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Yesterday, while the girls and I were enjoying some FRO-YO at yogurtland, a young lady was having an interview at the table in front of us.  I’m not one to spy & snoop, but I couldn’t help but listen every now and then.

 

The interview, from my vantage point, seemed pretty laxed.  She was wearing jeans, a floral top and leopard print flats.  And from the outside looking in, they looked like 2 people just talking and hanging out.

 

As I listened in, between bites from my pb/choc/pistachio mix, I started thinking about my last job interview & noticed a big correlation between blogging & interviewing.

 

The last interview I had was back in December 2010…for the previous design gig I had.

 

I remember feeling so nervous, but yet so brave…trying to muster up any confidence I had.  So I prepared like crazy!…

 

-Re-did my whole portfolio book in a matter of 2 days with no sleep!  It had to look perfect!

 

-Created a few design projects for the co. even though I wasn’t asked.

 

-Researched the company and it’s culture…making sure I knew almost anything & everything about the co.

 

-Got all the obligatory interview materials ready (i.e. business cards, resume, references)

 

-Laid out a nice ensemble for the interview

 

-Mapped out the directions to the job site, so that I wouldn’t get lost and was on time.

 

I was prepared!  And it paid off!  I got the job and the salary I was asking for!  A huge stepping stone in my design career.

 

I was eventually laid off 6 months later.  But the gusto I had, the go get ‘em attitude…I rocked it!  And I gotta tell you…the same goes for blogging.

 

I’m not yet among the ranks of say, “Young House Love,” or “Making It Lovely.”  But I will get there…you have my WORD!

 

And all the prep I did for that last interview, you gotta rock the same attitude for your blog:

 

-Look your best!…Even if you don’t have the money to get a nice customized blog design, there are lots of ways to add your personality to your blog. (i.e. header, favicon, buttons, font, color, about me…just to name a few)  Image is everything when you have an interview…and the same goes for your blog.  When a person visits your blog, you have 5-10 sec. to impress them and keep them engaged.  If they don’t like what they see, they’ll move on.  Keep your site interesting, but don’t’ lose sight of who you are, and what voice you have.

 

-Do the research!…Know what you’re talking about & be a professional on the subject!  The people who will be following you want to feel like they can trust you, and your judgement.

 

-Have the tools!…Having a blog is great, but readers (YOUR readers) want to be able to talk with you, interact with you.  Give them options!  I have several social media options for all my readers: Twitter, Facebook Fan Page, Instagram (laidoffmom), Pinterest, Klout.

 

-Be Organized!…Your readers should be able to navigate your site easily.  If they are having a hard time trying to find a previous post, or a specific category, you’ve already lost them.  Make it easy for them, and they’ll reward you with their loyalty.

 

-Be yourself!…When I was spying on that interview, the big thing that I noticed was the easygoing nature of the conversation.  The interviewee wasn’t trying too hard..she was comfortable talking about her previous jobs, her educational/career goals & herself/where she was from.  Don’t be someone you’re not.  People can smell dishonesty a mile away.

 

-Be proactive!…Don’t wait for someone to offer you a sponsorhip or a guest post.  It never hurts to ask!  The worst that can happen is they say, NO….and if they do, move on.  It’s not the end of the world.  You may not be a great fit for that blog/company now, but who knows…maybe you will be, in the future.

 

-Be polite!…When you have an interview, what’s the first thing you do?  You say Hi, nice to meet you…and you shake their hand.  Same goes for blogging.  Offer a hand, and a warm greeting….I noticed that the blogs that are successful, are the ones that make you feel at home and welcome.  You will meet readers and other bloggers from around the world…offer them a nice hello, and not a snotty/nose up in the air, hello.   You’ll be amazed at the great friends you meet along the way.

 

-Confidence!…Behind every great endeavor, is a great pilot.  The more confident you are about the path you want your life/blog to go, the more likely you’ll succeed in reaching your intended destination.  You’ll get there…you just need faith!

 

This is just a few bloggy blog things I’ve observed myself.  There is a slew of other things that you can do to make your blog even more successful…but you’ll never know til you try! Good luck!  And check out my DIY Lamp Shade Tutorial over at The Humber Home Project, today!  I’m house crashing over there, while Ash gets hitched!!