The following is a guest post by Brendan Cruickshank. If you would like to write for this blog, please check out the writing guidelines here.
I’m amazed at the increasing number of job postings for freelance writers these days. While I’ve noticed this merely as an observer, albeit one who’s been working in job search and recruitment for many years, I thought I’d check to see what researchers are saying. Indeed, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, a compendium of descriptions of hundreds of jobs types, including information on education requirements, earnings, and job prospects over a 10-year period, agrees that the trend is real.
The official word is that between 2008 and 2018, employment for authors, writers and editors is projected to grow about 8%, about as fast as average. The Handbook says that an increasing number of writers today are freelancers. I bet that now, with the current economic recession, the number of freelancers is going to be even higher than BLS predicts. Budget woes are causing governments, businesses and organizations to tighten their belts, and one good way for them to save money is to contract out their writing needs.
So, you’re a freelance writer and you’re looking for jobs. What do you do? In part, it depends on what kind of writing you do, what the topic(s) are and who your markets – both the employer and the readers – are. These are all questions you’ll need to consider as you develop a marketing strategy for yourself. However, I’ve got some suggestions and strategies to help you, and they’re appropriate for any type of freelance writer
Using LinkedIn
Do you have a LinkedIn profile? If not, you should spend time setting one up for yourself. As soon as you contact a perspective employer for work, it’s more and more likely that they’ll Google you to learn who you are and what you’ve done. LinkedIn profiles almost always come up on the first page (because the site is one of the most popular social networking sites), and it’s to your benefit to be there. Your LinkedIn profile will show that
you’re a professional and that you value communication.
You will need to create a well-written and complete profile, and then start seeking connections. The more people who have access to your LinkedIn page and can track your activity on the site, the more obvious you are. And, if you’re working from home – whether it be in the middle of the desert or on the 28th floor of a Manhattan apartment building – you’re likely alone. You need to find a way to remind people that you exist. Seek out
recommendations from colleagues, engage in group discussions, ask and answer questions, and demonstrate what you know and how well you write.
You can also use LinkedIn to research potential employers. Many companies and organizations have Company pages that identify staff members and their positions. Through your connections, you can gain access to people who may be looking for your writing services. With LinkedIn, you can play the networking game for all its worth!
Self-Branding
If you’ve set up a LinkedIn profile, you’ve already started the personal branding process, but there are additional ways to establish your presence. The first step is to figure out who you are, what you want to do and how you want to appear to others. Chances are you know a lot of this already, but it’s important to consider the image of yourself and your work that will best help you get freelance jobs. Do you want to market yourself as a specialist
in niche market – as an expert in nanotechnology, for instance – or as a generalist who understands science and technology, and who can communicate about latest trends?
Once you’ve determined this, there are an increasing number of tools you can use to project your image and brand. One is the tried and true resume, which you’ll want to spruce up to indicate your interest and experience pertaining to freelance writing. Next, set up a website for yourself, and include a description of who you are, your clients, writing samples, and testimonials about your work. Next, is a blog, which serves your branding
strategy, and more. See below. Finally, become active on a variety of social media websites, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and others. Project yourself so that people will get to know you and remember you.
Face-to-Face Networking
Getting out and talking to people is another of those tried and true methods of getting a job. That’s not to say that there are automatic or direct pay-offs for having coffee with someone, even if you’re the one paying for their Venti Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream. What I mean is that the more you actually meet people in person, and communicate who you are, what you’re like, and what kind of writing you have done and
can do, the deeper the impression you’ll have on them. And, the more likely they’ll think of you when they or their colleagues have freelance writing needs.
Face-to-face conversations are more open, revealing and free form than written communications. They provide participants with opportunities to ask questions and respond directly to answers. And, you’ll also gain valuable non-verbal information from your interviewee. For instance, when querying someone about a potential employer, body language may indicate more than the words spoken. In general, a personal interaction is warmer, more memorable and more informative than a series of emails or phone calls (though, if you and the employer are physically distant, telephone or Skype are good alternatives).
Blogging
Since you’re reading this, you’re aware of the power and outreach of blogs. They’re excellent vehicles for demonstrating your interests and writing style, and bringing attention to your abilities. For a freelance writer, especially one who doesn’t have a lot of published work yet, blogs are an easy way for you to show off your stuff. You’ll need to write well: clearly, concisely and interestingly. That is, you’ll need to be articulate, using
proper grammar and punctuation, and be able to keep your readers’ attention. You want your audience to read all the way to the last word, and to beg you – on hands and knees, if possible – for more.
Finally, the nature of blogging is that you’re creating a continuing conversation – one that the blogger initiates and readers respond to. This means that you need to be diligent and dependable, establishing a publication schedule and keeping to it. In doing this, and in maintaining dialogue with your readers, you demonstrate that you are responsible and communicative, features which employers of freelance writers value as much as the writing itself.
Now go to it, and come back to let us know how it works! Best of luck.
About the Author: In his 8 years in the job search and recruiting industry, Brendan has served in senior client services roles with major sites like Juju.com and JobsInTheMoney.com. He has been regularly quoted on topics such as employment as well as jobs. His opinions have appeared in the Wall Street Journal and US News & World Report as well as other major publications.
It’s time for another blog post roundup. Here are July’s blog posts in case you happened to miss any.
Following up with my previous post on finding 
. It takes time to research a topic and then write about it. It’s very time consuming to keep a blog updated on a consistent basis. And as we all know, Google loves new, fresh content that’s added regularly to sites. This is where you, a freelance blog writer, can help.
