Good morning FWJ Friends! I’ve got opps for bloggers, copywriters, and technical writers for you this morning. There are postings looking for a dance critic/writer, a grant writer, and someone familiar with writing sales presentations. A fact checking gig also made today’s list.
One posting that I decided to skip was where the employer wanted to see a custom-written, 1,000 word sample. Even though the ad stated that the samples would not be used unless the applicant was hired, it seemed a bit much to me. An employer should be able to get some idea about a writer’s “voice” from his or her samples.
What do you think? Is a 1,000-word custom sample asking too much? How many hoops would you jump through to get hired if the job seemed like a good, well-paying one?
Leads…
- Baltimore Blogger with Multimedia Ability Wanted
- Freelance Writers @ VC3 Communications – Telecommute
- Freelance Copywriter - Waltham, MA – Off Site/Some On-Site Meetings
- Govt. Technical Writer - Arlington, VA – On/Off Site
- Green/Eco and Transportation Bloggers @ Simply Good Media
- Dance Critic and Writer @ Minneapolis Star Tribune
- Freelance Section Editor @ Wiley-Blackwell - Telecommute
- Need Someone to Write a Grant – Gainesville, GA Area Applicants
- Web Content Intern – Austin (Paid)
- Calendars Editor – Austin, TX ($400-$500/month DOE)
- Cosmetics/Appearance Journalist Sought – Telecommute
- Freelance Proofreaders – On Site – Chicago
- Writer Needed for Dallas Arts/Entertainment Events Web Site
- Freelance Writer Needed – Must be Facebook, MySpace Expert – Telecommute ($200)
- Editor/Writer Wanted for New Asian American Magazine – Las Vegas
- Jewelry Blogger ($50 per post, one post per week)
- Celebrity WordPress Blogger Needed
- Enthusiastic Writer for College-Bound Readers
- Freelance Golf Blog Gig
- New Active Blog Seeks Writers and Marketers
- Freelance Home and Garden Journalists @ About.com
- Seventeen Magazine Internship (College Credit)
- Freelance Newspaper Writing – Greater Philadelphia
- Writers for Marketing Firm – Contract/Freelance – Philadelphia
- Web Content Writer – Telecommute ($14 per article)
- Freelance Writer/Editor for Quarterly Newsletter – On Site Preferred – Philadelphia ($1,000)
- Looking for Passionate Car Bloggers
- Sr. Technical Editor - San Diego – Contract ($30-$34 per hour)
- Political Fact Checking! Non Partisan. Use Brain, Have Impact, Make Money! - Telecommute
- Freelance Professional Editor Wanted – Contract – Seattle
- Content Writer - Contract – Redmond/Seattle
- Copywriter – 4-6 Month Contract – San Francisco
- Writer Needed for Sales Presentation – Washington, D.C. ($1,500 flat fee)
- Toronto Writers Needed
Good Luck!
I tell my potential clients that it is against my policy to provide original samples as part of the interview process. As you said, Jodee, the potential client should be able to determine whether or not I am a good candidate based on my samples. I have really stuck to my guns on this one, as I know there are scammers out there that ask for “samples” so they can get free content (despite the fact that using it would be illegal). I have only had one person continue to insist on receiving a unique sample and I politely turned the job down.
On the flip side, there was only one time that I broke the rule and that was because it was for a very unique form of writing (creating educational comic books) for which I had no samples and I could certainly understand why the client would need to see if I could handle that type of work. That one worked out OK because I landed the job!
I had one guy insist on a “unique sample” and then berate me for daring question his request stating: “If you don’t trust your employers to be honorable, then you are in the wrong business.”
When they are aggressive about getting samples from you, I am more convinced than ever that they wanted the samples for their own misuse.
I only did one sample recently for that Wine/Beer Blogger last month and didn’t get the job. In this case, he was extremely picky about what he wanted and after searching the government database for new ATF patents he provided and writing a snippet like he asked, he responded with a “It seems to me you took the easy way out and chose the first news item you found.” Took me long enough to figure out how the database worked, and with that response, I decided it wasn’t worth the effort any longer.
Although I did provide such a sample once as the client said they would pay me for it whether they hired me or not, I would not do so in most cases. In this case, I felt like he had not made a decision between two or more people. Actually, I was not hired at that time, but shortly there after he had another opening and hired me. So, it worked out well.
I have enough work at present that I wouldn’t have time to write a 1000 word sample article for no pay. I work for money and pleasure, not just pleasure. This is my job, not a hobby.
A 1,000 word sample is asking too much. Depending on the subject and the amount of research, it can take a couple of hours – or more. Personally, I don’t submit custom samples (too many bad experiences), but that doesn’t stop me from applying for these types of jobs. I take a chance and submit a previously published writing sample on the topic (I mention this in the cover letter.)
I agree. I have samples on a number of different subjects prepared, depending on what the client is looking for. The only time that I did a custom sample was for one of my very first jobs, and it was a “write 500 words, when it’s accepted turn it into your first 1500-word assignment.”
BTW, that Toronto writers needed ad is looking specifically for GTA writers (Greater Toronto Area) and it sounds like it’s non-paying–”writers will be credited.”
There was a funny one on the Toronto CL the other day. Somebody wanted to know what a ghost writer was and how he could find one, because he had pitched a book to a publisher and had it accepted. They wanted to see the first three chapters, so he needed someone to write them for him!
I don’t do unique samples very often, and especially not a 1,000 word sample. I recently did a 200 word sample and ended up getting the gig writing for a gadgets website. For most if not all freelance writers, time is extremely valuable. A 1,000 word article could take at least an hour, an hour that you’re not getting paid for, and therefore a lost hour that you could have been marketing, writing, etc.
I wouldn’t do a 1,000-word sample. I did go through prep for About and ended up not getting the position. Still I sold all of the work I’d created for my sample Guide site elsewhere, so it was okay. Plus, in that case I really wanted the gig, so it was worth my time to work through prep without the promise of pay.
For just a general client about whom I know nothing, however, I do not do free samples. I’ve done them twice. Once I found out the guy didn’t hire anyone but sold the samples. The other time I just never heard back, so I don’t do them anymore.
I agree. 1000 words is a lot of time and effort for no guarantee of return. I’ve made $500 writing a little more than 1000 words and am not about to do it for free.
I think your writing clips ought to suffice unless, like Elizabeth, the job is something so specialized, the employer needs proof you can write to the topic. But even then, 250-300 words ought to do it, not 1000, and that is after they prove they are seriously interested in you.
I have a question about samples. I started my blog http://www.bignoise-enterprises.com/blog/ as a way to create some samples and show “published” work but I am wondering about how many samples I should have, on what topics, and how long they should be.
I’m new to all this but does anyone else think that $14 per article for that web content writer ad, which says there’s extensive research and writing involved for each article is a bit um well cheap?
Hi Jodee:
Great list today – thank you very much.
Cheers,
Angela
Great list! I applied for several positions.
I wouldn’t jump through that kind of hoop, that’s for sure. I tried that once where the guy asked for a PLR-like article as a sample and said that the word count should be about the same as the original article (500 words). It took an hour and I never heard back. It’s probably being used for resale for free, now.
Thanks for the great list….
I am kin of new to this world and wondered if anyone could help me. Does anyone know the best site to set a personal blog up for free.
great list by the way.
cheers.
I wouldn’t do a 1000 word sample either. In the past, I did a “trial” article of 500 for a company, and never heard back from them. That’s when I decided if my samples weren’t enough, then I’d have to look elsewhere for work.
I do have a question for the writers here. I just started working for a company called Will Find, LLC. They are beginning a search engine type website, and have employed writers to write up short articles for them on various topics. Has anyone else written for them? I don’t think I got the job off the of the leads here, but it is possible. The reason I ask is I am now having trouble getting payment for the first 3 articles I have done.
With a request like that, 1000 sample, tells me the company or person doesn’t know anything about publishing, editing or writing. It would be a chore working for someone like that as a writer. Throw that fish back in the sea.
@jamie Try blogger or wordpress. Blogger is easier, but with wordpress you can add more style and touch to it. WordPress has more bells and whistles, but blogger is easy to get one up and going pretty quickly.
Requests for samples are common-place. However, most editors prefer links to already-published material in order to quickly determine if the writer is a good “fit” for the publication. I’ve done test writing, but that was to allow the editor to gauge my competence to produce under deadline – and I was paid for the items.
Pressure to produce sample writing just doesn’t pass the “smell test.” Such tactics only continue because somewhere down the road, a writer had given in.
At least some people ask in advance for the samples so you have the opportunity to decide whether to apply or not. Just last week, I applied for a position, sent samples in the specific field and then the guy said while he had got a “feel” for my work he needed a sample. When he directed me to the page that had examples I needed to follow I saw each piece was 3,000 words long! Needless to say I didn’t bother. Even if the guy had promised (which he didn’t) that I would be paid for that sample irrespective of whether or not he hired me, I wouldn’t trust that. If you’ve never worked for someone before and receive no contract, how can you guarantee they will pay you. Sadly, the world is full of too many shady people to trust being paid for just a “sample”. So I say, don’t do it. Certainly not for 1000 words and absolutely not for 3000! My feeling is if any potential employer in this business who is the genuine article wouldn’t dream of asking for lengthy original samples.
I swear I saw the same ad for the Freelance Writers @ VC3 Communications on Craigslist days ago. I think that was the one that didn’t have contact info (?).
And I would not do a sample article of any size unless I’d already landed the gig. I’ve worked hard to get my portfolio to where it is now, and I’m confident that if they truly wanted to see a sample of my work, they’ve got a lot to choose from right there.
No way would I write 1,000 for free. I can see writing a unique sample if the format/topic was one I hadn’t worked in before and I wanted to prove that I could do it, but I wouldn’t write more than 500 words or spend more than an hour on it. For 1,000 I’d better be getting paid, even if it’s at a reduced rate.
I would not write a sample article for clients. But I wonder if it’s easier for me[ and others who responded here] to say no because we already have strong portfolios.
What about the newbie writer who does not have a variety of samples to show to potential customers? Should she write samples to get an assignment?
@Damaria – Maybe not a sample specifically for the company she’s applying to, but just samples that reflect her writing. A well developed portfolio helps show how you write, and for most buyers, it would be enough to decide if they want to hire the person or not.
@Damaria: my first inclination is to say blogs are the perfect way to build a writing portfolio for newbies. You can show your style, polish and attention to detail without unfairly enriching a publisher that knows he or she would have to normally pay a professional.
But beyond a visible grasp for grammar and structure, professional writing is more about meeting deadlines, producing what you promised and filing copy that doesn’t require inordinate editing. For those reasons, a newbie can ethically consider limited writing ‘on spec.’
However, once a history is built, you have references to provide and clips to offer, free samples should refer only to your mom’s cookie recipe.
The most I might write for a “sample” would be about 300-400 words. Anything more than that is work and I should be compensated. I also don’t respond to the ones that require “3 pertinent examples” unless I just happen to have them.
I agree, Jody. That is a pretty involved sample to have to write just in hopes of getting a gig(or even a response). I have really strayed away from writing custom samples unless it’s a job that I’m really interested in or I know it’s legit. In the past, I had spent a lot of time trying to craft that perfect sample only to never hear back-even after follow-up emails. It was either very rude or a scam–either way a big waste of valuable time.
I have to get in on the samples discussion. My thought is that true professionals seeking writers are incredibly polite and relational on the whole — because they understand that it’s a professional relationship and great writers aren’t on every street corner.
It’s these goofs who normally would never come in contact with a professional writer, yet now are because of their blog or site, who are so incredibly rude.
Do you remember the blog for the picnic basket company? The woman was incredibly chilly with me and after a couple of emails I realized that she didn’t have a clue about dealing with writers.
The best jobs I get always come with a friendly person on the other end trying to make our union work. A win/win situation.
When I’m writing you guys, I’m often avoiding housework. Back to the floor, I go.
Wendy
After a few weeks of checking here, I finally got a few opportunities!!
As for a 1,000 word sample, it would really depend on the job. For something part time/temporary, I likely wouldn’t bother unless it was a well-paid job and I felt I had a really good chance of getting it. Otherwise, it probably isn’t worth the effort.
I agree with Wendy–some employers might be asking for the big sample as part of a scam to get free content, but I think a large number of them are just clueless and haven’t dealt with writers before. They probably don’t even have a clue about how long 1000 words really is.
I had one job I applied for not too long ago where I was asked to do a four or five page sample, but I was told before I started that I would be paid for it whether I got the job or not. The editor even sent a contract for that piece. I got the job and as you may be able to guess, they’ve turned out to be fantastic to work for. While prospective employers are trying to learn about you during the hiring process, you can also learn a lot about them…
As someone who has been burned by this, I don’t do samples any more–and I am aghast that some people will ask for four or five samples, which always ring alarm bells! A person making a legitimate offer will be able to glean your talents with one sample. That said, if I really thought it was worth it (meaning high paying with awesome exposure) I would maybe do a 1,000 word sample, but the job would have to be fantastic as doing so would take time away from projects that are already paying — it depends on the individual, but I caution you–I have had work taken from me and used via such a process (saw it in a printed publication)…
Kenna — amen and Amen…
Skippy–I’ve done samples for companies that say they will pay for them as well…that is usually a win-win…
Ooooh I’m sad to hear the story of going through about.com guide training and then not getting the job. I’m in stage 2 of guide training right now. The writing has not been hard, and neither is their CMS, but it’s a bit cumbersome and has taken a significant amount of time. Here’s hoping!
This actually isn’t that unusual when applying for health care agency jobs–though it’s usually a hoop to jump through at the second interview stage. Though the carrot in that case is the prospect of a full-time job.
I also feel that asking for original samples shows disrespect for our profession. You wouldn’t go to a dentist and say “Fill my cavity for free and, if I like it, I might come back to you for additional work” and you don’t hire a contractor and say “Build a garage for me and, if it looks good, I might hire you to build a house.” No, you look at their professional samples and you talk to references before deciding on the professional you hire for the job.
My samples and references should demonstrate my abilities as a writer and my work ethics as a freelancer. If the client finds that I do not produce the level of work desired or that I am unreliable, he or she can then refuse to pay me based on breach of contract – just as they could refuse to pay the dentist or contractor if the work isn’t up to par. It shouldn’t be the other way around.
lol, I like your examples Elizabeth.
Great analogy Elizabeth! But I think the answer to this really depends on the career stage of the writer. When I interviewed for my first full-time writing job, I did a spec article assignment — though as I recall it was more like 500 words. But it was a full-on story with multiple sources and reporting.
But maybe the difference there is this was auditioning for a full time job. And it was done under the agreement that if they used it, they would pay me their regular freelance rate. They really needed the samples as it was for a trade publication, and they’d had a lot of problems with writers who really couldn’t do the work.
They told me after getting like a dozen samples, I had written the only one that was usable!
Of course, this was all about 1,800 articles ago for me, and I wouldn’t write a free sample now on a bet. I’m doing this for a living, so I don’t have time to do articles that might well go unpaid.
So guess I think it depends on where you’re at — if you write on the side and just want to build your clips and have the time, maybe it’s worth it to you…and what’s on offer — if it’s a full time gig, maybe it’s worth it. For some sketchy-sounding Web site that wants a freelancer, I’d say no personally, no matter how much you’re trying to break into writing as a career.
But sometimes a sample makes sense…
Carol Tice
http://www.caroltice.com
I occasionally write samples for jobs if I don’t already have a sample on a certain topic. They’re usually less than 500 words, though, not 1,000.
I write for national publications, and have links to plenty of clips — including 1,000-word ones I was paid $1,000 for. Free? Next time I get dental work free.
Good one, Phil. While we’re on the subject, if you know anyone in town providing free dental work, pass along their info.
I feel strongly about following your gut when it comes to samples / free work. If I think the person is honest and just doesn’t know how to work with writers, I will explain to them that I can provide a partial sample so they can see my style (if it is a new area for me) and tell them honestly that I’ve been burned by clients wanting samples in the past.
The honest clients will respond and make sure you know they weren’t trying to rip you off. 1000 word sample from some random person on the internet, no way. Writing on spec for an established magazine is different.
@Amy – Actually, we have a dental school program in Vermont where dental care is free to anyone willing to be the “guinea pig” for the graduating students final exams. It’s all done under the guidance of a licensed dentist, but you have to be willing to sit in a dental chair for a longer period.
When I started, I built myself a little bit by grabbing some topics I liked to write about at Helium.com, especially those I thought could become niches for me, and just started writing. I remember the day I decided to freelance, I was so excited I stayed up late with two or three topics and churned out work. It helped me later.
(I would recommend Helium for writers who don’t want to manage a blog; it just gives you topics, you come up with a title, write it, save it in your computer, and then bring it out as a “recent clip” and get to selling yourself
… easier to market than a blog where the client might look at your collective handful of articles and go “this is all of it?” – recent clips worked better for me. I started a blog on a certain general topic later and used it to market to writers looking for that topic).
Phil – what publications do you write for?
(if you want to share)