How Blogging Can Help You Land a Job

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter: social media has become a key player in the business world – and it’s here to stay. With so much being invested online, your internet presence is likely to play a role in future job search efforts.

Now is the time to consider your online profile and to shape who you are online in order to reflect your professional goals.

Today’s job seekers are increasingly using blogs and personal websites to further market their expertise and enhance their online brand.

Should you do the same?

A well-crafted blog can be a great way to get noticed by the right people – but before you put a finger to keyboard, it’s vital to consider your goals: what do you want to say and who do you want to say it to?

As a job seeker, you can take it as a given that prospective employers will search for you online, and if you include your blog or website address on your CV, it will be clicked on.

A professional and well-designed blog can be a wonderful opportunity to highlight your skills, showing that you are:

Intelligent, creative and able to write clearly on relevant topics.
Motivated and interested in your field of practice.
An expert in a particular area.
Passionate about your profession.
Eager to enter dialogue and engage with like minds.
A good cultural fit who has something to offer an employer.

Setting Up a Blog

There are a number of simple-to-use web publishing programs such as WordPress and Blogger that will enable and advise you on how best to develop your professional profile online.

Here are some key tips to ensure you build your profile in a professional and relevant manner:

Blog only about what you know and then only if it relates to your immediate job search.
Make sure that the material is accurate and well written.
Comment on press coverage and market trends relevant to your industry/profession.
Avoid negative rants.
Use a professional looking head-and-shoulders photo.
Connect with respected bloggers in your space.
Set up a professional Twitter account with tweets linking to your blog.
Keep your blog and website professional rather than social.
Search for yourself online (from a different computer, so Google doesn’t personalize your search) and assess your profile as a potential employer might.

Visit one of the sites below to get your blog started:

Check out our Career Center for more useful career advice.