Applying for Blogging Jobs - Do You Need A Resume?

Recently someone asked me about blogging resumes. As in do you need one, and if so how should your resume look. The short answer to this is you won’t need a full-on resume for most

The three kinds of blog gigs I’ve applied for are; network-based, individual client or business owed blogs, and word of mouth blogs. Word of mouth blog is my catch all phrase for blog gigs that I hear about because one, I know the individual hiring, or two, I was referred by a good friend who knows the person hiring.

I stick to one general rule when it comes to applying for blogging jobs. I give the hiring party what they ask for. I read the ad, follow directions, and tell them what they want to know. Plenty of people DO NOT follow basic directions when applying for writing jobs. If you do follow directions, you’re already one step ahead of many applicants.

There are two times when I won’t follow directions. One is when I’m asked to submit newly written original clips. Two is when I’m asked to quote a rate, but the ad is too vague regarding required tasks and hours. I’ll discuss these two issues in an upcoming post. (Stay tuned)

With network blogs, there’s usually some sort of application page. The best way to apply for a network gig, is to read their application and/or job opening page carefully, and then follow their directions for applying. In my experience, a network is far more likely to hire you if you apply for a blog opening they have already, vs. suggesting a new blog.

With word of mouth blogs, I’m very brief. I’ll send a quick email that begins with how I know about the gig; i.e. “Bob Smith let me know that you’re looking for an architect blogger for Architect.com; here are my qualifications and time available.” I’m brief, because I don’t know what they want to hear, other than I know they need a blogger. Also, sending a potential client too much info, is worse, in my opinion, then bare basics. No one likes wading through wordy emails.

When it comes to applying for individual client or business owed blogs, first of all, I tell them what they want to hear based on what they wrote in their ad. Personally, I’ve never had a potential client ask for a standard resume. Usually clients want a cover letter or introduction letter of sorts. If they don’t ask, don’t send a full resume. Blogging tends to involve brevity, or at least showing that you can be brief when asked. If a client asks for a short introduction letter, and you send a resume, refs, and a cover letter, they’re probably going to wonder if you’ll ever be able to follow directions.

The actual introduction email letter: I’ve posted a sample intro letter with a breakdown of what’s what, as its own post - Sample Introduction Letter.

Do you usually submit a resume or an introduction letter when applying for blogging jobs?

October 11, 2008 | Filed Under Blogging Jobs, Blogging for Others, Link Love | Leave a Comment 

A Few Blogging Tips from Darren Rowse

Darren Rowse

Deb’s Note: In December 2006 I interviewed Darren Rowse while auditionin for a job with About.com. I did get the job and worked as About.com’s Guide to Weblogs for a year in 2007. I’m reprinting some of my greatest hits here. I also conducted interviews with John Chow, the Go Fug Yourself ladies, NBT’s own Gayla McCord and Jeremy Wright. Expect to see those profiles here in the upcoming months. This interview was from the first time I spoke with Darren - now he’s someone I’m happy and proud to call friend. He’s just as helpful and gracious now as he was a couple of years ago.

If you’re interested in blogging professionally, you’re sure to have come across Darren Rowse’s ProBlogger Blog Tips. ProBlogger offers useful tips, an eye pleasing template and writing that won’t send you to the dictionary every five minutes. The tips are practical and you’ll always click away from your daily reading with information you can use. Who is Darren Rowse and how did he come to be a professional blogger?

Darren  began blogging professionally since 2002 on the advice of a friend. While he maintains about 20 blogs, it’s ProBlogger Blog Tips that has captured the attention of many aspiring professional bloggers. Behold the wisdom that is Darren Rowse.

Darren Rowse on The Appeal of Blogs: Probably the first thing that captured my attention with blogs wasthe ability that they gave the average person to have a voice and be  listened to on a global scale on their topic of interest.Secondly - they are so easy to set up and maintain. As someone with  very little technical ability the idea of being able to set up a  website in just a few minutes (I was using Blogger when I first  started) was very appealing.

Lastly (and there could be many more) - the conversation that I saw  happening on the first blogs that I cameacross was very attractive.  Here were people all around the world talking about my interests,
sharing ideas, giving each other feedback and building community - I  just had to be a part of it.

Darren Rowse on Mistakes Made by Aspiring Pro Bloggers:

Giving up too quickly. I see many bloggers start blogs with dollar  signs in their eyes, thinking that they’ll be earning big dollars  very quickly, only to find that it takes many months (or years) to  get a blog running to it’s potential.

Darren Rowse on How to Become a Full Time Professional Blogger:

In short.

Darren Rowse’s Advice to Those Just Starting Out as Professional Bloggers:

Start out with a topic that you enjoy. Blogs take a long time to  build up to a point where you’ll earn a good income from them and as  a result you’ll need to be able to see yourself writing on that topic
for the long term.

Darren Rowse on the Future of Blogging: I think we’ll continue to see the collision of many different mediums into one. Video, Audio, Static Images, Blogging, Social Networking,  Bookmarking etc will continue to merge and evolve.

As you can see, Darren’s advice is still valuable today. It’s a formula that has worked for him for several years.

July 22, 2008 | Filed Under Blogging for Others, Link Love | 1 Comment 

Weekend Link Love - For July 20th 2008

As a network blogger or blogger for hire, what are some of the things you hope to see here at Network Blogging Tips? Are we covering the bases? Is there something you would like to see but so far haven’t? Tell us in the comments. In the meantime, here’s what I’m reading this weekend:

Have a great rest of the weekend!

- Deb

July 20, 2008 | Filed Under Link Love | Leave a Comment 

NBT Weekend Link Love - July 5th -6th 2008

There are some great posts of interest to bloggers this weekend. I hope you find these useful. Some are tips, some are news and all caught my attention.

This weekend’s link love:

July 5, 2008 | Filed Under Link Love | 1 Comment 

sATURDAY mORNING lINK lOVE - jUNE 28, 2008

Just a quick rundown this weekend as I have a date with a picnic basket and a fishing rod.

Here’s what I’m reading this weekend:

Have a great weekend!

June 28, 2008 | Filed Under Link Love | 1 Comment 

NBT Weekend Link Love - June 21, 2008

Morning bloggers. I really want to go out and do cool things, so I’ll just get to the point. Well, not really. Has everyone been keeping up with the Associated Press thing? If you’re not up on what it is and what it means to you as a blogger, I recommend you take the time out to learn about it, because how you quote the news can come back to haunt you. I’ll include relevant links when I can.

Her’s what I’m reading this weekend:

Have a great Saturday!

 

Deb

June 21, 2008 | Filed Under Link Love | Leave a Comment 

NBT Weekend Link Love June 14th & 15th, 2008

Happy Saturday, blogging friends. It’s looks to be a great weekend with no shortage of great things to read.

Congratulations to Proud Pappa, Darren Rowse. There’s a new edition to his family today. What a great Father’s Day gift.

Here are a few items of interest:

Have a great weekend, friends.

June 15, 2008 | Filed Under Link Love | 1 Comment 

Weekend Link Love for June 1st 2008

Since you’re probably out having a life, I’ve taken it upon myself to find some links you might find interesting or useful. Have a great Sunday!

Have a great Sunday!

- Deb

June 1, 2008 | Filed Under Link Love | Leave a Comment 

No Link Love For Blogging Bloggers Today

I was going to link to some good blogging posts today, but decided not to. Deb did on Sunday anyhow, and we read a lot of the same stuff.

I like blogs in the niches I blog best; probably because I (thankfully) get to blog what I enjoy. I love architect bloggers, and also really like blogging and green bloggers. These are the topics I write about most, and likewise the blogs I visit most.

However, breaking out of your niche is cool. I think bloggers should have a good handful of blogs, that don’t relate to their own topic, that they visit on a regular basis. There are payoffs for visiting outside of niche blogs. The biggest is you have no idea what other people read. If folks see you around, making comments, they might click your name and like what they see. Sometimes you get the oddest, most seemingly out of character readers.

Example: For the longest time, at Offbeat Homes, I got a ton of page views from one guy. I went to investigate. Turns out he didn’t even have a blog, he was on one of the social network sites - MySpace or something like it, where we had one friend in common. All this kid (he was young) talked about was beer. How to get it, drink it, and beer based shenanigans; typical kid just found beer behavior. He did however, like my blog. He’d link to it, and this kid had oodles of pals, who also only talked about beer, but they liked beer guy, so they’d click on his links. End result, me with lots of page views (and some odd comments - but I can live with that). You never know who might like you.

Another benefit is it keeps you from wearing out. Maybe five of my blogs are green, or have a heavy eco slant. I love green, really, but sometimes I’m just so tired of thinking about it all the time. Reading outside of my niche probably saves me from complete and total saturation; my brain gets a rest. You can also get some quirky ideas. You’ll find stuff you don’t normally blog about, that you can perhaps slant to your topic. All in all it keeps things fresh.

So today, forget reading all the blogging blogs, forget blogs in your niche, go find something new. If you have no clue where to start, here are five random ‘out of my niche’ blogs I visit.

Now tell me five out of your niche blogs you like. I need some nice new reading.

May 28, 2008 | Filed Under Blog Tips, Blog Traffic, Link Love, Niche Blogging | 12 Comments 

Memorial Day Weekend Link Love

Here in the United States is a holiday weekend, though many bloggers are still working. I’ve been spending most of my time with my family but I’m sure to pay for that in a day or two! If you’re looking for a little holiday weekend reading, here are a few items of interest:

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Deb

May 25, 2008 | Filed Under Link Love | 2 Comments 

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