I love it when Randy Hecht does a brain dump.
Randy is the moderator of LinkedEds & writers group, and man, has she seen some stuff. Anyone who is a member of the group has seen some stuff because some writers are just putting everything out there, whether they should or not.
One of the biggest frustrations is what Randy is about to tell us — why you can fit the job description and still not be right for the job.
When the Job Fits (and when it doesn’t)
By Randy Hecht
It’s one of the toughest lessons to learn in freelancing: Just because a job is perfect for you doesn’t mean you’re perfect for that job.
We’ve all been there. The gig description starts out sounding like your dream assignment. It’s a topic you’ve been dying to cover, or a market you’ve been hustling to enter with no success, or a prestige client that would add instant luster to your portfolio.
And then the other shoe drops. To qualify, you must have experience in that market that you haven’t been able to crack. Or you need to send clips that show how you’ve covered the topic, when you were hoping this was your breakthrough opportunity. Or applicants are required to live in a distant (from you) city, region, or time zone.
That’s when the protests begin. It happens so often that I sense it may be inevitable. If the job is posted to an online discussion board, someone is going to tell the job poster—that is, the prospective client—that the requirements are misguided or outdated.
“I don’t live in Chicago, but I’m perfect for this position. Please take a look at my website and contact me. I’d love to work with you.”
“Why are you limiting your search to freelancers with expertise in foreign exchange rate fluctuations in countries seeking full membership in the European Union? A good content writer can write about anything.”
“The hours you’re requiring are impossible for anyone with young school-aged children. Why isn’t your company more friendly to working parents? Freelancers should be able to set their own hours.”
“I see you’re seeking a full-time employee. Did you know that freelancers are more productive than staffers? I’d love to set up a call to explain why engaging me as a consultant will be more cost-effective than further bloating your payroll.”
“The post says the job is on-site. May I ask why? We live in a virtual world now.”
I’ve blurred the details a bit, but those are true in spirit to actual comments I’ve read in response to online job postings.
Here’s the thing: Some of those arguments might be made successfully.
But you can’t make them successfully by challenging the job poster in public or attempting to engage your prospective client in a debate about which of you is more attuned to what the company really needs.
[bctt tweet=”Does that #freelancewriting job fit? Are you sure?” username=”LoriWidmer”]
What can you do? It’s called (brace yourself) marketing.
If you’re intrigued by that job description, spend some time on the company’s website. Find out as much as you can about what the company does, with an eye to where your skills and expertise would be of the greatest service.
Read the staff bios if the website includes a page for those. You never know who at the company might share your alma mater, your interest in rock wall climbing, or your claim to make the best brownies on the planet.
Do a LinkedIn people search of the company to uncover shared connections who might help you get in front of the right decision-makers.
Time-consuming? A bit, yeah. But not as much as chasing after random cold leads that with minimal effort could have been warmed up and made more promising. Which is the whole point of the market research component of marketing.
It won’t always work. But then, nothing always works. And what it will do is help you strengthen your ability to assess prospects and polish your presentation of why you’d be an asset to their teams. So when the right fit does come along, you’ll be the one at the head of the pack of freelancers who want that assignment.
Writers, how have you turned an almost-fit into a gig?
How do you decide if it’s right for you to reach out?
One response to “Guest Post: Does that Freelance Job Really Fit?”
I hear you make the most sought-after fudge in your building, Randy….
I’ve seen some of those same arguments on forums and in groups. I will never understand how anyone thinks arguing with a potential client is a great way to A) change their minds, and B) build a good relationship.
I’ve seen jobs that fit me to a T — except for one or two must-haves that I know I can’t deliver on. Usually, it’s the location or the in-house requirement. That’s not my job. I’m not their writer. And that’s okay. They need what they need, and I don’t know their situation enough to argue that. Nor would I.
For the in-house work, maybe they work closely with teams or production, or they have last-minute work that requires more of a hands-on approach from a team. Or they have the equipment or capabilities in-house. Or they simply like face-to-face better. That’s not my business nor my criteria to change.
That argument about school-aged children making it impossible for the writer to assume those hours is fair, but why assume the job is yours from the start and then berate the client? I suspect the job had something to do with watching overseas markets or something that would require hours outside of a normal work day. How did that writer think that arguing is going to fix that?
Something you said here troubles me. Not that you said it, but that it speaks to the issue many, many freelancers have with marketing. You said: “It won’t always work.” And right there is why too many freelancers say marketing doesn’t work. Because it doesn’t work every time.
Thank you for the reminder that marketing is a long game, not a guarantee of instant success. Thank you as well for reminding writers and other freelancers that while it may not work the first 20 times you try, the 21st time might hit the mark.