10 Ways to Kick-Start a Freelance Copywriting Career

10 Ways to Kick-Start a Freelance Copywriting Career10 Ways to Kick-Start a Freelance Copywriting CareerThere comes a time in every copywriters career when the thought of going it alone - as a freelancer - looks tempting. And why elend? You set your own hours and can charge at least double what youmake as a full-time employee. You may already have a job as a copywriter in an agency and are tired of working long hours on projects that dont inspire you or you may be a budding copywriter whos just departureing out. In either case, freelancing may be a great option. As long as you have a talent for writing compelling ads and can think creatively for a wide variety of mediums, you may find success as a freelance copywriter. So are you ready to hang up your hat and call yourself a freelancer? Youll need a few basics to get your business off the ground. Here are a few tips to help get your freelance career started 1. Start with the Basics First things first - youll need a portfolio. V ery few people use physical ones now, so a digital one is the best way to go. There is no end to the sites you can use - Krop, SquareSpace and WordPress all make it very easy - and of course, there are many others. They all have paid and free templates tailored to different careers, so be sure to look for one that shows off your talent as a copywriter. If youre really great at design or know someone who can, why not create your own customized site? Next, dont forget the basic necessities for any home office. A computer - either a laptop or desktop - is a must-have. You may also need business cards, letterhead and other stationery and supplies. Since you need to get noticed, make sure you create your own ad campaign. After all, you are your own marketing team now. 2. Create a Plan of Action Its not just big businesses that need a plan of action. As a freelancer, you are the business and you need a plan, too. Identify your goals How much work are you willing to take on? How man y hours are you willing to work per week? Are there any jobs you really want, and are there ones that you just wont take? Its also a good idea to identify whether you want to keep freelancing or if something full-time is in the horizon - and when.Keep a list of potential clients and reach out to them every now and then to make sure they know youre available.When youre starting out as a freelancer, you have to make sure you answer all your calls and emails. If youre not willing to pick up the phone or return an email, youll find it harder to pick up jobs later on. Dont forget the money. Since you have to pay your bills, make sure you know how much money you need to make each month. This will help you figure out how much time you need off for yourself. 3. Set Your Rates Deciding what youre going to charge is one of the most difficult decisions youll have to make as a freelance copywriter. Its crucial to set your tarifs right from the start. Your first decision is whether to charge by the hour, by the project or to include both rates.Your rates will also affect how you work with clients and get paid. Spend a lot of time developing your rates and evaluate what you can live with for a feebeforehand because clients dont want to work with freelancers who are constantly changing their rates and rate types. Keep in mind, when youre starting out with little experience, you may not be able to negotiate, and will probably need to go with your clients pay schedule. But a little negotiation may not hurt. 4. Create Writing Samples You cant show off your writing talent if you have no samples. If you dont have any writing samples to your credit, dont fret - theres an easy solution.Spec ads (speculative advertising) give you the chance to create samples even if you dont have any copywriting projects under your belt. And theyre not just for copywriters with limited or no experience. They are an excellent way for you to show potential clients how you would write for their particular industry. The best way to write a spec ad is to look around you and write an ad for something you may already have. And try to write something for different mediums - for print, digital and television ads. This will show how diverse you are. 5. Refine Your Online Portfolio As you add to your portfolio, make sure you update it constantly and showcase only your best work. An outdated portfolio will turn off potential clients - they want to see that youre able to keep up with the market. If youre after a particular type of client, use this time to tailor your websitebased on what the client is looking for in a freelancer. This lets you switch out your projects based on the clients needs, showing your ability to work with any type of client no matter what the product/service. 6. Develop a Freelance Contract When that first client calls, you want to have your contract ready to be faxed or presented in person. As excited as you may be to get that first client, you don t want to start working on any project until you have a signed contract in your hand. Creating a freelance contract is key to any freelancers success. Its your first line of defense if you ever find yourself with a client who doesnt want to pay. 7.Attend Networking Events You cant afford to be a wallflower if you are going to have any kind of success in advertising or marketing. As a freelancer, youre going to be on a constant search for work - at least in the first few years. Every town and city, large or small, will have events during each month that are golden opportunities for networking. Are the local microbreweries having a get-together? Maybe they need writing help. Is there a convention in town? Someone, somewhere could be looking for the skills you provide. You can also join online groups tailored to freelancers and/or copywriters like Meetup. LinkedIn also has professional groups to connect you with the right people online and in real life. So make sure your LinkedIn profile is active, up-to-date and links to your digital portfolio. 8.Do Work That Creates Buzz If youre having trouble getting people to notice you, consider a lateral thinking move - go outside of your comfort zone and create work that generates its own buzz. Many students these days are putting spec ideas up on YouTube and seeding them to sites like Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more. By using a collection of relevant hashtags, and posting them to the right pages or groups, people will be able to find your work. If they like it, they can get in touch with you via the information on your page. 9.Write To Big Players in the Industry Dont ever feel afraid to ask for help from people who are already successful. If youre lucky, theyll remember being in your shoes or know what its like to freelance, and will be more than happy to offer help and advice. But be respectful of their time and position. A quick tweet or LinkedIn message shows little to no effort. Take the time to write to them, either with an email or a physical letter. You could also include samples of your work. Do it in a way that stands out. You will be surprised at the doors you can open this way. 10. Find Clients Remember all those basics you got together in step one? Now its time to put them to good use. Whether youre approaching agencies for freelance work, trying to get small businesses to use your services or both, you can take several different approaches to find your clients. Send out links to your website and develop physical mailers to break through the email clutter. Advertising agencies - especially smaller ones - need freelancers because the cost of a permanent, full-time copywriter is too much for the agency to bear. Be persistent in your search for clients and soon your freelance copywriting career will be so successful, youll actually be turning new business away.

Become a Student for Life

Become a Student for Life Become a Student for Life Once you graduate and become an adult, as they say, life is never quite the same. Still, I believe that,if you are lucky, you cantruly be a student for the rest of your life even if you are notlage actually enrolled in any sort of formal learning programs.The world changes so quickly, and it is important to keep your skills current even after youve gotten your degree. I have often joked that diplomas should come with an expiration date, just like your milk carton does. I received my diploma more than 20 years ago. The basic rules are still the same for concepts like supply and demand, but many things in business have in fact changed quite a lot in the past 20+ years. For example, the Internet was not a factor then, and there was no social media. Students in business school today are discussing and learning about issues and tools that did not even exist when I was in schoolIf I had not taken the time and made the effort to stay u p-to-date on these current trends, Id argue that my degrees would be a lot less valuable today. Lawyers and doctors are required to take continuing education courses to keep their accreditations current, and I believe the best and most effective business leaders do the same sort of thingby reading books written bythought leaders, attending conferences, and listening to speeches by industry icons.It does not take long in a new job before you get so busy that you cannot remember the last time you picked up a trade magazine, attended a webinar or conference, or shook up your routine to think about things in new and different ways. When this happens, it is time for you to go back to school. Here are a few tips to get you started1. Brush Up on Who the Latest Competitors Are in Your IndustryDo you know who you have lost business to in the last year? Why did your clients and prospects choose these companies over you? Time to do a little market research and online analysis to see what your competitorsare offering and the claims they are making.2.Learn What the Hottest New Technologies and Tools AreWhat is everyone using and talking about? Remember when Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and Pinterest were new and getting all the press? What is new now? Why does anyone use it or care? Time to find out3.Find Out What Other New Hires Are Up ToThe millennials have their own toys and language. Do you know what they are talking about and doing? It is not enough to use LOL in an email and think you are in the know. Reverse mentoring can really help here.4.Sign Up for Online Demos for New Products so That You Can See What Is New in Your FieldThere are lots of webinars, teleseminars, TED talks, etc., to help you stay current. Carve out time every week for online learning so you do not get left behindWhether you are one year or 20 years out of school, I am certain you would benefit tremendously by making continuing education part of your life It is important to keep those synapses f iring. You will learn new things and have fun in the process. Here is to getting a great education and being a lifelong learner enjoy

12 Inspirational Quotes for Job Seekers

12 Inspirational Quotes for Job Seekers12 Inspirational Quotes for Job SeekersSeeking a job can be tough on the spirit. It is a daily process of putting yourself out there to be accepted by a company. Between rejection emails, silence, LinkedIn advice, and interviews, it is often hard to stay motivated.Today, we present you with 12 inspirational quotes for job seekers. Keep these with you as you continue your search to find your dream job1.Desire is the key to motivation, but its determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek. - Mario Andretti Profession Race Car Driver2. Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but you cant be two people. Instead, you have to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people.- Lee Iacocca Profession Businessman3. Dont worry about failure. You only have to be right once.- Drew Houston Profession Co-founder, Dropbox4. You cant connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backward. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.- Steve Jobs Profession Founder former CEO, Apple5. I try not to make any decisions that I am pretty excited about.- Jake Nickell Profession CEO, Threadless6. You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Dont make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people cant take their eyes off of you.- Maya Angelou Profession Author7. Do not bring people in your life who weigh you down. And trust your instincts good relationships feel good. They feel right. They dont hurt. Theyre not painful. Thats not just with somebody you want to marry, but its with the friends that you choose. Its with the people you surround yourselves with.- Michelle Obama Profession Lawyer former U.S. First Lady8.. Never limit yourself because of others limited imagination. Never limit others because of your own limited imagination.- Mae Jemison Profession Engineer, Physician, NASA astronaut9. Stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be.- Elizabeth Gilbert Profession Novelist10. Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.- Winston Churchill Profession former British Prime Minister11. Dont be afraid to fail. Dont waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. Its OK to fail. If youre not failing, youre not growing.- H. Stanley Judd Profession Author12. Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.- Confucius Profession Chinese teacher, Editor, Politician

7 Real Cringe-Worthy Resumes (and 7 Ways to Fix Them)

7 Real Cringe-Worthy Resumes (and 7 Ways to Fix Them) 7 Real Cringe-Worthy Resumes (and 7 Ways to Fix Them) Reddit user u/cityoftress recently asked employers for the funniest, craziest or weirdest thing youve seen on a resume. We found a few doozies, but even the worst resumes can be fixed.1 Orienting DetailsA 34 table under the header of Soft Skills. The bottom right cell readDetailedOrientatedwith detailed being centered and orientated right-justified. u/lavidalibreAlways ask a few friends or family members to glance over your resume to pick up on any formatting, spelling, or other errors you might have missed. Its not good enough to rely on spell-check, as this example demonstrates. Learn more about how to handle soft skill sections.2 The Underwater Ceramics ExpertUnderwater ceramics and glass cleaner for a multi-million dollar company meant dishwasher at chilis u/suicidalsilkwormProps for the creativity, but youll eventually have to explain in an interview that your family r estaurant franchise job didnt require scuba certification. You can put almost any experience on your resume without over-exaggerating, you just need to know how to write it the right way.3 Call My MomListing their mother for a reference, and her not picking up or returning the call. u/118aveMany employers will ask for non-family references, so dont bother with all those cousins, aunts, or grand uncles. Make sure youre carefully choosing your job references and touch base with them before you send references out to make sure they still have the same contact informationand that theyll actually return a call.4 A Sunny ResumeEntire CV in bright yellow. I could not read a word against the white paper. Made me wonder how many jobs she missed out on by doing this. u/stuartiscoolOuch. This is one of the worst resume mistakes you can make, but it might not have been on purpose. Canary yellow text could have been because her printer ran out of ink or due to a software error. Now if the ap plicant just loves the idea of a colorful resume, she should know thatcolorful fonts are only good for physical resumes, and even then it should be dark, professional, and legible.5 The Boss BabyOne lady had put a headshot of her baby on her resume. I asked my teamberaterin to give the lady a call, just to find out why she had put a baby picture on her resume. My supervisor was interested in the story too, so gave her a call and did a bogus phone interview all so he could just end with oh and by the way why the baby picture?Turned out it was not her baby, it was her, as a baby. She thought it was a cute picture and used it on a resume, applying for a job paying north of 100k a year. u/Alwin_Employers have to be very careful of not appearing discriminatory in their hiring practices, which is why they cant ask you if you have kids. Putting a photo on your resume (especially of a baby) is a great way for an employer to reject your resume outright so they dont even have to deal with t he possibility of impropriety.6 The Head LiarMy uncle was on the recruitment panel for his law firm. One day he received a pretty strong application. The applicant looked great and they fully intended to ask her to interview until a lie in her application came to light.One of the achievements that the applicant listed was that she had been head girl at her school. It didnt really make much difference to her application, but it stood out because by sheer chance it was a local school and my aunt taught at it.Hey guess what my uncle asked when he got home that night youll never guess who has applied to us. Its whoever, one of your head girls.I dont think so, replied my aunt, We dont have head girls. u/PatnetNow thats some karma and maybe the worst resume mistake so far. Obviously the fix here would have been for the applicant not to lie.But you canelaborate on your resume without being untruthful.7 Head of the HouseholdI had been back in the workforce for about a year- before that I was a stay at home mom. The online application system would not let me submit the application with gaps in my work history, so I said that during that 6 year timeframe I was the CEO of the household and listed duties and qualifications. I got the interview and was hired with no experience in that industry. It was an inside schlussverkauf position, so I think they appreciated the hustle. u/redemption_songsThis is a great story of ingenuity and hustle. Its also one of luck this kind of comedy wont fly with a lot of hiring companies or for all roles. Theres more dependable ways to write a stay-at-home parent resume, but having creative solutions ready to go is an excellent job skill (and mom skill).

3 Ways to Impress Your Boss After a Promotion - The Muse

3 Ways to Impress Your Boss After a Promotion - The Muse3 Ways to Impress Your Boss After a PromotionSo, your hard work has finally paid off and youve been promoted Not only that, youve already successfully negotiated the terms and celebrated your victory. Your success is well-deserved, but unfortunately the hard work does leid stop when your title changes (buzzkill, I know). If you listen carefully around the office, youll notice that successful people in your organization are often famous for one or two things. This is because they have played a part in a few successful initiatives and socialized their achievements throughout the organization. You can do this, too.You have about 90 days to really make an impact in a new position. Spend your first three months wisely by figuring out what your claims to fame in your new role will be. Heres how1. Look For Some (Meaningful) Quick WinsThe best way to show you deserve that promotion is with an early, substantive claim to fame moment that ll set you up for success in the long run. Its important to find a win that is meaningful to your new team and not just the easiest low-hanging fruit. When youre having one-on-one meetings with team members and your boss, try to find out what some of their major pain points are in their day-to-day jobs. Consider an example where a major grievance from your ausverkauf team is that they often have to do a ton of revisions on their client presentations because they get last minute product spec changes from the marketing department. Your quick win is to develop an internal calendar, align all the stakeholders, and implement it across departments. By solving a key issue that affects your team and your boss on a daily basis, you establish a strong relationship with your team and get recognition right away. 2. Look for Opportunities Outside of Your Immediate RoleA great way to differentiate yourself in your new role is to brainstorm new opportunities. For example, if youve recently been pr omoted to account manager working on an established account, share suggestions you have for attracting new business. Pitch your ideas to your manager and offer to lead new initiatives. Since the idea falls outside the scope of your job description, youll get brownie points for going the extra mile. Its a surefire way to get noticed as someone who thinks creatively. Of course, when considering alternatives outside of long-standing practices, you may encounter resistance. Youll need to exercise your best judgment to decide how much you can rock the boat without stepping on too many toes in your first 90 days. Unsure whether an idea will be seen as innovative or controversial? Find someone you can trust- be it your boss or a co-worker who will be honest with you- to bounce ideas off of before formally suggesting them.3. Establish Credible Name DroppersI love this idea because it turns traditional career advice on its head. Youve definitely heard about the importance of great mentors an d sponsors, and rightly so. However, youve probably also heard that you should network in three directions, and may be wondering how you can do that if you only focus on seeking advice from influential people. Well, another very important schrift of person to have in your social network at work are what I like to call name droppers. This could be a sponsor or a mentor, but it could also be a well-respected friend, teammate, or subordinate. A good name dropper is someone who will spread the word about your great work within the organization. They help socialize your successes and give you exposure outside of your normal circle. For example, if you implemented an impressive cost-saving initiative in your department, a friend who works in a different department could troubleshoot for her co-worker by saying, Jane in marketing launched a great cost-saving program and saved her department 20% Perhaps she can walk you through the program she developed. This helps everyone because you (Jan e) become famous, your friend becomes known as a networker, and the person who is in the red can steal the secrets of your genius cost-saving program. What started as a situation where you were driving great results and getting praise within your department is now a situation where you are establishing cross-functional credibility and subject matter expertise. Dont forget to return the favor for your name droppersBy taking the time in the first 90 days to create some claim to fame moments, youll make a great first impression, establish credibility, and be off to a great start forming long-lasting professional relationships. Photo of awards courtesy of Shutterstock.

Definitions of Resume Examples for Students with No Work Experience

Definitions of Resume Examples for Students with No Work Experience Type of Resume Examples for Students with No Work Experience Heres a sample resume along with this Child Care Cover Letter which can help you understand what things to do in circumstances like this. Its possible to also take this chance to share coursework youve completed that are related to the job. See the included Internship resume for a complete example. Different job postings are likely to have different keywords and phrases, different job duties listed, and so forth. All you should know to earn a stunning resume job description. Finding a new job every year appears bad on a resume and will hurt your odds of being hired later on. Even in the event that youve never held an official job, its still true that you have life experience thats applicable to the work search. What Resume Examples for Students with No Work Experience Is - and What it Is Not Learning how to do a resume when do not have any work experience is far easier if it is possible to demonstrate some seasonal or short-term work experience. Just take the skills that you have, and show how they translate into success where you opt to apply them. Even when you have no true work experience, you might have experience from volunteering, school activities, or relevant hobbies that could show employers achievements and transferable skills that satisfy their requirements. Concentrate on your communication abilities There are lots of resources available on how to a great resume summary, but its tough to find good suggestions for how to do it if do not have any work experience. If you follow the advice above you will have an interesting, compelling resume summary that is likely to make the reader want to find out more about you even regardless of your lack of work experience Now you need to know how to compose a resume with no experience thats compelling and distinctive, ideal for a high school resume or a beginners resume for teens. Resume Examples for Students with No Work Experience Explained As an example, as a waitress youre guaranteed to build skills in customer support, sales, and multi-tasking, all which may be very valuable to a prospective employer. True, job advertisements that ask for a specific number of years of experience might be intimidating, and might begin to allow you to believe that all those post-grad horror stories are true. Additionally, it is an ideal place to list out various computer programs youve got experience with. When it might seem a tiny premature, its essential for students to create good social networking habits from the get-go. Resume Examples for Students with No Work Experience - What Is It? Include herein the degree youve just earned, academic achievements you might have had, stellar internships, and recognitions for the skills you have. High School Resume templates are a fantastic resource for such students. Characteristics of Resume Examples for Stud ents with No Work Experience For people with a whole lot of knowledge and advanced degrees who are trying to get an entry-level position, drop the advanced degree and just consist of last ten decades of experience. A significant part making yourself stick out from different applicants is a strong resume. What you would like to avoid is having an experience section thats almost empty, or one which is full of experience thats not pertinent to your targeted position. Now its time to produce your first resume. Theres a simple, step-by-step formula to do it in no moment. In case you have any part-time work, that will go a ways towards a fantastic experience section. Now, for the last bullet point strategy you should learn Numbers pop. A one-page resume is more than acceptable once youre just beginning in the area of work. The Tried and True Method for Resume Examples for Students with No Work Experience in Step by Step Detail If youve taken part in extracurricular pursuits or h ave completed internships before, youd be in a position to list all that within this template. Resume examples and templates are really helpful, especially when youre writing one of your very first resumes. Dont hesitate to look it over Recruiters often have a lot of applications to assess and could spend under a minute reading your resume. Everyone with a work right now has, sooner or later, had a very first job. The local college is a superb place to begin. An excellent approach to start on your resume as a high school student is to examine examples of resumes and read tips about what to include and the way to format your resume. It can be a challenging time in the life of a student because he or she is expected to bag a job after graduating. So you simply graduated high school or college and you are primed to go into the workforce to develop into a productive member of society. For instance, if youre asking for a job as an administrative assistant, you dont will need to discuss the way your role for a babysitter helped improve your childcare skills, but you might share the way the experience helped you cultivate time management abilities and the capacity to juggle a number of tasks at the same time. This gives you some guidance in regard to what you should highlight most. This demonstrates your understanding of the organization and illustrates how you are able to be an asset to them.

3 Reasons Why Going Abroad Could Be Good For Your Career [Infographic]

3 Reasons Why Going Abroad Could Be Good For Your Career Infographic Want to take your career to the next level? You may want to consider heading overseas.If youve been thinking ofstarting a career abroad, then youre no doubt aware of the challenges ahead. Moving abroad for work is not the easiest thing to do butthe rewards for doing it are high. As well as being a brand-new experience and a significant life event, moving abroad for work could well benefit your career in the long term. Here are three reasons why 1. Itll Turn YouInto a Highly Sought-After CandidateAccording to aninfographicfrom payday loans company Wizzcash which is included at the end of this post 80 percent of employers value candidates with international experience very highly. Whats more, being able to speak multiplelanguages is a skill associated with top performers.Even just a few years of experience working in another country could send your resumeright to the top of employer s piles.2. Itll Significantly Expand Your Skill SetTheres no question Working abroad will widen your skill set considerably. Aside from learning a new language (somethingyou really should try to do), you can also become an expert traveller and develop a global mindset when you move abroad. These are crucial attributes for success in todays global economy. Furthermore, your experience working abroad is a sign to employers that you can thrive in diverse workplaces.3. It CouldLead to a Better SalaryIf money matters to you, moving abroad for work could land you a better paycheck,especially if you move to a country where the wages are high andthe cost of living is low. Moreover, some countries the United Arab Emirates, the Bahamas, and Monaco, to name a few dont collectincome taxes from employees.Justmake sure you do your research. Ensure you know what your take-home pay will be and the buying power it will give you in the new country before you decide to move.Interested in Starting a Career Abroad?If the perks of working overseas have piqued your interest, check out this infographic from Wizzcash, which contains nine tips on how to launch your international careerIrma Hunkeler works forBlueGlass.co.uk, a digital marketing agency.