1) People who can’t follow directions – my last advertisement asked for 3 pieces of information. Some people didn’t include it.

2) Rates WAY over the range I put in the ad. My range was generous. I had some bids for triple that amount.

3) Stalkers. I call anyone who sends me multiple emails DEMANDING a response to their bid a stalker. You wouldn’t believe the messages I got. Some were downright hostile. I left the bidding open for the full time and did not respond to ANYONE until the bidding was closed. Yet people posted a bid and began sending me daily emails demanding a response. Note – stalking the employer is not recommended. There’s a line between assertiveness and rudeness, and many people vying for the bid crossed it.

For a simple web design project, I received 45 bids. The winning bidder submitted a warm, friendly proposal that exactly matched my criteria. Her communication skills were top notch, and her rate was exactly on my range. I hired her and have been so pleased with the results. Yes, there were people who submitted cheaper bids; but since some didn’t even follow simple directions in their response, there was no way I was going to trust them.

Good luck to all on bidding for jobs. It’s competitive, but you CAN stand out from the crowd.

Amazing information! I’m learning a lot.

I wanted to ask your opinion on including writing samples that have been published through Blogburst. Although the blog posts (articles) are being published on popular online news sites, there is no compensation for it.

I’m not sure what these writing samples are actually worth.

Thanks!

It is true that magazine clips are usually PDF files though – perhaps you can both copy and paste the article – plus include an attachment with an explanation?

However, I guess I am guilty of not following instructions too – as I do not provide quotes initially.

No offence Deb!

So on this note, I came across an ad on Craigslist today that offered you a job on the spot providing you gave them your Paypal email address and other personal info before submitting anything else. It’s rare that writing jobs are posted in VT, and when they are it’s always garbage of this nature.

Otherwise, your experience roughly tracks with mine.

While I know there are many dedicated federal employees, I doubt any are so altruistic as to be sending out e-mails at 2:30 in the morning!

From a writing perspective, I’m concerned that scammers are using these job boards to post phony ads, with their sole intent being to harvest e-mails for their scams.

@ Deb — This might be a good future topic to cover — ferreting out real opportunities from the many scams that abound, and how to protect yourself during the process.

Go to IRS Web site for more details (because article hasn’t appeared yet).

That said, I could tell the editor was brand new to the blog world and she said she wanted the site to grow, not simply content to fill the space. So I was honest with her and said the site won’t ever grow if I post only twice a week, and that if growth was the goal, the job needed to pay differently, so I could post daily, or they’d be shelling out $700 a month base (too much for that job).

I basically re-worked the fee with her so that I’m on a base rate for the whole month, instead of being paid by the post. It works out as a little less for me in the short term, but is still a fair, and pretty high wage for the work. Plus later no one can say how come you can’t grow the blog (on two posts a week).

Since I know what a blog needs to grow, and that’s what the client wanted, it would have been irresponsible for me to take the higher wage per post, knowing full well that nothing would come of it for the client.

In cases like this, where I know I’d be cheating a client, I’ll argue a lower rate, but I also always say, “Once the site grows, we can discuss a raise.”

I’m sure that I’ve lost some potential clients to other US writers, but if you sell your strengths they usually don’t dwell on my location (some even like the fact that they are dealing “internationally”). Once I’ve completed a few projects for them, it quickly becomes a non-issue anyway.

~Graham

@Deb: Here’s your response to me: @Jenn – While I do believe short and sweet it’s the best way to go, I also think you can be too short and sweet. One liners saying the resume is attached don’t tell me why a candidate is best for the job. A paragraph or two is best – or at least in my opinion.

I agree 100% and will take this to heart from now on when I query. I worry that these job seekers are so overwhelmed with queries that I cut mine down way too much. I read an article a few weeks ago saying to let your resume and clips speak for you . . . I took that too literally! LOL Thanks!

“Now, my rant said, keep in mind that I’m all for writers doing what they have to do to make ends meet. If you (general you) *need* to write for $0.03 a word to feed your kids, do it. Don’t even think twice. And those writers who look down on you for it? Tell ‘em where to go.”

As a breadwinner supporting someone who’s differently-abled, and another one who’s in college, I’ll take any gig worth my while. There are medications to be bought, tuition fees to be paid — I’m just being practical.

@Deb> Hope you enjoyed my samples at least.

I landed a job yesterday for which I had put in what I felt was a decent bid–when it was all said and done, I discovered I will be earning about $0.03/word…but it is a new writing endeavor for me, something new I can add to my resume, a client who looks like she will be a dream with whom to work…and a decent total earnings…so I am excited and proud to have landed the job.

My point is that each of us has our own set of reasons and rationale for what we do. None of needs to feel shame for the needs we have. But along the way, just know that we don’t have to settle for the lower pay rates. When we get the chance to ask for what we feel we are worth, don’t be afraid to take the risk. No one is going to offer us more than we ask for, and I think that is part od Deb’s point.

I do know what is too low a rate, but may not know the right rate.

No one can really blame other people in other countries for charging rates that equate to their economy. The buyer gets what he pays for – which may or may not be very good or culturally related.

@ Loretta – There is a huge divide in an acceptable rate for print content and online content. You can’t expect to get one for the other, as they’re not the same industry. Generally, they should be the same quality, of course.

@ Sandy – Yes, everyone starts somewhere. The new plumbing guy won’t charge what the pro does – but the rates, while varied, should be within the same range and not wildly divergent.