Since embarking on my blogging journey only four months ago, there have been a few unexpected but welcome benefits along the way.

As bloggers, we all love attention which was why I was thrilled to be mentioned in the wonderful Suzie81’s blog last week as a competition winner. I can honestly say that I would blog even without an audience because I enjoy the creative process and find great pleasure in throwing down on digital paper the funny or interesting episodes from my travelogue if only for my own endless amusement.

Since returning to Ireland some seven weeks ago, I tentatively began sharing my blog with people on my social network community mainly to avoid repeating myself when asked the question ‘What did you get up to on your travels?“. Through word of mouth my blog generated a little interest until it reached a company based just outside of Belfast. They were sufficiently impressed enough by the content to hire my unemployed and broke ass in a part-time freelance capacity. The goal was to create compelling content and expand their social media footprint online. Not an easy thing to do because they provide a super-premium pet food for dogs and cats, of which I own the grand total of zero.

I have never been paid for my writing skills before so I was extremely excited and thankful for the opportunity.

Another positive gleamed has been receiving recognition for my personal blog in the best newcomer category for the Irish Blog Awards which was a nice surprise, considering my slow but growing following.

Blogging will always be a hobby for me. It will never pay the bills. But what I’ve learnt so far is that it can certainly make your own ‘brand‘ much more appealing, especially if looking for employment  like I was. This week I was offered a role with an exciting tech start up company who provide an inbound marketing solution.

With the feedback I received in the interview, they were most impressed by my current freelance blogging gig, creating ‘sticky’ compelling content which was SEO compatible, and leveraging the power of social media to reach potential customers with that message.

This, in the prospective employers eyes, was an incredibly desirable skill-set to have (which most bloggers already have without knowing it), showing initiative, technical ability, social awareness and a solid grasp of marketing.

Whether I made waves with my various posts for the company, or brought hordes of traffic to their Facebook page is beside the point. The fact is, I was going out there and doing it – BEING PROACTIVE.

In my eyes, I was just creating catchy posts and sharing them on Facebook. However, in the employers eyes I was a freelance blogger and social media expert.

Admittedly an image I played up to in the interview. After all, such a role is well sought after in this digital age with companies clamouring for attention trying shift their efforts into the digital stream where potentially millions more customers lie in wait.

Sales pays the bills for me. That is what I do for a living. But the simple act of creating a personal blog and getting some traction through that and a lucky break, may have been the difference between getting a new job and not.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make the difference, and in this recession with competition for places, every little counts.