Interview with a blogger - Mark Hobson

Mark has been in recruitment for 13 years, working in most sectors including contractors, IT, sales and retained search. He has also worked in all shapes and sizes of companies, from large Corporates, to small specialist firms- and have also ran my own firm.  Some time ago he made a move to ProjectHouse, and is now selling software to the recruitment industry software to the recruitment industry. His blog covers "general ramblings about the recruitment industry, for recruiters, for candidates and for clients".

How long have  you been blogging?
For about 6 months or so.

Why did you start?
I work from home a lot and missed the regular banter and chats about recruitment, so I started putting a few opinions about the industry in a blog. As I stumble across useful bits of information relating to recruitment pop that in a post as well. 

What do you do, work related, when you aren't blogging?
I sell recruitment software with one of the longest established players in the market - ProjectHouse.

Do you think blogging has helped your business?
Absolutely. It started off as just something to do, but it is now a useful business tool. I’ve had a fair number of people request demonstrations of our software from it, a good portion of whom are now users. It is probably nothing to do with what I’m banging on about, more a case of coming across my blog while they searched for something recruitment-related on the Internet. It has certainly helped broaden my network too, with people from the recruitment industry regularly getting in touch with comments. Occasionally they say I’m talking rubbish, other times to agree or add to what I’m saying, in either case it starts a discussion which turns into a regular contact.

Obviously having potential clients contact me via my blog helps business, but just as important is talking to a wide range of people from the industry and knowing what their thoughts on where recruitment and technology is going. Blogging enables me to do this.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge about writing a blog?
Getting the balance right between writing something interesting that might prompt a discussion, and something that just sounds like you’re full of your own self importance is difficult. I’m still trying to get it right and so far my posts land somewhere in the play-it-safe-but-dull region. I’m still learning!

What's another blog that you read and why do you recommend it?
There are a few I read that will probably be of no interest to anyone - like Jonathan Hotchkiss' triathlon training blog, Ian Lee (the comedian/radio dj) before he got bored and stopped writing it,and a new one by Stephen Fry - very funny except he keeps using long words that I don’t understand.

What do you want your reader’s to know about you?
I’m always keen to expand my network of contacts across the industry and hearing people’s views of the industry - drop me a line! I promise I won’t try and sell software to you…

If you knew someone was thinking about starting a recruitment related blog, what advice would you want to give them?
Be interesting, post often, link to as much as you can- all the things I haven’t quite got round to doing yet!

Is there a question you wished I asked you?
What three things annoy you most in life? Instruction manuals, a puncture when I’m cycling, Nigella Lawson.