BLOGGING, INVALUABLE OR IMPEDING TO EMPLOYABILITY?

Blogging, to gerund-ise the action, is defined as the process of writing and publishing work online, on dedicated platforms such as Blogger and WordPress. In 2018, just under seven million people manage an online blog.

Unlike journalism, in which one writes about different topics under the name of a corporate publication, blog posts celebrate the author’s own unique voice, which is often the draw to attract readers back to a site. People blog about topics of personal importance, usually to achieve a specific goal, from personal reflections of experiences to travel lists and recommendations. Overall, blogging is the production of unique and exclusive content that is often produced at an intermediate level.

Those who blog may do so to grow their personal profile, explore and inform on a topic or to enhance their business profile. Producing and publishing content within this field will inevitably impact your online identity and as such employability prospects. With this in mind it is important to understand how to utilise this platform to its full potential.

I spoke with Kirby Small, lifestyle blogger and undergraduate, studying Marketing with Management at London Southbank University, to discuss and explore the relationship between blogging and employability. Kirby started blogging in February 2016 because she read a number of blogs and, having just moved away from home, she wanted to find a platform to express herself and also to let people know what she was up to. She is currently completing a year in industry at The Body Shop as an international fragrance marketing intern with the hopes of securing a position in travel marketing and PR once she has graduated. This places Kirby in the perfect position to explore how she thinks blogging has impacted her journey.

When reflecting on her experience with blogging and how this has integrated into her work environment Kirby found the experience overwhelmingly positive and attributes her success at securing a placement largely to this.

“I actually started my blog whilst in the first year of university. It definitely improved my writing and networking skills whilst there as it was always a topic of conversation at personal and professional events! I do think it helped me to secure my placement as I used the knowledge I had gained whilst running my blog in my CV and during the interview. I could prove I was commercially aware with trends in the industry and my writing skills and organisation were constantly evolving. The blog acted as a portfolio for the hiring manager to see examples of the work I could produce.”

This experience corresponds with the academic research available on the subject that highlights writing, researching, networking, communication, promotion, social media and marketing tools as instrumental in securing a position at a company. In a professional environment you will often be tasked with the responsibility of executing multiple different tasks on a daily basis - having a blog allows you to practice these different skills with a subject you are interested in thus making you more prepared for when you have to do this with subject matters you are unfamiliar with or when you are under time pressure. With the process of blogging, individuals essentially become small business owners and as such learn to balance different roles and responsibilities. This experience is integral to the performance quality in all positions as it builds on time management and organisation. These skills will open you up to far more job opportunities and the fact that you have a blog makes it easy to show employers what you can actually do.

Despite the obvious benefits, as with other commitments, blogging can have negative impacts on university performance and graduate prospects. Kirby said that she was apprehensive about blogging because it took up so much time and as it was so personal she didn’t want others to judge her before meeting her.

“Since starting my full time job on my placement year, I have not had the same amount of time than I did at university to spend on my blog. I was worried about what others would think as everything I posted was so public but I don’t believe I have shared too much information online. I'm always polite and respectful and would never share anything I wouldn’t say to someone face to face or wish a future employer to read.”

Kirby’s observation that she has struggled to find room for blogging whilst working is understandable. On average people spend up to three hours producing a blog post that is 1,000 words in length. If you do contribute to a blog whilst in full time education and employment do what you are comfortable with but make sure not to stretch yourself too thin. Remember, your blog represents your personal and professional brand so you don’t want to publish sub-standard posts just to make up the numbers. It's quality not quantity that is important.

Although blogs are a space to express yourself and celebrate your individuality always be aware that the world wide web is accessible to all. Avoid any content or images that could have a negative impact on your character or professionalism and stay clear of explicit language. Both of these things may negatively impact people’s perceptions of you if you are irresponsible with what you post. Just think, how would I speak and present myself to a new acquaintance in person – and this should keep you on the right track.

Blogging allows the development of the large number of transferable skills, abilities and behaviours expected of graduates. Engaging in blogging will make you more visible in the market, but with this it is vital to be aware of how to conduct yourself appropriately – think of your blog as an online portfolio. If you are interested in an industry, specifically something modern and technological (although certainly not limited to this) then I recommend you do try and blog about it.

Special thanks to Kirby Small for her participation in this post - her insight is assuredly invaluable!