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What Everybody in HR Ought to Know About Blogs and How to Read them Fast
Apr 13I’ll make this quick, I know you don’t have much time. None of us do.
If you clicked to get here or typed in the URL for this…stop it. No, don’t stop reading KnowHR Blog, just be more efficient. Here’s how:
- Sign up for Google Reader. Sure, there are a hundred RSS readers out there. Don’t bother. Use Google Reader. Give them an e-mail address and you’re on your way.
- Right click on that orange thingy on blogs that you like. That orange button with the radio waves on it is an RSS button. That’s how you subscribe to the blog. Like magic, you copy the feed location, add the feed into your Google Reader, categorize it, and then each time your favorite blogs are updated…voila! they’re in your Reader.
- Find some really great blogs and online magazines to read. If you follow this Human Resources search on Technorati, you’ll see that there are 709 HR-related blogs listed. (Including KnowHR Blog on the first page.) If you click on the “Download OPML” file on the upper right, you can download the feeds for all of them…and then import them into your Google Reader. I’d suggest you start smaller. Click on a few that look interesting. If they are, click on that little orange thingy and add them to your RSS reader.
Okay, that’s it. You can read a lot of material fast by following steps 1-3 here. And as a bonus, I’ve added some links for you for HR specialty areas (just download OPML and import that into your Google Reader – under Settings-Import/Export – it’s really that simple.):
- Human Resources. 709 choices.
- Recruiting. 60 choices.
- Compensation. 35 choices.
- Motivation. 23 choices.
- Benefits. 48 choices.
Okay, get your RSS on. Here’s a starter for you…the RSS feed for KnowHR Blog is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/KnowhrBlog. Just copy that bad boy into your Google Reader using the “Add Subscription” button. It’ll just get added…and you can put in a category if you like (believe me, starting out with categories early is the right approach).
About the Author
Frank Roche
Frank started IFRACTAL over 7 years ago with Sarah Chambers. Together, they've created HR communications and HR software for some of the world's leading companies. Frank is also studying Flamenco guitar and origami.
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Frank, I know this is a crazy question, but whenever I hit on an orange RSS feed button my computer only takes me to Internet Explorer and that is the only choice I see about storing it. How can I be sure this will take me to the Google Reader when I hit on it. Seems like Microsoft figures out ways to dominate everything…
Frank – what a service. Of your many regular readers, friends and admirers (I am proudly all three), I may know less about this stuff than anyone else. Your previous brave attempts at eduction not withstanding. I think I have got it now. What a smart and generous thing to do.
JT
Hi Robyn, I wonder if you’re right-clicking or left-clicking. I’m not a PC user so I’v e kind of forgotten how it works, but I believe that right-clicking should bring you to a menu that allows you to “Save Link Location” or something to that effect. The RSS button is a proxy for the link location.
Thanks for brining this up…I think I’ll clean up the text on this post a bit because it’s confusing on the re-read.
JT, thanks, my friend. I know there’s lots of ways to skin a cat, but I thought I might as well give the straightforward, simple one that I use. It works, and who can argue against that?
Frank:
Kudos for the great advice. My informal, anectodal polling suggests to me that many in the world of HR do not use RSS readers. Whenever I ask groups of HR folks if they are using a RSS reader, I get this really blank look. At that point I move on…..
robert edward cenek, RODP
http://www.cenekreport.com
Uncommon Commentary in the World of Work
Good advice Frank – I finally got myself sorted out on Technorati – only took me 3 months! I think the lesson for technology experts that we HR people can help them with is “please write in English!”
Robert, isn’t it so true. I mean, it’s 2007, and it seems like it should be time for people to adopt modern technology. RSS readers are part of that. The reason I was so insistent about Google Reader was because I didn’t want to give a bunch of options…fewer choices for people who don’t normally use readers is probably a better way to go. Thanks for commenting on this!
Scott, “Please write in English” is the very best advice of all. I’m fortunate right now to be working with a client (an HR executive) who is the clearest at speaking and writing that I’ve ever seen. It is a breath of fresh air…and his (very, very large) company’s employees appreciate that.
Thanks again – I have added two more blogs today to my Google Reader. Previously I only had iFlipFlop and KnowHR. Now I also have TechCrunch and David Maister – because of you!!!
Thanks.
I’m glad it worked….I’m going to provide a service and create Frank’s List of the Best HR Blogs in OPML format that can be blended into a Reader.