As a freelance writer, you compete with other writers whenever you apply for a project. Your application? It’s one of many.
What can you do to make your writing job application the shiny unicorn of the bunch?
Do more than what’s expected.
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5 Ways to Make Your Writing Job Application Stand Out
1. Emphasize a specific niche. If you’re applying for a lifestyle blogger position, highlight one or two key areas, such as parenting or travel. Offer solid examples of writing from your niche and own it. Avoid vague sweeping statements boasting that you can write about anything. (So can your competitor.)
2. Represent your writing niche. Think beyond the application by showing passion for your writing niche on social media or a blog. Do you specialize in IT topics? Great! Hiring managers would love to see a weekend tweet about fixing your buddy’s computer, a personal blog post about reaching coding success or a Facebook selfie with your new mega-ridiculous hard drive that you can’t wait to review.
3. Submit a complete application. You already know your grammar and spelling need to be top-notch. Now take it a step further. Did you fill out every section, even the optional ones? Do your social media profiles and links lead to complete, well-composed pages? A skeleton LinkedIn profile and blog that hasn’t been updated in a year aren’t impressive.
4. Network with the client. Before you turn in the application, think about your relationship with the publisher and the company offering the project you hope to land. Have you been following both on social media? Have you started engaging in conversations on their posts? Do you share their Tweets? Creating a casual online relationship before your application lands in an inbox makes you memorable.
5. Create a writer’s portfolio. Do you have a collection of writing samples accessible online? Hiring managers will browse your site to get a feel for your breadth of topics, tone and overall writing style. A free portfolio or website is the way to go. Once built, update it frequently with your best pieces, whether they’re from a personal blog or client work. Strong writing samples speak volumes, whether you were paid to write them or not.
Want more writing and marketing tips? Wonder what I’m up to today? Join me on Facebook at Web Writing Advice and Angela Tague (Journalist / Writer)! Happy writing!
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Note: This post was last updated on December 10, 2022.
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