Day Seven :: Getting Better

Today was very interesting. Most of it was spent analysing the competition. The other writers, all over the world, hungry hordes of them, glued to the internet, eyes peeled, homing in on the relatively small number of decent online jobs like a gang of modern-day zombies all sprinting after the same brain.

There is something that is quite commonly advised if you’re looking for work online, especially if you’re using an online platform such as Upwork, Freelancer or Guru, and that is to put yourself in the position of the client. Literally. 

It makes sense, they say, to post a job offer on these sites and monitor the responses you get. I personally think that unless you’re going to follow through and actually hire someone, then posting a bogus job offer is pretty unethical. You know? A little bit shitty.

But I did it anyway*.

And the results have proved absolutely fascinating.

The first thing you notice is that the vast majority of people applying for writing jobs actually find it difficult to string a word together, let alone a sentence. What’s even more interesting, however, is that the best applicants you get – the ones with the best reputations and the highest hourly rates – are really not that great.

I probably sound terribly arrogant saying that, but I have to be honest. I feel I could do a better job than everyone who’s so far applied for my job. I also think I have a clearer idea of how best to get someone’s attention.

But of course, the taste of that particular pudding remains to be proven. For now I’m still focussed on learning, so I’m not really applying for jobs with the discipline I’ll bring to the task when I’m all trained up. Like a ninja.

The important thing though, is that I’m feeling increasingly confident about my ability to make a living writing online. I feel, very strongly and without bullshitting myself even a tiny bit, that I’m getting better. All the time.

Now, before I run round the common, I’m going to attempt to persuade someone at the Evening Standard to recognise my existence.

Wish me luck.

Until tomorrow.

 

*I guess it’s not *that* unethical in the grand scheme of things. I mean, I don’t think anyone has lost anything more than 15 minutes applying for my non-existent job. Most of them much less than that. But it still doesn’t sit well. It’s still a deception. I’ll figure out a way to make amends. 

 

Filed under: TRAINING Tagged: Freelance, Guru, The Beatles, Upwork