Publish or perish is not just for academics, it turns out. Your content strategy represents your net worth to employers, according to a marketer who coaches professionals on the importance of “content assets” in their careers. Credit: Borges; You Tube.

Bernie Borges, a marketer by trade, fell into an unexpected role as career advisor when he was invited to speak to a group of unemployed realtors in his home state of Florida. The idea was that he would teach them how to market themselves, and his message was pretty simple: Your content footprint is your marketing plan. In other words, publish or perish.

I heard him speak at a conference last week, and he made a compelling case for professionals developing what he calls “content assets.” A content asset is any content created by you that is discoverable, and in the video he recommends that professionals have at least two. This covers a wide range of options including things we typically think of, such as articles and books, but also websites, blogs, and even Facebook and LinkedIn.

He likens content assets to assets in a financial portfolio and argues that they should be diversified and managed for growth just like your 401K. Borges claims, “There is nothing else more influential than content to determine your value to an employer or in your business,” and that when it comes to careers, your net worth is based on content.

In a twist on the conventional wisdom of “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” I imagine Borges might add, “It’s who knows what it is you know, too.”

The webpage with the video has other useful tips, too, and don’t be put off by the “loud” look to his website. He’s a marketer, not an engineer, after all! But, as he emphasized in his talk, he has a passion for spreading the gospel of “Content is King,” and showing you how to make the King work for you.

I swear—don’t you!

And, while we are on the subject of content, you may want to ponder this before the next stress-point lands in your inbox.

According to a careerbuilder.com article, more than half of us let the occasional *&%^ fly, but employers tend to interpret those bomblets as a lack of professionalism, control or maturity… or maybe just being not too smart. But, the old double standard applies—apparently about one out of four employers swears in front of employees—and probably expects to still be thought of as professional, in control, mature and smart.

Darn!

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