Harry Joiner had an interesting rant recently on using your blog as a job search tool. The post was touched off by Robert Scoble's post about a Yahoo! recruiter that asked him for a resume, and Scoble added that "my point was that not everyone needs a resume and some, like me, won't join a company that is so stuck in process.".Harry's point was that Scoble's situation was far from the norm, and he's right. And to be honest, it sounds like Scoble got miffed because the Yahoo! recruiter apparently doesn't read his blog every day. I think we bloggers sometimes lose sight of the fact that while something might be big-time in the blogosphere, that doesn't mean that the majority of America cares, or worse yet, even knows what we are talking about.
Harry adds:"In my experience [as a blogger and a recruiter] it is far more likely that you'll get a new job with a company that has no idea what a blog is."
I agree with Harry, and I think that bloggers looking for work, as well as marketers that are having success in reaching bloggers, need to find a way to build that bridge back to getting the attention of the mainstream. Building a presence in the blogosphere is great, but you need to get the attention of 'the right people'. This is the big challenge for job-seekers, and marketers, how to leverage 'clout' in the blogosphere, getting your foot in the door with the tools that the mainstream is using, such as newspapers, magazines, and online sites.
A great example is what Chris did at Movie Marketing Madness. He started talking to a LA Times reporter that found him through his blog, and the next thing you know, he's getting to contribute to pieces for the newspaper. Ms. Community found my blog, invited me to join Daily Fix, and that leads to me getting the chance to write an article for Marketing Profs. On the marketing side, Stormhoek has success with their blogging promotions, that leads to newspaper articles in the UK, which leads to mainstream exposure.
Harry and I have talked about this before, and I still think I have a bit more faith in blogs as a tool to help you get a job. But I think their real value comes from putting you in a position to get exposure from the mainstream, which is where you eventually will likely want to get your message to.
Whether you are a marketer, or a blogger looking for a job, for most of us, the mainstream is still where it's at.
Pic via Flickr user JenniferGilbert
1 comment:
Hey Mack-
Sorry it took me so long to reply to this post - funny enough, it came right around the time I began re-evaluating my blogging goals and expectations and thought to myself, "I'm never getting a job this way!"
I am certainly no Scoble and I absolutely have a resume and fully expect someone to ask for it, and although I don't think I was ever naive enough to believe I'd get a job offer based solely on my blog, I did have to step back for a minute and adjust my expectations. For me, the idea was to a) network (as you say, with the ultimate goal of finding the "right people"), and b) create a body of work and ideas that I could point to as evidence of my knowledge & abilities. As a mid-career changer, it can sometimes be difficult to convince employers that you have transferable skills and are fully committed to your proposed new field. Now, when I submit my resume for consideration, I direct recruiters to my blog to read my ideas, glean my skills as a writer, etc. In theory, I still think the blog can help in the job hunt, though I must say, I'm not really sure any of the recruiters I've sent my resume to has even bothered visiting my blog. I think that was really the impetus for my re-thinking my blogging goals. Anyway, after much reflection, I do think a blog can help in getting a job, but most likely through the creation of relationships over time with people who regularly read your posts and respect your work. So, although I'm still seeking a job and wouldn't complain if someone read my blog and offered me employment, I've decided to blog from this day forth just because I enjoy it, without expectation. I think it'll be a lot more enjoyable that way in the long run.
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