Employers, Hear This!
Maybe it’s an overabundance of caffeine in my system right now, but I can’t look at another ad asking for specialized writing skills that offer a measly 10 bucks an article. Today, I saw two of them, each one offering a new level of ridiculous pay. (Warning – rant ahead)
The first – the “employer” offers $300 a month for one article a day/30 articles a month. These articles are blog articles on scholarship information and they must be 1,000 words each. I’m sorry – ten bucks an article is less than I’d make at McDonald’s serving up shamrock shakes.
The second – even worse than the first. This one is for “RELIABLE” writers who know all there is to know about hydrogen power. The list of “must haves” that were required of the writer were quite long (and as we’ve learned, that usually means we’re getting squat for our efforts). Thirty to forty articles a month for original content. And for your efforts, you get between $120 – 150 a month! Wooo! Slap me silly and sign me up! McDonald’s is looking more and more like a good career move if this is all that’s out there.
Please, I don’t care at what level you are in your career. Do not give away your talents! It’s true you won’t start out writing for People or for Vogue, but why pad someone else’s site with your sweat and be underpaid to do it? Write back to each one of the ads you see of this sort and ask them why they aren’t willing to pay standard rates. Please value yourself enough to work for at least minimum wage!
Well said, Lori! Even beginning writers can make a decent wage and not have to give their talents away.
I featured your blog on my site.
I often wonder if job advertisers like these you’ve described have big ol’ brass sets or are just plain stupid.
The sad thing is, I once posted on a writers message board about how I couldn’t believe the expertise an advertiser was looking for – and at the price he was offering. I was pretty much pursecuted – by fellow writers!
Thank you, Laura! 🙂
I just referenced this on my blog too. You’re Ms. Popularity this week!
I feel your pain Lori, but since I’m a pessimist at heart, I’m going to share my thoughts on the subject.
This situation of low pay for writers is not going to get any better – it’s going to get worse.
Here’s why: The Internet is allowing businesses to reach out and find people – some in other countries – willing to work for low pay.
This trend spreads like a virus as businesses start to realize that they no longer have to pay top dollar for writing. And you can forget about trying to convince them that good writing is important because an awful lot of companies really don’t know what good writing is. Believe me, I’ve been on their websites.
For more and more companies the bottom line is money and they’re more than happy to pay someone $15 to do an article as opposed to $400.
And here’s the last bit of bad news. Writing isn’t like gasoline where the market defines a clear cut price for the product or seen as valuable as a good mechanic.
There is no standard for writing because most people just randomly decide what they’re worth and what they’re going to charge.
I think the only type of writing that is viewed as worth top dollar is direct response because companies can track just how effective your words are.
Anyway, that’s my two bucks worth and I really hope someone proves me wrong on this because I’m just starting out in this biz.
I saw both those ads — they’re an insult to anyone who writes — even if it’s a high school writer looking to expand a portfolio for college.
Oh Michael, it HAS gotten worse. These jobs started showing up hit-and-miss about a year and a half ago. Now they’re everywhere. Worse is the attitude of the “employers” – I got a response from one of my “inquiries.” She was curt and almost nasty when responding to why the pay was so low. Shouldn’t she expect that people aren’t stupid?
Thanks, Leigh! You’re so sweet. :))