Reuters just published an article entitled “The price of the U.S. recession is paid in jobs.” Some sad stories here. Looks like some jobs are gone forever.
I’m not sure I completely believe that… and I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have to be that way… but those are discussions for another time and place.
My goal in this article is to promote blogging as way to fill your “resume gap” should you become unemployed for a significant length of time.
Blogging provides you with so many advantages:
- Keeps your mind sharp by posing intellectual problems
- Keeps you emotionally engaged with work
- Provides you with a sense of satisfaction when you have built a body of written work over time.
- Provides you with public visibility, if not outright fame and fortune! For free! The Wonders of Google!
- Provides you with a public track record of accomplishment. If you want a job, and future employers want to know what you have been doing for the last 15 months that you have been unemployed, point to your blog: “I’ve been developing my writing skills.”
- You establish yourself as a relative expert in a new field or promote yourself as an absolute expert in your own field. Read more about relative and absolute expertise.
- If you want to acquire readers, you learn about writing to an audience. Having an audience is always a great value-add for an employer. Not quite as good as bringing customers to an investor, but a great place to start nonetheless.
- It’s fun! Really, really fun!
- More! Much more! (An hour of free WordPress consulting to the first person giving another benefit for blogging. Offer expires August 14 2009)
Once you get rolling, you will be amazed at your ability to write.
That’s all well and good you say, but “What’s the downside?”
Frankly, I can’t think of any that matter to me. Here’s a few that might matter to you
- Opportunity cost: you might be using the time you spend blogging to “find a job” or “make money.”
- Potential for RSI. Wait… you probably already have that potential in your previous job!
- More? I can’t think of any. Then again, I’m biased. I love to write whether or not anyone reads!
Get your own blog and get going
Now that you’re ready to start your own blog, head on over to Website In A Weekend, where you’ll find everything you need for blogging.
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This is actually the main reason I started blogging. I feel like having a resume with *things* you did isn’t really enough information for a potential client.
A blog gives the reader (potential client) much more in depth, up-to-date details about what you’ve been working on.
@Luca –
My thinking exactly.
I’m sure some potential clients will be put off by my style, but other’s will appreciate. Not dealing with people who won’t be comfortable with my style or ability is a definite win for me.
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