Why Is It . . .

. . .That online writing job postings with lots of exclamation points in the subject line (or even one, really) invariably pay nothing? I don’t get it. Do they think people are so dimwitted that they’ll be distracted by the !!!!!!!! and not notice that the gig pays squat?

This is sort of a continuation of my Danger, Will Robinson! (Or: How I Learned to Spot Job Posting Red Flags, Part 1) post.

You Talkin’ to Me?

Successful interviewing entails listening, not just asking. I was reminded of this simple fact recently when I interviewed Graham Fenton, starring as Frankie Valli in the national touring company of "Jersey Boys," which is coming to Orlando in May.

I asked him about the nerve-wracking audition process he endured (including singing for Frankie Valli himself) and he started off by saying he first heard of the auditions in Miami when he was living in Orlando. Viola! Instant local connection. I made sure I followed up on that tidbit and that connection became my lede paragraph.

Moral of the story? If I had been so myopically focused on my next question that nifty little nugget likely would have escaped my radar.

Find my work in the newest issue of Texture magazine

The Spring/Summer issue of Texture is out. You’ll find my article "Commercial Spotlight" that focuses on the state of the commercial production industry in Central Florida.

Take a gander and feel free to let me know what you think. Thanks.

Danger, Will Robinson! (Or: How I Learned to Spot Job Posting Red Flags, Part 3)

To read Part 1, visit here. Part 2 here.

Let's talk about money ... your money. More specifically, throwing your money away. And chances are that's what you'll end up doing if you pay to obtain "secret" job listings.

These kinds of ads prey upon our desire to get the jump on our competition by giving us access into an all-exclusive enclave. Don't be fooled. There is no such thing as a super-duper-ultra-suede-Doppler-5000-double-dog-dare listing of secret freelance jobs. If you receive anything for your money, it will be recycled listings from job sites that are easily available to anyone for free.

And of course, you should never -- EVER -- pay to have something you write be considered for publication (contests are another animal). That's called a rip-off.

5 Tips I’ve Learned for Successful Interviewing

List your questions -- and then some. Make sure you have "backup" questions in case the interviewee's responses are curt, shrinking your half hour interview session to 20 minutes. That's a lot of time to fill.

Prepare. Bring extra batteries and tapes for the recorder. Have pens and a pad on hand to take notes.

Observe. If the interview takes place in the person's office or home, jot down your impressions of the surroundings. It'll give you insight into their character, perspective, motivation.

Clarify. If something is unclear, don't be afraid to ask for clarification, spelling, context, definition, whatever.

Give thanks. Be sure to follow up your interview with a simple thank you, no more than two days afterward. You'll shine as thorough and professional -- and they'll appreciate it.

Job Posting Boards

Here's a valuable, time-saving listing of freelance job postings brought to you by the always informative Allenia Tapia of About.com.

Happy hunting!

Find my work in the latest Florida magazine ("News for alumni and friends of the University of Florida")

Green engineering and sustainable practices are a passion of Amelia Dempere, University of Florida professor in the College of Engineering. The Winter issue of Florida contains a profile I wrote of her.

Take a gander and feel free to let me know what you think. Thanks.