Picture this: You’re an IT manager with 10 years of work experience. You graduated from a reputable institution and have had no trouble securing jobs and promotions in an otherwise turbulent economy. You’ve got a lot of things going for you. So why should you consider blogging?
Let’s be honest, blogging isn’t the first thing technology professionals think of when they want to develop themselves further. And why should they, with all the artists, chefs, and marketers that are out there, taking up space on the Internet? But this is a misconception. There is a huge audience on the Internet taking part in the IT dialogue, and there are great benefits to blogging that you might not have considered. To address your doubts, I’ve put together a list of the top five reasons why technology professionals should start blogging today.
1. Build your name.
Blogging is an excellent way to enhance your personal recognition in the IT community as a knowledgeable and insightful expert in your field. There’s no better way to openly display your expertise than to talk about it, especially with a boundless possibility of audiences and potential interaction.
2. Learn.
Through your blog posts, you are not only imparting valuable information, but it is also a great medium to learn for your own professional development by exploring other IT professional blogs. Actively blogging and leaving comments on other blogs is a great way to spark healthy and lively debate on IT issues, and a means by which you can gain more insight.
3. Make a difference.
As a professional, you are probably bubbling with ideas on how companies can improve their IT processes. Join the community of movers and shakers online and build awareness through dialogue that can perhaps persuade the IT community to get behind an idea. Being part of the online community is an incredibly effective way to influence change.
4. Meet new people.
By investing a small portion of your time interacting with the blogging community, you open up a window to a huge network of IT professionals. What you want to do with all these new contacts depends on how you keep in touch online. In order to appreciate this benefit though, you must maintain a continuous presence through your blog posts and interactions.
5. Become a better writer.
From your first couple of blog posts, you might be taken aback by how challenging writing can be. But blogging consistently will develop this skill, and at the core, writing is a form of communication, which always has a place in the professional setting. Complement your technical expertise with strong communications skills to get your values across to your colleagues.
Remember that this list isn’t exhaustive, and the benefits of blogging go far beyond this. The only way you can find out how blogging can benefit you is to start. Still have doubts? Check out this list of 50 Must-Read IT blogs by BizNet if you’re still not inspired. Fortunately, IT World Canada can provide a platform for you to blog where you only have to worry about writing, instead of all the other hassles of starting a blog such as purchasing a domain name or designing the blog layout, and of course, building your readership from zero. At IT World Canada, your blog posts will be regularly circulated to an established community of qualified bloggers and subscribers through our weekly newsletters, and promoted through our social media channels. There are also other IT professional bloggers that you can interact with.
If you’re thinking about blogging, even if you’re on the fence, feel free to drop me a line at hahmed@itwc.ca. We can get in touch and discuss what topics you might be interested in, the kind of support our staff can provide you, and what you can get out of blogging.