There was a great post on LinkedIn last week that every writer should read. Go on. I’ll wait.
Why this post matters to every writer: It is written by a person in a position to hire a writer. He’s telling you exactly what he wanted and where most writers who applied failed. I’ll sum up the article here:
- The client offered $1,000 per article.
- 44 writers applied.
- 95% of them made 3 mistakes.
- The ad asked for 3 samples.
- Just 3 people sent samples.
- The rest used links to their profiles or didn’t send any.
- The hiring person has hired someone, but wanted to offer up why people aren’t making the grade.
Interestingly, the hiring person said it best. He was looking for a writer who could:
- Follow directions
- Make it easy for him to read the samples
He said anyone who didn’t send samples or who sent a link to a portfolio was out.
Other sins were committed, such as writers who clearly used formulaic or templated pitches instead of responding to the person. Another mistake: addressing the wrong person. Yet another gaffe: sending samples that weren’t relevant to the job.
That shit matters, people. I’ve said it here before —
[bctt tweet=”At all times, you have to look like you want the #freelancewriting gig.” username=”LoriWidmer”]
Phoning it in isn’t getting you past the first glance. This guy is telling you so.
But oh, the comments that followed. While a number of writers were happy to have the feedback, a few were insulted.
…you want article samples, the next job wants a portfolio, the other one wants a link to your website and the other, other one wants a pink unicorn that introduces your previous articles. For $ 1’000 an article sure people should bring the unicorn but most jobs pay pennies and expect writers to take more than an one hour to draft an award winning application.
Typos are not mine.
…. your tone—at least to my sensitivities—comes across as arrogant and condescending, and that’s an immediate turn-off. (It goes on to add more fuel to the fire using words like “scolding” and “deflate” to take this guy to task for not responding to each applicant personally with feedback.)
Note: His tone seemed fine to me. Perhaps someone is feeling a bit exposed?
Then there’s this head-scratcher:
Okay but the thing is – there’s so many fake employment offers out there on job boards – that writers can’t distinguish between the good and the bad. If they knew for certain that your $1000/article offer was legitimate, it’d guarantee you would’ve gotten much more higher quality and personalized responses.
Why are we even applying to gigs that could be “fake”? And why phone it in ever?
you seem to lack empathy for the applicants. You are asking for a good writer and what you chose was a good rule follower. I’m not sure those two are the same person.
Then how do you run a business? Or stay out of jail?
But then we have this random thing:
please check inbox and start a meeting for dicsuss work details
Oh yes, I’m sure he’s dying to fire the person he just hired and go for the one who cannot spell or use punctuation.
FACT #1: If you cannot follow directions, you will not be hired.
Argue all damn day about the unfairness of it. It’s not going to matter. It’s why you won’t get a corporate job if you show up in jeans and a t-shirt, why you fail the driving test when you can’t parallel park. Directions matter. Besides, in a world of people doing it wrong, phoning it in, whining about it, you’re going to stand out as a professional for seeing that the guy who is hiring an expert in tea manufacturing really wants that writer to be an expert in tea manufacturing and not in pet care.
FACT #2: It’s not on the hiring person to hunt down your information.
This guy was fortunate to have just 44 applicants. Imagine that number tripling. Now imagine being the person who’s hired to wade through those applicants. Those links to someone’s profile that have tons of irrelevant info on them don’t make you happy now, do they? Then don’t do that to a potential client.
FACT #3: People don’t hire automatons.
That template you sent out to the last 12 job postings? That’s not cutting it. You can’t apply for the health and beauty blogger job using the same template as you used for the additive manufacturing gig. The tones are going to be (should be) much different. Plus, a template sounds canned. Remember the last time someone sent you a canned communication? Think about those recorded messages that come from robots. That’s what a template sounds like to the recipient.
If you know me, you know I much prefer active marketing to find clients. But I get it — occasionally, a good job posting shows up and you can’t help yourself. So why not do it right? Why copy, paste, or expect the client to dig around and find that one sample you should have shared in the first place?
I have said it here endlessly:
Following directions in the ad is your first test.
It takes a little more time to get it right, but you’re going to stand out in a good way.
Writers, what else should other writers be doing in order to stand out to potential clients?
10 responses to “3 Facts: Why You Lost the Freelance Gig”
OMG, I went and read the post, as you instructed, and was going to come back here and comment on the comments! Then I read the rest of your post.
WTF are people arguing with him about???? The insanity. Who are these people who think it’s unreasonable to ask applicants to follow basic rules?
Head hitting keyboard.
Right there with you, sister. The weirdest part is that they don’t even see how idiotic they’re acting. How do you get through life by bitching about the rules?
Kind of proves his point, doesn’t it?
What is really sad is here is a person sharing valuable feedback and still writers- although I hesitate to use that title with many responders- throw it back in his face. They should be thanking him. But then most of those doing it will never get it. *SMH*
It’s pitiful how they’re behaving with him.
It’s also why we have long-term clients and they aren’t our competition. 😉
P.S. I HAD to leave a comment on his post. Thank you for sharing, Lori.
I saw that thread on LinkedIn, too, and just shook my head.
My favorite thing about some some of the comments you included above is that they’re calling the original poster arrogant without realizing their own arrogance.
Right? There’s a hiring manager telling you exactly what it takes to be hired and THAT is your response? No wonder they fail at freelancing, right there. The arrogance of someone saying, “You know, if you can’t see how special I am, screw you!” which is what I’m reading in most of those responses.
These are the same type of “writers” who argue about submission guidelines to anything, or when asked to submit a synopsis to an agent, producer, contest, etc., respond with “just read the damn book.”
Immediately toss into the trash.
The growing lack of professionalism is appalling. Yes, there are a lot of companies that have lousy policies. But then don’t apply.
FFS, it takes 5 seconds to attach the individual samples from the clip file.
Know what though, Devon? You and I and those like us who DO follow the guidelines? We’re getting the work.
The most appalling thing is that this guy asked for simple things: Relevant samples and experience. The number of people bitching that he’s arrogant, that his post is showing his God complex, that they are above this shit — it’s astounding. And embarrassing. Please don’t call yourself a professional writer if you’re going to act like a spoiled ass. You aren’t professional if you can’t follow simple directions. You’re not having your freedom taken away by someone who just wants to see quickly if you fit the job at hand.
We have job security, sister.
[…] to this post from Lori last March wherein Lori highlighted this epic example on LinkedIin (well worth a read) of […]