist, Ryan Healy says on the subject:
You can be the most knowledgeable 22 year old in the country on your subject matter, and you can have a great resume, but that’s not enough. If you want employers to come to you, you have to communicate your knowledge and ideas to the rest of the world. Quite simply, this means start a blog! Blogging is, hands down, the best thing you can do for your career.
Additionally, a resume cannot show an employer your personality or express your ideas. A blog can. I wouldn’t be in the position I am today if it wasn’t for Employee Evolution. And I’ve heard of countless others who have turned their blog into a job. All you have to do is ask around the Brazen community to find some great blog success stories.
I started this blog less than a year ago and it has led to some remarkable things:
- I’ve been invited to speak
- I’ve been given books to read and review
- I’ve been offered expensive products (like computers) to test beta versions
- I’ve had job opportunities
- I’ve had partnership opportunities
And more important than anything on that list is the fact that I have helped a lot of wonderful people and in the process I have met and interacted with some amazing rockstars that will no doubt have an impact on the rest of my career.
What are you waiting for? Start your own blog today!
Here are some great resources to convince you and help you get started. They’re from some of my friends, and I am certain they will help you see the value of blogging. Take 15 minutes and read all of them, and then if you have any questions or need any help getting started, shoot me an e-mail and I would be more than happy to help you anyway I can.
Start a Blog Today — Mitch Joel
Save Your Career, Start a Blog — Joseph Jaffe
How to Launch a Successful Blog in the First 90 Days — Rohit Bhargava
Why Start a Blog and 25 Tips to Make it Work — Valeria Maltoni
What about you? Do you think your blog has increased your ability to get hired? Has blogging enabled you to have additional professional opportunities? If you haven’t started a blog, but have thought about it, what is holding you back? Please share in the comments, and I would be most interested in stories about how your blog has helped you professionally.
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Ryan, I actually wrote a very similar post to this a few weeks ago:
http://charliehoehn.com/2008/11/18/why-blog/
I’m in the process of writing an ebook right now and I think you’d actually be a good case study in it. Shoot me an email if you want to hear more details (and to catch up!)
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I will use you as an example with the students I coach, Ryan. One of the benefits of starting a blog is the ability to measure yourself with your own ideas – do they hold water, would they stand up in a discussion? Many writers have said it before me – sometimes we do not know what we think until we commit it to paper. If I may suggest another book, “Are you Ready to Succeed?” by Dr. Srikumar Rao
[see the video at Google University http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u20vVbhpM50 ]
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When you’re getting ready to graduate or have only been in the working world for a few years it can be difficult to have something tangible (other than a resume) to show a prospective employer. Starting a blog is great advice. No matter what industry you’re in, you can design a blog to show off your talents.
P.S. I’m forwarding this to my younger sister. Hopefully, she and all of her friends will take it to heart and look at starting as more than just a school project.
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Great info Ryan. Blogs are a great way for employers to get an impression of personality, etc. I have been Blogging for about 6 months and even though my topics are not about my employment or career, I know I am making an impression and extending my personal brand. I hope that when I graduate from Grad School next year, and have my 7 years completed with the Fortune 500 company I work for, I will be able to either move up with my company or find another suitable form of employment elsewhere.
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