Blog Your Way to Rapid Success

7 Golden Rules to Promote Yourself in Today’s Job Market

Content is still king and a blog can be the key to get you to your dream job faster. Yes, savvy job seekers are putting their skills to the test and blogging their way to rapid success today.

If you currently have a blog, you already know that it’s a great way to establish your personal brand, share your opinion, inspire discussion and demonstrate industry expertise.

Since these are the very skills that recruiters typically look for, every serious job hunter should have a well-maintained blog. So, how do you get started?

1. Create a Site.

There are a number of free or paid sites that offer blogging platforms for even the most inexperienced web site user. WordPress.com is easily the most popular blogging platform available. The free version offers limited customization, but for a basic site, it is easy and simple to set up. Blogger.com is equally good and is also Google’s blogging platform to boot.

2. Set up the Basic Pages.

Once you set up your blog, be sure to include the basic pages: Your Bio or Profile Page, Your Picture, a Portfolio and Contact Information.

3. Identify Your Target Audience.

Before you begin writing, define your audience. If you want to use your blog to further your career, you need to write about the industry you want to work in. Which means you need to write for those already in the industry.

4. Learn New Skills.

When you start blogging, you will begin to improve upon a number of skills like writing, researching, promotion, and social media. These skills in turn will open you up to far more job opportunities.

5. Start Posting Articles.

Now that you’ve got your blog set up and know your audience, it’s time to start posting. There are multiple types of article styles including the most popular ones: How-to blogs, DIY, reviews, personal stories or interviews. A well-written how-to or DIY post helps show your versatility and networking ability by interviewing other experts in the field.

6. Engage With Your Audience.

If your audience begins to comment on your blog, make sure you thank them and respond to any questions or feedback. Also, never respond with negatively. If someone is clearly an evildoer, just delete them from your comments.

7. Highlight Your Skills.

A well-crafted blog can not only get you noticed by the right people, it can be a great way to highlight your skills:

Intelligent, creative and able to write clearly on relevant topics.
Motivated, interested and an expert in your industry
Passionate about your profession.
Eager to engage in discussion with like minds.
A good cultural fit who has something to offer an employer.
In Closing:

A blog allows you to highlight the skills on your resume, times ten.

Whenever you apply for a job, the first thing a recruiter will do is investigate you online. Having a blog is a positive digital footprint that will give potential employers a positive picture of who you are and how you carry yourself, both personally and professionally.

It helps you build a network: Employers are not only looking for employees who bring knowledge and a superior skill set to the table, but they also want someone who is well connected. So while you might have 500+ connections on LinkedIn, having a blog that has a dedicated readership shows that you know how to create — and keep — connections, both in the digital world and the real world.

Did you know, over 60% of people in recent months received a job offer because they had a blog. So what are you waiting for? Start blogging today and launch your career.