Celebrating 500 Blog Posts

The following article marks a significant milestone in my career: Celebrating 500 Blog Posts.

I wrote my first blog post in 2015. Ten years and 500 posts later, here we are! It’s been quite a journey and reaching this milestone strikes me as the perfect moment to reflect on this body of work.

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When I started writing articles a decade ago, I can honestly say that I had no idea what I was doing. Nowadays, I finally feel like I’m starting to get the hang of this thing called blogging.

Here’s a look back at some of the highlights from my first 500 blog posts.

Overview

The goal behind this post is to take a step back, reflect, and share wisdom.

I thought it would be fun to look back on some of the blog posts. Also, I figured this is a great opportunity for me to communicate why I wrote certain posts and how they can be helpful to job seekers.

Without further ado, here are my reflections on 500 blog posts.

Why I Post

After reaching 500 blog posts, I can tell you that blogging is not glamorous. It takes a lot of effort that often goes unacknowledged. My content has fairly low engagement (not many comments or shares). However, I can see from Google Analytics that people are clicking and reading (that’s all that matters).

Producing content is a no brainer as a business owner. It’s the best way for me to display my writing skills and career knowledge, which in turn drives organic traffic and attracts new customers.

Beyond that – I just like helping job seekers. I feel I have a lot of knowledge and experience to contribute. My entire career has been dedicated to helping job seekers achieve their goals and that’s what I care about.

My First Post

Resume Tips for Recent Grads (published January 4th, 2015) was my very first post on the JobStars Blog. I’ve since edited this to give it a more polished finish (the original post was pretty rough).

I don’t remember exactly why I chose this subject for my first post. Probably because it offered a simple starting point on a topic I felt relatively confident I could scrape together something half-way decent.

This isn’t a particularly special post, but it gets a mention for being the very first one.

My Favorite Post

Celebrity Resume of Michael Jordan (published February 7th, 2024) is my favorite post. That’s because I am a big sports fan. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago (in the 1990’s), I watched Chicago Bulls games religiously.

When the idea of doing a ‘Celebrity Resume’ struck me, I figured it’d be a fun and creative way to highlight my resume writing skills. I considered a bunch of different celebrities before settling on MJ.

I had a lot of fun putting together MJ’s Resume (here’s an image of how it turned out).

Company Headquarters (List)

List of Companies Headquartered in My City (published February 5th, 2019) is an extensive compilation of 2,000+ companies (organized by city) based on where their corporate headquarters are located.

The idea here is that it’s advantageous as a job seeker to look for work with a company that is based where you live. Why? I explain those reasons in Benefits of Targeting Employers with Local Headquarters.

You’ll notice it links to each organization’s Glassdoor page (instead of their company website). I’m a big proponent of using Glassdoor for doing research as I explain in Reasons for Using Glassdoor as a Job Seeker.

The message I’m trying to send here is that job seekers need to be more proactive. Stop relying on big job boards like Indeed. Start identifying companies you want to work for and skip the middlemen (job boards).

Rather than passively responding to job ads – you’re proactively seeking out companies and going directly to their website. Granted, this approach takes a little more ingenuity and effort than relying on job boards.

Professional Associations (List)

List of Professional Associations & Organizations (published June 30th, 2016) is by far the most popular post on the JobStars Blog. This single post routinely sees 50k – 100k page views every year.

The list contains 900+ membership-based organizations in multiple industries. It initially started as a pretty modest list, but the snowball effect took hold as I kept discovering new organizations to add.

Local Professional Associations & Organizations (published December 28th, 2018) is a similar compilation of professional associations (organized by city) featuring the local chapters of national organizations.

I am an advocate for bringing people together through professional associations. It’s a good way to boost your credentials while connecting with like-minded professionals who share your same interests.

In most cases, you’ll owe annual membership dues in order to maintain your status. So, it does require having some skin in the game. However, membership dues are usually modest and it’s worth the investment.

Events and Conferences (List)

List of Local Events and Conferences (published September 5th, 2019) is a collection of links to online resources (organized by city) for finding events like job fairs, networking events, and professional conferences.

It might be uncomfortable or inconvenient, but networking is one of the best things you can do for your career. You need to get out of the house and be in face-to-face situations where you can meet people.

Success in business largely depends on who you know. Events are a great way to meet new people and build your professional network. I talk about attending events in Tips for Growing Your Professional Network.

Employment Agencies (List)

Employment Agencies by Industry (published April 11th, 2015) is a compilation of 500+ recruiting firms (organized by industry) based on the agency’s specialization (everything from accounting to sports).

Employment Agencies by City (published April 17th, 2017) is a separate, but equally extensive compilation of recruiting firms (organized by US city). This list allows you to identify recruiting firms in your local area.

Executive Search Firms (published February 19th, 2017) features a list of recruiting firms that cater specifically to senior-level vacancies. These are appropriate if you’re targeting C-Suite / leadership roles of $150k+.

The idea behind these lists is to encourage job seekers to reach out to recruiting firms. The goal is to introduce yourself as a placement-worthy candidate. It may not lead to anything – but it’s worth a try.

Basically, all you need to do is visit each firm’s website, fill out the contact form on their website, and attach your Resume along with a note explaining what you’re looking for and how they can reach you.

Job Sites & Job Boards (List)

Niche Job Sites & Job Boards (published June 21st, 2015) features a collection of online resources (organized by industry) for tapping into newly posted job openings and announcements.

Local Job Sites & Job Boards (published March 9th, 2017) is a similar collection of online resources (organized by US city) for uncovering local opportunities within a particular geographic area.

The idea behind these lists is to encourage job seekers to diversify away from using large job boards, in favor of smaller platforms that are better aligned with the industry or city you live in.

One of my career highlights is seeing the Niche Job Sites post mentioned in ‘What Color is Your Parachute’, a famous book with 10,000,000 copies sold. On page 18, it mentions the list of Niche Job Sites.

Here’s a social media post I shared about this when I found out.

Professional Designations (List)

Professional Designations & Certifications (published June 21st, 2018) is a compilation of different certifications (organized by industry) for expanding your professional knowledge and credentials.

Similar to the other compilations on this post, I wanted to provide a centralized resource where people could begin to search for professional certification programs by industry and/or occupation.

Adding professional designations to your Resume and LinkedIn profile helps recruiters and hiring managers see that you meet industry standards and are qualified for specialized roles.

LinkedIn (Tag)

LinkedIn (tag) features a variety of posts on the holy grail of professional networking platforms (aka LinkedIn). I originally joined LinkedIn way back in October 2007 and have witnessed its evolution first-hand.

I’ve written many posts about LinkedIn, so it’s difficult to pick and choose which ones to call out. However, two good starting points are LinkedIn Profile Components and LinkedIn Profile Optimization Tips.

Besides those posts, might I also suggest Why LinkedIn Recommendations are a Good Idea, Benefits of Joining LinkedIn Groups, Posting on LinkedIn After Being Laid Off, and Adding Projects on LinkedIn.

Government (Tag)

Government (tag) features a variety of posts on the topic of federal employment. Applying to jobs with the U.S. federal government is a very different ball of wax from applying to jobs in the private sector.

Although I’ve never worked for the U.S. federal government, I’ve developed a strong interest in this topic over the years. I’m fascinated by the bureaucratic structure and unique challenges of federal employment.

If you’re interested in applying to federal jobs check out Transitioning from Private Sector to Federal Employment, Understanding the Federal Hiring Timeline, and How to Make a Federal Resume.

If you’re already a seasoned federal employee you may enjoy Tips for Selecting Your ECQ Stories, Understanding the SES Candidate Development Program, and How to Write ECQs Using CCAR.

Mrs. Potato Head

My secret weapon behind reaching 500 blog posts was my cat (Mrs. Potato Head). She loved sitting on my lap during blogging sessions. Reaching 500 posts without her is bittersweet. Blogging isn’t quite the same without her around. However, I am looking forward to adopting a new blogging friend in the near future.

Here’s a picture of Mrs. Potato Head.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, I hope you find this post helpful for connecting with the content on the JobStars Blog. The road to 500 posts has been long and winding. I’ve learned a lot and enjoyed the process.