Blogging’s humble roots started with individuals basically keeping online journals they opened up to share with the world. They’ve come a long way and are now considered an excellent news source as well as a great place for reviews, previews and general reactions.
Stepping into that arena requires a ton of organization, leadership abilities and excellent writing skills.
Admissions counselors and internship supervisors are becoming more likely to check for your online footprint before accepting you. Having an established blog can be a great boon to your resume, since it automatically tells them something about you that your MBA degree can’t.
You’re a strong writer.
Weak writers don’t become popular bloggers anymore. The internet is flooded, and sub-par blog posts aren’t the ones that will be read. If your page authority is above a two, it’s incredibly likely that you’re either a strong writer or you’re talking about writing code, which is about the only subject that still harbors poor grammar.
In addition to that, it shows versatility. One week you may write a review of “Trueblood,” and another week you may be talking about the implications of a new policy change in your community. Even your ability to handle a topic in several different ways will show that you’re able to adapt your writing to different circumstances.
If you add more than just words to your blog, it can also show your photography talent or ability to speak clearly in front of a camera.
You have serious networking talent.
People—especially those in Academia—will talk about networking until they fall over. But it’s a skill that can’t really be taught. Networking relies on being able to reach out to your fellow human being and make a connection. A process that simple can’t be formulated and pass along in career development packets.
If you’ve ever guest posted, or had someone else write a guest post for you, you’ve networked. Likely, you’ve done it frequently. Having someone feature one of your posts or contacting another blog owner about sharing ideas is all networking.
It’s a nuanced skill set, and most people aren’t lucky enough to have a portfolio full of examples at their disposal. While other candidates flounder around for an example of a time when they’ve networked, all you have to do is name your URL and show them all of the times you’ve made connections.
You’re responsible.
Responsible blog owners post at least once a week. They make a point of responding to their commenters and carrying on civil dialogue. If their site is popular, they may even end up moderating their comments and deciding who to censor.
None of those acts are light on time commitments. Some of them require tackling complex moral issues that even professional newspapers haven’t quite figured out yet.
Blog owners are also responsible for the content they post. If they don’t do their research and point to something as a fact, they’re deliberately misleading their readers by way of their negligence. Bloggers have a duty to report the facts, and most of them take this seriously.
And you’re smart enough to read this caveat:
If your blog is politically inflammatory, all about your stuffed animal named Fred or your attempt to become the next relationship writer for Salon Magazine—do not link it in any way to your name or your e-mail address. Start a new e-mail address to apply to colleges with, and don’t use your former one as a recovery e-mail address.
A bad blog will show admissions staff exactly the opposite of what you want them to see. Consider deleting posts you regret and putting some refining touches on posts you may not have spent much time considering before pressing “publish.”
On the other hand, you may want to consider starting a “best of” series so you can bump your best posts to the top, in plain view of whoever may be searching for you. If you’re proud of your blog, don’t be afraid to list it with your contact information on your resume.
Keep your blog clean and well-written, and your resume just may jump to the top of the pile.
Admissions counselors and internship supervisors are becoming more likely to check for your online footprint before accepting you. Having an established blog can be a great boon to your resume, since it automatically tells them something about you that your MBA degree can’t.
You’re a strong writer.
Weak writers don’t become popular bloggers anymore. The internet is flooded, and sub-par blog posts aren’t the ones that will be read. If your page authority is above a two, it’s incredibly likely that you’re either a strong writer or you’re talking about writing code, which is about the only subject that still harbors poor grammar.
In addition to that, it shows versatility. One week you may write a review of “Trueblood,” and another week you may be talking about the implications of a new policy change in your community. Even your ability to handle a topic in several different ways will show that you’re able to adapt your writing to different circumstances.
If you add more than just words to your blog, it can also show your photography talent or ability to speak clearly in front of a camera.
You have serious networking talent.
If you’ve ever guest posted, or had someone else write a guest post for you, you’ve networked. Likely, you’ve done it frequently. Having someone feature one of your posts or contacting another blog owner about sharing ideas is all networking.
It’s a nuanced skill set, and most people aren’t lucky enough to have a portfolio full of examples at their disposal. While other candidates flounder around for an example of a time when they’ve networked, all you have to do is name your URL and show them all of the times you’ve made connections.
You’re responsible.
Responsible blog owners post at least once a week. They make a point of responding to their commenters and carrying on civil dialogue. If their site is popular, they may even end up moderating their comments and deciding who to censor.
None of those acts are light on time commitments. Some of them require tackling complex moral issues that even professional newspapers haven’t quite figured out yet.
Blog owners are also responsible for the content they post. If they don’t do their research and point to something as a fact, they’re deliberately misleading their readers by way of their negligence. Bloggers have a duty to report the facts, and most of them take this seriously.
And you’re smart enough to read this caveat:
A bad blog will show admissions staff exactly the opposite of what you want them to see. Consider deleting posts you regret and putting some refining touches on posts you may not have spent much time considering before pressing “publish.”
On the other hand, you may want to consider starting a “best of” series so you can bump your best posts to the top, in plain view of whoever may be searching for you. If you’re proud of your blog, don’t be afraid to list it with your contact information on your resume.
Keep your blog clean and well-written, and your resume just may jump to the top of the pile.
About
