Blogging for career success

With so much being invested in social media these days, your online profile is likely to play a key part in all your future job search efforts. Today’s job seekers are increasingly using blogs and personal websites to further market their expertise and enhance their online brand.

A well-crafted blog can be a great way of attracting the attention of the right people. However, before you begin posting online, it’s vital to consider exactly what you’re going to write and who will end up reading it.

As a job seeker you can take it as a given that prospective employers will search for you online and that 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; by demonstrating the following.

Intelligence, creativity and an ability to write clearly on relevant topics.
Motivation and interest in your field of practice.
Expertise in a particular area.
Passion for your profession.
Keenness to enter dialogue and engage with like minds.
A good cultural fit and a valuable asset for potential employers.

Building the right profile

There are a number of excellent web publishing programs such as WordPress and Blogger that will enable and advise you on how to best 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 on a blog.
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 blogs and website professional rather than social.
Find yourself online - from a different computer, so Google doesn’t personalise your search - and assess your profile as a potential employer might.

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