Should you use a freelance writing job board to gain a client? The answer really depends on where you are in your writing career. If you don’t have an impressive portfolio or are struggling to hear back from your cold pitches, job boards could give you a boost in your writing. These tips will also help you with job postings from Facebook groups and other social media postings.
1. Remember Your Niche
I have a lot to say about picking your niche, but for the sake of brevity, I will keep it short for this post. Pick a niche and stick with it. Gather all of the experience and published articles you have in this niche and apply only to jobs in that niche. Don’t jump back and forth between niches because you are desperate for a writing job.
Make sure your LinkedIn profile is all about your niche too, even if you are still working a full-time job that is not in your desired freelance field. LinkedIn is also a great place to publish sample articles in your niche if you don’t have any published pieces yet.
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2. Tighten The Pitch
I can guarantee you that most freelance writing job board listings get hundreds of applications. It is completely overwhelming for the hiring person, so make yourself stand out with a short, powerful pitch. Try this format:
Hello NAME,
I am emailing you in regards to your BLANK writing position. I am thrilled to be considered because not only am I a BLANK enthusiast, but I have X years of experience in the field.
Briefly, my name is BLANK, and I am a freelance BLANK writer. I have been published in BLANK, BLANK, and BLANK (Omit or add related experience here if you haven’t been published – i.e. I have worked in the real estate industry for five years.) Here are two related clips:
- Link Like this: 13 Tax Secrets Every Smart Homeowner Should Know | Reader’s Digest
- Not this:https://www.rd.com/advice/saving-money/tax-secrets-homeowners-should-know/
Not only would I be an asset to your content team, but I also have several article ideas for your readers like:
- Quick, Researched Title: Even Quicker article summary like this:
- How to Avoid Unnecessary Bank Fees: An article discussing how to avoid common bank fees, like ATM fees, overdraft fees, and check fees.
I look forward to talking with you more.
Best,
YOUR NAME
PROFESSIONAL LOOKING EMAIL ADDRESS
LINKEDIN PROFILE OR WEBSITE
Your Name
Professional Looking Email Address
Linkedin Profile Or Website
3. Expect to Follow Up
Even with an amazing pitch, your email can get lost amongst the hundreds of others. Follow up within 3-4 days, and then another week if you still haven’t heard anything.
When you follow up, don’t send a new email. You want your original application/email to be easy to see. Also, you want your subject line to be your original one with “Follow Up on” before it. Your follow up message needs to be a short one, like:
Hi NAME,
I just wanted to quickly follow up with you on the BLANK job. I can only imagine how many emails you received for this awesome position.
Attached below is my original email and qualifications.
Have a wonderful week!
YOUR NAME
PREVIOUS EMAIL (Remove any email junk wording)
The second and last follow up is even shorter and can be done a week or two weeks after if you have not heard anything back. It can go something like this:
Subject line: Final Follow Up for Engaging Real Estate Writer Application
Hi NAME,
I just wanted to follow up with you one more time to see if the writing position for BLANK has been filled.
Thank you so much for your time.
Best,
YOUR NAME
PREVIOUS EMAILS (With email junk wording removed – make it look clean)
4. Apply Like It’s Your Job
I know you are excited to land a writing job, but in the beginning, when you are trying to build your platform and name, your job is basically pitching and applying. Don’t get discouraged by the rejections or getting ignored.
If I had kept track of how many rejections I have had as a beginner and over my career as a freelancer, I would gladly tell you. It is quite possibly in the thousands. Don’t dwell on the what-ifs or become emotionally connected to a writing job before they hire you. Instead, make it your goal to send 100 job board applications and pitches. Not junk copy and paste applications, but quality, tailor-crafted emails for each job application.
100?! How do I even find that many job postings in my niche? There you go. That’s your job. When I first applied to jobs, I Google searched any terms I could think of to produce new results that could lead to job leads. I stalked every job board I could find. Yes, it takes a lot of time, but it is so worth it once you start getting those jobs.
You might secure plenty of writing work before you even get close to that 100 number, so don’t dwell too much on that. My true point is not to give up after applying for 10 jobs.
5. Check Job Boards Early and Often
Sometimes the early bird gets the worm in the case of freelance writing job board postings. Check popular job boards early and often each day. Keep track of which ones you have applied to and followed up on. Make sure each email is positioned for that unique posting. Don’t become a copy and paste sounding robot!
You got this! Spend time crafting the perfect pitch and then commit to pitching and applying for 100 writing positions in your niche before you even think about getting discouraged. Remember, you are an amazing human, so let that show when you send your emails, but leave out your doubts and inexperience. There’s no need to tell them you are an amazing writer, your samples should prove that. And there’s no need to tell them you have little experience or are desperate. Be confident in what you have accomplished so far and move your freelance career one step forward.