Comments on: Weekend Discussion: How to Read a Job Ad

By: Freelance Writing Jobs » Blog Archive » We Get Letters...

Freelance Writing Jobs » Blog Archive » We Get Letters... — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 13:26:29 +0000

[...] respond to these postings as quickly as I can and feel I am certainly qualified to fill these positions, but no one responds [...]

By: ann

ann — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:39:34 +0000

I just notice I said “articles” instead of hours… sigh. Humidity got to me yesterday something fierce.

As I’d said, I’m a former travel agent and travel articles come very easy to me, so I can write one in three hours. The hardest was for the Netherlands because many of the sites wouldn’t translate from Dutch to English, so that one took me about five.

I have a slew of travel guides on my bookshelves to help out. I can also type 80 words a minute which is faster than many, so that helps too.

But in general, areas of Northern VT receive poor pay in comparison to our taxes and housing costs. My mom worked for a bank (bounced checks/collections) for 6 years before being laid off due to a bank merger. She was earning $10.50 after 6 years. That’s typical pay in VT so I’m very happy making what I do.

I’ve also talked to people who live in Manhattan who say that the pay scales here are horrendous and they don’t know how we survive. So I’m sure it is all in the perspective.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:39:18 +0000

I stand corrected then. I could never produce an article of that length in that amount of time.

By: ann

ann — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:39:02 +0000

An $80 article takes me about 3 articles to write. That’s FAR more than I could every earn around here in Vermont. My husband’s been at his job for 28 years and I’m earning the same hourly as he is now.

The average rate of pay here in this area of Vermont is $10 an hour, so I’m more than happy to NOT have to drive my car on a 30 to 40 commute one-way and work from home.

Perhaps it is all in the perspective of where you live.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:38:44 +0000

You’re right. And if any of you can rip off a 2500 word article in an hour or two, my hats off to you. I wasn’t trying to be rude…I just think some people aren’t aware of what is ‘good’ pay. Fine if it’s extra pocket money, but I doubt you could support yourself on it.

By: katharine swan

katharine swan — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:38:27 +0000

I agree that it’s worthwhile to ask for more details… but before you apply.

Anonymous, while I agree that a 2,500-word article can be a lot of work, and might deserve more than $80, it would be nice to find out a little more information before you criticize. For all we know, Ann rips one of those articles out in an hour or two — and $80 or even $40 an hour is nothing to sneeze at.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:38:00 +0000

$80 for a 2500 word article is far below what you should be getting, especially if ANY amount of research is required. Just wanted to let you know…you’re working for far below what your services are worth.

By: ann g.

ann g. — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:37:42 +0000

Sometimes, however, one vague ad can be a hidden gem. I read one ad that basically stated “Travel Writers Needed, Must be able to meet deadlines.” That was it. I answered it anyway because I am a former travel agent. The job was fantastic, is turning out to be full-time, and pays $80 for 2,500 word articles.

For that reason, I would say that sometimes it pays to at least ask for more details.

By: susan

susan — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:37:22 +0000

These are great. I’ve had both good and bad experiences on CL. I appreciate when a poster includes a real email or name of the publication instead of a generic gigs email and a reference to some type of “real estate mag.” That way I can do my research and tailor my query to their style and needs. Plus, it makes it easier to follow up later if I think it’s worth it.

By: deb

deb — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:37:02 +0000

And don’t forget my personal favorite

“Perfect for stay at home moms.”

I think seasoned writers can tell from ads who has the sweet gigs and who to stay away from. It’s the newbies who benefit the most from these articles.

Good post, Allison.

By: jennifer

jennifer — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:36:44 +0000

Great post! Another thing I watch for are job posts that say something akin to, “Writing students wanted/welcome” or “We are not looking for great writers” — both almost always indicate low or no pay.

By: alicia

alicia — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:36:17 +0000

Awesome post Deb Too bad you didn’t write this way back when I was introduced to Craigslist (and other freelance writing/editing job post sites).

Like Bea’s comment on “Some are so arrogant as to say you can write 3 or 4 500-word abstracts in 1 hour – for $10!” I scoff in the face of advertisers who use phrases such as, “…the potential to make…” That usually means, “We’ll pay $1 an article, and if you write 20 articles in an hour, hey, you’re making $20 an hour!”

Yeah. Kiss my tail, buddy.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:35:55 +0000

Great advice, especially for newbies.
I have come across some additional red flags – job ads that are written in broken English and posters who reply to questions you pose about payment with vague promises or hourly wage estimates. The latter obviously have no idea how much work is required to research and write “short articles and brief reviews.” Some are so arrogant as to say you can write 3 or 4 500-word abstracts in 1 hour – for $10! I try to avoid web publishers who exhibit disrespect for what we writers do.
Bea

By: ashley

ashley — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:35:38 +0000

This was very helpful. Thank you for posting it.