That’s right, I just used “blog” as a verb, like “google” or “text.” It’s been long enough now that blogging has become an acceptable part of our online experiences. We read blogs, learn something from them, and leave comments almost every day. There are plenty of reasons every job seeker should blog.
But there are still so many mistakes people make when they attempt it, if they attempt it. Inconsistent frequency of posts, using inside jokes only a few people understand, and failing to break up the post into smaller manageable chunks are just a few mistakes.
When done right, your blog may be the difference between you and another job candidate. I have seen this over and over again in my practice. And despite the evidence, very few job seekers take advantage of this affordable way of making a splash. Are you going to separate yourself from the competition and start a blog?
Here are five reasons every job seeker should blog to help you find a job:
1. You Show You Are Intelligent
Even if you have a killer resume,
hiring managers still doubt you, as they should. More than 20 percent of resumes contain flat-out lies. So, you might look smart on paper… but a blog is going to demonstrate you really ARE smart. This reduces perceived risk and makes it easier for hiring managers to respect you.
2. You Show That You Know How To Write
When I graduated from Brown University in 2000, our keynote speaker told all of us, despite the open curriculum, we are expected to know how to do just two things when we leave school:
To think and to write. I can’t name a job that doesn’t require writing skills, whether internally or externally. You will write e-mails, memos, presentations, or sales copy. A blog will show your new company that you are up to the task.
3. You Demonstrate You Are Motivated
Everyone goes into a
job interview promising high performance and passion. But when that flame burns out after three months on the job, that new hire becomes a liability — a very costly hiring mistake. Alleviate your hiring manager’s
anxiety by showing you are who you say you are — you care about this work enough to research and write about it at least twice a week.
4. You Have Something To Say
Very few hiring managers want to hire “yes” men. They are looking for co-pilots, for creative tension, for dynamics in the office. Even if a hiring manager doesn’t agree with your opinion, at least you had one and had the courage to voice it. Not only does this demonstrate self-confidence, you also differentiate yourself from other candidates in a non-competitive way.
5. You Are A Leader In A Community
When you blog consistently, obtain some Google page rank and spark discussions in your comments, you begin to look like an expert. In marketing, there is no force more powerful than social proof. Comments on your blog make you look like that charismatic kid in high school who always had people buzzing around him. Invariably, the thought will cross the hiring manager’s mind, “Well, if other people listen to this guy, then he must be legit.”
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