Students That Blog

First, it is a well-known fact that 87% of all statistics are made up on the spot. (Lol).

Second, two sources will usually give you two different results for the same statistics. (Unless one got their statistics from the other source). Try to keep these two things in mind as I continue.

There are some statistics, that though they may vary, can be enlightening

due to the fact that though they are different, the statistics they give are extreme enough that no matter which one is closer to reality, the information is still useful. A great example follows.

Depending on where you get the information and how old it is,

it is widely reported that there is anywhere between 173 million and 200+ million blogs on the Internet. The interesting part is every place I have found that information also reports that less than one third of them are ‘active’! (Except some places that leave that part out, as it doesn’t help them make whatever point they are attempting to make).

The definition of ‘active’ is usually described as a blog that has been posted to within the previous six months.

Personally I think if a month has gone by without a post, it shows the blog owner has pretty much lost interest in that blog. But that is just me.

What does this information mean?

Everyone can make their own decisions, but to me, it means two thirds of people getting into blogging either give up or move on to other things. My guess is most give up. A successful blog does not happen overnight. Sometimes it may take months or years to have a loyal following develop and that is if what you are blogging about is even interesting to enough people to develop that following. You may never develop a large following. (Although we will discuss in future posts some ways that can help you achieve that).

For a minute lets make some assumptions we have no basis to make.

How many of those one third of blogs considered active are merely waiting until six months have passed and they are considered ‘inactive’? I am betting a lot. So while there may be a lot of blogs on the Internet, I suspect few continue to be effective in whatever area they were originally designed to be effective in.

Basically what I am trying to get across is,

the competition in the blogging arena is not any where as high as one might think. Another point I am trying to make is, many people do not have the where-with-all to make a plan and stick to it.

My other point is, if I was going to hire someone for a position

and had the choice of two applicants. One of the applicants had the credentials to do a GREAT job, but lacked tenacity. The other applicant had acceptable credentials, but has shown an exceptional tenacity. I would be more inclined to hire the second applicant. But again, that is just me.

Here’s the main point.

Blogging over a long term does several things. It helps improve your writing style. (Which you can see I need badly). It shows tenacity. Perhaps most important, it can position YOU as an expert in your field.

How can this help you?

Let’s make some assumptions again. Let’s say you are in college as a sophomore or Junior. Lets say when you graduate; you want to work in a field of your choosing for a company instead of for yourself. During your school year, it is usually required to write papers. (Many of them are really long… unless things have changed that much in 35 years). A 3,000-word essay can be easily broken down into 5 or 6 blog posts. What if you were to start a blog and keep up with it, even when it seems you are just writing to yourself most days?

You get to control everything you post to that blog.

If you have a passion and an interest in a topic, you can create a blog around that passion. As you add posts about that subject, you create the perception that you are well informed about that field. Chances are if you are posting on a regular basis, some research on the subject becomes necessary. Eventually you are not just perceived to be an expert in that field, you are one.

How can blogging help you?

It can show tenacity. It can prove that not only are you the best choice for a position you want because you do not give up, but it can make you the person that has the best credentials for the job you are seeking. For a person looking to hire, their job just got a lot easier. They can hire not just the person with the most tenacity, but the one with the best credentials, as well. (Or they can hire that person with the picture on-line of them shooting beers).

Tagged as: Blogging for a Job, Blogging for Expertise, Showing Tenacity by Blogging, Student Blogging