In fact, as I am writing this post I am about 2 weeks from hitting 1 million pageviews (accomplished in less than 20 months) and am averaging between 25 and 30,000 pageviews weekly.
Toot, toot.
Because of this, my blog is ranked about 67,000 in the US for website popularity. The average small-to-midsize business website is around 300,000-1mil. The best website in my current industry is at 97,000.
My blog is getting WAY more traffic than the average business website, and I am in the Sales & Marketing business. I can, mister employer, help take your digital presence to new heights.
As I put everything together, the thought of mentioning my blog popped in and out of my head at least a dozen times.
I want to get a job in Marketing, working with Social Media. I can use my blog as proof of concept...
...but I swear a lot on my blog, and cover a lot of controversial (sometimes offensive) topics.
I was leaning toward leaving it off, when I had an empty space in my left header... I had no idea how to fill it, when the BLOG-thought shouted loudly in my head.
I ended up doing this:
The QR code links to a post where I talk about helping increase the intake of tips at a coffee shop by making the tip jar more fun. It worked well, got a lot of positive feedback from commenters, and has been viewed over 15,000 times from search engines and word-of-mouth.
Creative, unorthodox marketing. I specialize in bringing new concepts to the table (things they don't teach you in business school).
This example is a good ice-breaker, but if an employer hits the 'home' button on a day where I talk about sex, mormons, idiots or anything else offensive, I'm done for.
Feedback from twitter says 'don't do it.'
...but I am torn. Most businesses don't understand Social Media Marketing, and SEO is an unknown abbreviation. My blog proves I'm damn-good at marketing a brand (in this case, the Brand of Brandon) but the topics covered aren't exactly of a 'professional' nature...
What do you think? Some people blog about business, some about their social life, some blog about anything and everything. Would YOU list your blog on a resume, if you thought it showed off one of your unique skills?
Or are you like me, where maybe the writing isn't exactly work appropriate?
28 witty retorts:
You have posts on here about me fucking a guy on a treadmill. I say no!
If you do it, you may want to expunge that post I recall about you painting with your dong. Or maybe the myriad of sex toy reviews. I referenced my blog without giving a URL or any incriminating evidence. Good luck.
Yea I probably wouldn't because I'm pretty sure as often as I complain about working and curse and just talk trash, people probably wouldn't care if I'm good or bad at making myself look insane! Not that my blog gets any traffic or even proves I'm good at anything, but whatever! I don't know if I'd advise you to or not, you're definitely good at it and have probably sold people on a number of things. You're probably one of the reasons my dog isn't eating lips and buttholes anymore... Just sayin. Good luck in whatever you decide!
I wouldn't. Actually, I couldn't with all the fucking fuck words I use.
I would and have done...it's surprising how it opens doors
Another way to look at it is would you want to work for someone that was offended by your blog? Of course the answer to that depends on many other factors but since you aren't currently in desperate need of a new job it might be something to consider.
Any HR person is going to look at this blog and have alarms go off. Especially as a first impression. While I am very professional and polite during business time, this blog has no filter whatsoever.
As an interviewer, I'd be surprised at the success of this blog and see a lot of potential. But at the same time, I would wonder about 'filters' and worry about searing and penis jokes in the workplace...
Can you elaborate? What do interviewers say when you mention the blog?
I may tone down on the swearing a bit... (shit, I really don't want to...)
Hun, if you think that's the worst thing on this blog, you need to read more of my posts. :D
Honestly, I was thinking about listing the penis painting as a skill. NO OTHER RESUME will have that!
Actually it doesn't really matter. Most resumes these days aren't even looked at by a human, and if your resume catches the attention of a human more than likely they won't bother to read your blog. Save it for the interview and you can explain why you are such a sucess
Maybe you could make it a bullet point and give the stats like you did in your post, without giving the blog's title? It definitely is pertinent to your field.
I was mentioning it to a work colleague, and he became too interested. "What's the web address? I wanna read your blog!!" Uhhhh uhhhh uhhh...
Most people want to see it to believe it.... :/
It does indeed have to be seen to be believed! :)
The thing is, if it were a prospective employer asking to know more about your blog, then that would mean you had least gotten in for an interview and you could prep them for what they would see in the blog. It would still have some risk, but if they could just look it up straight from your resume, then you might not even get in the door for an interview.
I did it but warned them that it was personal, a little embarrassing, and represented my ability to create community, not my professional voice. But I wouldn't do it for everyone.
I don't want to link my own blog but I sure think yours is a great one to show off. I'm starting a book tour company so I plan on adding that to my resume and as I'm leaving my current job in about 2 months have been wondering how I should tweak it and make myself look awesome
I think it was a great idea. And good to be so specific, you don't want them necessarily visiting EVERY page on this blog..
I have been in this same internal debate for a few months now. Given the, ahem, personal nature of some of my posts (and the fact that my avatar is basically me in underwear) I haven't yet used it in professional pursuits. I'm actually building a new website/blog to start doing more "user friendly" works and use that to show my skills a little but I think it really depends on what job you are pursuing and what you are trying to prove by highlighting your blog.
For an Art Director position, "look what I can paint with my penis! If I'm that good with my wang, you should see what I can do with a tablet and stylus!"
Ooh, sounds like a fun story!
Fantastic advice. Thanks, Pish.
I agree with Kianwi. Totally depends on the job AND the content on the blog. AHEM. I mean, I offered my web management services to a local sex shop, so OBVS I had no issues linking the resume I send to them with my blog URL. lol
I think it depends on the employer as it can fall either way. I have turned tenants down because I didn't like their Facebook, though I think you have a great thing.
damn brandon, that is a very good idea. I don't think i should link my blog up though.
Personally I would not, I think employers would run screaming if I saw my blog. I am a freelance writer and I when a client commented that he had seen my blog I broke out in a rash. Fortunately he said that he realises it is not an example of my professional writing and that he thought it was funny. Congrats on being close to 1000 000 I think I should reach that in about 10 years.
Very informative. Happy learning this from you Resume Wordpress Template
Yeah, if there were a way to limit which posts were seen, then I can see it being a great idea.
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