1. Learn new skills
If you’re reading this article, you already know your way around the Internet. Why not learn even more? Before I started my blog, I was nervous about figuring out how to do it. I thought I’d need people to show me. Not so. If you know how to read, you can start a blog. And I know you know how to read! Since I started blogging I have learned a bit of HTML and how to use social media. I also know a lot about the cool ways organizations can market themselves online for free.
2. Become an expert on a specific topic
If you’re going to write a blog that’s going to be relevant in today’s world, you’re going to want to learn all you can about your topic of interest. For example, you may be an unemployed high school English teacher like I am. You may decide that you want to address ways to make teaching reading and writing cutting edge.
If you’re blogging about your career-field, becoming an expert on a specific topic is going to help you. It may even make you more attractive to employers. And, if you’ve decided to blog on a topic apart from your career, well, who doesn’t like becoming an expert on something?
3. Learn to stick to a mission
Sticking to a mission shows that you know how to evaluate and re-evaluate your work, and that’s a pretty important job skill to have.
A quick example: I started JobTalk with the goal of interviewing professionals about their jobs to help others who are figuring out their career paths. My blog started morphing because I also wanted to chronicle my own experiences in developing professionally, but the blog became too personal. So, I re-evaluated what I was doing and took down a lot of posts. It was hard to do, but I felt strongly about my original mission, so I wanted to stick to it.
4. Learn how to prioritize
Once you start a blog, you want people to read it, right? But how much time do you spend marketing your blog and how much time do you spend on content? You have to figure out how to balance advertising your blog and creating content without anyone telling you how to do it. You will also have to figure out what type of social media tools you want to use when you first start blogging, and what tools shouldn’t be a priority – because believe me, there are so many ways you can market your blog.
For example, once I started my blog, I joined Facebook. I also started a Facebook page. What I found is that I could have held off on creating the Facebook page because I’m not using it so much. So I did waste some time learning about Facebook pages. Point is, blogging forces you to prioritize, and what employer isn’t going to want to hear that you know how to prioritize?
6. Meet new people (think networking!)
If you’re blogging right, you will meet new people. I promise. This can only work in your favor if you’re looking for work.
7. Improve your writing skills or keep them fresh
You want to write quality content, right? If you’ve never been a writer, well, here’s your chance to become a good one. And if you’re already a writer, then blogging will help you keep your skills intact. It’ll also give you the opportunity to play with your style if you feel like it.
8. Take your mind off of being unemployed
Yes, I’m unemployed. Or underemployed now that I’m back working at the café I used to work at when I was in graduate school. Unemployed, underemployed, whichever it is, you know you have a lot of time on your hands. Too much. Blogging is a great way to use time constructively. Quite frankly, sometimes I forget that I’m not where I want to be with my career. Blogging gives me something to think about other than finding a job. More, I’m doing something I’ve always wanted to do – writing interviews. If you’re unemployed, blog!
9. It’s fun
There are a lot of bloggers who would agree with me when I say that blogging is fun. It’s like having your very own publication. It gives you the opportunity to be creative in ways that interest you and to connect with others who share similar interests. What’s not fun about that?
10. It’s free
Need I say more?