Guest Post Requests: Separating the Gems from the Junk

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What is a guest post? A guest post is an article written and published on someone else's website or blog.

Oh, you wouldn't believe the silliness I've seen in my Gmail accounts when it comes to requests to post on my blogs. I use the word "silly" loosely, the laziness is so rampant it's actually rather maddening.

Thankfully, I've sharpened my radar and can separate the gems from the junk.

3 Easy Things . . .

When I receive a request to guest post on one of my blogs, here are a few things I look for:

  • The requestor actually read the blog. A claim to be an avid reader falls flat with the suggestion that,"Don't Break Your Diet When Ordering Pizza" would be a perfect fit for the site. Liar.
  • The pitch is customized. A claim to have post titled "xxx" prepared soley for this blog falls flat when the same claim shows up in the two separate email accounts I maintain for each of my blogs. Caught.
  • Grace. Arguing with me when I respond that a submission does not align with the focus or direction of the site or speak to readers the way I want it to is fruitless. It's my blog.

If I receive a request that I believe is sincere, I will respond but if the requester is not going to take their request or my time seriously I will not.

 . . . . To Help Me Help You Help Me

Here, on this blog, guest posts do not occur without a personal connection and smart content. It wasn't always that way but I've learned the difference between quantity and quality and, for now, this works for me.

Now, Women of HR is a different story. As a multi-contributor blog, Women of HR exists because of our regular writers and guest contributors. Some of our best contributions started with a cold-email. It can be done. But you have to be serious about it.

I need you for your voice, your ideas and your diversity. Whether it be for exposure, a place to write or a community to join, you need me too.

You don't have to have your own blog to submit. You don't even have to think you are an awesome writer (hint: you are better than you think you are). If you have the desire to write, are willing to work with me and my suggestions, we'll get a post up that will be well received. Guaranteed.

Write from the heart, do your homework and it could be a match made in <blog> heaven.

Photo credit: iStockphoto

Career Advice from Women of HR

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When I am not here, I am playing over at Women of HR.

What's Women of HR you ask? Women of HR is a multi-contributor blog dedicated to the development of women in human resources and business. This month, the Women of HR wanted to talk career so they are doing just that  . . . offering readers insights and advice on career enhancement drawn from years of experience.

Last week, Sally Williamson started us off with 3 impressions that keep women from advancing and Erin Palmer followed up asking {blah, blah, blah} if you were a constant complainer.

Coming up we have Andrea Ballared wondering asking if the paper resume is dead, Miriam Salpeter warns you that a job today is no guarantee of a job tomorrow, Nisha Ragavan shows you how you can  fill employment gaps for free and April Kunzelman encourages you to interview your interviewer.

Do you want more? How about the importance of preparing your references, four myths of self employment, five tips to prepare you for salary negotiation, the power of a network and moving beyond simply knowing you have choices to embracing choice

To keep tabs on the series, you can subscribe to RSS or email updates from or you can click in the follow the category link, Women of HR Series: Career on the Women of HR sidebar.

While you are there,  check out the other Women of HR series. The first is Hindsight 20/20 where the contributors looked back and shared lessons learned and the second is the 6 Rules to Break series in which contrributors share their thoughts and reactions to a manifesto called Six Rules Women Must Break In Order to Succeed.

Like what you see? There's more. You can friend, follow, like, join, link, or tweet Women of HR anyway you like.

Photo credit iStockphoto