Blogging for the greater good
When blogging on a personal level it's very easy to post about things that disappoint, depress or unnerve you. Forget the point that potential employers are reading your work. In the spirit of the holidays my message is clear, and the challenge is stiff.
In 2010 I challenge you to blog about positive things in your life both personally and professionally. It can be infectious. I try not to post anything if I don't have something positive to contribute. Every now and then I found myself in the past year writing about negative influences in my life rather than focusing on what has gotten me to where I am.
I am personally going to make another promise to read more of my friends' blogs and leave comments. I will be reading more professional development blogs and doing things to further my career. I hope that you join me in my quest to at least better our little blogging circle.
Happy Holidays everyone!
When to include blogging on your resume
On my resume I chose to include blogging and my blog site because most of my writing is related to the field in which I work. I also listed my various social media locations in hopes that it shows that I am active in the social media community. As a Web developer and software engineer I felt it was important to show that I am on the leading edge of new media since that is the industry in which I like to work for.
I have been asked the question "When do I include blogging on my resume?" The answer is subjective. I think you have to be careful because these days employers are looking at your online presence before they interview you. They want to get to know you before they "get to know you." The internet is transparent. Social media is transparent. They say people are judged mostly on what they do when they think no one is looking.
When to include blogging on your resume:
- Your blog is industry specific to your career path.
- You keep the blog up-to-date. An up-to-date blog shows you are dedicated and determined. An old rusty blog may not show these things.
- You don't have a lot of grammar mistakes and offensive language. This shows your ability to write coherently without using a lot of street jargon and language not appropriate for the office.
What is your opinion on including your blog? Do you do it? Do you have apprehensions and why?
The dark side of social media and celebrity status: Tiger Woods story
Traditionally I try not to be in too much with celebrity news because most of the time it's really none of my business. The latest saga about Tiger Woods and how it's been spreading through social media has definitely caught my eye, but I think there's a lesson to be told other than the story that most people are placing their focus.
The truth is social media and even your celebrity status makes you transparent. It's a sad situation but true. Everything is under the microscope or under scrutiny. There isn't much you can do to hide from the waves of followers, fans or friends, and there is a "paper trail" wherever you go. If someone wants information it will be found eventually if they know how to look for it.
The dark side of social media and a celebrity status is that the simple human pleasure of privacy is lost forever if you don't grip it. Tiger has done his best to keep the story from leaking, but when you are a celebrity and couple that with the world of social media there are some who are going to bypass your attempts at some sort of privacy.
I am not going to support anything that may have happened in Tiger Woods' life, and at the same time I'm not really that interested. I do know that at some point there must be a line drawn between traditional media, social media and celebrity and know that a line should not be crossed. I think in the privacy of one's home, phone records, email or any non-public affairs unless it's breaking the law should stay completely their own business.
Some people say you can't be a public figure and have privacy. If you were a public figure wouldn't you want to have one of the most simple pleasures of having some business or some part of you to be your own?
What is your brand?
Every complete business has a brand. In most cases the brand is what lifts a company to a whole new level. Let me give you an example:
McDonald's makes good burgers, but I wouldn't say their burgers are great. A little family-owned restaurant down the street may make burgers that make your taste buds think they tasted heaven, but McDonald's comes to mind before that restaurant. Why? It's not because of the burger. It's because of the brand.
McDonald's has built it's name on fast-food and good service, and the company is almost more of a real estate company considering the millions spent in research each year to find the best locations for their business. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone in the United States who does not know what McDonald's is.
So now the question is what is your brand? How do people perceive you? What have you done to shape your brand so that when someone is searching for or considering hiring you they are met with a positive image on who you are not what you say you are?
This is really hard. I struggle with it day to day. I am human like everyone else and make mistakes but every single day I work to strengthen my brand as a web and software engineer with a solid foundation in business and social media. I am trying to bridge that gap between engineers and business thinkers.
What is your brand? How are you perceived? What comes to mind when someone asks "tell me about 'insert your name here?'" Let me know and let the world know. Let's hold each other accountable.
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