Things Clients Don’t Tell Freelancers
I remember handling applications from different writers around the world and I will have to say, I read some of the most obnoxious applications.
I still remember some of them and I now know why it is difficult to land a high paying job. Before I move on, I know how it’s hard out there — especially when you have to keep moving from one hirer to the next hoping to get a top $$$.
However, there are things that you need to give another look to be a great applicant.
General CV Presentation: Hirers want to understand where you have been since the day you were born. Therefore, take time to give a semblance of order on your CV right from your Educational Background to your current Job Status. For freelancers, “A” samples should sell your skills anywhere even if you don’t have referees.
The Application Letter: Please, take time to say who you are, your skills, areas of expertise, how long you have been in the industry and what you hope to deliver. The cover letter shouldn’t take more than 100 -180 words. Remember the applications could be overwhelming and if a freelance client doesn’t feel your expertise within the first few lines, it may never go past that.
Proofreading/Editorial Tweaks: There are various grammar tools that help us take care of minor errors. No matter how good we are at English, it’s possible to loose out on “sentence structure stuff” and other technical errors. Even though most employers are not a part of a grammar editorial team, it wouldn’t hurt to take care of that.
Freelance Clients are Professionals Too: The most annoying part of the hiring process was receiving applications that seemed quirky/ poorly done. It may be easy to assume that online jobs may not be as demanding of professionalism as on-site jobs, but that could be the reason why writers don’t get one. Write the application as if you were going for an interview in a couple of days or weeks.
In a nutshell, most hirers take applications very seriously such that it would mean getting a better pay or lower pay than the others, all depending on their first impression of you. You may work remotely/telecommute, but your CV is your Avatar and you need to make sure it explains why you deserve top $$$ as a freelancer.