Blogging: The Pros & Cons for Your Career
Have your own blog? It may be a good news / bad news thing when it comes to your job hunt. Recruiters are increasingly tapping into blogs to find and review potential hires.
While your blog may seem like a personal journal, it is by no means private. That means your account of last week’s party or your opinion of the latest blockbuster movie are all part of the mix. Have a propensity for profanity or bad grammar—it is all out in the open and, according to recent reports in The Wall Street Journal, is influencing employers’ hiring decisions.
Also, remember, once you are employed, there are often specific communications guidelines that you must follow (as part of your employment contract.) Typically, these guidelines are outlined in your employee manual. If in doubt, ask what they are. If you cross the line by sharing work-related details, cast your firm (or colleagues) in a negative light, or broadcast proprietary information, your job may be at risk. It does not matter if you write the comments on “your time,” your job is still at risk.
On the plus side, as the WSJ reports, some career recruiters are surfing blogs and sites like MySpace and Facebook to find job candidates with specific skills, interests and expertise. So in some ways, your blog can serve as a valuable extension of your resume—if you manage it properly. While the web offers tremendous freedom of expression—just remember your blog is not your private diary. Those days are gone.