Getting experience and demonstrating experience in a field you want to move into can be challenging, especially when the current economic challenges are making job opportunities so difficult. This is particularly the case for anyone wanting to change careers as well as the youth in our community who are at school, college, TAFE and University coming out into a competitive market place.
Making the opportunities for experience is falling more and more onto the shoulders of the individuals who want the jobs. Of course the tried and true method of getting work experience with a variety of employers remains important, particularly as it’s great for building a network and demonstrating being willing to work.
A more contemporary way to show passion, knowledge and willingness to make things happen is to develop a blog about the field you’re seeking to make a living in. A blog offers a lot of scope, is cheap, can be setup and maintained at any hour and has the potential to earn income through advertising – ticking off the important criteria. Blogs can range from being wordy diatribes to mainly emotional inspiring image based with few words to anything in between. With a blog you can explore a whole range of ideas all connected to the one theme. So say for someone interested in the competitive fashion industry having a blog about fashion could include entries about fashion shows around the world, tips for getting into the industry, designers – their stories, styles, shows etc, fabric and textiles – you get the idea.
For someone wanting to get into marketing their blog could be all about what’s involved in marketing and advertising, different tactics and strategies, business case stories, and all the while learning more about the industry and skills that are needed. Want to get into animal care – a blog about caring for animals, stories about animals around the world, profiles of zoos and the people who have made a real difference.
With blogs you can add entries every day, few days, fortnight or month. Build up a following and you’ll be surprised at the income opportunities that also give more choice. So when you do want to show a prospective employer that you’re sincere about getting into the industry and have a reasonable idea you know what you’re on about, a blog will clearly demonstrate your authenticity.
Don’t worry about the blog showing your learning curve – employers want to know you can handle a learning curve. To them it is impressive and you can talk about your lessons learnt from the process. No matter what happens, giving a themed blog a go is a great way to learn, try something new and give opportunity a chance to open doors for you.
By Belinda Stinson
Belinda is the editor and owner of the online magazine www.sheinspires.com.au and believes so much more can be achieved when we’re feeling strong and inspired.