how to land a blogging job and get on the road to self-employment

HOW TO LAND A BLOGGING JOB AND GET ON THE ROAD TO SELF‐EMPLOYMENT That’s how many people applied to a recent job posting seeking a part‐time blogger for Jobacle.com. Do you know how many people stood out from the pack and grabbed my attention? SIX! As a person who is both a blogger AND someone who hires bloggers, I would like to share with you several tried and true tactics to get noticed. This brief report outlines measures that successful bloggers use in order to land paid blogging jobs. Are you ready to land in the 0.73% of blogging applicants who have a shot at getting hired? Read on…

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TIP #1: GET CREATIVE WITH THE SUBJECT LINE You need to travel no further than your inbox to understand that dozens of emails are wrestling for our attention on a daily basis. When you apply for a blogging job, you are not only competing with other bloggers for the reader’s attention, but with every other email as well! Much like an e‐commerce campaign, your first goal is to get the individual to open your e‐mail – a major challenge in itself. Even if you are the best blogger on the planet, you will not get the job if your initial email is never opened. Your subject line should be concise, descriptive, and unique. If there is a default subject line when filling out a form or clicking an e‐mail link – change it. If a job asks you to list the title of the job in the subject line, do so, but put your own spin either before or after the requested information. Your subject line needs to be less than 50 characters (including spaces) in order to fit in the preview pane of most email programs. Avoid “spammy” terms such as “#1” or “Winner.” Good: I Am Your Next Blogger Better: Experienced Blogger; The First Post Is Free Best: Blogger With 7M Page Views ‐ Hire Me...Cheap!


TIP #2: TRIM THE FAT…ALL OF IT The people making hiring decisions for blogs and/or blog networks are busy. VERY busy. They normally wear multiple hats and are subjected to more Web noise than the average person. Unlike typical Human Resources professionals, these people are not trained to hire and fire, therefore, you must approach them differently. That means hold back on a long cover letter or resume; avoid attachments. If you have 20 seconds to grab someone’s attention for a “regular” job, you have 10 seconds if you are applying for a blogging gig. Say upfront what you have accomplished, what you can do for the blog, and save everyone time by giving an idea of the compensation you are seeking. Prove that you have the skills to do the job and that you’ll make the blog owner’s life as easy as possible easy. For example: Over the past 10 years I have blogged for XYZ.com, garnering 13M page views, 11,000 Facebook fans, and helping the blogs I write for improve their search engine rankings. Rates start as low as $X per post ‐‐ and if I miss a deadline ‐‐ the blog entry is free of charge! Below are professional references who can speak to my deadline‐driven mentality and vouch for the quality of my work. 4 Created by BloggerFreelance.com

TIP #3: GET THEM TO THE CONTENT

If you are applying to be a blogger, the hiring agent will be most interested in examples of your previous work. If you include a link to past posts, be sure that it is obvious that the post belongs to you when they land on the page. You want to avoid giving the employer any extra work. If a blog has multiple authors, you should not send a potential employer to the homepage. If they have to hunt for answers, they’ll likely just move on to a different applicant. Use a link shortening service to get people in front of your best work – articles that are relevant to the employer. Short links keep the e‐mail free of long URL’s and gives you a mechanism to track if the employer viewed your work. I also recommend that you copy and paste your strongest writing sample at the bottom of the e‐mail after your closing/signature. People can be wary of clicking links from strangers. Plus you’ll combat a potential broken link or connectivity issues. Never offer to “send samples upon request.” 5 Created by BloggerFreelance.com

TIP #4: TIME IT RIGHT

You have the least control over this item, but be aware that the bulk of applicants who apply for freelance blogging jobs will submit their “pitch” within the first few days that a job is posted. Based on sheer volume, you are likely to get lost in the shuffle. Applying for a job after it has been posted for at least a week might give you a better chance of getting the hiring agent’s attention. Many people who hire staff believe that the first people to apply are ‘job board patrollers’ – people who aren’t interested in a specific job – but are desperate for any job. Being first is sometimes the quickest way to take yourself out of the running. Additionally, even if the best candidate comes in first, the employer will likely hold out to analyze a larger pool of candidates before making a decision.


TIP #5: FLATTERY GETS YOU EVERYWHERE Blogs are an offshoot of the person who creates them. Blog owners are generally a passionate group and that spend hundreds of hours honing their craft – often with little reward. When applying for a blog job, take the time to get to know the blog you could potentially be working on. Don’t be shy about offering praise and complimenting specific attributes of the blog. Of course, it’s a fine line before you come across as patronizing, so tread lightly. Blog owners want passionate writers; people who believe in the “cause.” Your kind words will not only make the blog owner feel good, but will also reinforce that you took the time to get to know the product. That alone will set you apart from most of the other candidates.


NEED SOME HELP? You CAN make money blogging. I know, I’ve been doing it for over 5 years on great blogs like BloggingPro, Blogherald, SocialTimes, U.S. News & World Report and dozens of others. With everyone and their mother blogging these days, standing out from the pack is harder than ever. It wasn’t until I stopped sending my “regular” resume that I experienced a healthy amount of blogging success. The cold hard truth is that a specialized blogger resume can make the difference. Are you looking for one or more of the following? ‐ A full‐time blogging job ‐ A career that includes blogging as a skill ‐ Blogging for supplemental income ‐ A blog hobby Don’t let your resume hold you back. In order to get blogging jobs, you need a resume that is optimized for blogging. We bring to the table something that other folks can’t — a keen understanding of what companies and blog employers are looking for in a blogger. We’ll help you incorporate your blogging skills and experience into an existing resume or help you create a new resume designed exclusively for blogging jobs. Ready to start blogging for money? CONTACT BLOGGER FREELANCE FOR A NO‐PRESSURE QUOTE 8 Created by BloggerFreelance.com