Thanks to the Internet, the world is getting smaller everyday. People are more connected now than ever, which means there is more competition to stand out than ever. In a CNN article titled Why Just Being Good at Your Job is Not Good Enough, journalist Mark Tutton talks about how getting lost in this ocean of noise can even have a direct impact on your career. With so many people so readily available, proving your relevancy may seem next to hopeless. But it’s not.
Right now, at this very second, you have at your fingertips all the tools and resources you need to do anything. Really. We live in an age where you can just wake up one morning and decide to cut an album, make a movie, or publish a book and can unleash your remarkable ideas upon the world in an instant. Gone are the days where you had to maneuver around the various barriers into these industries. Now, you just have to have some motivation and know where to start. You’re reading this blog too, so you’re already looking in the right places.
Building a successful career begins with knowing your worth. Lulu is centered around the idea that everyone is an expert in something – no matter if you’re a model train builder, a prized physicist, a world-class chef, or a dedicated couch potato. Your unique knowledge and experiences are what make you, you, and what better way to share that knowledge and expertise than through a published book?
“Writing a book…instantly establishes your credibility to potential customers and employers” Dan Schwabel, author of Me 2.0, told Tutton. “You can self proclaim you’re an expert in your field all day long but the book is…your calling card.”
Whether you’re going for a job interview, meeting colleagues at a conference, or working on a big partnership, imagine how much more memorable you’d be when everyone else puts their cards on the table and you sit down your book. Or think about the lasting impression you’d leave if you said: “Oh, you can find me in the iBookstore and on Amazon.”
“If you look at two resumes and they look the same, but one person wrote a book on the topic you’re interviewing for, you’re going to show more interest in that person,” Schwabel tells Tutton. “Whether it’s a blog, an eBook or a published book, you’ve got to have something now, and a book has the most credibility.”
To Schwabel’s point, if writing and publishing a book seems overwhelming right now, try starting a blog or anything else that gets your name and your content out there. You’re building a brand for yourself though, so remember to treat yourself like a business and be respectful of anyone you’re reaching out to. For more help on marketing your work once you’ve gotten it out there, check out this recent post.
The Littlest Ninja
