There was a time when having the opportunity to have people read what you’d written was a kind of honor. I’m not talking about your parents, reading your first sentence, or your teacher, reading your first book report.
I’m talking about being published – having something you wrote deemed worthy by whatever powers that be for viewing by a mass (or not so mass) audience. It could have been an acceptance of an article for a high school newspaper. It could have been a letter to the editor. A submission to an essay contest. An article or research study for a magazine. Or, even a poem or story.
The opportunity to have people read what you’ve written is not something that we’ve lost.
But for the millions of people entering the blogosphere each day, it’s less about being “chosen” to contribute and more about jumping in brain first. With the introduction of interactive technologies and social networking, the gatekeeper has become secondary to the gate. And though some bloggers are sought after by an organization for their knowledge, experience or popularity, the vast majority of those blogging weren’t invited to do so.
Contribute to an HR blog – or, create your own.
Chances are, as an HR professional, you’ve accumulated expertise and knowledge of your specialty that would interest those in the field. Whether your focus is recruiting, compensation and benefits, diversity, technology or employee relations, the way you relate what you know can create quite a following for the blog you choose to create or affiliate yourself with (and, plenty of free exposure for yourself and/or your employer). In addition, you can reach out to potential candidates and communicate more regularly – or on a more conversational level – with those in your own organization.
You don’t need an English degree to blog. You don’t even need to be dressed (but that’s a whole ‘nother post). What you do need is:
· The desire to write and keep on writing about something you know or love
· An audience that’s willing to read your posts (in large numbers or on a fairly regular basis)
· Word of mouth – or really, word of click
· A plan for your blog and guidelines for keeping it fresh
Alstin Communications can help you with the real-time potential of Web 2.0. From naming your blog and setting it up to strategies for making it a destination people visit and share with others, our “a-team” has the experience and talent to turn a basic web log into a proactive, thought-provoking way to talk with – and listen to – the world of people you know and those you have yet to meet.
The honor would be all ours.
