You may have noticed that I have acquired a .com. Which means that I am now a professional blogger.
No, it doesn’t really. I don’t make any money off this. I don’t even get all the free things that some bloggers do. I’m doing this out of love, people. Well, love and vanity and a compulsive need to write. They’re all good things.
Now I’m even more professional, as these business cards have landed at my door. They do not say ‘blogger’ on them because, as I say, this is not my job and not a form of income for me. I’m still not even sure that my blog address should be on a card that I plan on giving to potential employers and professional contacts. Will they think I’m just some silly girl writing a diary and expecting people to care?
What I’m hoping is that my blog will show that I have a passion for writing, as well as an understanding of and interest in social media and online communications. I’m hoping that it will fill in some of the blanks on my CV, and that it will explain that I have not been sitting around being lazy for the year since I graduated. It should show that I’ve been writing, reading and learning. I’ve been volunteering and working. I’ve been writing for money and writing for no money. I’ve been writing for local websites and national websites and international websites, and I’ve been writing for my own little website. I’ve been working in social media, in PR and communications. I’ve also been doing my fair share of non-work related things, like falling in love with Italy and then cheating on Italy with Prague.
If this blog is going to put somebody off employing me, or working with me, then that’s a real shame. I have a lot to offer. I’m smart and I’m hardworking and I’m enthusiastic and ambitious.
This blog is not my job, and I don’t want it to be. Nobody is expected to pay me for writing about my life, about the fun things I do, and the things that anger me. But you could pay me to do some freelance (or in-house) writing. You could pay me to help you with your PR & communications. I’ve been looking after the online PR for my parent’s business for around a year now. Earlier this year I worked with a small charity for a month in order to help improve their social media presence. I help with the communications and content writing for a National Trust property, as well as for a local community project.
I’m pretty good at it all, too.
(I promise to resume normal posting now that I’m done with this shameless and sickening bragging and own-horn-tooting. As you were.)
June 14, 2012 at 11:33 am
Awesome cards!! I’m glad to know other regular bloggers besides myself have cards :) They look really cool too. Did you design them? I used vista prints, which I think you said you did as well? I paid a little bit for mine, maybe like £5 so that I could have freedom with the design but I still used their picture of a fork and knife because it looked classy. I totally agree about this being kind of a supplement to your CV. It works too, because every interview I’ve had my blog always comes up and they generally have a good look through it. I think it’s almost always going to be a help to you, because it shows what kind of person you are and it’s SO much more honest than a cover letter ever will be.
June 14, 2012 at 6:51 pm
Yes I used Vistaprint, I decided to use one of their preloaded designs since I have no flair for design at all. What do yours look like? It was less than £10 for 250 inc. posting and packaging so I figured that even if at a later date I decide to design my own, I won’t mind relegating these ones to a drawer or the back of my wallet.
I feel so terrified thinking of a potential employer looking through my blog but I hope none of them are going to run screaming at the sight of it. It’s impossible to put any kind of personality across in CVs and cover letters, partly because there is not enough space and also because it would be awkward to just start banging on about what I’m like as a person, other than things like ‘reliable and motivated’ blah blah blah.
June 14, 2012 at 7:01 pm
No way, your blog is great! I wouldn’t worry at all! And your cards look great too. I’ll have to post a picture of mine. I should have done it in the post. Don’t really know why I didn’t …
June 14, 2012 at 12:41 pm
I put that I wrote a blog on my CV and employers were really interested to hear about it. I think it helps to show off a side of your personality that isn’t always able to get across on a CV or interview. My boss said it was good to see but probably wouldn’t have like it/me as much if it had all be ‘look at me, look at me’.
Some employers will get it/like it, other might not but it’s part of who you are and if they don’t get it you’re probably not right for that company anyway. I think if you’re looking to do anything in communications then it’s pretty much essential to have a blog.
Good look with the job hunt!
June 14, 2012 at 6:56 pm
Yeah I’ve heard quite a few people say that they were asked about their blog at an interview and that their employers thought it was a good thing. I sincerely hope my blog doesn’t come across as ‘look at me’ because I’m not like that in real life – though I suppose some people would think me vain just for having a blog.
That’s what I’m trying to believe – that if an employer doesn’t like my blog then they wouldn’t like me as a person anyway. And to some extent it’s important for your employer to like you. My ideal job would be something in copywriting/PR/communications etc etc. Something that involves writing and social media and all that sort of fun stuff :)
Thanks Lizzy!
June 15, 2012 at 8:36 am
I feel exactly as you when it comes to promoting my blog in the “real” work place, though yours looks a lot more professional and less diary-like than mine. I guess if the role is in a creative capacity where the bosses would understand what good blogging looks like, it can help to pop it on your CV and business card, but it would be pretty irrelevant for some jobs. All the same, if it’s good like yours you should shout about it :) ♥ Claire @ Jazzpad
June 24, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Your blog looks very professional if you ask me, and you’ve built up a really impressive readership that I’m sure an employer would appreciate. Yeah, I only mention mine in CVs and applications when it’s for a creative job, if I was applying for standard office work or something in a bar or restaurant I can’t imagine that anyone would really care. Thanks so much :)
June 15, 2012 at 7:14 pm
Those business cards are fantastic Emily, and I definitely think you were right to put your blog on them. It shows your writing ability, it showcases your passions and your opinions, I can only imagine that potential employers would find it interesting and maybe even useful for them to be able to assess what you are like as a person.
I have several plans for my blog and I think once they are in place I would include my blog on my CV. I think it may come across as a little vain but at the same time it demonstrates that we can utilise social media, our writing and photography ability and the ability to connect with people around the world!
Your year sounds like it has been very productive and educative, if I don’t get a job straight after leaving university or am still undecided as to what I want to do then I’d love to spend my time as you have :-)
June 24, 2012 at 4:22 pm
Ah thank you, I was hoping that’s how my blog came across :)
Ooh what are your plans? Sounds exciting. I do agree that just having a blog may be considered quite vain but the way I see it is that excessive modesty gets you nowhere when you’re job hunting.
June 15, 2012 at 9:21 pm
Your cards look so fantastic! I really love the design!
… I wish I had more things to say, but other than “good luck!” my brain has been fried out of anything other than reading and smiling and nodding. And admiring the card.
Oh, Fridays.
Oh! Very belated congratulations on being a .com. :D
June 24, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Why thank you, I’m really happy with the design considering that it was one of the pre-designed ones from the website and they didn’t cost me very much money at all. And the turn around was a lot faster than I anticipated. Yay Vistaprint!
June 16, 2012 at 6:53 pm
Did you .com through wordpress? I’ve been considering it for a while. Thinking of going .com on my blogs first birthday in August…!
Love your business cards! I got some done too and they’ve been fantastic :)
I’ve only had positive things RE: my blog and work hunting. I think that most employers are getting better at understanding their use and what a powerful tool they are.
Good luck with the job hunt!
June 17, 2012 at 11:15 am
Yeah it was through the WordPress store, I think all in all it cost less than £20. I paid extra to make it private – I didn’t really understand all the jargon but I’m a paranoid person so I thought a few extra quid was worth it to potentially protect my details.
Who have you been handing your business cards to? I went to an interview yesterday and completely forgot to give any out, which was silly of me. Yeah I get the feeling that more employers understand what this whole blogging and social media thing is about than they would even a few years ago.
Thanks :)
June 25, 2012 at 8:41 pm
The land of the dot com! It’s a bright future!