Yes. But not like they were in 2009.
As Jeff Iannucci says when he asks the question, 17 years ago, a common interview question was about what blogs the candidate read. Today, I doubt many interviewers ask that question.
The matter of how people develop their skills is still very significant, and relevant to a role they might be going for. But blogs aren’t necessarily it. They could be, but just as relevant could be subscribing to YouTube channels, receiving a newsletter in your inbox, or hanging out on Reddit. Perhaps back in 2009 there weren’t so many ways of getting current information – but was it really so bad if someone got most of their information from books?
Writing a blog though, I think is hugely valuable. And not just because I still do. A candidate may never get asked about whether they write a blog, but the interviewer (or AI agent!) searches for the candidate online and finds the blog, then they can get an idea of who the candidate is ahead of time. Maybe this will bump them up to the top of the pile. Having material you’ve written online could be helpful, much like being a troll online might hurt your chances. Showing the world your personality and expertise can be a good thing.
In the user group I (still) run, I often get asked about how to find work. I tell them that they need to be more noticeable than the other candidates, even before the interview. That’s about having a presence on LinkedIn, writing articles, engaging with other experts’ articles, and even giving presentations. I tell them to think about what they would like to do day-to-day, and then write and present about that. Being seen as someone who can present and/or write (preferably in a way that doesn’t look like it’s been done by AI) can differentiate them. Not only will it increase their chances of landing an interview, but half the work is done already before they walk into the room. And ideally they keep presenting and writing even after they land the job, although I think many of them don’t.
I’ve blogged for over 20 years, and I’m not going to stop any time soon. I’ve built a career on being an expert, demonstrated by what I present and what I write. Long may that continue! I know I could be more active on the socials, whether it be around my technical career, my comedy, or my church, but I like to think that people can still spot my technical expertise through what I write.
@robfarley.com@bluesky (previously @rob_farley@twitter)
