It may seem a bit self serving to have a blog talk about blogs. Yet, I truly believe that this hack will be particularly helpful to my students. Get your own domain and begin a blog that becomes the “digital YOU”. There are some several reasons I want my students to pick up on this hack. At the stage of life that most of my students are (in their 20’s), it is important to look to the future and the exciting things that are in store for you. Because most of those things will require MONEY, you may want to consider how you are going to get a job in the future. Because a job is in your future, building a significant resume is in your present.
How can you distinguish yourself among your peers to make your God-given abilities and talents shine above others in the field by the time you seek that position you long for? In the old days I told students to write a book. It helped people look at you in a more serious way, and it showed that you: a) had cohesive thoughts you felt were worth recording; and b) you could finish a project your started. Now I offer different advice. I encourage every student to get a domain and blog. This transformation happened just recently, when a good friend helped me to see that my old school methods needed updating. Here are some rules worth considering:
Rule #1: Buy your name – the domain, that is. Life is moving quickly, and one of the only things you will always have is your name. If you begin to “brand” your name, you make yourself easily trackable to those you will meet along life’s journey. This won’t work if you are planning a great career in fund embezzling, but for the honest and hard working person, it will pay off. You need your friends a acquaintances, they weave the net of a social circle under you.
Rule#2: You can have a MySpace or FaceBook, but your blog should reflect the serious you that a potential employer will see. Collect your school articles here. Make this the digital portrait you want the world to see. Is that fair? Of course it is! Didn’t you ever see those “Glamour shots” pictures that some people have in their home. If done properly makeup isn’t a deception, it is accenting the best parts of your natural beauty. Use FaceBook to share your favs in mp3s. Use your blog for things that you will collect over a lifetime and hook your domain name to it. Think about the pictures you put on your blog. They will probably differ in character from those on your FaceBook.
Rule #3: Make the categories match your serious pursuits. Every employer asks the same question when hiring, “What makes this candidate a more serious contender than all the others.” In the interview, show them your blog at www.yourname.com and help them to get a glimpse of who you have become. In the better companies and ministries, they already checked you out before you got there.
Rule #4: Never post anything online that you think is personal or hidden. Ten years from now, the stunt you pulled in the dorm with your buddies will be accessible to your future employer, insurance underwriter, and maybe even your child. Think about that. If it looks dumb now, it’ll really look dumb then! Remember, jackasses get the worst jobs – they carry the weight of the packs.