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Blogging your way to gainful employment in a troubled economy and competitive job market. Building your Resume 2.0.
Survival of the fittest will be the guiding principle in this job market. There is a glut of high-quality talent hitting the market in just about every sector of the economy, just as fewer and fewer jobs are being created. TechCrunch started the layoff tracker to keep tabs on the tech carnage, and we’re all-too familiar with the blood that’s already been spilled on Wall St. With the exception of Google, which is basically the trademarked term for the Internet, most companies are either hurting already or preparing for the pain. Keeping a job will be tough. Finding a job can be next to impossible. Our recommendation for out-of-work job seekers is to differentiate themselves and establish competitive advantage by starting a blog.
We attended the Green Business Networking (GBN) event last Tuesday in Santa Monica. It’s a monthly get-together of green business professionals held at the Ambrose Hotel, which is also green. The space is fantastic. This time around we met a young architect who’d recently been terminated. He was the last hire. The firm lost a big job, so he was the first to go. He wasn’t at GBN because he specialized in green building. He was just there to network and meet new people, which is the right thing to do.
Our conversation included a discussion (naturally) of Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead. The first of her two historic works of fiction, it tells the story of Howard Roark, a gifted and principled architect. Roark embodied the same heroic ideals that would come to define John Galt in Atlas Shrugged. He symbolized humankind’s boundless capacity to innovate, produce, and create with little more than a free mind and free will. So our career advice for the young architect was not simply to start a blog…but to start and build his blog. Because there is a new reality when it comes to marketing one’s self to potential employers, and the resume has nothing to do with it. (Incidentally, The Fountainhead is an excellent read if you’re out of work. Highly motivating and inspiring.)
In fact, the resume is quickly becoming an antiquated medium for your professional record. These black-and-white pages of reverse chronological work history have zero depth and convey nothing of your true character or achievements. They are static and rigid with ludicrous corporate speak that we, as journalists and consumers, have come to despise from companies and brands but still continue to use in selling ourselves. The resume is like a press release in this way. It takes a shallow, one-dimensional form and is unoriginal by design. It’s the lowest common denominator, and yet we all need to have one. That’s the unfortunate reality. The good news is that you can do much more to set yourself apart by starting your own professional blog. This is Resume 2.0.
The following are 10 reasons why you should start blogging as a strategic career decision. To be clear, these are not personal journals or personal rants. These are professional blogs that cover topics not only in your industry but in your specific niche. It should be narrow enough to have a clear focus while broad enough to be interesting, both for you to write and for the audience to read.
1. You’re an expert. Now prove it.
Whatever it is you do for a living, we’re assuming you’re pretty good at it. This knowledge, skill, and experience can be converted into blog content. It’s up to you to download that into a blog that will be interesting and valuable to your colleagues and other folks in your industry. This is your chance to prove what you know. It’s one thing to list bullet points on a resume and quite another to write intelligently about your industry and demonstrate a certain degree of critical analysis and thought leadership.
2. You’ve got time on your hands. Use it.
If you’ve received a severance package, then you may have some breathing room. We wouldn’t suggest taking a vacation or catching up on Oprah. Instead, it’s a perfect opportunity to launch a blog and gain some immediate traction. If possible, our best advice is to dedicate the better part of a month to building your blog by writing multiple articles per day and learning all you can about the art and science of blogging. Read books like The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly
3. Stay sharp and on the cutting edge.
By blogging on your industry, it forces you to stay on top of the latest news and trends. You’ll keep a closer eye on what’s happening by reading trade journals and industry media on a daily basis, not to mention other blogs in your space. When it comes time for your interview, you’ll find that you’re not just quoting the top media outlets in your industry but also things you’ve actually written about on your blog. “Actually, I wrote about this very issue the other day on my blog, and my take was…”
4. Produce something and create value.
If you’re driven by performance and results, then being out of work can lead to lethargy and fits of depression. A blog provides a creative outlet where you are producing tangible value in the form of content on a daily basis. In fact, your blog can serve as your job and provide that essential feedback and fulfillment…until you find a job that actually pays.
5. Network with fellow bloggers.
Job hunts involve many forms of networking. You call old colleagues and bosses. Distant relatives and friends of the family. You find yourself at random networking events. It’s likely, though, that one of the most powerful networks in your industry is the bloggers. If they’re covering the industry, chances are they know the power players and shot callers. But you can’t just start networking with bloggers out of the blue. First, you have to become a blogger. And in order to that, you need to establish credibility. This can take time, which is why we recommend a solid month of intense blogging and blog research if you can afford it.
6. Make yourself discoverable.
The principles we describe in Discovery Marketing can apply just as well to people as they can to brands or products. A blog rich with industry-relevant content is bound to be discovered by someone in a position of influence who needs someone with the skills and insight that lead them to discover your blog in the first place. Assuming your blog is designed as a Resume 2.0, where the “About” section clearly states your ongoing search for employment opportunities, the VP or hiring manager who finds your blog through a keyword search will feel compelled by that discovery and likely follow up if they have an opening.
7. Establish your brand.
Much has been written about the art of personal branding or building your individual brand. If you’re looking for a job, then you’re marketing your brand, whether you realize it or not. As a blogger, you can build on that brand by establishing both credibility and reputation, two of the most valuable currencies in the blogosphere and on the social web.
8. Master the craft and position yourself accordingly.
Just as it took several years for every company to realize it needed a website (and why), sooner or later every company will realize it needs a blog. After that, they’ll realize they need more. Which means they’ll need bloggers. But not just any bloggers. They’ll need bloggers with specialized experience and knowledge in your industry. So we’re very bullish on blogging as a key skill set in this next phase of the so-called New Economy. In fact, many companies are already creating Chief Blogger positions. If nothing else, it’s something to aspire to.
9. Forget about advertising.
As you start to generate traffic, you may be tempted to think of your blog as a business. You can sell ads. You can work in your robe all day. While it’s a nice thought, we caution against these delusions of grandeur. If you’re reading this, please remember that the best way to monetize your blog is by getting a job and leveraging your blogging ability for greater pay. The chances of supporting yourself on advertising is slim.
10. Build an audience.
When you’ve established yourself in the eyes of Google (search traffic) and a handful of loyal readers, you’ll have an audience. As a job candidate, you’ll be that much more valuable if you own a body of content and have an audience of relevant visitors, however small they might be.
Conclusion
To get started, we recommend registering a domain name with GoDaddy that will be the eventual home to your blog. Next, sign up for a blog at WordPress.com and use that domain you just registered as the WordPress subdomain e.g. http://www.yourdomain.wordpress.com. It’s best to start by blogging on a hosted WordPress blog. If you stay with it, then it’ll make sense to self-host your blog on your own domain. Customer service at GoDaddy can walk you through the transfer when the time comes.
If you’ve used your blog to land a job or to enhance your job security, feel free to share your stories in the comments. If you have questions about blogging, feel free to leave them in the comments. We’ll be happy to respond.
33 responses so far ↓
1 Ari Herzog // Oct 19, 2008 at 9:16 am
I usually agree with you, Max, but I take issue with this one.
Suggesting that someone create a blog without any of that “discovery marketing” is a poor choice of advice.
There are too many abandoned blogs out there, and a major contributor is because someone creates a blog, writes for a few weeks or months but doesn’t feel inspired or who knows why, and tosses it to the dust.
The jobless or those seeking more security should continue networking – but network online. Don’t create a blog yet, but create a profile on LinkedIn.com. That’s for professional networking, not unlike Facebook is for social networking.
On LinkedIn (or JustMeans, for that matter), he or she can participate in groups and become an expert in a given subject area; most of the people on LI today are in the HR, IT, and Tech fields, in other words, people who have the ability to hire sight unseen.
But don’t build your “resume” on LinkedIn. Use VisualCV for that: http://visualcv.com. That’s where my so-called resume is. I don’t have a paper resume anymore; if someone asks me for one, I point them to my Visual CV.
I agree the social web can help people, but I disagree a blog is the way to do it. At least out of the shop. Watch, listen, pause, be mindful, participate…then blog if you want.
2 Max Gladwell // Oct 19, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Ari: Great comment and a valuable addition to this conversation. We don’t entirely agree, and here’s why.
We think most understand that they need to network online. We take that as a given. We’re sure most will use LinkedIn, though we agree with earlier posts of yours that one’s LinkedIn contacts should be close business relationships and not people you’ve met casually. It undermines the objective.
But networking is not going to build value. It won’t differentiate you as a candidate or provide any type of competitive advantage. Blogging is a new skill set that can be easily learned through some basic research and trial and error. It certainly isn’t rocket science. In fact, it’s downright easy. Doing it well and actually building an audience is another story.
We’re not suggesting that people jump into the world of blogging without knowing why they’re doing it and what their objectives are. It should be noted that your primary motive has to be providing value for its own sake. Blogging has to be an end in itself. Otherwise, you are certain to fail at it in this professional sense.
We strongly urge people to pause, as you suggest, but this is just good advice in general. Learn about blogging. Talk with other bloggers. Read blogs and comment on them. Do all of this first. Then develop a personal blogging strategy and execute on it. Do all of this in conjunction with your networking and job search.
But we also acknowledge that most won’t become long-term bloggers. As someone once said, “Bloggers cannot be made…only freed.” But you won’t free your inner blogger if you don’t try.
Still, if you only write three posts on a hosted WordPress blog and decide it’s not for you, those three posts can live there as pieces of good information indefinitely. No matter how small, these three posts are your contribution, and they might provide a bit of value for the few people who stumble across them. For that, it’s worth it.
So we don’t see the downside to a hosted blog that gets tossed “to the dust” as long as it stays live.
3 Ari Herzog // Oct 19, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Question: Suppose someone writes three posts and gives up. Several months later, someone finds those posts, has a question, and posts a comment but the original author isn’t following any notification. Where’s the value if a comment can’t be answered? I see this every day.
4 Max Gladwell // Oct 19, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Ari: We don’t believe there is an obligation for a blogger to respond to comments. It’s proper etiquette, for sure. But what if you wrote 1,000 superb posts and decided to stop blogging? What if Guy Kawasaki decided to stop blogging? Does he have to pull all of his great content off the web just b/c he’s no longer available to respond to comments?
The bulk of a blog’s value, in our opinion, is (and should be) in the content. The added value is in the conversation(s) that takes place in the comments and potentially throughout the social web (such as this one). But those conversations are not necessarily dependent on the blogger’s participation. This could just as easily be coming from a fellow Max Gladwell reader.
We see a personal blog about one’s profession as Resume 2.0. It is a dynamic resume with character and true value. It’s a resume with a point of view. Can that be a liability? Sure. But it’s more likely to be an asset if done tastefully, professionally, and above all strategically.
The point of the post is that the job market is going to deteriorate rather quickly. How do you differentiate yourself from the pack by adding value, learning a new skill, and strengthening your personal brand FOR FREE while being productive in your downtime and gaining some personal fulfillment in the process? The only thing we know that meets all of these criteria is to start a blog and become a blogger.
It’s not for everyone, but you’ll never know until you try. And we’d never fault anyone for trying.
5 mcmilker // Oct 20, 2008 at 1:35 pm
OK may I add an alternative approach since I do agree with you Max, blogging does raise your profile and can be publicized via Linkedin and Facebook as well as stumbled, etc to get more visibility.
But if you feel you don’t have the time to commit to maintaining your own blog, why not get involved with existing blogs, be a sometime contributor, write guest posts, ( pitch here for Green Options Media – we’re often open to guest contributors if they have something unique to say) comment on blogs and/or set up a blog on one of the many platforms for bloggers that already exist. (Blogher for women, etc.)
6 Argam DerHartunian // Oct 20, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I have to agree with mcmilker. If someone doesn’t have the time to make their own blog or not familiar with technology and social media tools, they should be a guest blogger on a bog that already has some substantial traffic. This way someone doing a quick Google search on a name can find articles that he/she has written.
Becoming active on twitter and other social media platforms is another great way of meeting people that might end up hiring you.
7 Paul Smith // Oct 20, 2008 at 9:42 pm
I’m not out of work and I already do many of these things you suggest on here.
But.
But it got me thinking, I do a lot of writing for Ecopreneurist and Triple Pundit, am a frequent presence on Twitter, take part in Linked In. But there’s not a place where I have an open forum to talk more at length about my thoughts on what’s going on. To expose people to my unique mind. So I think, because of your article and the thoughts it provoked, that I’ll start blogging on my GreenSmith site.
Thanks.
8 Max Gladwell // Oct 20, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Paul: Glad to hear it! We guest blog and use Twitter. But Max Gladwell is our Resume 2.0. We have 100% ownership. The About section is about…us. And the posts can occasionally go off topic if you want to write about something important but not entirely relevant.
Again, using social media is a good way to network, and it may lead to a job. But it’s not a bankable skill and it won’t differentiate you against others who are vying for fewer and fewer jobs. It’s not a competitive advantage.
9 Struggling and Startups | JediWright.com | Number One In Tribal Entertainment // Oct 21, 2008 at 6:36 am
[...] So lately I’ve been reading a lot about the startup industry and how its effected in tough, economical times. Some of what I’ve been reading discusses the basic need for preparation, like this upcoming event in NY, hosted by nextNYdigital, called: Going to the Mattresses: Weathering Uncertain Times at a Startup. While others, like Paul Graham, suggest this: Why To Start A Startup In A Bad Economy. Others still suggest this as a prime time to develop your own personal brand and blog, through something Max Gladwell calls “Resume 2.0″. [...]
10 Curt // Oct 21, 2008 at 7:45 am
Blogging is very time consuming and takes a lot of creativity to continue to come up with new ideas. If you are going to blog for a job, then take this into consideration. The world is not looking for personal rants, but for knowledgeable experts.
If you start blogging and then abandon your blog a few months later, you have just told the world that you are not the expert they are looking for.
Therefore, it you are going to blog for a job, don’t try to be an expert. Just be who you are and create a blog schedule that you can keep even after you get a job. If you can only post an article once a week, then stick to that schedule and avoid your blog becoming ‘Internet deadwood’.
11 Kate // Oct 31, 2008 at 9:35 am
I am a recent follower of your blog and I found this post very valuable. I definitely agree that blogging is fulfilling and that keeps you updated with recent news and media. I am glad that I stumbled into blogging, and recommend it to anyone out there who does or does not have a job.
I also found the other comments on this blog valuable, although I do agree with Max. About how a blog with valuable content that you can take ownership for is more valuable to you than LinkedIn, Twitter, guest blogging, and other social media out there. (Although, does not hurt to be part of all of it!)
Thank you for the great post!
12 Lorraine // Oct 31, 2008 at 10:59 am
I agree. Blogging (about something people care about, at least) is by far the best way to get out there. The downside is that blogging can very quickly become all consuming and ever so slightly addictive, so if you are trying to use it as a vehicle to find work then don’t forget to leave some time to hit the jobs sites too!
13 Chris Gammell // Nov 13, 2008 at 11:21 am
I agree and this is how I got started blogging. I actually first read the idea on Penelope Trunk’s site, which I’m assuming the authors here read too (seems like we have similar thoughts on a lot of stuff). However, my contribution here would be to try and get blogging when you’re NOT looking for work. I know it can be time consuming because it has to be at night when there are a lot of other obligations, but I think of it as an investment in my future. By the time someone loses their job, it’s too late to start networking. However, if you get good keyword associations, recruiters will start coming to you long before you ever think about setting foot inside a job placement office. Additionally, if you start blogging while you have a job, you get in the habit and it becomes a more natural thing to do over the long term, not just an all out effort like Ari seemed to dislike.
14 antiquarian books // Dec 10, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Great site. Thanks…
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19 Max // Feb 23, 2009 at 12:55 am
Im an entrepreneur and have recently started exploring the opportunities of starting a blog. My intentions however are not on getting a job rather than tapping on a wider network base in the hopes that it would give rise to new business opportunities and a dealflow. Any thoughts on that?
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23 Greg // Mar 15, 2009 at 10:21 am
Blogs aren’t made for everyone, especially those of us in management.
Many of the tips you advise here are great for those who specialize in something. If you want to get known for that something, blogging makes sense. Have the right keywords for your profession, and you’ll be discovered.
However, when you reach supervisory and higher levels of management, one key aspect you’re evaluated on is your ability to keep quiet. Nowdays, with so many hiring managers and HR departments Google’ing candidates, the last thing you want to appear as is someone who doesn’t fit in.
Seeking employment is to a large extent all about conformity. Do you really believe employers want self-starters, self-motivated? Why then do we hear of so many entrepreneurs who were sick of being “Yes” men who struck out on their own.
If your desire is to strike out on your own, a blog is fantastic. However, in the minds of some, writing a blog marks you too much of an independent thinker. Since too many corporations value “fit” above all else, writing blogs is a double-edge sword.
I’ll write a blog when I want to signal to the world I no longer want to be part of management, that I’m indeed an independent consultant.
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26 Dan Smucker // May 6, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Would you recommend developing a blog to showcase someone’s skills, personality etc., if they choose not to write at all on the blog. .. I am essentially trying to use this tool to communicate different info about me that can’t be seen in a resume.
27 Charles E. Williamson // Jun 2, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Unemployment Rate: The share of families with an unemployed member rose from 6.3 percent in 2007 to 7.8 percent in 2008. Of the nation’s 77.9 million families, 82.2 percent had at least one employed member in 2008, down by 0.4 percentage point from 2007.
“I Need A Job” is a quick guide is geared toward time management and building a cover letter, resume, and follow-up letter. It will also give you some tips on interviewing and how your can enhance your ability to persuade. You do not need to struggle through volumes of unnecessary text. This book is deliberately constructed to provide a quick read for anyone who is looking for a simple guide for the essentially simple project of finding a job. Your first job is finding a job, not wasting time trying to read books that will actually keep you away from finding a job. So let’s cut the short talk and get down to business by reading this book and seeing quick results.
Mission: I just published a short book guide to help people with their job search. This book was written deliberately short because people need to learn quick and practical ways of finding a job. Most books are voluminous, intimidating, and can be discouraging to read. However, this book will provide the simple and effective steps to finding a job. The guide can be read in less than an hour while commuting and even between activities. The guide will teach you how to improve your job search, interviewing skills, etc.
28 Duc Hoa // Jul 9, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Blog nowadays is a perfect tool to marketing any size of business, from develop personal’s brand to a huge company brand.
29 Dan // Jul 21, 2009 at 6:48 pm
I agree blogging is a way to get your views out there but it is also a way to gorw and gain experience and knowledge of certain topics. I started a blog about being out of work. It has been helpful in so many ways from networking to deciding what I want to do for my next job..
The Job Trekker
30 Candace // Sep 22, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Please visit csparks.ws and learn to make a great income. Super easy and legitimate. Thanks!
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33 Julia // Dec 7, 2009 at 6:31 pm
The problem is that when everyone else is doing this the competition is immense!
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