You’re Invited to Blog for Us!

Whether you’ve had one life-long career or a series of professional chapters, you’re dipping your toes in the employment waters or maybe you are an inveterate volunteer, your experience and advice are valuable. Please share your stories and wisdom through our new guest blogging platform.

Who can blog? Anyone and everyone! Alums, friends of Grinnell, students, staff, faculty, employers—your unique perspective will be welcome on our site.

What shall I write about? Tell a story from your experience that illuminates some element of your career, life, or service and the lessons you learned along the way. For some suggestions, see our brainstorming list below. If you’d like more guidance on writing for the web, visit our resource “Bios and Blogs and Listicles, Oh My!”

When will I be published? After you click submit, CLS staff members will review your submission. We will edit your blog and publish it to our site when and where it best fits our site goals. If we have any questions for you, we’ll reach out. Otherwise, watch for your blog to appear on career.grinnell.edu!

Where do I go? Click the “Blog for Us” button on any page of our website.

Why blog for the CLS? For students, you could add a publication credit to your résumé. Alums and others who are through the transition from college to the working world—you have life experience to share with our student readers. Please do!

How long should it be? Focus your blog post on one idea or story (we welcome multiple submissions from an individual writer). Think of engaging a reader for just the time it takes to enjoy a morning cup of coffee before class.

Brainstorming. If you’ve already got an idea, click “Blog for Us” now! Otherwise, read on for some prompts to get your creative ideas flowing. Thank you for blogging for the CLS. We look forward to reading and sharing your posts.

Employment Matters

  • What I wish I knew about a first job
  • What to do when a job challenges your core values
  • Managing tough conversations with your boss
  • Taking responsibility for a mistake at work
  • Alum reflection: What career path can you follow with a <insert major>?
  • Industry insider: What I wish I had known prior to entering <insert profession>?
  • Level-up: Perspective on <insert topic/skill> (e.g., networking, technical resumes, interviewing, etc.)
  • Relationships at work
  • Tell us the story of one of your work chapters—what were the lessons?
  • What lessons from Grinnell courses make an impact in your work
  • Industry/alumni: What are in-demand skills or great break experiences that are needed in your industry?
  • What happened when I didn’t get the job I thought I wanted?

Life Skills

  • My identity and navigating the world of work
  • Managing work-life balance
  • Insights on navigating life (e.g., knowing when to quit, financial literacy tips, etc.)
  • What to wear and why it matters
  • Which comes first, grad school or off to the working world?
  • How to handle disappointment when you don’t get the job you were hoping to.
  • Advice to your younger self.

Service Goals

  • What I wish I knew about activism
  • Managing to live a civic life and a professional one
  • How volunteering helped me discover my purpose

Especially for Students

  • Tell us about your internship experience—the surprises and the lessons
  • Share a meaningful volunteer experience
  • What did you learn from a job shadowing experience?
  • Who or what experience influenced your intended professional path?

Examples of Guest Blogs

You're invited to Blog for Us graphic.
By Robin Bourjaily
Robin Bourjaily Exploratory Adviser