Why blogging is great for your career

Blogging sometimes gets a bad rap. Many say it’s the hobby of bratty millennials, or that it’s the past time of blabbermouths with nothing better to do. Obviously, we disagree rather a lot, as blogging actually does a lot of good for people whether they’re readers or writers!

If you blog for the right reasons, you can share your ideas with the world and pick up some new skills along the way. Every article published is a contribution to a wider discussion, and is a great way to connect people to the information that matters.

Ultimately, blogs can have a positive impact on others and even boost your professional prospects too! Consequently, here’s why blogging can be great for your career!

Writing experience 

Most people who have found success have, at some point, worked for free. Whether they’ve bagged some extra qualifications or grabbed a bit of extra work experience, they’ve honed their craft through the work and the work alone, not the pay. In the end, if you’re just starting out, this applies to the blogging world too.

Expect to work for free at the very start in order to build up your name and portfolio. Still, this isn’t a waste of time. Starting at a voluntary level shows that you have a really authentic love for your work, and that you’re willing to take a risk and see where it leads. Employers want to see that you’re not just there for the money.

There’s real integrity in this start. You’re not just diving into something that will pay you handsomely, you’re engaging with something you care about completely. In the end, anyone looking to build a career should start from that position; a love of the work first, and the money second!

Money can be made 

Blogging isn’t just about appealing to potential recruiters and making yourself look more employable. After all, blogging can be a career in and of itself. There are some really rich bloggers out there already, and if you work at it long and hard enough, there’s no reason you can’t join them. It might seem like a shallow thing to say, but in every passion or hobby, there is money to be made!

If you run your own blog, then you can monetize your website by placing ads on each page or  charging websites to have a hyperlink included on your website. You can also do reviews of products and services which are commissioned by businesses themselves. This can result in you receiving many freebies as a blogger.

Blogging can be a lucrative and professional activity.

Improve your writing and language 

There are multiple reasons as to why most jobs demand at least a grade C in English at GCSE level. Being literate is important, and without a good grasp on language many businesses simply cannot run properly. Whether it’s for marketing text, sending emails or running the company website, a good control of language can really help a company stand out and excel.

What’s the one thing you need to run a blog? Great – often informal – wordplay! Your text can show off a great deal of positives; your spelling, your grammar, how you go about presenting arguments and how you inform and persuade the reader. These are all transferable skills that can help with any job, showing that you pay attention to detail and care about how you come across to others.

Sloppy language means a sloppy business. The company that doesn’t take the time to actually proofread what it’s communicating is never going to be a hit among consumers. Your blog can exemplify that you have the basics of writing under control, and that you can represent any firm in a great way through your text.

Organisation and responsibility

Running a blog isn’t easy. Even if you’re posting about your favourite cats or where you went on holiday, it takes a great deal of effort to consistently update a blog. It requires content planning, sometimes months in advance.

Showing dedication to something so personal reflects greatly on your career prospects. That level of commitment is something employers are constantly looking for, and if they can see how you and your blog have evolved through the years, they will only dream of what you can do with their company.

A diverse portfolio

Of course, as you write more articles, you’ll also be building up a portfolio. These can look impressive no matter what the topics are, mostly because it’s proof that you’ve really given something your all. It also shows you’re creative and willing to engage with brand new ideas and present all your interpretations of different topics for the world to see.

It is doubly beneficial to have a variety of articles – some formal, well-researched white papers, and others more informal blogs, and some more personal, putting your opinion across on a much debated topic.

Don’t want to run your own blog? Write for other people’s blogs instead! There are many websites out there desperate for freelance bloggers, and the work is practically non-stop. Each site comes with a whole new audience, so spreading your name and writing for different kinds of people is another plus too!

Expression of character

Blogging is one of those rare careers where your personality and your work can really fuse together in an awesome combination.  There are traces of who you are in everything you publish. What do you love? What do you hate? How do you articulate yourself? Are you funny and witty or informative and knowledgeable? It’s all discernible from the blog.

These aren’t trivial questions employers want answering either. In fact, they’re sometimes pivotal to you securing a job. Culture is extremely important in the workplace, so your interests and humour can be key to you snagging the role.

Every post you make tells the reader about who you are, and for employers, it can tell them if you’re a good fit for their company.