Blogs: an effective job-hunting tool?

Reviews are mixed as to whether they give job seekers an edge.

By Marilyn Gardner | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

from the January 26, 2009 edition

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For two years David Atkins has been blogging about blending work and life. So when he learned that his job as a technology director was ending Dec. 31, he turned to his blog as a path to employment.

Under the heading "My job search begins," he wrote: "I need your help to find a new job." He outlined two areas of interest – one as a start-up technology leader, the other as a strategic consultant – and summarized his qualifications.

"Blogging and social media are the principal means I am using to find work," says Mr. Atkins, of Westwood, Mass. "I was already a blogger, but I have ramped up my efforts dramatically in a nonstop effort to brand, promote, and network myself."

Atkins's high-tech quest puts him among the growing ranks of job seekers who are going beyond traditional methods – answering classified ads, sending out a blizzard of paper résumés – to make connections in new ways. In a sign of changing times, 40 percent of respondents to the 2008 Spherion Emerging Workforce Study say they use online methods in their job search.

"In today's job market, you really have to do things that differentiate yourself from others," says Scott Testa, professor of marketing at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. "Having a blog allows you to communicate to the world your insight and your knowledge." Those who write about subjects related to their occupation are more likely to secure positions, he adds. Niche blogs in law, medicine, and marketing are especially popular.

Although Atkins has not yet found a full-time position, his blog has already yielded fruit. When he responded to a freelance job posting, the company was familiar with his local blogs on a town website. It hired him to do a project immediately. "I'm not only looking for a job, I am working to build consulting revenue too," he says.

Atkins regards blogging as one of many tools in a job search. Others include social-networking sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter. "I can send a quick note on Twitter and reference my blog," he says. Twitter also led him to a local career club, where he networks face to face.

He also sets aside time to send out résumés. "A résumé gets the attention of people who are looking to hire someone in a particular role," Atkins says. "A blog complements that by showing what else I do that makes me an interesting person."

Some workplace specialists call blogs "the new résumé" and an electronic business card. "In this 21st century, having a blog gives you credibility," says Lorne Epstein, author of "You're Hired: Interview Skills to Get the Job."

But no one should underestimate the work involved. "To build your blog base, you have to keep it relevant and update it regularly," Mr. Epstein says. "Blogging is a job, a responsibility that is continual. Even to blog once a week in a substantial way can take hours. And it could take a year before your blog gets any traction."

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