Improving the job market for bloggers and online writers

Improving the job market for bloggers and online writers is a big task. Since I started posting gigs here daily I’ve noticed a slew of terrible jobs and a much smaller selection of decent jobs that actually pay a fair wage. I don’t think the fault is all on the lame clients who offer low-pay jobs though. A lot of it is dependent on us, the folks who want said jobs.

For example…

1. Apply for work IF you’re qualified: I was chatting with Deb yesterday and she noted that she was shocked by the amount of people who applied for a blog job she posted who had no experience blogging at all. Worse many told her this straight up when they applied. If you’re not a blogger or have no idea about what a blogging gig entails make sure you learn something about it before wasting the client’s time, and all the other qualified applicant’s time. It’s lame to have to sort through crap applications to have to find the qualified apps – it’s no wonder potential clients end up writing ads with all sorts of bogus rules. Blogging and online writing gigs are very different from other sorts of writing gigs. To improve the market, we need more qualified applicants and less junk applicants. To learn about blogging and online writing gigs (BEFORE you apply) start your own blog and read:

• Blogging for a Living: Don’t Enter into it Blind
• Can you blog your way to a writing job?
• Beyond Blogging: Using Your Blogging Skills for Bigger and Better Things
• Do You Need to Be a Good Writer to be a Good Blogger?
• The Warm & Fuzzy Side of Blogging for Others
• Top 11 Reasons Why I Might Quit Blogging & Open A Candy Store

2. Be confident: If you apply for a job, apply with confidence. I’ve talked to way too many blog clients who say they get non-cofident applicants which one, makes them uncertain that competent bloggers and online writers exisit and two, lets them know that lower wages are a-ok. You’d never go to a job interview in person and say, “Oh, well I’m not sure I know what I’m doing, and I’m not that good at my job, but hey, hire me anyhow.” At least I hope you wouldn’t. Be confident. If you’ve got the skills – show that you know it. For help read:

• Pros & Cons of Being A Confident Blogger
• Admit what makes you a good blogger

3. Work for good clients: There’s more to a good client than pay. If a client pulls sneaky suspicious acts or never pays on time, they’re just going to keep right on doing this if there are writers willing to write for them. Put your foot down when clients treat you like crap. This benefits all bloggers and online writers.

4. Only accept decent wages: I almost don’t want to mention this, because we mention it ALL the time here, and still it seems people aren’t listening. That said, I’ll say it anyhow; don’t work for pennies. A recent job listing (bid gig) shows that people are willing to work FT (30 hrs a week) for anywhere from $2.22 – $3.11 AN HOUR. Really? People are also taking up clients on all those crappy revenue only gigs. I’ve personally talked to clients who say that to get a gig, bloggers and online writers will offer to work for free. It’s totally insane and makes the market a very bad place.

If you went job searching for a job outside of your home (a non-writing job) would you seriously take $2.22 per hour? Even tax free that’s a crap living. It’s not even a living. Aren’t you better than that? If you think, “No, I’m not” then quit applying for writing gigs. Your time is more important than this. Other writers time is more important than this. Clients will NEVER offer fair wages for work if the workers are willing to do it for free or cheap. And keep in mind that real bloggers and online writer don’t work for nothing. Most of us have learned to score decent paying gigs and top bloggers are paid even more. To learn more about fair blogging and online writing wages read:

• Typical Blog Wages – How Much Money You Should Make Blogging
• Calculate your hourly blogging rate
• Dealing With Blog Compensation Offers – Clients Who Offer Too Much Money

Now, what do you think will help to improve the job market for bloggers and online writers? Let us know in the comments.

Note: Sorry if you came by earlier and the links were not working – not sure what’s up with the site, but it should be fixed now.

The New b5media Pay Structure

As you may have heard, b5media has a new pay structure in the works, soon to be implemented. Since we aim to cover network news, following are some links if you’d like to learn more…

Tech Crunch posted all the new pay structure stats from a personal email sent out to b5 staff. Is it right to post emails like this – maybe not; in fact, I’d be kind of pissy if someone snagged my emails and posted them on the web. However, on the flip side, if you’ve thought about joining (applying for work) at b5, it’s best to have all the facts. Also, it’s a business, and business news breaking out into the world is hardly unheard of. If you’re interested read: Big Blogger Pay Cuts At b5Media

Here’s the Blog Herald coverage of the issue: B5media Revamps Pay Model, Bloggers Lose Money

Jeremy Wright responded at his own blog: Initial (3am) Response to TechCrunch

I work at b5, and honestly have no concrete comment yet. I’m still considering my own options; trying to work out the math and pay per time spent part of this new structure. That said, I’m sure I’ll be back with some thoughts soon. What I do know is that one of my favorite blogs won’t be worth writing for anymore. Meaning, I’d have to put in too much time for too little pay, which blows, seeing as how I adore this blog. On the upside, that’s not how it’ll be across the board.

Do you work at b5? Do you have an initial take on the the pay structure?

What do you miss from your pre-pro-blogging days?

I’ve only been blogging for money for about two years now give or take. Before that, I still blogged, I just blogged for me alone, and for no pay. I still wrote, I just did so in other writing venues.

Since I started blogging for pay, I’ve noticed that I miss a couple of things from before; when I only blogged for fun.

What I miss…

I miss reading blogs: I know, that sounds kind of funny; a blogger who doesn’t read blogs. I DO read some blogs, but not as many as before, and also, I sometimes feel like I’m more searching for topics or leads or networking than actually reading for fun. Also, frankly, after posting 30-40 + posts I hardly feel like reading blogs in my spare time. I’m online enough looking at blogs.

I miss writing what I want: This is two sided because by now, I’ve been blogging long enough that I do get to blog for money at blogs I like (I’m lucky). I also almost always get to choose what topics to blog about at said blogs. Still, before I blogged for pay, I never gave ANY thought to what I blogged about. I’d just blog what I was thinking. Now I spend a fair amount of time thinking about things like, “I wonder if my readers will enjoy this” or, “If I blog this theme, I might get more traffic” or I’ll run contests. I often put a lot of thought into posts before I write, which I never used to feel compelled to do.

Overall, I adore blogging. However, there are some differences between blogging for me, for free, vs. blogging for clients. That’s expected, because every single job comes with differences and ups and downs, but even knowing this is expected I do sometimes still miss the sheer fun of carefree, no pay, no traffic worries blogging. Don’t get me wrong, blogging for pay is a hoot at times, and trust me, I feel lucky that I not only get to blog, but that people give me money to do so. But once in a while I miss the old days.

Maybe I’ll take a day off here soon and do nothing but read all my old blog haunts.

If you used to blog for you, and now you blog for pay is there anything you miss from the old days?