Danger, Will Robinson! (Or: How I Learned to Spot Job Posting Red Flags, Part 4)

This is a continuation of Danger, Will Robinson! (Or: How I Learned to Spot Job Posting Red Flags, Part 1), (Part 2) and (Part 3).


“The compensation will be seeing your name published in a local publication. It will look excellent on your resume!!”

“Compensation: Clips and exposure to millions of readers.”

“No pay but you’ll help the world go green!”

Look familiar? Not exactly paying gigs, are they? But there they are, to be found in abundance on online “paying” job posting boards. I’ve found that many of these come-ons either overpromise what they’re selling or are outright frauds designed to suck you in for nefarious purposes. Sure, there are legitimate opportunities to build your portfolio, if you’re willing to write for free, but like anything else, there are people willing to take advantage of the naïve or inattentive by getting something for nothing. Once you get a few pieces published, though, it’s time to go for the moolah.

The debate within the writing community rages on as to whether you should ever write for free (gotta accumulate those clips somehow) or not (it ultimately cheapens the profession for everybody). Heck, I did it when I was a newbie. But I didn’t delude myself into thinking that I would be “discovered” by some big-shot wheeler-and-dealer who would launch my writing career into the stratosphere, or any other such nonsense. I did it to collect bylines and that all-important experience. But it didn’t take me long to realize that my time, effort and skills are valuable commodities deserving of pay.

So how do you separate the honest, cash-strapped folks (think nonprofits) from the con artists? Sometimes it can feel as complicated and arduous as separating the chocolate from the milk, but pay attention to what the ad is really saying — read between the lines. Beware of any ad that screams:

“New, exciting, up-and-coming national magazine started by technology gazillionaire Tommy Moneypants, with the backing of Fortune 500 companies, seeks writers! Oh, and even though our founder has more cash than Bill Gates and Warren Buffet combined, we can’t afford to pay you. But you’ll get a byline.”

My advice? Click off that page as fast you can.

Agree? Disagree? Want to add to the conversation? Feel free to comment.

Freelance Writing Job Scams

Ever read an online writing job posting that triggers your skeptical radar? I found a handy dandy article, 12 Ways to Protect Yourself against Writing Scams posted on Freelance Writing Jobs that gives a good overview of how to interpret these job offers (and alleged offers).

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.

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!

Danger, Will Robinson! (Or: How I Learned to Spot Job Posting Red Flags, Part 2)

To read Part 1, visit here.

Let’s take a look at freelance writing job postings that ask for a little too much.

If the ad requires you to take a "test" by writing a "sample," hit the Back button. This is an open invitation to steal your work (it happens all the time), especially if they demand you submit it to them today. You’ll typically be asked to write on a very specific topic with certain keywords and phrases. You’ll bust your butt to craft the best piece possible, submit it, and the chances that you never hear from them again are good. They typically sell your sweat equity to their clients and pocket the cash while you’re left with questions and frustration. Is it possible that the ad is legitimate? Sure, but do you want to take that chance?

This is an excerpt from an actual posting (emphasis mine):

"So for your test assignment, I'd like you to pick one of the above topics and write me 775 to 850 words..."

To test my theory, I responded to the ad asking for further information before I applied. Sure enough, I received a robo-reply then later that same day I received another reply asking me if they can expect to receive my "assignment" that day. Yikes! Talk about high pressure.

Danger, Will Robinson! (Or: How I Learned to Spot Job Posting Red Flags, Part 1)

You can’t make the dead presidents without using some common sense.

So this post, the first in a series, explores those dicey writing want ads constantly clogging up online job posting sites. Through much time and frustration, I’ve discovered firsthand that many of them are outright scams, while others just seek to prey on the naïve or inexperienced. These sites can be a great resource to find work -- if you can separate the genuine opportunities from those trying to nab your work, your cash or your identity, or flood your e-mail with spam.

Dubious? Legit? Larcenous? Before you reply to ads, check for some warning signs:

*!#@%^&. Check for standard addresses. Do you know of any valid businesses with Web sites that resemble "www.$$$$.ru/34bdzxj835h/xx35.html"? Or e-mail addresses looking like "dinero34bgjk70#8sghfyxx@yahoo.com"?

Puppy Writer mills. Do you really want your name attached to an enterprise that stresses you "must be able to write at least 40 to 50 articles a week -- more interested in quantity than quality"? They won't pay you nearly enough anyway.

Worst Face Forward. Projecting an amateurish visage makes me, and I know I’m not alone here, click off the page quicker than a cheetah strung out on triple espressos (now there’s a mental image you don’t often see):

• Not stating upfront whether the gig pays or not. Making me rifle through pages and pages of a Web site to find out is not endearing.
  
• IF THE SUBJECT LINE (and worse, the ad itself) IS IN ALL CAPS WITH LOTS OF EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!!
  
• If the ad is riddled with grammar, punctuation, spelling or syntax errors, what does it say about the quality of the publication or Web site they’re running?
  

Feel free to comment and add your own helpful hints.