Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Will blogging get you a job?
Journalism students, take note: At least one editor says you need to have blogging skills to get a job. John Robinson of the News and Observer says he asks job candidates if they blog and if they read his editor's blog when considering them for jobs at his newspaper. A column in Business Week spells out 10 things journalism students need to know to get jobs. Blogging is one of them. British journalist Paul Bradshaw says students seem to be reluctant to blog unless they're required to do so for a class. Why is that? Are you reluctant to blog? Why? Do you think you it will help you get a job? Then why don't you want to do it?
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4 comments:
I think that Robinson has a pretty good point. He says on his blog that if an applicant isn't reading his blog, he has not prepared properly for the interview. Not only would applicants learn about their interviewer — and potential boss — but they would also show their knowledge of a media that is being adopted in many newsrooms across the country. Still, as a student I do not blog regularly. I have blogged occasionally for classes, but that is the extent of my experience. Why don't I blog more often? I have no great answer to that question. It is fairly easy to do, but it is just one more thing to remember. I think many students don't blog simply due to time constraints and already hectic schedules. Also, I guess blogging always seemed like an exercise in futility. Personally, I thought a few rare newspapers actually had blogs, and that even fewer would narrow down applicant lists based on the skill. However, after reading some of the comments made by other editors on Robinson's blog, I guess those in the business really are looking for writers who can — and do— blog.
As someone who has blogged before, I can't say that I'm reluctant to do it. I think the problem- at least for me, and maybe for others- is that people may not be committed to writing a blog and updating it constantly. When I blogged, it was very easy when I had something to write about, but when I had no ideas, I usually didn't post.
Given that all of the classic forms of media are moving online, it seems like a very good idea to blog, considering the huge impact that the Internet has. I've certainly become more open to the idea of blogging, as it has almost become something of a norm now in journalism. It doesn't surprise me at all that a lot of editors require that potential job candidates know how to blog.
The big thing for me about blogs though is getting an audience to actually read your blog. This was a problem when I blogged; hardly anyone commented on my blog, and it was a bit of an annoyance because I assumed no one read it. At least with a newspaper there's a better chance that someone will read your story. All the same though, blogging is an important medium in the future of journalism and is one that journalism students like myself should want to do voluntarily.
Now here's something interesting: we ought to blog as journalism students, to utilize the new medium and thus get information out much faster. Plus, with different computer applications like widgets, mistakes can be corrected instantly. But there's just one question that I'd like to ask: Are bloggers journalists? It's not an original question, but it deserves some thought. I would elaborate, but it would take too much space, so I'll make it into a post. But I'd like a response if you have one.
I think that people are reluctant about blogging because they don't believe it gets the public attention of say a newspaper or magazine column. I think that it will help people get a job because it shows that they have experience with writing over the web. I agree with the general opinion that blogging does not get as much public attention but if you are intrested in one day being a columnist for a newspaper, what better then to blog your opinion every day for anyone to view. I imagine that media recruiters are curious about blogging experience because it shows what type of knowledge you have in those fields that you are passionate about. It is an easy way to express your opinion in writing..If I was hiring someone for a job, having a blog would certinly be an advantage to any canidate.
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