Good morning FWJ Friends! It’s quiet on the boards today, but I do have a few internships, jobs for copy editors, content writers and reporters. There is an opportunity for math writer and an editing gig for someone who is able to work with erotic literature.
I found one ad this morning that I found quite interesting, and not in a good way. The people who don’t want to pay writers for their work are getting more clever about it. The poster explains that he/she is offering a certain amount for articles “as a token” because CL ads need to be for paid work, but that they have had “many people” who have contributed content for credit only. This implies (to me at least) that if you actually want to get paid for your work that you are being unreasonable, since many other people have given it away. Not true, Friends. Nobody who visits here has “Chump” written across their forehead - You guys all have “Champ”! Don’t fall for this…just move on to opportunities that pay you for your work.
Leads…
- Editorial Internship @ The Atlantic - College Credit
- Internship with Food and Beverage Creative Development Company - Los Angeles - Paid
- Researcher/Copy Editor Intern - Pasadena - College Credit
- Music Website Seeks Editorial/Content Interns - New York - College Credit
- Intern - Fashion Writing - Work from Home - College Credit
- Writer/Blogger Wanted
- Special Project Assistant @ Popular Mechanics - Temporary - New York
- Freelance Copy Editor @ CNNMoney.com - New York
- Write for the #1 Website about Black Celebrity Culture - Sandy Springs, GA - Telecommute with Some On-Site Meetings
- Smart Humor Contributor
- Community Reporter Needed - Boston
- Infomercial Script Writer - Telecommute ($30/hour DOE)
- Newspaper Reporters - Dallas
- Contributing Writers for Down Latino Magazine - Denver
- Writing and Reviewing Products - Houston
- Bloggers Wanted: Green Living, Social Responsibility, Nonprofit ($20-$100 per post)
- Editor for Safety Booklets - Telecommute ($50 per project minimum)
- Theology Writer Needed - Telecommute
- Math Writer/Editor - Palo Alto
- Copywriters, Both Technical and Non-technical - Contract - Herndon, VA
- Spanish/English Proofreaders - Temporary - On Site - Rockville, MD
- Freelance Sports Writer Wanted (NHL) - Telecommute
- Editor for a Bit of Risque Literature - Telecommute
- Looking for Great Copywriters - Telecommute
- Copy/Content Writer for Technical Web Site - Telecommute
- Looking for Writers for Online Parenting Mag
Good Luck!
August 26th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Hi Jodee! Thanks for the leads! I’m crossing my fingers about the Erotic Editor one.
August 26th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Thanks, Jodee! Hey, I am getting a 404 message on the Smart Humor Contributor one … thanks!
August 26th, 2008 at 9:48 am
@ Caroline: It’s fixed now!
August 26th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Ugh, that is so frustrating, Jodee.
Lately I’ve been finding that there’s been a move from posters playing the old, “We’re a startup with no funding, but our product is amazing and you’ll be paid once it takes off” to “We’re a massively popular website/publication and you’ll get amazing exposure” in ads. Also, more often posters are requiring that applicants sign up for an account just so their application even has a chance of being reviewed. And the custom samples? Oh, don’t even get me started.
Thanks the list!
August 26th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Thank you for the great job leads - and for looking out for us. I also appreciate the fun and helpful words you post with the leads each time, too.
Like the sun coming out each morning, I can always count on you and your cheerful attitude to brighten each day. Thank you so much! I love waking up to FWJ and your happy leads posts!
August 26th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Very sound advice. One ad on CL (listed as a paying gig) about a month ago claims to have ties to a rather well known newspaper and requested writers for their new pending on-line site similar to about.com
Needless to say, I applied, sending in everything they requested. They contacted back recently that I was accepted in a particular niche.
Here is the kicker; “I don’t know if anyone mentioned that this is not a paying gig, per se. And the site is scaled to grow very large.”
They went further that I should be proud to have exposure with a fine publication such as theirs. Perhaps as they grow, I would receive compensation based per number of views. (I think it would be 2.50 per 1000 once they are established). They expected at least 3 new contents per week.
It sounds like Chump to me.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:12 am
I had one job opportunity citing a rate of at least 5 cents per word on general parenting topics come back stating that only five-star writers would earn 5 cents and all others would be 1 cent. Then they said my samples rated a 4.5 rating per their editors, so I was being offered a starting rate of 1 cent per word. So I’ll be scrapping that job offering.
Then another from last week looking for electronics writers requires me to write a news article related to their site. When I try to access their Web site to scope them out, I get a page telling me a password is required. I really don’t have the time to write them a customized article so I’ll scrap their offer to, but it is frustrating sending out samples galore and then having them say they want something fresh created solely for them.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:41 am
@Veronica, how annoying! I don`t even apply for jobs that don`t list the price anymore. It`s just not worth it, since almost all of them either don`t pay or want you to do like 50 articles for $1 each. Right, I have time to do that.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Ugh! The erotic editor posting has been flagged. Sometimes I think CL should take that feature away!
August 26th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Thanks for the list!!!!
August 26th, 2008 at 10:51 am
That is incredibly frustrating! I am so glad that I’m quickly becoming more savvy to the deceptive wording in job ads. I’ve decided that any responcible person posting an ad will avoid being totally vague and will at least give a ballpark estimate of what you can expect to be paid. I don’t want to waste my time putting together my writing samples, cover letter, resume, etc for a job that is not legit in the first place.
On a different note: GREAT leads today! I applied for one of the two blogging jobs that covers green living. I might go ahead and apply for the other one as well.. nothing to lose with trying!
The “Asian Parent” online magazine was really interesting to me. I’m considering that one as well, but not being Asia, or even remotely familiar with Asian culture, I’m questioning my ability to work for them!
August 26th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Ann G.,
Even at 5 cents a word, it probably wasn’t worth it.
August 26th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
@Kristy - here’s what I do in case a CL ad gets flagged before I get to reply (if it’s not already flagged the first time I view it. If it - nothing I can do).
I copy all the text in the ad, then I click on the e-mail address. When my e-mail opens up, I paste all of the info right into the e-mail. Then, if I don’t have the time to reply immediately, I save the e-mail as a draft.
That way, if the listing gets flagged later I still have all the info.
It makes sense to go through Jodee’s list as soon as it is up and do this to everything you want to apply for first, then go back and work on each individual e-mail.
I try to get to everything within an hour or two because I believe that the sooner you apply, the better, but sometimes I just can’t get to things immediately.
August 26th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
@Phil - 5 cents a word for the topics they want would work for me. It was all 300 word 1st person parenting articles that required no research, I pick my own topics, so I could do four an hour without issue. That’s an excellent hourly rate for this area.
August 26th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I have Firefox, so when the gig links are posted here I right click on each ad that interests me as I go down the list. This opens each one up in a new tab. I don’t look at the ads until I have gone through the entire list Jodee has posted. Then I go through each ad that is opened up in its own tab. This seems to make it faster for me to get through the links and ads - and I don’t need to ‘remember where I am’ on the link list because I am just clicking as I go down the list.
Craigslist ads have a link in the upper right hand corner that allow you to ‘email this ad’. It will send the entire ad - not just a link. All you have to do is fill in a sender email addy and a recipient email addy. It (Firefox, I believe) ‘keeps’ the email addys I entered in the form so each time I can type the first letter in the box or double click to get the entire email addy pulled up.
Some other ads have an option for emailing with them - usually they only send a link, so for those I copy the ad, put it in the comments section and send.
For some reason using the ad site email feature is a lot faster for me to do than to start a new email each time - though sometimes I do have to do it that way.
Like Robin, I do this so I have a copy of the ad for reference in case it gets flagged. It also comes in handy for future reference so I remember the specifics in the ad. Sometimes what was in the ad is not what you are told later when you are ‘hired’. Plus, when you apply for multiple jobs, it helps to have the ad as reference so you know which job you are hearing back about.
I also send a BCC of each emailed application to myself, as well.
August 26th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
FYI - “Copy/Content Writer for Technical Web Site - Telecommute” (towards the bottom of the list) - bad email address.
August 26th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Speaking of bad attitudes, is anyone else offended by today’s listing for a Writer/Blogger (from NY’s Craigslist)? As his/her negative tone suggests, the person posting shows absolutely no respect for applicants or for the value of the written word (as his/her comments to the effect of “you tell me what I should pay you” indicate).
I hate it when the persons posting jobs don’t tell you what they’ll pay–if they’re ashamed of what they’re willing to pay, then they shouldn’t be in business!
As for the “Erotic Writer” listing a few days ago–not knowing if the job poster was a pervert or someone looking for some free content (via the 250-word writing sample requested), I emailed an excerpt from one of my business articles and, per the ad, asked for more info. No response yet.
Just my 2 cents–thanks again Jodee for all of your efforts!
Bobbi
August 26th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I think when they are asking you to quote them, as in the NY CL ad, they are generally hoping you will lowball, since this is what most people do. I don’t know if it is offensive, it is pretty much just a tactic.
What I didn’t like about that one is it looks like an “agency” kind of setup rather than a straight gig directly with a site or magazine, so I didn’t apply for it. Looks like someone is making money as the middleman to me, and I’m not too keen on that.
If I see stuff like this, or “up to” a certain dollar amount, I state that I am only willing to work for the highest dollar amount. Most don’t write me back but I just got a response today from one that did - we’ll see how that goes!
August 26th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Good points, Angela. I agree that the job poster sounds like a middleman or outsourcer. Like you, I don’t bid at the lowest price but at the price my time is worth. (I usually charge at least $30/hr.)
Another bad tactic I’ve encountered recently occurred when the Craigslist posting clearly stated that writers would earn $40/hr. In fact, after I was accepted for the position, the person posting the job emailed me to say that all writers earn just $20/hr to start with and stay at that rate until he deemed them worthy of more $$$. Since when do professionals perform trial runs at rates that are 50 percent below the stated rate?
Bobbi
August 26th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
@Bobbi C - That blogging opportunity sounded interesting, but after reading the entire ad, I decided “no thanks.” I know how to follow directions, but I’ve worked with people who’ve posted similar tone ads before, and they’re rarely a picnic to work with. Plus, I’ve never been a fan of the whole “rate quote” thing. I don’t like to play lowball games. Just tell me how much the job pays, and we can go from there.
August 26th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Hi Bobbi & Angela,
I know the person who took out the ad for Writer/Blogger (he asked me if I can slip in with today’s leads). He is what he says he is - someone who is frustrated with applicants who don’t follow directions. He also asks for quotes because he wants to be fair not because he’s looking to lowball. I never worked with him directly but I know him well and he does pay on the high end.
I guess you never can tell?
Deb
August 26th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
@ Valencia: “Plus, I’ve never been a fan of the whole “rate quote” thing. I don’t like to play lowball games. Just tell me how much the job pays, and we can go from there.”
AMEN!
August 26th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Off topic:
Does anyone know anything about BrightHub? They’ve contacted me about ocntributing one of their channels, but the compensation makes no sense without revenue sharing. I’m thinking it might be worth an experiment, but don’t want to put in a little time for little or no compensation. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
August 26th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
That’s a great point, Deb.
At the same time, as writers we get deluged with ads that ARE lowballers, scammers, etc. We have to draw lines somewhere and because so many lowballers use that tactic it leaves employers such as your friend in a bad place.
I have thought sometimes (in my frustration with scammers and others) of writing up some type of ad guideline for those seeking writers - but then I wondered how many legit employers would read it and how many scammers would get trickier because of it. :-O
What do YOU think (anyone)? Since those who hire writers frequently have submission guidelines, should we as writers have our own ‘ad’ guidelines? If YOU (anyone) created ad guidelines, what would they say?
Personally, I think DETAILS (genre, topic, word count, pay rate, deadline, etc) would be great. It would save applicants and employers a lot of time to have the specifics spelled out in the ad. Plus, legit employers that needed rates or samples would probably get better results.
August 26th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Jodee,
In this world of shady something-for-nothing employers, it’s great to have an experienced freelancer like you weeding out ads. Thanks for the great work! If only there were a way to weed out the ads that just want you to sign up for their websites, life would be grand (I despise those even more than low/no pays–we don’t have time to go through the effort of applying just for a link to a stupid site). Oh well, such is life.
Although I’ve only just begun posting here recently, I’ve been using the site for over a year and have gotten some really interesting jobs. I’m in between full time jobs right now, and am considering going freelance full time. This site has been/will be instrumental if I do. Thank you and Deb for the great work!
August 26th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Love the site. You’ve helped me get 2 great jobs. So thanks in advance. I usually focus on sports-related jobs, but two posts recently have me confused. The NHL job posted today came back with this automated response from Craigslist:
“Sorry, but the Craigslist user address you recently mailed (job-812398396@craigslist.org) does not seem to be valid. It could be you’re trying to respond to a very old posting, or that the user has not requested anonymous email forwarding. Please check the address and try again.”
There is no other way to respond and it’s only a day old. Did they just pull the ad or was it bad to begin with. Thanks for any advice!
August 26th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
@Dani-I love your thought there. There is nothing worse than vague ads. I can’t even begin to fathom how some people will write an ad seeking writers and not include what the topic is–even a general topic! Why am I going to spend the time putting together a cover letter, resume, samples, etc. just so I can find out the gig requires someone versed in the neurological sciences. Come on! I agree with all the info. you would have included.
August 26th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Thanks for the update on the Writer/Blogger position, Deb. It’s good to know he’s better than his posting makes him out to be!
August 26th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Great leads today! I didn’t see the Writer/Blogger ad offensive at all…just someone who knows what he wants. I’ve outsourced graphics before and occasionally some writing for personal projects and it is indeed an eye opening experience! You wouldn’t believe what some people pass off as quality applications. I understand why he may be frustrated.
August 26th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
I have seen a number of sites like this and it really gets to me! If I wanted to write for no money, I would write for the newspaper again!
Well, actually, I did get *some* money, but still, come on. Companies must not care a great deal about quality, I guess.
Thanks for all of these leads!
August 26th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Deb, that’s the blogging job I applied for. Maybe you could say,
I’m only kidding… I’m more than appreciative of the fact that you slipped the job op. here for someone like me to try for!
“Hey, Old Friend, you know that fantastic writer Amelia Bines that followed your directions to the T? SHe would be an awesome blogger for you!”
Dani - your guidelines are spot on with what I’d like to see! I’m SO tired of completely vague ads.. I don’t even bother with them anymore. It only takes a second to type what topic content you’re looking for… don’t waste my time, and in turn, I won’t be wasting yours!
August 26th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Phil — I’ve heard that BrightHub pays $10 per review, plus some sort of revenue share. I don’t know much more than that. Good luck.
August 26th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Phil:
I am a channel editor for Bright Hub. The revenue model is based on articles submitted and/or edited, and there are also opportunities for bonuses. If you let me know what you are not clear on, I can answer or get your question to my boss and make sure it’s answered correctly.
August 26th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
This really was a good list today Jodee. I applied for several of the positions. Still waiting to here back from the guy I interviewed with last week. Sent him some samples today. I briefly profiled what you guys do on my website today: http://spencerspellman.weebly.com/writing-tips.html
August 27th, 2008 at 1:41 am
What about that whole revenue share thing–anyone have any luck with that?
August 27th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
@ Dani: Thank you!
@ Spencer: Thanks for the mention on your site.
August 27th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Hey everyone!
Jodee, Once again, thanks for the great leads…there are actually a couple I’m interested in. On the NY ad for the writer/blogger, I once worked for a guy who had just that mentallity….. he drove me (a complete extravert and spur of the moment gal) crazy!!!! Him and his DETAILS, we were like oil and water!! Enough to make me want to throw myself off a building….. I worked with him for 4 yrs until I gave him the heave ho!…lol….he paid good! Now I’m writing…:)