Interview with a blogger - Guru

So far, we have interviewed only "real" people, with no need for pseudonyms, in this series.  However, one of the sites we list on the UK Recruitment Blogs Feed is the very amusing "Personnel Today - Guru blog". 

How long have you been blogging?
Guru's first blog post was on 18 February 2007, so just over seven months. The Guru blog was the first of what is now a suite of blogs from the Personnel Today portfolio.

Why did you start?
Previously, Guru's disciples had to wait until the magazine arrived each week to benefit from his wit and wisdom (Guru writes the back page column in Personnel Today). Guru was looking for a more immediate and interactive medium with which to impart his sagacity, and blogging provided just such a platform.

What do you do, work related, when you aren't blogging?
Yours Truly is not the sort of guru who sits around with his legs crossed, surrounded with joss sticks going "ummm" a lot. This Guru is a business journalist by trade with a deep interest in the world of work, and in particular human resources and people management.

Do you think blogging has helped your business?
Personnel Today's fledgling blogs are already attracting a loyal audience - 10,000+ unique visitors and 20,000+ page views per month and rising fast. That already represents a 5% uplift in site traffic to PersonnelToday.com, which we can monetise. The blogs are also generating some really interesting user generated content, especially Natalie Cooper's The Work Clinic, which we are recycling into the magazine and using to develop news and feature ideas.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge about writing a blog?
It's undoubtedly the time commitment. Guru always thought that producing a weekly magazine column was like being on a treadmill. But pledging to post daily on a blog requires a whole new level of dedication. And blogging properly - reading, commenting and linking to all the other great HR blog stuff out there - is almost impossible if you're holding down a day job too and don't want to sacrifice your personal and family life.

What's another blog that you read and why do you recommend it?
Guru has a special relationship with two other bloggers in his field. There's a love/hate thing going on with Peter Gold at the Hire Strategies e-recruitment blog, and a love/love thing happening with Rick at Flip Chart Fairy Tales. Both are really entering into the spirit of the medium. Of course the other Personnel Today blogs are excellent - look out in particular for the new Editor's Blog, promising to cover all the juicy stuff the Personnel Today team couldn't possibly write in the magazine!

What do you want your readers to know about you?
Nothing (it's good to retain an air of mystery), except perhaps that Guru is a considerate and wonderful lover.

If you knew someone was thinking about starting a recruitment related blog, what advice would you want to give them?
Link to, aggregate, mash-up, signpost and create interesting content. Develop a convincing persona, and stay true to the character. Also, get to know your fellow recruitment bloggers - why not meet up with them in person? At the very least it's an excuse for a long, boozy lunch!

Is there a question you wished I asked you?
How do you keep that blue skin so baby soft?

Comments

[Rick]

Something else about Guru - he likes a few beers, although sitting in the pub talking to a bloke with a blue head can be a bit embarrassing.

Thanks for the beer and the blog plug Guru.