Will Blog for job

The Boston Globe argues that blogging is critical to employment success. (Thanks to BL for the point)

The beginning of the article sums it up pretty well: "Blogging is good for your career. A well-executed blog sets you apart as an expert in your field."

I would stress that the operative term is "well-excuted." In fact, most praise of blogs is based on the assumption that the content will have value. As I have said before, the medium is irrelevant (print, online radio, telepathy) if the material is worthless.

We all love lists, so here it is from the Globe on the career advantages of blogging:
1. Blogging creates a network
2. Blogging  can get you a job
3. Blogging is great training
4. Blogging helps you move up quickly (I hope the boss is listening)
5. Blogging makes self-employment easier
6. Blogging provides more opportunities
7. Blogging could be your big break
8. Blogging makes the world a better place

I loved the quote from a branding consultant, "People who are more visible and have a reputation and stand for something do better than people who are invisible"

 

At his blog, Tim Bray of Sun Microsystem's has a simlar take with his list of "Ten Reasons Why Blogging Is Good For Your Career". (My favorites are 4, 5 and 9)

1. You have to get noticed to get promoted.

2. You have to get noticed to get hired.

3. It really impresses people when you say “Oh, I’ve written about that, just google for XXX and I’m on the top page” or “Oh, just google my name.”

4. No matter how great you are, your career depends on communicating. The way to get better at anything, including communication, is by practicing. Blogging is good practice.

5. Bloggers are better-informed than non-bloggers. Knowing more is a career advantage.

6. Knowing more also means you’re more likely to hear about interesting jobs coming open.

7. Networking is good for your career. Blogging is a good way to meet people.

8. If you’re an engineer, blogging puts you in intimate contact with a worse-is-better 80/20 success story. Understanding this mode of technology adoption can only help you.

9. If you’re in marketing, you’ll need to understand how its rules are changing as a result of the current whirlwind, which nobody does, but bloggers are at least somewhat less baffled.

10. It’s a lot harder to fire someone who has a public voice, because it will be noticed.

For the other side of the coin, Rui Carmo of The Tao of Mac takes issue with Bray's list. His main points are (my thoughts in parentheses):

1. Blogging can cause you to stand out in a bad way depending on the corporate culture (very true, but do you want to work at a company like that?)

2. Bloggers are dorks (mostly true, but I could sleep comfortably as a well-compensated dork)

A couple weeks ago I spoke to a group of students from the University of Kansas PRSSA. I asked them how many of them had blogs and several people raised their hands. However, I then asked them how many had public relations-related blogs and no one raised their hand. I asked them how many of them wrote for the student newspaper or any publication, and again no hands.

This was shocking. In today's media environment, there are countless opportunities to get your voice out there. If you are looking for a position in communications, what does that say if you cannot provide any examples of you actually communicating? What does that say about your passion, your knowledge, your abilities? And how do think you will stack up against someone who has something he or she can point to?

The answer doesn't have to be a blog, but blogs happen to be cheap and easy.

When I left the discussion with the students I didn't give them my phone number or email, I told them to Google me. After all, that is what employers and clients will do.