!anaj ,em s’taht

I have only ONCE in my life included the URL of my blog as a reference in an application - and regretted it the moment I had hit the ‘SEND’ button. Negotiating ones need for privacy and ones needs for communication is difficult enough with any blog - I still avoid to put my full name anywhere on this blog as I do not want everybody who knows my name to be able to have a daily update on my life and whereabouts at his fingertips.

Also, I am a bit wary of the influence that using this blog as a job reference might have on my blogging habits: I don’t want to end up writing self-censored and streamlined posts that would be fit to endorse a CV, but wouldn’t make sense to my friends and family. One of the main purposes of this blog is to serve as a repository for the things and ideas that cross my mind in a day, and blogging is a good instrument to add that layer of reflection that draws the line between an idea and an opinion, or an idea and a plan. Also, it helps me keeping my English in shape

photo by jenna77

What I DO mention occasionally is that I am a daily blogger - for instance when I applied for the editor training that I did in October/November. So far, however, nobody has ever asked for the URL - until today, that is, when I received an email from a consultancy who are looking for someone to take care of their Online PR (part-time!). I hesitated for a moment - then sent them link, also because I appreciated the fact that they had actually READ my application (is there anybody among you readers who has never been in a job interview where the people opposite you didn’t even know your CV?)

Nonetheless I added a little disclaimer: I am not a business blogger, and I am not using this blog as a PR or advertising tool. So whatever you may find here is a reflection of my personality, but it is not intended as a showcase of my PR skills

And to finish the story of that other company, the first and last ones to have received my blog URL in an application: Well, they turned out to be one of those unreliable parties who don’t even bother to send you a either notification of receipt or at least a letter of rejection. I wonder why these things still happen - if marketing and advertising is all about establishing good relations with potential clients, shouldn’t an advertising agency know better?

UPDATE: Lent is of course still on - it’s day three today, and I’m already having a craving for sugar. Looks like it’s going to be a bit tougher this year - but I will not waver, falter or compromise on this issue!