Credit: sxc.hu

Nothing can be more heartbreaking than getting laid off at a company that you have given your heart and soul to for years. Many folks assume that if they stay loyal to their company, they won’t get laid off. Unfortunately, many have found that not to be the case the hard way. Nobody likes to lose their jobs. But there are things you can do to make sure you find another one quickly. One way to do that is by starting your own blog. It can not only put some money on your table, it could show potential employers that you have been doing something valuable with your time.

Your blog can help you find a new job as long as you play your cards right. Here are 6 tips for job hunters interested in starting a blog to get a job:

• approach blogging seriously: if you want your blog to be taken seriously, you need to approach the whole process in a serious manner. By putting your best foot forward on your blog, you will make a better impression on employers.
• focus on a serious topic: when you have a blog just as your hobby, you can afford to tackle silly topics. But if you plan to show your blog to employers, you’d better make sure you have professional content on it (unless you are going for a creative position).
• do thorough research: going back to the first step, you shouldn’t just wing it on your blog. In order to develop high quality content, you need to do thorough research. The better quality your work, the better your chances of impressing employers.
• treat each blog post as a serious report: those of you who have worked in the corporate world in the past know what it takes to prepare a serious report. You can’t afford to have typos and grammatical errors in your official reports. You should treat your blog posts that way as well.
• network with others: your blog can open new doors for you. That does not mean you should sit around and wait for things to happen for you. By networking with other bloggers, you will have an easier time finding new opportunities.
• don’t sound desperate: I have seen some job hunters who get too desperate when they can’t find a job and air their thoughts on their blogs. I suppose it is OK to do so on your personal blog. But if you intend to impress employers with your content, you should avoid sounding desperate. Stay away from depression talk on your website at all costs. That type of content won’t impress too many people.

If you have been unemployed for a while and don’t know what else to do, you may want to give blogging a try. The publishing business is not for everyone. But it may open new doors of opportunities for you. You will never know unless you try.

The unemployment rate in the U.S. has been quite high in the past couple of years. Finding a new job in these tough conditions is not always easy. Some folks have to wait weeks and months to find jobs that are worth having. If you have just lost your job and don’t know what to do, getting started with blogging may not be a bad idea. That certainly beats sitting in front of TV and lamenting your luck for losing your job.

Blogging is something you can do from the comfort of your home without relying on others. You will be your own boss and in control of what shows up on your website. Your blog can open new doors of opportunity for you if you play your cards right. Here are 5 steps you should take to make sure you succeed in your blogging venture:

• know your goal: you don’t want to blog for the sake of doing it especially when you do not have a job. Your blog can put food on your table as long as you have defined goals and are willing to work hard to achieve them.
• find what you are passionate about: don’t blog just because you have to. If you don’t like the topic you are writing about, you are going to end up miserable in the long run. Millions of people are making money online from writing and covering what they are passionate about. You can too.
• don’t burn your bridges: there are many aggressive bloggers out there. When you are your own boss and don’t depend on anyone, it is easy to be aggressive and push the boundaries. But if you want to ever jump back in the job market, you want to make sure you don’t burn your bridges with your blog posts. Employers will pay attention to your blog when considering your application.
• treat it as a business: just because you know how to blog does not mean you have a business. In order to succeed in this field, you need to treat your blog as a business. Those who don’t take blogging seriously won’t get anywhere.
• build your credentials: writing about what your industry can make your skills more polished. As you do research for your posts and publish killer ones, you learn new things and your stature grows. You will have an easier time getting back in the job market if you have a well established blog and a well rounded resume.

Getting unemployed is not fun. Some people spend weeks trying to get over the shock of not having a job. The fact is a lot of people are making money online without having a “formal” job. You can too. It just takes work, dedication, and a positive attitude.

Image Credit: harper07

The job market is tough. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that. It’s not that jobs are not out there. It’s just that you have more people going for less positions. To put it in economic terms, you have a lot of demand but not that much supply. A lot of job searchers have been discouraged by the conditions in the job market, and some even stop searching. I know a lot of these people, and it’s heart breaking to see people struggle to make a living these days. But the question that I usually ask this folk is whether they blog. It’s really simple. If you don’t have a job and searching for a job, you are still going to have some time to blog on a daily basis. It’s never too late to start blogging, and who knows where it’s going to take you.

Many people are afraid of starting a blog. They feel blogging is done only by geeks and nerds. That attitude has started to change in the recent month as more people are realizing how easy it is to start a blog and start building business. Becoming a blogging superstar is not that easy. It does take a while, and a lot of work. But that doesn’t mean you should start. If you don’t get into the game, you are never going to succeed. Blogging can open a lot of doors for you. You may get consulting offers from your visitors. You can even write a book (a lot of bloggers have). Here are just a few things you can achieve with blogging:

• Find a job.
• Build up your resume (blogging looks good on your resume).
• Gain more on the job experience.
• Find consulting/short-term projects.
• Create an in-demand product.
• Make money from your blog.
• Sell your blog for profit.
• Set yourself up as a guru in your industry..
• Increase your marketability.
• Network with other bloggers and expand your network.
• Find new passions and enter new industries.
• …

Whether you are looking for a job or you already have one, there is still no reason not to start a blog. The sooner you start blogging, the better off you will be in the long run. Your blog will gain value over time and open doors for you in the future. It’s not just about money, but rather about building assets. One day you are going to be thankful you started your blog when you did.

Your take: what has stopped you from starting your own blog?