How Your Blog Can Help You Get a Job

Hiya kids! Today’s post is something completely different, and it starts with one exciting announcement: I HAVE A NEW JOB. And not just any old job; I have landed, and believe me that I’m not exaggerating, my dream job. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be starting in a PR role at a well-known cosmetics company, and I couldn’t be any happier. Firstly, a part of the reason I’m telling you all this because I’m SO EXCITED and basically want to tell the whole world (even the woman in Greggs was nearly told when I first found out). But also, I know for a fact that there’s no way I would have got this amazing opportunity if it wasn’t for this little blog of ours. I know, WEIRD, EH?!

I therefore decide to put my recent experience to use and write this post explaining the ways in which I think a blog can help you bag the perfect job. Whether you’re actively job hunting and don’t know whether your blog is worth mentioning, a student who’s planning their future career, or just wondering how your blog can help you in the wider world, hopefully you’ll find something useful in here. So, how did my blog help me get my job, and how can yours help you?

It Makes You Stand Out

We all known that job hunting is HARD, and it’s important to try to make your CV stand out from other applicants. One of the most basic benefits of having a blog is that it helps to set you apart from your fellow candidates. Not only does it make you look like a legit person who has a real hobby other than ‘reading, socialising and breathing oxygen’, but it also gives potential new employees something that they can look at as a physical example of your work. Which brings me smoothly onto my next point…

It Showcases Your Skills

The majority of us love blogging so much that we don’t actually realise how much work we really put into them, or what skills we’re developing along the way. Along with the obvious writing and creative skills you’re putting to use, having a blog will probably also mean that you’re familiar with basic HTML, can use social media to promote yourself, have used analytics software and have formed professional relationships with brands – and that’s to name only a few. It’s important to recognise how much you actually do as part of this hobby, and identify which skills can be transferred into the job role you’re going after

It Shows You Know and LOVE the Industry

This one was particularly relevant for me. I was actually completely under qualified for the job I went for, and know for a fact that it was this blog that piqued the employer’s interest in me.  It’s one thing to go for an interview and tell them how passionate you are about fashion or beauty – it’s another to really prove it. Having a blog that you have worked on independently, in your own time, for no reason other than that you genuinely enjoy it, is worth so much.

As well as showing that you really are interested, it also (hopefully) shows that you understand the industry, are up-to-date with what is going on in it, and are also a part of that industry in your own right. As a blogger, you’re likely to have connections with hundreds of other bloggers as well as PRs – and this is also something that works in your favour when trying to join a company.

It Shows You Have a Personality

Putting aside all of my above points, don’t feel like your blog should primarily act as an online portfolio. While it’s great for it to showcase your slick writing skills and flair for photography, it’s also true that employers do want well-rounded individuals and a blog can be a way for them to get a feel for who really are. Admittedly when I knew that my soon-to-be-employer had read my blog, I went into a mild panic. Did she read the post where I said I wanted to punch all of my colleagues in the face?  Or the one where I called myself a bellend? If she did though, then it obviously didn’t put her off; and it also meant that I went to my interview knowing that, despite my uber-professional demeanour, they also had a rough idea who I was as a person and so I felt a bit more relaxed. Some brands also value a bit of personality and humour, especially if you’re going for a job role that might involve using their social media, so don’t be afraid to be yourself (unless you’re a boring bellend… that was a joke, see?)

HOWEVER, Here’s What Might Not Help…

By now you might be thinking that your blog is your one-way ticket to career heaven, and it’s time to dedicate your CV and interview chatter solely to your little blogging baby. But WAIT. In my two recent interviews, both interviewees have asked whether my blog could in any way interfere with my role. That was something I had never considered employers thinking about, but if you’re waffling on about how many thousands of followers you’ve got, the awards you’ve been nominated for, and how your blog is your main passion, then of course some employers are going to wonder whether your blog comes first.

Be clear in your CV, cover letter or interview that while you love blogging, it is a hobby. And that while you’ve learned a lot of skills from blogging and are keen to bring these skills into your job, it is not something you plan to pursue above and beyond the job you’re interviewing for. Don’t make them think you’re so hot shot that you’re going to be running off to join Vogue at any moment (unless you’re interviewing for a job at Vogue. Then that’s probably okay).

I hope you have found this post remotely useful! If you have any other tips for how your blog can help you find a job, then share in the comments below!

(Image Source: Pinterest)

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