What I learned from Australia’s most provocative recruitment blogger of 2016
If you are reading this blog I suspect you read other
recruitment blogs on a reasonably regular basis, via a subscription
service or your LinkedIn feed or some other method.
recruitment blogs on a reasonably regular basis, via a subscription
service or your LinkedIn feed or some other method.
Given your knowledge of the recruitment blogosphere
take a guess who in Australia published the most provocative recruitment
blog of 2016, as measured by comments?
take a guess who in Australia published the most provocative recruitment
blog of 2016, as measured by comments?
Greg Savage?
Craig Watson or Luke Collard?
In fact none of the above got even remotely close.
The winner by a country mile was
Andrew McGregor.
Andrew McGregor.
Andrew who? You ask.
Those of you in the property and construction sector
may recognise Andrew’s name because, as Associate Director, he runs the
Sydney operation of
Design & Build, having joined Neil Colquhoun’s business nearly seven
years before.
may recognise Andrew’s name because, as Associate Director, he runs the
Sydney operation of
Design & Build, having joined Neil Colquhoun’s business nearly seven
years before.
Last September Andrew posted on LinkedIn his short
blog
Really – Always leave the office on time.
blog
Really – Always leave the office on time.
It was Andrew’s 7 point, 633 word articulation of his
blog title’s proposition.
blog title’s proposition.
It would be an understatement to say that Andrew hit
a nerve with his post.
a nerve with his post.
As at the time of writing the post has racked up
241,720 likes, 9,485 comments and 65,292 shares.
241,720 likes, 9,485 comments and 65,292 shares.
To provide a comparison my most provocative blog
posts of my nearly ten years of blogging, by comments at least, are the
following:
Now Hiring 32 Professionals: All Agencies welcome to submit candidates*
posts of my nearly ten years of blogging, by comments at least, are the
following:
Now Hiring 32 Professionals: All Agencies welcome to submit candidates*
August 2009, 40 comments
Rec-to-recs: What should they deliver?
Rec-to-recs: What should they deliver?
May, 2010, 38 comments
Who the #&%! does Gen George think she is?
Who the #&%! does Gen George think she is?
December 2013, 36 comments
My own
contribution to the conversation around worker productivity
contribution to the conversation around worker productivity
Highly productive
workers take more breaks (and other surprises) generated
just over 1,000
views and produced no comments!
I note Greg Savage’s most popular post, over his
eight years of blogging, also is a blog about ’timing’;
How did it get to be ‘OK’ for people to be late for everything?
eight years of blogging, also is a blog about ’timing’;
How did it get to be ‘OK’ for people to be late for everything?
June 2010, 181 comments
Andrew’s post wasn’t just popular on LinkedIn; it
crossed over to
specialist websites, mainstream
media and, just last week, it was even reproduced as an opinion
piece in
The Scotsman (how could they resist; he’s a McGregor after all!).
crossed over to
specialist websites, mainstream
media and, just last week, it was even reproduced as an opinion
piece in
The Scotsman (how could they resist; he’s a McGregor after all!).
Here’s what I learned from Australia’s most read
recruitment blogger of 2016:
recruitment blogger of 2016:
Don’t worry about your lack of blogging experience
before you put your fingers to the keyboard
before you put your fingers to the keyboard
At the time of writing his
blog, Andrew had only published six blogs on LinkedIn.
blog, Andrew had only published six blogs on LinkedIn.
Keep it short
633 words is about two third’s the length of one of
my blog posts, which are often much longer.
my blog posts, which are often much longer.
Write from personal conviction
Design & Build’s culture is consistent with Andrew’s
post.
post.
Don’t be afraid to be controversial
A quick scroll down the comments will demonstrate
that Andrew hit a raw nerve for some readers.
that Andrew hit a raw nerve for some readers.
Andrew’ follow up blog post
Is ‘Always leaving the office on time’ really possible?
also proved popular although by the
standard of his original post on the topic it was liked a ‘mere’ 1,301
times, garnering ‘only’ 124 comments and leading to ‘just’ 281 shares.
Is ‘Always leaving the office on time’ really possible?
also proved popular although by the
standard of his original post on the topic it was liked a ‘mere’ 1,301
times, garnering ‘only’ 124 comments and leading to ‘just’ 281 shares.
I don’t know what all this enhanced profile has done for Andrew’s
business or the Design & Build brand generally, but I am sure it can’t
have done any harm. Who doesn’t like positive free publicity?
business or the Design & Build brand generally, but I am sure it can’t
have done any harm. Who doesn’t like positive free publicity?
I look forward to reading more from Australia’s most provocative
recruitment blogger throughout 2017.
recruitment blogger throughout 2017.
Well done, Andrew!
Thanks Ross
Very interesting two blogs. Sound advice for both life and work.