Don’t Ignore the Hidden Job Market for Freelancers

I read recently that only about 20 percent of jobs are ever advertised. We post some of them here at FWJ regularly. That means that a whopping 80 percent of all opportunities are never advertised. Most people looking for freelance writing work concentrate their efforts on the portion of the market that is readily accessible.

Why Answer Job Ads?

The short answer to why people who are looking for work look to job ads is that like the low-hanging fruit, these kinds of opportunities are accessible and relatively easy to get. The client indicates they are looking to hire someone and what the project involves. Some of them even list the price they are willing to pay for the project.

You read through the ad and if it sounds like something you are interested in doing and you are qualified for, you answer the ad. Very simple. The only problem is that there may be hundreds of other people who have the same idea and the competition for advertised freelance writing work is very stiff.

Does that mean that I’m saying that you should give up on answering ads? Heck, no. I got hired by Deb by answering an ad, and I’ve been hired by several clients by using this method. I am suggesting that you also consider tapping into the larger market of opportunities that exists.

I’ll post some more suggestions in future posts, but you can start by doing the following:

• Tell friends, family members, coworkers, your kid’s teacher, etc., about what you do
• Ask your current clients for referrals
• Make a list of potential clients and contact them to make a pitch for your services

Do these strategies work? Yes, they do. It may take some time, but if you are consistent about your efforts, they will pay off. I was recently contacted by someone I had originally approached two years ago about the possibility of working on an assignment.

Where do you focus most of your freelance job search efforts?

How Do You See Your Resume?

Preparing a freelance writer’s resume is a bit different from a standard one. If you were looking for a job where you are working for an employer as opposed to offering your services as a self-employed professional writer, your goal would be to make the employer interested enough in you to invite you to come in for an interview. It can be a little different when you are applying for freelance writing gigs.

I’ve only had one client where I had to go through a formal interview process before being hired. The other people I’ve worked with (so far) have made a decision, given me the assignment, and our working relationship started. Since freelancers may not be asked to interview for a gig and the client may make a decision based on the resume and your samples only, you need to give the potential client all the information they need to make a decision based on the content of this important document.

One important part of a freelance writer’s resume is sharing your accomplishments with the potential client. If your web copy has improved sales for a client, mention this detail. You can also share the fact that articles that you have written are on top-ranked web sites. If you have successfully pitched an article idea to a magazine, then by all means include the details on your resume. If you are relatively new to freelancing, then share accomplishments from your other work.

As a freelancer, how do you see your resume? Is your goal to get the potential to want to learn more about you, or do we need to adopt a higher standard since we may not be interviewed in a traditional sense before being hired?

Functional Resume Format for Freelancers

The “standard” resume format that most of us are familiar with is the chronological resume. In this style, the job seeker lists his or her previous jobs in reverse chronological order. This may not be the best choice for freelance writers, though.

We may have long-term clients that we work with regularly, a series of short-term projects, or a combination of the two. Using a strict chronological format may not present us in the best way to a potential client, especially if there are gaps in our work history or times that are less busy than others.

Another issue that freelancers can encounter when writing a resume is whether or how to list volunteer writing projects on it. I think that the fact that you worked on the project is what matters, as opposed to whether or how much you were paid for it, but other people feel that work experience should be limited to paid work only.

Enter the functional resume. You can use this style to focus the potential client’s attention on your skills, as opposed to who you have worked for and when you did the work.

You can check out an example of a functional resume here.

When you are writing your own functional resume, you can include sections for the different kinds of writing projects you have done (SEO, web copy, ebooks, ghost writing, press releases, etc.).

Do you use a chronological resume or have you tried a functional style? Do you feel that one is more likely to get you a gig than the other?

Transferable Skills and Your Resume

We get lots of questions from our readers about resumes for freelance writers. Whether you are looking for your first freelance writing gig or you have some experience under your belt, it can be challenging to figure out exactly what to include in your resume.

Your writer’s resume will list your writing experience, and I include other work experience on mine as well. I want the person reading it to get a good idea of who I am and what skills I bring to the table when I’m applying for freelance work. I also want to make sure that I include transferable skills in my resume and cover letter when I’m looking for work.

What are transferable skills? They are ones that you can use in many jobs, and they apply to freelance writing gigs as well. Here are a few transferable skills that you will want to focus on when you are communicating with a potential client:

• Ability to Work Well Under Pressure
• Analyzing
• Computer Skills
• Conducting Research
• Editing
• Organizing
• Problem Solving
• Proofreading

You will also want to point out to someone in a position to hire you that you have these desirable skills as well:

• Ability to Follow Instructions
• Attention to Detail
• Flexibility
• Good Communication Skills

Freelance writing is more than just stringing a few words together, and you need to tell potential clients about all the skills you bring to the table. It gives them a better idea of who they will we working with when they decide to hire you.

Which transferable skills do you think are most important for freelancers?

Getting Hired: Does Chemistry Count?

My fellow FWJ-er, Jennifer Chait, wrote a really interesting post where she gave her take on why you might not get hired for a blogging gig. I’d like to talk about a reason why you might get hired, and it doesn’t really have anything to do with your writing ability.

Getting hired is partly a matter of chemistry. When a potential client is considering multiple applicants in response to a job ad, they may have several candidates with similar skill levels who would be a good fit for the project. How does someone decide who they want to work with?

The Chemistry of Getting Hired

People like to work with people they feel they have something in common with or that they feel a connection to. The question then becomes, “How can you try to develop a connection with a potential client?”

I’ve found over time that as I’ve become a little more open about myself when I apply for freelance writing jobs, my success rate has gone up. That doesn’t mean that I pull up a virtual chair and spill everything about myself when I’m looking for work. It does mean that I try to picture myself and the potential client sitting down in a room to talk about what they need and how I can help them.

If the topic is one that I really enjoy working on, then I’m not nearly as shy about telling the client that and why I am drawn to it. Telling the client about how we can work together to reach their goals is always a good approach. I’m a lot less shy about saying that I know what the client needs and I would really like to work with them on the project. Then I ask the potential client what information they need to know about me that will help them decide whether we can work together.

Hopefully the combination of a more personal approach in the cover letter and pointing out that we can work together to help the client reach their goals will lead to getting hired. I do think that people want to know what kind of person they are working with and that they appreciate reading something other than the standard, cookie-cutter approach to applying for a gig.

What approach do you take when applying for a freelance writing gig? Do you think making a connection matters or is it all about your previous experience?

More Thoughts on Freelancers and Resumes

My post about How Important is a Resume for Freelance Writers? has led to some interesting comments. Some people think they are a valuable marketing tool, while others are less sold on the value of this document.

I’ve been doing some thinking as well, and have a different idea to present. Maybe we should be moving away from the idea of presenting a resume to a potential client. Before you immediately dismiss the idea, look at it this way:

A Resume is for Someone Looking for a Job

When you are a freelancer, you are not looking for a “job.” The relationship you have with a client is not one of an employer and employee. Your “boss” is not your client; you are the boss. You are the President and CEO of “Me, Inc.”

You don’t work “for” your client; you are working “with” them. They are paying you to provide a service and you do need to do what you can to make sure that they get what they want. That’s just good business. Now the question becomes whether you need to produce a resume like a job seeker to do business with someone.

Let me ask you this: The last time you were looking for someone to do work for you, did you ask to see their resume? Have you asked your doctor, dentist, or the person who came over to fix your dishwasher for their credentials? I’m thinking you didn’t and it wouldn’t have occurred to you to do so.

Are freelancers not professionals too? Of course we are. Just for the record, if someone asks to see my resume, I’m happy to provide them with a copy, but I don’t automatically volunteer it. The last new client that I worked with made the decision without seeing my resume or any writing samples (even though I did offer to provide them). We just talked about what I could do to help his company reach its goals, and agreed to work together.

Could it be that clients are more concerned about what you can for them now than what you have done in the past? I would be interested in hearing your opinion.

The Cover/Interview Letter

I’ve been doing some thinking about cover letters for freelancers and how the hiring process can be different from getting a job in the brick-and-mortar world. Some clients do through an interview process, either by phone or e-mail, before they decide whether to hire you, but for others, the way you present yourself in your cover letter is your only opportunity to provide the answer to the question, “Why should I hire you?”

To be honest, I’m not disappointed to skip the interview process. I don’t miss having to answer questions like “What is your biggest strength?” (I work hard) and “What is your greatest weakness?” (I work too hard.) If you are going to be working off site, you also don’t run into a situation where in answer to the question, “Don’t you want to ask me something about my qualifications?”, the answer is “With your legs, I don’t need to.” (No, that didn’t happen to me, but it did happen to someone I went to college with when she was interviewing for her first job after graduation.)

Given that finding freelance writing work is different, I’d like to suggest an alternative to the traditional cover letter: the Cover/Interview Letter.

It would include the elements of a traditional cover letter but with more detail about who you are and what level of service the client will get if they hire you. You could add a paragraph or two talking about your:

• Ability to follow instructions
• Eye for detail
• Flexibility Reliability
• Work ethic in general

This may be your only chance to dazzle the prospective client. If there is something you can share that you think would be relevant to the client, add it. I don’t mean hit them over the head with how great a candidate you are (unless the Cave Man approach happens to fit in with your personal style), but picture what you would like to say to the prospective client if you had the chance to sit down in a room with him or her. Whatever your answer is, include it in your cover letter. That way, you know you have covered all your bases when looking for freelance writing work.

Have you beefed up your cover letter to include extra information for your client? How did this strategy work for you?

How Important is a Resume for Freelance Writers?

I guess the short answer to that question is that it depends who you ask. Some potential clients ask to see it, and if they do, I would recommend that you submit one. There are other people who are more interested in seeing your samples and getting an idea of your writing “voice” than reading more paper.

It’s a good idea to have a resume ready to show to a potential client if they would like to see it. If you are new to writing and you don’t think you have a lot of experience to share, take some time to think about the jobs you have held in the past and how the skills that you used can benefit a potential client.

• Can you listen carefully and follow instructions?
• Can you communicate clearly?
• Do you have good research skills?
• Can you take the information you have gathered and pull out the most important points?
• Are you genuinely interested in your clients’ business?

While some people will go ahead and hire you without looking at your resume, there are some people who want to get an idea of who you are and what other kinds of work you have done. If you are a little light in the writing experience department (so far), then put your focus on your transferable skills. Present yourself in the best possible way, and the client understands what kind of a person they are getting if they decide to work with you.

Do you think having a resume is important or would most clients prefer to see writing samples only?

Summer’s Here…Get Your Job Search in Gear!

Summer is finally here. I count the first day of summer as the day that school finishes, not the date on the calendar. When the weather is warm and kids are home, it may be tempting to put your search for freelance writing work on the back burner, too. There are good reasons for continuing to apply for gigs and pitch potential clients at this time of year, though.

Less Competition for Available Gigs

Some writers are taking time off or adopting a lighter work schedule during the summer, and this may mean few applicants for available writing gigs.

You Impress Potential Clients

While many brick-and-mortar businesses adopt summer hours during the warmer months, they don’t close down entirely during this time. When you continue to respond to ads and approach potential clients, you are showing them that you are a diligent professional writer – exactly the kind of person they want to hire.

You Get Your Name in Front of Clients for Future Hiring Needs

A potential client may not be ready to hire at this time, but if you get your name in front of them and follow up periodically, you have a better chance of being hired when they are ready to start new projects. It saves them the time and trouble of placing an ad and weeding through a ton of applications.

Do you keep applying for gigs during the summer or do you back off until the fall?

Do You Ask for the Gig?

Successful salespeople know that at a certain point when they are talking to a potential customer, they need to “ask for the order.” Rather than make their presentation and let the prospect say something along the lines of, “I’ll think about it and get back to you,” they ask the prospect whether they are ready to buy today.

Freelancers can use this tactic when talking to a potential client. If you are talking to someone about their writing needs, there is nothing wrong with asking for the gig. If your personal style doesn’t let you feel comfortable with saying, “Hey I think you and I would work well together. How many pages/articles would you like me to start with?”, that’s OK. I don’t think I could be that bold, either.

If the discussion is going well, there is nothing wrong with summarizing what you and the client have talked about so far and stating exactly how you can provide the writing services they need. Then ask, “Where would you like to go from here?” And then wait for an answer.

With this strategy, you are asking the potential client to make a decision about whether to go ahead and hire you without being overly aggressive about it. Since you have just explained to the client that you understand what they need and that you can provide them with the writing services they are looking for, why would they need to talk to anyone else? All they have to do is give you the green light and they can get on with other things that they need to look after. Both parties get what they want.

How do you ask for the gig?

« Previous Page — Next Page »