Attitude Counts When Looking for Freelance Work
Is looking for freelance work a necessary evil to you or something that you take in stride as part of the life of a freelancer? No matter how busy we may be at any particular point in time, we need to keep in mind that things can change very quickly.
A client who was keeping us busy with steady work may not have much for us at a particular point in time. We may decide that it’s time to move on from a client or a type of work we have outgrown. The gig may be for a specific project only. Whatever the reason, freelancers must constantly be looking for their next gig.
How do you see your job search? Do you give a big sigh and tell yourself it’s something you “have” to do? Or is it something you “get” to do? If you approach your job search and pitching clients with the attitude that you “get” to talk to people about how you can help them by using your abilities to help them reach their goals, your enthusiasm for what you do is going to show, whether you are writing a cover letter, calling a prospective client or meeting someone in person.
If you were the person doing the hiring, would you rather work with someone who is enthusiastic about what they are doing and interested in your business or someone who is just going through the motions because they “have to” look for work? You may not be able to control whether a potential client chooses to hire you, but you can do your best to be someone that people will want to work with.
What do you “get” to do today?
No Jargon Allowed: Keep it Simple When Applying for a Writing Gig
Have you ever visited a company’s web site and been left in the dark about what it actually does after reading through the copy? If your reaction after checking out the “About Us” page is to say “Huh?” to yourself, it’s definitely not a good sign.
Some people resort to using buzz words that sound impressive but which don’t really mean anything. For example, the expression “taking [something] to the next level” sounds impressive, but unless you know what the current level is, how do you know what the next one should be?
When you are applying for a freelance writing gig or sending a pitch to a potential client, resist the urge to try impress the person reading your materials with your mastery of the written word. You want the potential client to get to know something about you, your qualifications and the approach you take to your work. If you get the gig, you can discuss the specific style the client would like you to use for his or her assignment.
We all want to make a good first impression by presenting ourselves well and showing our best samples to people who may be in a position to hire us. Take a few minutes to read through your materials before you submit them. If you have trouble understanding what you are trying to say, a potential client will too – and you want to make it easy for them to decide that you would be a great fit for the project.
We may be wizards of words, but don’t let them get in the way of communicating effectively with potential clients. Keeping it simple is a better way to go.
Do you try to make your applications and pitches a jargon-free zone?
You Have a Full Plate: Do You Still Look for Work?
The short answer to this question is “Yes.” Marketing your writing business should be an ongoing activity. Many freelancers have peaks and valleys in their work load. It goes with the territory.
If you want to keep the work coming in, you should be constantly doing activities that will grow your business. Even if you are at the point where your time is completely booked and you couldn’t possibly squeeze one more thing in, do it anyway. Find a few minutes to check out job boards, the job leads we post here at FWJ, to make a couple of cold calls, or approach a potential client by e-mail.
Don’t worry about how you are going to fit the next gig into your schedule. You haven’t got it yet. It may take time to hear back from your job searching efforts, and chances are that you will apply for many more gigs than you actually get. You can always discuss deadlines when you are negotiating fees with the client.
Part of being a freelancer is juggling the work we have in front of us with being on the lookout for our next project. Do you look for work constantly, or do you back off from these activities when you have a lot of work do do?
