How blogging can help career-building

Blogging is an obsessive craft. Some of the most passionate bloggers are full-time bloggers. Perhaps because of the fact that the Internet fosters thinking for yourself.

Most of us were brought up in a world where the majority opinion counts. The surprising thing about the majority opinion is that its roots are unknown. 'A government job is the way to go' your parents and relatives might tell you. Not because they have studied the benefits of government employment closely and compared it to all manner of jobs elsewhere. But simply because that is what they have been brought up to believe. That is what they have been told ever since they were old enough to spell 'JOB'.

I recently met a youngster who, at the age of twenty, didn't know what he was going to do with his life. He was a refreshing sight. All confused, and still determined not to go the way everyone else had. He likes talking about science. National Geographic, and Discovery Channel stuff. His biggest grouse with the world is that nobody 'gets' him. He would tell his plans (or lack of them) to his friends (people his age - his classmates) and get responses like, "You should get into engineering," or, "Don't dream of crazy things," or, "Come back to the real world."

Apparently, the real world comprises solely of engineers.

I got thinking about how well-suited the Internet is for those who refuse to let go of their uniqueness. Unlike in the real world, the accepted reality is not what the majority thinks it is. Reality is dictated by the maverick's interpretation. The web is a catalyst for great ideas. It is a place where a good idea can be itself, prove itself of use to millions and not have to fight 'accepted standards'.

What if the 20-year-old I just mentioned were online? What if he had a blog on which he wrote about popular science? What if he had a steady readership of... say... a 100 and grew it to a 1000 through regular and informative posts? He could turn it into a layman's science journal!

Imagine him networking with other science enthusiasts. Imagine him starting his own science quiz website and getting sponsorship from Nat Geo and Discovery. Or maybe he could get schools to pay him to organise science camps for kids. He could become a resource to TV channels and get featured on science shows as a guest. He could, in time, write books on various science topics.

Even if my optimistic dreams come up a little too short, his career would be more rewarding and useful than most engineers'.

Our schools need to take computer education to the next level. As it is, most kids learn on their own and end up knowing more than the folks who teach them. Talk to a teenager about gadgets and you will see my point.

The current system trains students to use the web like they would use the typewriter. Use Google to do homework. Use email to send your resume. Use chat and social networking to hang out with friends. No wonder Orkut and chat are seen as wastes of time.

We need to learn the web. All over again. The medium is the message.