Freelance writing can be feast or famine, and getting started can take time. The very nature of freelance work means that clients come and go. If you’re at a point where you need to find more work, it might be time to find some new sources to draw from.
Many freelancers have had great success finding great freelance writing gigs using freelance writing job boards. But succeeding through job boards works a little differently than succeeding on a platform like WriterAccess.
Whether you’re fairly new to freelance denmark phone number data writing or you’re an experienced writer looking to find more work, this guide will help you understand how to effectively use freelance writing job boards.
First up, there are plenty of opportunities (and faux opportunities) around. The trick, of course, is finding the good ones. Let’s talk about what you should be looking for in a freelance writing job board. Afterward, I’ll share some observations about several reputable, well-known sources for freelance work.
What to Look for in a Freelance Writing Job Board
If you’re new to this industry, it might be tempting to just dive into the first jobs board you come across that offer freelancing opportunities. But I a unified experience that targets both existing accounts don’t recommend it. First, let’s take a few minutes to understand what to look for in a freelance writing job board.
The problem here is simple. The Internet is full of advertisements for “moneymaking opportunities” that are all flash and little to no substance (I’m looking at you, Amazon FBA YouTube ads!). And there’s practically an entire industry of folks europe email peddling “make money from home” courses and products that are likely to cost you more than you’ll ever make.
That being the case, it can be tough for an inexperienced freelance writer or copywriter to cut through the noise and find legitimate opportunities amidst the worthless and even scammy ones. Even veteran writers can get surprised from time to time.
If you’re not sure about a particular opportunity you’ve come across, use the following guidelines when vetting job postings.
The Goal: Risk Minimization, Not Risk Elimination
First, it’s essential to understand that when you venture out as an independent contractor, there’s always a risk. It’s unpleasant to think for Freelance about, but any job could go south, and just about any private client could potentially stiff you on payment. Your goal as a freelancer shouldn’t be to eliminate all risks because this is impossible.
Instead, think in terms of risk minimization. Be strategic, using the tips that follow to inform your “risk quotient.” Take the sure bets, and be cautious where caution is needed.
My own strategy of minimizing risk looks like this:
- First, it’s one of the reasons I love to write on WriterAccess. I know that, as long as I deliver what the customer asked for, I’ll get paid with near certainty so long as WriterAccess is in business. The platform has my back and will help to moderate reasonable disputes. I also don’t have to chase down nonpaying clients. I’m willing to have them take a cut in exchange for this level of security.
- When it comes to freelance jobs from private clients, I take a few different approaches. I view the risk to be quite low from people I know offline, whether personally or professionally. Similarly, sites where businesses are paying to list jobs and where the job listing itself is professionally written tend to be for Freelance lower risk. Beyond that, I’m going to consider a job riskier and riskier the more points it fails below.
- Finally — and this is crucial — the riskier the job, the less I’m going to do before I see a paycheck. I might throw a couple of hundred words out there to a client I consider risky, but certainly not several thousand. I need to build up trust with a “risky” client before committing to that much writing work.
With the idea of risk minimization in mind, consider these criteria:
Is the Website Well Built?
Companies hosting high-quality job boards spend time and money to build a quality site. If you’re looking at a site that’s riddled with errors or obtrusive ads, it’s safe to conclude that something’s off. Move along.
Are the Leads Current?
A good job board will post multiple new opportunities a week, if not multiple a day. (This can vary based on whether the site is presenting for Freelance individual orders or individual ongoing freelance gigs.) A quality site will include dated information with their posts, too. Consider: what good would it do to apply for a posting from last year? If a website isn’t upfront about when leads were posted, consider that a significant red flag.
Is Anyone Vetting the Posts?
Another critical question to ask is whether anyone is vetting the posts. This isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker: I know plenty of freelancers who have picked up real work on Craigslist, and no one’s vetting those. You just need to know when you’re going into an unvetted opportunity so that you can exercise the appropriate amount of caution.
To put this another way: a midsized company paying to list a job on ProBlogger has a relatively low-risk quotient. A random dude on Craigslist with no public reputation or visible company? That’s certainly a higher risk.
Are the Job Posts Original?
Some sites claim to offer you access to jobs, but all they are really doing is republishing results from other sources. You see the same phenomenon in the W2 job world: ZipRecruiter reposts job listings to hundreds of sites.
Some of the sites that don’t offer unique, original job posts are basically “zombie sites” that offer you no benefit at all. Others provide some value in that they pull in leads from multiple sites. But beware that you’re dealing with an extra layer (or several) of hassle. You click the link to the job only to end up on another aggregate site with another link. This can be a disorienting process that leaves you unsure of who exactly you’re dealing with. And that means more risk.
You also run a higher risk of finding listings that look current but are long dead in their original location. In my opinion, it’s better to surf those original locations directly.
Does the Job Itself Sound Legit?
This last question relates to each job post you read. In essence, apply the smell test. Is the client communicating professionally? Does their business (if provided) appear to be legitimate and established? Are they promising suspiciously high rates for suspiciously easy work? Are they asking for unusual contact or personal information?
We all want to find great clients and make more money, but don’t let a tempting “job offer” cause you to fall into a scam or trap. A little common sense here goes a long way.
Pro tip: ProBlogger, one of the sites we’ll review below, has produced some content on avoiding scams. Check it out for more details.
