If you want to sum up my opinion of job boards and searching want ads, just use the word “passive.” That’s what it is, you know. It’s passive job searching, waiting for someone to post their wants and then preparing queries to suit the ad. And then waiting for a response that may never come. Waiting. Passive.
That’s no way to run a business. Hell no! Unless, of course, your goal is to run a business into the ground, in which case keep on keeping on. Finding a new, more worthwhile clientele requires something more out of you that you won’t find in the hunt-and-peck method of securing work.
There are two themes littering this little blog – one is perspective. If you don’t like the way things look, change the view and your approach. The other theme – proactive. If you wait for things to happen, inertia will be your reward. Time to suck it up and start acting like you have something useful to offer. And then go sell it. Again, you’re changing your approach.
You know what that means, don’t you? You’re going to have to start approaching companies and asking for the job. Are you ready for that? You tell me. Are you going to do the preliminary research (check out their website, learn their business a little, find out who the main contact is, etc.)? Are you willing to plan how to get in touch and what method’s working best with that company? Here’s the tougher one – are you willing to get on that phone in a week and follow up on that killer brochure you sent or that proposal to be added as a consulting writing source? Are you willing to stick your neck out there and expect a few cases of whiplash in order to gain some new clients and a new work perspective?
You tell me.
Today I’m definitely feeling hopeless and depressed and practically unable to move, but move I have to, because I’ve got to hunt down some quick turnaround work to pay the vet bills.
Something I’ve noticed gaining popularity in the ads is that when they bother to post a price, over 50% of the time in the January responses I got, they then tried to backtrack to a cheaper price — a price that, had it been posted, would have caused me to pass over the ad.
And, of course, the ads who don’t post a price, and when you ask them for one, they won’t give it to you, or they answer with, “well, we’re being very generous to pay $10 for a $1000 word article.”
I don’t think so.
I managed to get out a few cold proposals to leads yesterday, and I’ve got some more to polish and get out today, but I am deeply in despair right now.
The way the banks keep changing rates and making it impossible to reasonably budget doesn’t help, either.
Sorry for the typo — I meant “1000 word article”, not “$1000 word article.
I’ve got thousands of dollars on the brain today!
Devon, I’m sending good vibes your way. It’ll lift for you soon. I’m sure of it. Talent like yours does not sit idle for long. 🙂 I hope Elsa’s doing better!
Again, the fastest way to a paycheck is temping. IF there are positions open and IF you can secure one. A friend in this area is struggling with trying to find something quickly, as well. She’s on hold until a position comes available.
Go get ’em! (And happy Mardi Gras.)
Going after pportunities through mareketing has netted me more opportunities and better pay than searching around job boards. I still search job boards because I have found some very good clients from them who are still clients today; but it can be a time consuming task that yields very little fruit. Marketing is so essential to success in this and just about any other business. This post is a good reminder of that fact.
Happy Mardi Gras, Angie! I’ve been thinking of you all morning, you lucky, celebrating woman, you!
Kimberly, there you are. It’s the idea that some people use job boards as a MAIN source of work that bugs me. I too have found good work there, but I can tell you the majority of my great gigs have come from my own marketing.
This is definitely the kick in the arse I needed. Thanks!
Great post as usual, Lori. Reading it gives me the motivation I need. I am soldiering on!
To Devon: Thinking of you! Hope things get better for you.
Ugh, don’t even get me started on job boards. I looked at them when I first started freelancing and couldn’t believe the low rates. I wouldn’t be able to eat! Yes, there are definitely other, more beneficial ways to get work.
Soldier on, Michelle!
Go get ’em, Amanda!
Melissa, it makes me cringe to think that once, I myself took a few of those jobs. What was I thinking?
I just lost out on a huge account this week that I was sure I’d get.
Feeling sorry for myself here.
Thanks for the pep talk!
You know what’s even worse? When offline clients in your own metro area use these online job boards as a benchmark for what average rates “should” be. Talk about major frustration…
Every prospect I’ve approached; every proposal I’ve submitted, every followup- total time-waster. I lose every job because clients are looking for super-cheap rates that used to be considered entry-level a year or two ago.
We’re talking decent-sized companies – and the rates I’m quoting are not outrageous: they’re about mid-range based upon most major markets.
So you do all the marketing legwork: mail, phone, in-depth proposals – and still have nothing tangible to show for so many hours of effort.
Okay: pity party now over: thanks for letting me vent!
Well, since misery loves company – I just lost a client because their email saying “yes we’ll work with you” got sent to my spam folder. I can definitely fall into the job-board trap… obsessively reading because I don’t know what to do with myself otherwise. This is a great reminder that I need to be more proactive. Now, off to write some LOIs…
Sheri, that sucks! My gawd, if that’s a trend, we’re all in trouble!
Stacy, start something today. New moon. Trust me – things are easy to start today. And it gets you right back up on the bike.
Monica, that hurts. I had that happen once. I found it a week later and naturally, the job was gone.