Yesterday, I got the question “why do you blog?” of course I had around a million answers to respond with. Then I realized that the reason the person asked was not to find out why I blogged but to see if there was any reason to why he should blog.
This got me thinking about what [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Career development’
10 Reasons To Why Students Should Blog
Posted By Annelie Näs on February 1st, 2010
Yesterday, I got the question “why do you blog?” of course I had around a million answers to respond with. Then I realized that the reason the person asked was not to find out why I blogged but to see if there was any reason to why he should blog.
This got me thinking about what blogging has done to me, and why I continue to blog. Thus I wanted to create a list to why I think that students should blog to complement their studies and choice their own professional path. Because I honestly believe that when I want to apply for a job or make decisions for my career this blog will matter.
Blogs give individuals an opportunity to express their opinions and make them count in a world of millions of others. Years ago, you needed to be a journalist or a politician to get your opinion heard; today, blogs offer anyone the opportunity to express oneself.
Now this list is written on the presumptions that writing is a way of studying; When you have put something in your own words you know it a lot better than if you only read it. Also, I talk about blogging about subjects, interest etc. and not a personal blog about what I did today.
1. Gain a deeper knowledge for the subject you are studying – or show people that you know about another subject.
When it comes to University classes I many times feel that even though I’m taking classes in subjects that interests me and the classes are really good, I do not really learn what had expected to learn. By blogging you can assign yourself any subject you want to analyze and write about and then learn about it yourself.
2. Improve your creativity by finding new subject to write about.
Initially blogging might be very easy and the subject may come to you by the second, but sometimes you will lose your flow or you might not find and interesting angle. Then creativity will be essential to keep your blogging up, and of course there will be other ways to improve your creativity like with the blog design etc.
3. Develop your analytical thinking though writing insightful posts.
It is one thing to republish the news or the facts that you read about, but adding value to them and figure out new angles is what will improve your analytical thinking. After all, for most subjects people already have a source for the news, so from you they will be looking for something a bit more insightful.
4. Create pieces for discussion and debate subjects that interest you through comments on your blog.
I bet that you many times wonder about what other people think about a subject. A blog could be the ideal way to find the answers. Many bloggers write about subjects that interest them and ask questions or do other things to make people comment. Then they learn from others by reading and participating in the discussion that can come out from that.
5. Improve your language skills, writing will give you a wider vocabulary and better grammar and if you prefer your could practice your professional writing.
As I write in my second language I broaden my vocabulary by having to find words representing what I am trying to say. But if you blog in your first language this same thing will probably work with synonyms and finding more precise definitions on what you are trying to say. Thus both will give you a wider vocabulary. Along with this you will improve your grammar by writing on a regular basis. Here I also want to point out that a blog, if you want it to, could be great way to learn to write professionally so that you are always ready to present yourself well.
6. Show that you are trustworthy by keeping the promise to your readers – blog on a regular basis.
All bloggers know that the traffic to their site decrease if they do not update regularly. Now what regularly means defers between bloggers, some updates a few times daily, while I update two or three times a week. This is what my readers expect from me and that is what I give you.
7. Improve your skills to express yourself, practice to write in a way that influences people.
It is one thing to use well thought out words and proper grammar, but expressing yourself in a way that influences people takes quite some talent. Some might have I naturally, while others have to work on it, and might never reach the same level. A blog could be a great place to practice.
8. Show that the interest that you have for your future profession is a passion.
Now, when most students who come home from school might be tired of the subject they study and want to do something else. Which is why showing a real interest for the subject you study could give you a great advantage in the future. When it comes to hiring, who will an employer choice – the blogger or the student watching tv?
9. Build a name for yourself, a personal brand, share your ideas and thoughts with the world and let them get to know you.
A blog is a great way to take control of your personal brand, to show people who you are. Now, you might not be an expert in a subject, and be honest about that. But you still can contribute you can still teach people who now less than you about the subject something. Or perhaps you can give a person who knows more a few great ideas. Let people get to know you and what you think, and one day you will probably be an expert.
10. Create a written portfolio showing that you are knowledgeable in the subject that you want to work in and you are very likely to get a head when you want to apply of a job.
What all comes down to, it being prepared for your future profession. Surely a diploma and a degree will do that, but your fellow student will have that to and compete for the same jobs. A blog will give you a differentiator, a lead, something that proves that you know what you are talking about. It is a written portfolio of your thoughts and ideas, or perhaps pictures, which make you, stand out.
Now, already when writing this I can think of more ideas, but I am going to stop here for now. I have given your some of reasons and explanations and left some things unsaid. Do you blog? Why do you blog? Why do you recommend others to blog? It is your turn to contribute to the list..
Use Google Alerts to Receive an International Daily Update of Your Favorite Subject
Posted By Annelie Näs on December 22nd, 2009
Recently I have started to use Google alerts to track more and more subjects that I have different interest in. From the beginning I mainly used it to track the buzz around the company I have been working for but many more ways to use it. So, in case you only use it for that or any other one reason, I thought I would share how I use it.
The way I use Google Alert makes it become a daily digest with an international summary of my interest, kind of my personal newspaper. Here is a few ways to use it:
Tracking your personal or company brand
Track your name or the name of your company, so that you can read anything that is being said about you. This is good both to see what people are saying, but it also gives you the opportunity to quickly respond to things that are said. As an example this can help your customer service to catch unsatisfied customers and make sure that they will return in the future.
Track the company you want to work for
If you are looking to work at a particular company it can be great to track what is being said about them. That will give you an opportunity to get to know about their staff, customers and client. This knowledge could give you an advantage in an interview and before that it might help you find out if you are what they are looking for, or how your knowledge could help their business.
Research a subject you are interested in
Tracking everything that is being said about the thing you are interested in might be a lot if it is a broad subject. However, you can choice either to specify your interest or to choice to have the alerts “once a day” or even “once a week” so that your inbox doesn’t get flooded with updates. Personally I limited one of my interests by choosing to only follow it in Swedish, as it is a subject is a lot smaller in Swedish, so that is an opportunity to. Either way, by tracking you interest you will be really up-to-date with what is going on, all over the world.
Get better by saying NO and succeed
Posted By Annelie Näs on October 5th, 2009
I am one of those people who have a really difficult time saying no. Especially when it comes to things I enjoy, but also when it comes to doing people a favor. My problem is so big that the parents of my friends started telling my mom that I would get burned out when I was only 14. I am still not close to burned out and I will not be as long as I remember how and why to say no.
But I’m not supposed to talk about me; I just want to remind all other people like me why it is sometimes better to say no.
Many students who have shown their capability in the beginning of their study program start getting a few or more offers as they reach graduation day. By this time they also start feeling the pressure of having to find a job and mange to support themselves after school. Thus it is easy to begin accepting every offer, take extra classes etc. To make sure, that you have done your best when it is time to graduate.
Of course this might be the best you can do and it could open a lot of opportunities. But it could also mean that you are taking on too much, and that is the danger of it all. If you start taking on too much you cannot longer perform the best at everything you do, and will have to start compromising to have time to get everything done.
This mean that you can end up on the “okey” pile in a lot of what you do instead of the “excellent” pile in everything you do. And which one of these piles will matter in the end?
Surely this is not only a problem that students face, but that all human who strive to be the best and to succeed. You can be at many stages in your development, sometimes you have to get better at your weaknesses and other times you should focus on what your good at etc. But either or you should never take on too much at the same, time leading to not succeeding in anything.
Because after all people like successful people and head hunters want the best! Show yourself that you can do a few things great and believe in what you do and they will see it as well.
What about personal branding for actors?
Posted By Annelie Näs on June 2nd, 2009
Today there are thousands of TV-shows, some run just a few episodes, others play numerous seasons, some last for decades. The actors in these TV-shows usually grow very famous for the role they are playing, and people start knowing them for the character from the show.
Many times in the past I have read stories that the actors want “out” from the series because they are afraid that they will get stuck in a particular genera, and wont be offered other types of roles.
Even though I always missed the characters when they left and the show usually changes when a main character leave, I usually agreed with the actors when they in the articles said it to be a career move. And a while later I also moved on the another show.
However, lately I have been thinking about this phenomenon and the fact that the actors that leave these series rarely become very famous doing something else. Of course there are exceptions, actors who have done very good after leaving a show, but mostly they disappear.
I cannot say for sure what the reason is to why they never return to their fame again. But it is probably good for them like it is for the rest of us, to stick with the things that you are good at. There are so many actors that only do comedies, science fictions movies or action movies. Most of their roles are very similar, just a new plot and new names. But these actors are the big ones, who we love, whom we want to watch in movie after move.
My point here is, that actors should really think about their personal brand and stick to what they are good at. Sure they should practise other stuff as well, but never disappoint a customer, or in this case a fan.
What do you think about this? Do you agree or disagree? Am I missing something? Please share your views.
Posted in Career development
