Many blogs thrive on controversy, and very few companies want that sort of controversy associated with their brand. A number of companies have even instituted policies banning employees from blogging entirely. Such policies are difficult to enforce, if you don’t blog about your work. If you are a computer programmer blogging about fly-fishing, your employer isn’t going to have a problem. But if you blog about the internal problems in your organization, you may be looking for a new job.

Anonymity won’t protect a blogger, either. Very few anonymous bloggers keep their identities a secret for long. Being called out on your anonymous postings can hurt your career, especially if you become known for negative remarks about your employer. As a general rule, if you are planning to blog about problems with your work, it’s better to simply not blog.

Numerous warnings aside, though, a blog can help your career. Blogging regularly can establish you as an expert on a subject, and prove your value to your organization. You don’t need credentials to blog about any topic, but if you can show yourself to be an expert, formally educated or not, you can use your blog as leverage for negotiating a promotion or a raise in your place of employment.

Blogging can also help you build a useful set of skills, as well. Familiarity with the Internet and online communication is rapidly becoming required for all fields, and the ability to write clearly remains vital to most careers. The easiest way to improve your writing skills is to write regularly, for which blogging is ideal. You also have concrete samples of your work to show: a lengthy list of written samples, as well as any design, photographic, marketing or technical work you’ve put into your blog.

So, blogging can offer a huge boon to your career, or it can cripple it. That depends on your topic and how you deal with sensitive subjects related to your job. Make sure you aware of your employer’s policy on blogging and take steps you can take to protect yourself and your job.

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