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Jobs for Writers
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JobMonkey.com
Volume VIII, Issue #57
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Have you ever wondered if you have what it takes to become a freelance writer? This is a great time to test the waters. What if you don't have any experience, though? Don't worry! This week's feature article is filled with ideas for building up a portfolio so you can land some great freelance gigs.
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IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
1) Career Advisor: Thank You Notes and Follow Up Letters
2) Spotlight: Working Around Your Writing Clips
3) Around the Monkey: Freelance Writing Tips
4) Job Boards: Writing Jobs
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CAREER ADVISOR: Post-Interview Thank You Notes
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by Amy Lindgren
Good job! You just did great on your interview. So how will you seal this deal? If your answer includes a thank-you note, you’re on the right track, for several reasons.
First, employers expect courtesy and respect from candidates, and a thank-you note demonstrates both. Second, a well-timed note can keep you fresh in an interviewer's mind and, third, a note can show warmth and enthusiasm, raising you above the other candidates. That's a lot of value for a postage stamp.
Wondering what to say? Easy - something like "Thank you for meeting today to discuss the floor manager position at ABC Company. I'm very interested and look forward to the next steps in your process. Best wishes..." Since no one wants to slog through three paragraphs of cursive writing, the rule for handwritten notes is "short and sweet."
Indeed, if you have three paragraphs of information to impart, you need a different tool altogether, which would be a followup letter. Unlike the thank-you note, which is best sent the day of the interview, a followup letter can come a week later and still be current. It also can (should) be typed, as it is a more formal business correspondence.
When composing a followup letter, think in terms of beginning, middle and end. The beginning should still start with "thank you" before noting that you have some ideas to add to your earlier conversation. The middle will summarize one or two key points that you want to emphasize, and the end confirms your enthusiasm for this opportunity.
Having trouble deciding which one to go with? Try both and you'll know you’ve covered the waterfront.
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SPOTLIGHT: Working Around Your Writing Clips
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If you have ever thought about becoming a freelance writer, you may have been stopped cold in your tracks by this line in many job ads:
Please include relevant clips of published work.
What if you don't have any relevant clips? What if you don't have any clips, period. It may seem impossible to break into your first writing job, without having had a previous writing job!
There is no doubt that the "published clips" issue is a daunting one. But there are ways to 'work around' it, so don't throw in the towel just yet. Here are four suggestions for building up your writing portfolio.
1. Volunteer
Are you an animal lover? Why not give your local humane society a call and see if they need a volunteer writer for their newsletter. Or call the Big Sisters/Big Brothers in your town. Or the soup kitchen. Whatever you passion, you can probably put it to work -- helping out a good cause and getting your foot in the writing door.
Make sure that you have a byline with any work you do, as "ghost written" clips aren't nearly as valuable as bylined ones. And if you are going to apply for online writing jobs, seek out volunteer assignments that will post your work online. If that's not possible, make a .pdf file of your off-line work and upload it to your own website. That way you can easily direct potential clients to that clip.
2. Write for your local/niche newspaper
If you live in a small enough town, you can probably head straight to the editor of your local paper. Odds are he or she would be happy to print your articles about local events such as weddings, graduations, or up-and-coming events. For those of you in larger markets, however, you might have a harder time pitching stories to the lead paper. In that case, look to smaller and/or niche publications. Try parenting magazines, entertainment rags, or even school district newsletters. Not only is this a great way to get some early clips, it might also lead to a longer-term freelance gig!
3. Bid for work on freelance contract sites.
Another way to break into freelance writing is by bidding on writing jobs at freelance contracts sites, such as Elance. While these jobs do tend to be fairly low paying (think a few bucks for a 500-word article), they are a great way to build up a nice portfolio of published clips. For an in-depth tutorial on bid sites, check out this post on how to break into freelance writing from the JobMonkey blog.
4. Start your own blog.
If options 1-3 don't work for you, or if you just want to have more opportunities to flex your writing muscle, why not start your own blog? You can do it for free, using applications like Blogger or Wordpress. And it will give you great practice while you look for blogging job opportunities. Blogging is one of the hottest freelance writing niches in today's market.
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AROUND THE MONKEY: Freelance Writing
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Freelance writing is a hot topic at the JobMonkey blog. We love teaching readers ways about legitimate ways to work from home, and freelance writing is one of the most popular of these career paths. To learn more, check out past posts such as:
Reader Mailbag: Part Time Jobs for Stay at Home Moms (freelance writing is a big focus)
Reader Mailbag: Legitimate Work at Home Jobs (again, with an emphasis on freelance writing)
In the News: Tips for Freelancers
In the News: ProBloggers Earn Big Bucks
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JOB BOARDS: Writing Opportunities
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Once you have your portfolio of published clips all ready to go, it's time to hit the writing job trail. A great first stop is our brand new Freelance Writing Job Board. This week, there are hot leads on fields such as medical writing, grant writing, and writing internships.
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