Future Spark: An interview with Kirsty Price a new careers blogger

This is the second of the new series of interviews that I’m doing with careers bloggers. Any other careers bloggers out there who want to be interviewed should get in touch.

 

AiCD:  Introduce yourself 

I’m Kirsty Price and I am currently about to enter my final year of undergraduate study at the University of Aberdeen. I study Politics and International Relations. I started my own online retail business at the age of 19. This made me realise that for a living, what i really wanted to do was to make a positive impact on young peoples lives by helping them discover, plan, create and achieve their dream careers and businesses.  

AiCD:  Tell us about your blog. 

My blog is called Future Spark (http://future-spark.blogspot.com/). It contains a mix of postings related to Youth Career Coaching, advice, guidance, job searching, entrepreneurship and personal development. I only started it recently so it is still a relatively small blog!

 

 

ACiD:  What technology do you use? 

  I use blogger as my blogging platform. I almost always update my blog from my laptop at home.

  

AiCD:  Why did you set it up? 

I set up my blog to aid my own personal and professional development and also to help inform others, mainly parents and youths themselves. I aim to set up Future Spark as a youth career coaching business after university so this blog seemed like a natural progression on the way to achieving that goal.

 

AiCD:  What sort of things do you write about?  

Usually whatever pops into my head that is relevant! I have a little notebook where I write everything down that I think I could possibly write a post about. I keep it by my bedside as it is often while I am drifting off to sleep that I always come up with most of my ideas! Most of my posts are related to career information, education and guidance aimed at people aged 11-24 and their parents. Originally I had a blog related to careers in general, aimed at anyone who wanted to read it. Later on I realised there was a real lack of people writing about careers aimed at a young audience so I thought I would give it a go and write a more dedicated blog!

  

AiCD: Your blog is focused on young people. How do you manage dealing with the diversity of young people? An 11 year old is different from someone who left school at 16 and different again from a new graduate. 

I wanted to try to appeal to a small audience without making my audience too small, so the content has to be quite diverse. In terms of 11-14 year olds, the things I blog about which relates to them is more geared towards a parental audience. I don’t think much 11-15 year olds would find my blog very appealing. Maybe I should create an independent blog or series of posts for 11-15 year olds themselves – that is an idea there! For those aged 16-18 I write content related to subject choices, school, university, the transition from school to college/university, alternatives to university and so on. For students and graduates, I write more about employability, personal branding, internships and more in-depth careers information. I hope that there is something on my blog valuable for everyone interested in youths and careers, whether they be youthful or not!

 

AiCD:  How often do you update?

In all honesty not as often as I would like to, due to being in the early stages of writing my dissertation which is my main priority until February 2011. I try to put something out there at least once a week though as I think this the most realistic and achievable goal for me right now.

 

AiCD: Who do you think reads it?

I am not sure if anyone reads it at all! It is a relatively new blog so I assume only a small number of my twitter followers check it out, as well as some close friends.

AiCD: What is it about you that makes you think people should pay attention to what you blog about?

This is a tough one! I think that maybe because I am only 20 the message I have to give out is possibly more in tune with what youths actually think, question and wonder about careers themselves and hopefully this may be what they are looking for in terms of a blog about careers which suits them. I think they might be able to relate to my blog better than a blog aimed at seasoned professionals.  

 

AiCD: What have been the best things about blogging so far?

I love it! It is such a release for me. I am the type of person who keeps their opinions to themselves unless asked they are for unfortunately, but as I am getting older I am recognising the need to speak up and be heard and not just hide in the background. I feel most comfortable speaking out and voicing my opinions through my blog. The idea that I might also be helping someone is a great feeling as well!

 

AiCD: What are the downsides?

I haven’t really encountered any downsides yet. However I am sometimes hesitant about posting because of the idea that people will think that I am not qualified to give such advice because I am so young and have no experience besides my own personal experience as of yet.
 

AiCD: Do you think blogging will ever replace conventional careers advice/education?

No, but I do think conventional careers advice and education needs a shake-up. I totally agree with you when you say that blogging should be a mainstream part of every careers advisors practice. Careers advice and
education needs to move into the 21st century more, especially if it is to engage and inspire young people. In a way I am trying to do this through my blog.

AiCD: What blogs do you read?

I read so many careers blogs it would be so hard to list them all! I usually read the blogs of people in the career world that I follow on twitter. Some of my favourites include this blog, as well as Dan Schawbel’s Student Branding Blog (http://studentbranding.com/) and Nicole Crimaldi’s Ms. Career Girl Blog (http://www.mscareergirl.com/).
 

AiCD: Any final words?

I would like to thank you for interviewing me! It has been a great experience as it has allowed me to reflect on my blogging experience and given me more inspiration and enthusiasm to carry on blogging in the hope that I will inspire others.