This post was written by Jennifer
Have You Checked Back On That Blog Gig?
When applying for a blogging job, you need to treat it like any other job you might apply for.
This means that during the application process:
- You send the client what the client wants to see. Be it a resume, or short introduction letter.
- You don’t apply for jobs you’re not qualified for - if you can’t cook, you wouldn’t apply for a chef gig, so if you know nothing about Microsoft, don’t apply to write for a Microsoft blog.
- You don’t tell the client that they suck. When I worked with human resource departments in offline jobs related to health care and social work, we never got resumes from people that told us our company sucked. Yet, people find it ok to tell blog owners and networks this often. Why? Who knows, but it’s not cool. If a job sucks - don’t apply. Period.
- You need to do what you say you’ll do. Be it sending a contract back, returning a phone call, or sending further resume info.
Check back! This is a biggie. A few little birds at networks and client owned blogs have told me that people don’t always check back on their application status. This is job etiquette 101 folks. In the offline world, you send an application or resume, and later you call said job and nicely say something to the affect of, “Hi, this is Bob. I submitted a resume, and I’m curious where you are in the hiring process… Would it be possible to arrange an interview?”
In some cases a blog gig will state, “Don’t check back” and in most of those cases, I’d say do what they say. However, if they don’t mention it, one quick email can show you’re interested enough to follow up. Don’t be a pest, but do check back. This is a great way to single yourself out and get noticed.
True story: I once saw a blog gig I wanted; it had been up for months, I hadn’t applied because I figured it would fill quickly. After months of continually seeing it on job boards, I applied. A week later I emailed the network editor and noted that I was still interested and offered a few quick post ideas. The editor emailed and set up a quick interview. The interview went well, and I got the gig. My editor eventually told me that she actually had many folks apply who were more qualified (topic wise) than I was, but that I was the one and only person who checked back on my application status. That one email landed me a great job.
While blog jobs can seem more casual than article or business copy jobs, they aren’t. If you’re going to be paid real money, then it’s a real job. You need to apply with this in mind and put the same amount of care into the application process that you would with any other gig.
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3 Responses to “Have You Checked Back On That Blog Gig?”
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This is very interesting. I figured they’d call you if they were interested.
They might. They might not. Also, 100s of applicants apply for gigs at a given time. How do you choose who to call if you’ve got 20 who are qualified? If I’m the only one who checks back on that one gig out of hundreds and I happen to be qualified, it makes it easy for them to choose me, because I’m right there chatting with them. I’ve gotten many a writing gig just because I checked back, and jobs in the outside (offline world) as well.
I remembered I got my 1st gig by “pestering” the editor. Sometimes, you can get something you don’t apply for but it is a topic that you like.