As a job seeker, having a blog is a great way to develop a reputation, share expertise and build brand awareness.
It isn’t enough today to be really good–people have to know about you. Traditional advertising is redefining itself with the use of social media. One of the best ways to find jobs is through word-of-mouth referrals.
Having a blog with useful information which is “share-able” and makes it easier for people to refer you. So what are you waiting for?
I recently met with a woman who was going to be re-launching her private practice in social work. She had lots of basic questions about blogging, many around the issues of security and privacy. Understandable, given her line of work. I tried to help her understand that she will have as much control as she needs.
The other obstacle she threw out was that she wasn’t sure what her brand would be. I encouraged her to start the blog and see what started to evolve. Yes, it is important to be true to your brand, I can’t stress that enough, but sometimes we can over-think the process. If she is truly an expert in the field, there should be no shortage of content to write about.
As I see it, there is a new business model evolving out of free sharing (when done with integrity and not the “used car salesman” approach).
Here’s the quick checklist of how to start a blog. (It is not all-inclusive, but maybe enough to get started on the technical aspects of blogging.)
Secure a domain name This domain name should be your name. Look for highly ranted domain registrars.
Find a hosting company. While you may have bought your domain from a registrar, you can host it through many other providers.
Choose a blogging platform. WordPress is the most popular. Honestly, you don’t need to know programming or be really technical. Wordpress allows you to easily click a button and customize the way you want your blog to look. Take a look at some popular layouts/designs here WordPress theme.
- Set up Social media buttons for following: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook (you’ll want to set up accounts on all these sites if you don’t already have them)
- Add blog to search engines: Google, Bing and Yahoo.
- Research other blogs related to your field, check out Alltop, SmartBrief, or your favorite aggregator.
- Set a blogging schedule (post regularly)
- Make sure topics are on-brand or relate to your area of expertise
- Get a good headshot
- Consider adding video
- Host a podcast and add links to your blog post.
Specific Must Read Posts:
How To Start A Blog by Darren Rowse | ProBlogger
How To Start A Blog In Any Niche With No Technical Experience And (Almost) No Money by Jeff Bullas
5 Steps for Planning the Direction of Your Blog by Problogger
Get ideas from great bloggers
Reading articles others have written about your topic or any topic for that matter, can inspire you and help you find your writing voice!
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
