“To blog or not to blog?  It’s no longer a question”

I know you’re probably thinking, “what a web-site?”  Yes, a web-site and it needs to be a blog.  “Wow!  Hold up, isn’t this going to cost about $5K?”  No, it’s not going to cost a dime.  Thanks to companies like Google and WordPress you can now set up your own private web-site featuring a blogging for free.  Best of all, it only takes about 15 minutes even for a novice.  “Do I have to set up a blog?”  Yes!  If you want these three things for yourself:

1. Move up the “chain” faster because you will be considered for higher level jobs, expert, executive level positions than you otherwise would miss out on
2. Have more opportunities (job offers) because you now have a major advantage over other candidates
3. Enjoy a better lifestyle because now you can command a higher salary due to your expert status and increase in high level opportunities

These three things are can be yours if you just set up and run a competent blog because you are going to have an advantage in eight key areas over all the other candidates.  Your blog will serve these key areas in ways which can’t be done effectively otherwise.  They include:

1. It serves as the headquarters or command center of your Personal Brand.
2. Chronicle your achievements and demonstrate expertise to the world.
3. You demonstrate yourself as someone always striving for personal development.
4. Your communication skills are on display.
5. It demonstrates your knowledge of social media and marketing (especially important to small businesses).
6. Proves you can formulate unique thoughts, conduct research and other skills.
7. You become more than just another resume, face, marketer, etc.
8. Your reputation precedes you.  Earn their trust faster, greatly improve your chance of a high dollar offer…it is that simple.

If you don’t want any of those benefits (and the others I didn’t list) feel free to skip the web-site altogether.  But these are the things employers are looking for.  Show them you have them right up front before you even step into the interview.

OK, now that you’re excited…you are excited aren’t you?  It’s time to actually get your site up and running.  This is real easy, just go to www.wordpress.com or www.blogger.com, set up an account and create your blog.  Each site is very easy to use and offer totally FREE blogs.  While this is all free, I do recommend going over to GoDaddy to buy a domain name for your personal brand.  This will cost less than $20.  Keep it real simple and avoid trying to name yourself like a big company.  People would prefer to work with a person than an impersonal conglomerate.  Just use your last name like this, www.mccain.com.  Or if that is taken, try your full name, www.jasonmccain.com.  The .com is always best, but you may have to use a .net or possibly another option.  You will then be able to have the domain you buy at GoDaddy used at the blog company of your choice (I do not recommend buying the domain name from the blog itself because if you ever wanted to leave and go to another company they could hold your name). If you can’t get a version of your name, you might just stick with the free name the blog gives you.  You also pick this name.  Chances are even if you can’t get your name at GoDaddy you will be able to get it at the blog.  It will just look something like this www.mccain.wordpress.com.  Whatever you choose they will just stick “wordpress.com” or “blogger.com” at the end of it.

If you want to use another blog company that is fine too and completely up to you.  There are MANY companies to choose from and I just like WordPress and Blogger because they are both really good and free.  The best pay version at the moment is probably Typepad, which cost about $15 a month, and has some great functionality for people who are serious about running a blog.  If you are only interested in the blog for the purpose of highlighting yourself to employers just stick to a free version.

So, now you have a blog…what the heck do you blog about?  Great question and I’ll answer it next week.  In the meantime, let me know what other questions you have in the comments area below.

Thanks and Stay Tuned!

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