Attention College Students: Time To Start a Blog!
Starting a blog is super idea for anybody but it’s a particularly good plan for college students looking to further their employment prospects. A blog has a million and one advantages-but that would make for a rather lengthy article! So instead, I'd like to bring you five reasons why you should consider blogging as a student.
1. It’s networking!
Every career-savvy student knows that getting your foot in the door for most jobs is all about networking.
Increasingly, in the current market, it’s who you know not what you know that is becoming the deciding factor in the employment decision making process. So why not get to know everyone!? A blog is your virtual invitation to the world (and hence employers and recruiters having a scout around) to get to know your work and, crucially, you. Tailor your blog's about page, by including contact details, a bit about yourself and the aims of your blog, can leave the door wide open for introductions and opportunities from all sorts of people, top-dogs included.
2. It’s training!
Even if your blog isn’t going to be the next big thing or be made into a TV show, it doesn't mean that your time hasn’t been well spent. Each article you write, proofread, edit and publish is good practice for all those things. Even if you don’t want a career in anything related to journalism, it will still benefit your college work- think of all those essays and assignments that require meticulous editing! It also helps you get used to how blogging software works as, if you aren't a technological whiz, the dashboards of websites can be quite daunting. Getting a grip on using sophisticated tools like WordPress, before you graduate saves bundles of time later!
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3. It’s pro bono work experience!
Work experience can be a real nightmare to try and get- so why not make your own?! A blog equips you with skills you would learn at a placement, from the comfort of your own home and for a longer period of time. You can use your blog as a way of perfecting your time management and organisational skills and, if you do it alongside your studies, then acquiring a healthy work ethic and prioritising your assignments comes into play too. Then, when you have an interview, you can explain how having a blog has provided you with experience of the working world which you sought out yourself.
4. It’s a portfolio!
The great thing about a blog is that all your work is in one, accessible place. This means when employers ask to see a sample of your work or ask what types of things you have written or have knowledge of, you can steer them in the direction of your blog where it will all be there ready and waiting for them to enjoy. It’s also easy to keep tabs on your posts and, if you categorise them into relevant topics, your potential employers will easily be able to see what you’re capable of, interested in and have achieved.
5. It’s impressive!
Having a blog says more about you than just ‘you like to write’. Creating and maintaining a blog requires patience, creativity, initiative and perseverance- and what future employer wouldn’t want all that!? Blogs attract in potential employers as you’ll show up in search engine results (so make sure you use relevant target words in article titles and content!). Make sure you publicise each post on other social media to get into as many results as possible, optimising your chances of exposure to potential employers. Combine these methods with top-notch content and you’ve got the secret to employment success.
So, there you have it – five great, shiny reasons why college students should start their own blog. It opens the doors to useful contacts, makes for great practice and is something to really be proud of. So what are you waiting for?
Ready, set…blog!
I couldn’t agree more. As a teacher who discovered the values of blogging a little too late, I always encourage my pupils to start blogging. Before I started blogging, I had serious writing problems. Even writing a letter to my mom was a problem. Fast forward one year and I am a completely new Man. I need someone to stop me from writing because when I start, I can’t stop. Besides that, I have learnt more and read more books in one year than I did in the previous 15 years, i.e. networking, blogging, SEO, WordPress, Marketing, etc.
I actually think kids should start blogging before they even reach college. It could be the old pen and paper style or just writing stuff in WordPress that is hosted on a local PC. Stuff that doesn’t have to be published to the public.
Blogging is a great way to learn. Thanks for sharing.
Thats right Churchill Madyavanhu , starting blogging on school will provide time do experiments with various blogging facts.
I came in blogging when I was a college student and I can honestly tell you now that everything you said in this post is 100% true. Blogging really really helps students.
Although there is no age for blogging, but if there is a better time to start blogging, it is college time. I wish I had known this before I went to college.
Hello Anna Pitts
The post will really help collage student, They will inspired by the post, Everyone should share on their social network sites This post.
Thanks Moryom and yes, please feel free to share the post if you like it!
Sure.
I started blogging when I was in school, Now I’m in college.
Blogging helped me a lot in learning and implementing new things. I got name, fame through blogging.
I must say blogging is really a great way to learn new things.
Great article. I am a college student and have been blogging for quite some time now and I can vouch for many of these points!
Hey there Anna,
I agree, kids these days can build their reputation through blogging easily. It is a powerful form of networking indeed, and if you can engage people further then a great future lies ahead!
Yours Truly,
Tommy
Hi Tommy,
Glad you agree- it’s all about building up a name, reputation and network 🙂
Have a great day!
Amazing article for college students who still don’t do blogging….For 3 years I was working as a content writer but now finally I spend good time blogging and writing reviews.
I really loved the 1st and 5th point…Yes blogging is definitely about connecting with others.One learns a lot about how to connect just because of blogging…And in the 5th point you mentioned about how blogging makes a person better..Blogging requires patience which definitely teaches students lot of things….
Hi Anna,
I started my blog when I was in my college years. Though I didn’t start with a bang but I did learn some crucial lessons which blogging teaches you. Some of them would be patience, networking, communication and all of the above hard work and time management.
Hence college would be a perfect time as it would help you further to shape your career.
Regards,
Vineet
This is such important advice. People are so hesitant to listen and its a tad frustrating. Blogging will help in most industries.
Yes you are right.I am also a college student and blogging builds writting skills and also build confidence.It also save your time that you wastes in useless things.
Yes definitely it is a portfolio for every students who want to know about the internet and gadgets. Perhaps it might be the starting step to other great things in life.
Hi Anna, Thanks for linking to Sarah Ostman’s blog on having your own website. Information Space, where that post is located, is written 90% by student bloggers and we have close to 100,000 page views per month (I’m the Exec Editor). Bloggers have shared with me how recruiters found their blog posts and connected with them BECAUSE of their blogging. We’ve also had blogs picked up and shared by media outlets, and linked to on many other blogs and websites. Communication skills are paramount in every job – and being able to communicate clearly on the web is a major plus – blogging shows you can do that. Great post, thanks!
I think that EVERYONE should start some type of blog. It’s a great social outlet and can put you in touch with people that you never thought you’d have the opportunity to meet. Great post!
Thanks JD! It certainly is a great way to network!
But seriously I am from Pakistan I recommend to start blogging at school level because in Pakistan College level sucks and it’s so busy days that one cannot concentrate on his blog 🙁
I very much agree that college students should blog and use social media as a tool to learn and upgrade their skills. Today blogging has become an essential tool to spread your word out there and be heard or read by many others who follow the same interests as yours. You can get in touch with influential people of your industry, learn from them, discuss your ideas, create something new and unique for everyone.
I really wish that if we also had such an opportunity while I was in college but still using my blog today I do network with some great people out there and learn a lot every day.
I didn’t try blogging while in college, but I can see that it improve your written skills. I also help keeps you think on thinks on ideas that the readers would enjoy reading about. Engage your readers is really key.
A great point- you need to make sure what you write is worth reading! Engagement with your audience, asking questions and inviting comments all help loads.
Thanks!
I’m a student and I’m blogging.
It gives me a lot of chance I never thought of.
The online revenue helps cover my tuition fees and I am invited to a lot of conferences. It has really changed my life.
That’s amazing well done! A great example of a blogging success story 🙂
These are excellent reasons for college students to have a blog. Now, I have been out of school for few (7) years, but you make some great points. As a business owner myself, I would be interested in someone with a blog (as long as they were consistent with it) much more than someone that had a 4.0.
These are great points and if you’re in college, don’t just read this, do it!
Hi Adam,
It’s great to get some advice from a professional- someone in the real world who knows about it! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Hi Anna,
I am in school right now full-time and I have to say that keeping up with my blog, product creation and school work and other things in life is no joke.
It’s definitely hard work and I have had to learn how to manage my time more efficiently. One thing I’ve noticed since I have started blogging is that my writing skills have gotten much better as well.
You’re definitely right about the networking. I’ve met a lot of great people just from blogging and I haven’t even been doing it very long.
Thanks for sharing this and have a great day.
Hi Susan,
It can be tricky finding the time to fit it all in, but it’s certainly worth it! There’s no doubt all sorts of skills, including your writing, will improve as you continue to blog.
Thanks for your comments and have a great day too!
I started blogging so late but my 9 years daughter just started her blog and I hope when she will be in college she will be a pro blogger.
Despite oft repeated advise of starting a blog today instead of tomorrow; just like other chores it’s never too late in this field. As and when you come to know the uncountable benefits of starting a blog you just do it on the same day.
Very inspirational post that refeuled my passion as if I am ten years younger.
I also believe it’s worth noting that there’s a potential for money as well. Even if it’s only enough to pay the student’s cell phone bill, in college, every dollar matters.
All great points though, a blog definitely shows you’re serious about whatever you’re doing. I had a tech blog a while back, and it was the only reason I was able to get hired by a local computer store.
Thanks for sharing.
I really wish that I had been more actively involved in blogger when I was in college. It really is a powerful way to make a living and I wish I had more of a head start. Of course, blogging can also be great just to express yourself or make a good presentation to future employers. There are many ways that it can help.
These are great reasons, but I’m wondering how I, as one university employee, might help guide students into actually getting involved. Any ideas?
Try to get your students excited about blogging and give them examples of success stories. A lot of it is confidence too and encouragement that starting a blog is a good idea, so reassure them that it works! If you have a blog yourself you can use that as a guide too. Good luck!
One of the things you have to worry about is making sure your content is something that wont hender you in the future. You have to remember that once you put it on the Internet it never really goes away.
There are a few companies out there that tend to do research on your Internet footprint. Where it really comes into play is when they’re looking for grounds for termination when they have a little dirt on you and they are just looking for that extra bit to pile on.
Great Post Anna,
Stating a blog from college days will help in feature. There are many benefits from stating a blog from college days.
Thank you for sharing this post Anna,
Nikhil 🙂
I came in blogging when I was a junior college student. I can honestly tell you now that everything you posted in this post is a real story. Creating a blog and writing creative stuff here really sharpen our skills and also it is profitable. Thanks for nice share…
Hello,
The first thing which students needs to remember while blogging is working on a time management since it’s really important to do the college work as well as the blogging. Blogging will definitely work in terms of improving writing skills and learning too.
thanks for sharing.
Another thing I noticed about blogging is that it helps as sort of an self therapy type of thing and helps assimilate your thoughts on a given subject. You actually end up learning while posting just like the phenomenon of a teacher learning from their interactions with their students..
Hello Anna,
Stating a blog from college days are very good idea. If you are blogging it means you are gathering many more information. That person is a talent who has more right information. In my view, Blogging means making yourself talent.
Thank you for sharing.
Hello Anna,
I am totally agree with you, Because I started blogging in my college days.. At that time I have getting little more time to do some experiments on my blog and learning lots of things from it.
At the time of my college I am getting my pocket money from my blog also. It’s great chance for college students to start a blog and earn their pocket money, improve their knowledge and learn lots of things..
I agree. Because college kids has sharp mind that is free of all other tensions like job etc so that is the best to learn blogging.
Thumbs up, great post. College students nowadays are just wasting their time on FB and other social media commenting , chatting, sharing etc..
Blogging at college days is a smart career option. Even professionals leave their jobs for selecting blogging as a full time career.
Thank you for sharing a motivational piece of article for blogging in college life. Recently I’ve started a blog related to the technology field, hope to improve it with your other blogging tips.