I work as a freelance author, which means I am self-employed and spend a fair amount of time searching for new clients via the Internet.
I am currently working exclusively for two clients. The first freelancing job I ever took was recommended to me by a friend who wrote some website content on the side for extra money. It was on a website where clients can post jobs for freelancers to accept and complete. I also work for another client independent of this site. I found that particular job opportunity while browsing another website where clients post content that needs to be completed, but in this case, authors must bid on the job with a price and time frame. The lowest bidder with the best portfolio wins.
Thankfully, this client turned out to have long-term work for me.
Internet technology is a very important tool for me and for other freelance authors. Simply querying "work for freelance authors" in a search engine such as Google or Bing has led to several different job opportunities for me. Another search that led me to a goldmine of writing opportunities was "websites for freelance authors" since there are a multitude of them available.
I've been in this line of business for several years now, and I can provide several different websites where my work has been featured. Also, I host my own website that is full of unpublished pieces dealing with a large range of subjects. Potential clients are intrigued by this website and I always receive kudos from them. Building up a client base has been a huge help because I have a litany of references and people who are always willing to provide spectacular reviews. I am very dedicated to my clients and provide extremely quick responses to revision requests or requests for new content. For the most part, I have found simply showcasing my strengths and providing business references from past and current clients is the best way to earn more work.
There are several different legitimate websites out there for freelance authors and clients who are looking for their work. A few of these websites have fantastic forums that allow for communication with other professionals in my line of work. These forums have proven to be invaluable resources to both myself and my clients. Not only do they help both sides of the profession learn the 'lay of the land' when starting with unfamiliar companies, but they also provide a wonderful place for professionals to discuss the proper way to handle uncommon client requests and things like proper grammar and style.
My first freelancing job interview was a huge success. I wrote a sample piece about eighteenth century handbags for one of my favorite freelancing sites, and it was a hit. I got rave reviews on not only my spelling and grammar, but also on my attention to detail when dealing with the subject matter. Recently, however, I submitted a sample piece to another prospective client about HVAC units, which is far from my area of expertise. Although I did the required research and the ideas came out very well on paper, I completely forgot to follow the client's very precise formatting guidelines. Although my spelling and grammar were impeccable, I had used the wrong font, the wrong size, and the wrong margin measurements. I was incredibly embarrassed when I received the rejection letter from that client. Since that day, I've learned that paying very close attention to detail is important in any endeavor, not just in writing.
The internet is a wonderful tool for job searches, and that is a fact. With any profession, however, there are scams. It's important to speak with and take advice from other professionals before committing to any one client or website. Also, I learned websites or clients that require some form of up-front payment for a welcome kit are usually frauds. I once sent a $149.99 payment to a company for training materials and a set of DVDs before I took a job with them, and once I did, I never got one single assignment. It's the hard knocks in my professional career that have taught me the greatest lessons, I believe.
Believe it or not, I never went to college. I have a high school education, but I always excelled in English, grammar and literature. Therefore, the answer is no, I never used any university offered Career Services programs.
It's hard to say what I would change about my past professional career. I'd probably have to admit I still have times where I lack motivation. Freelance writing is something that requires a pretty serious work ethic. Being self-employed, I do not have a boss to scold me if I show up five or six minutes late for duty. I don't get fired if I fail to show up for work every day, but I can lose very valuable clients. I can only rely on myself to find work, complete it correctly, and turn it in by the client's specified deadline. The second thing I would change is hiring a website developer at the very beginning. Showcasing my work on my personal website has been a great help to me and has led to some pretty hefty successes, but it took up so much of my time in the beginning I could barely produce enough content to pay the bills. About a year ago I decided to hire a website developer to optimize and update my site for me, and I've never made a better decision. I just wish I would have made that decision a little sooner.
JustJobs.com is a job search engine that finds job listings from company career pages, other job boards, newspapers and associations. With one search, they help you find the job with your name on it.Image from Elnur/Shutterstock
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
I work as a freelance author, which means I am self-employed and spend a fair amount of time searching for new clients via the Internet.
I am currently working exclusively for two clients. The first freelancing job I ever took was recommended to me by a friend who wrote some website content on the side for extra money. It was on a website where clients can post jobs for freelancers to accept and complete. I also work for another client independent of this site. I found that particular job opportunity while browsing another website where clients post content that needs to be completed, but in this case, authors must bid on the job with a price and time frame. The lowest bidder with the best portfolio wins.
Thankfully, this client turned out to have long-term work for me.
Internet technology is a very important tool for me and for other freelance authors. Simply querying "work for freelance authors" in a search engine such as Google or Bing has led to several different job opportunities for me. Another search that led me to a goldmine of writing opportunities was "websites for freelance authors" since there are a multitude of them available.
I've been in this line of business for several years now, and I can provide several different websites where my work has been featured. Also, I host my own website that is full of unpublished pieces dealing with a large range of subjects. Potential clients are intrigued by this website and I always receive kudos from them. Building up a client base has been a huge help because I have a litany of references and people who are always willing to provide spectacular reviews. I am very dedicated to my clients and provide extremely quick responses to revision requests or requests for new content. For the most part, I have found simply showcasing my strengths and providing business references from past and current clients is the best way to earn more work.
There are several different legitimate websites out there for freelance authors and clients who are looking for their work. A few of these websites have fantastic forums that allow for communication with other professionals in my line of work. These forums have proven to be invaluable resources to both myself and my clients. Not only do they help both sides of the profession learn the 'lay of the land' when starting with unfamiliar companies, but they also provide a wonderful place for professionals to discuss the proper way to handle uncommon client requests and things like proper grammar and style.
My first freelancing job interview was a huge success. I wrote a sample piece about eighteenth century handbags for one of my favorite freelancing sites, and it was a hit. I got rave reviews on not only my spelling and grammar, but also on my attention to detail when dealing with the subject matter. Recently, however, I submitted a sample piece to another prospective client about HVAC units, which is far from my area of expertise. Although I did the required research and the ideas came out very well on paper, I completely forgot to follow the client's very precise formatting guidelines. Although my spelling and grammar were impeccable, I had used the wrong font, the wrong size, and the wrong margin measurements. I was incredibly embarrassed when I received the rejection letter from that client. Since that day, I've learned that paying very close attention to detail is important in any endeavor, not just in writing.
The internet is a wonderful tool for job searches, and that is a fact. With any profession, however, there are scams. It's important to speak with and take advice from other professionals before committing to any one client or website. Also, I learned websites or clients that require some form of up-front payment for a welcome kit are usually frauds. I once sent a $149.99 payment to a company for training materials and a set of DVDs before I took a job with them, and once I did, I never got one single assignment. It's the hard knocks in my professional career that have taught me the greatest lessons, I believe.
Believe it or not, I never went to college. I have a high school education, but I always excelled in English, grammar and literature. Therefore, the answer is no, I never used any university offered Career Services programs.
It's hard to say what I would change about my past professional career. I'd probably have to admit I still have times where I lack motivation. Freelance writing is something that requires a pretty serious work ethic. Being self-employed, I do not have a boss to scold me if I show up five or six minutes late for duty. I don't get fired if I fail to show up for work every day, but I can lose very valuable clients. I can only rely on myself to find work, complete it correctly, and turn it in by the client's specified deadline. The second thing I would change is hiring a website developer at the very beginning. Showcasing my work on my personal website has been a great help to me and has led to some pretty hefty successes, but it took up so much of my time in the beginning I could barely produce enough content to pay the bills. About a year ago I decided to hire a website developer to optimize and update my site for me, and I've never made a better decision. I just wish I would have made that decision a little sooner.
JustJobs.com is a job search engine that finds job listings from company career pages, other job boards, newspapers and associations. With one search, they help you find the job with your name on it.Image from Elnur/Shutterstock
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