How to best [search] for work

[losangelena]

Guys, I'm really struggling right now.

 

I've been a professional writer for about eight years now, working as a freelance content writer, copywriter, editor, proofreader and transcriptionist for the last four. Before that I was in admin.

 

I'm growing tired of freelancing, though. The last contract job I had was slated to go through the end of this year, but it ended suddenly in February. At first I thought I would drive for Uber while I looked for something more substantial, but I drove for about three days and declared it a bad decision.

 

So now I'm at a crossroads. I feel like it's time for a career transition, but I don't exactly know what I want to do. I want to eventually transition back to office-based work because freelancing is just too unstable. Also, I still need to work in the meantime while I figure that out, but I'm not excited at the prospect of cobbling together another few part-time writing contracts that will barely put food on the table.

 

What do I do?

 

I have temped in the past, but I haven't done admin work in a while and I'm afraid they're going to tell me I've overqualified. Something may pan out, but I'm afraid of spending a lot of time pursuing something that will eventually be a dead-end.

 

I feel like a real Luddite when it comes to finding good work. Any tips are greatly appreciated, thanks!

[AMJ]

You can edit your resume to make yourself seem less overqualified, to get a temp position while you search for something that will make you happy and be a better long-term fit.

 

I'm a big believer of networking and informational interviews. You learn more about the company or organization you're interested in working at, in the meantime also establishing a good connection who may be able to help you get your foot in the door. You might talk with someone over coffee and discover you would hate working at their company, which saves you lots of time in the long-run. And maybe they can connect you to someone who works somewhere else which is a better fit.

[losangelena]

I'm a big believer of networking and informational interviews. You learn more about the company or organization you're interested in working at, in the meantime also establishing a good connection who may be able to help you get your foot in the door. You might talk with someone over coffee and discover you would hate working at their company, which saves you lots of time in the long-run. And maybe they can connect you to someone who works somewhere else which is a better fit.

 

I've done a bit of networking, and actually really enjoy meeting and talking with people. The connections have always been through other people, though, I haven't really ever reached out to speak to a hiring manager or someone who works somewhere that I think might be interesting. Is it as simple as sending someone an email or LinkedIn message? Aren't these people a bit busy?

 

My therapist has recommended I get a career counselor, which sounds appealing, though the ones I've found have all been quite expensive. One will have to wait until the coffers are built up enough again.

[AMJ]

I've sent people cold emails through LinkedIn or just through internet searches. Typically introduce myself, explain why I'm interested in their company/organization. I don't reach out to people in HR though, but people who have the job you want. I think it's easier to do than it seems. People are busy, and not everyone will want to respond. But some will. People like to talk about themselves, so my approach is always- I want to learn more about your work, how you got started doing xyz.

 

But it's time consuming, just like OLD. I tackle this best when I give myself structure and specific goals, like- this week I'm going to reach out to 5 people, try to set up at least one informational interview per week. I did this long-distance last year, and people were happy to chat on the phone, which was helpful. Even if it doesn't produce the result you want- a job- it definitely helps you land in the right direction, I think.

[mrs rubble]

A man I was talking to yesterday is a freelance writer and has found himself in the same position, so he has gone back to uni to gain his education cert. so that he can do some relief teaching.

[Mind-Chants]

Guys, I'm really struggling right now.

 

I've been a professional writer for about eight years now, working as a freelance content writer, copywriter, editor, proofreader and transcriptionist for the last four. Before that I was in admin.

 

I'm growing tired of freelancing, though. The last contract job I had was slated to go through the end of this year, but it ended suddenly in February. At first I thought I would drive for Uber while I looked for something more substantial, but I drove for about three days and declared it a bad decision.

 

So now I'm at a crossroads. I feel like it's time for a career transition, but I don't exactly know what I want to do. I want to eventually transition back to office-based work because freelancing is just too unstable. Also, I still need to work in the meantime while I figure that out, but I'm not excited at the prospect of cobbling together another few part-time writing contracts that will barely put food on the table.

 

What do I do?

 

I have temped in the past, but I haven't done admin work in a while and I'm afraid they're going to tell me I've overqualified. Something may pan out, but I'm afraid of spending a lot of time pursuing something that will eventually be a dead-end.

 

I feel like a real Luddite when it comes to finding good work. Any tips are greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

I feel you are confused about your career goals. Setting a long term goal is very important. You are at cross-roads because you don't know where to go now.

 

You have bills to pay so holding a job at the moment is important. But also give importance to what you want to do ahead. I mean going back to admin is ok but if don't want to stay in the field for ever, you lose time and opportunity. If possible seek professional career help. I believe writing is driven by passion but there are not a lot of stable jobs in the field. If you are passionate about writing, you could try to find some stable jobs in your field simultaneously pursuing other areas.

[Standard-Fare]

I work in the same field. But I've never relied only on freelancing because — as you're finding yourself — it's simply not sustainable. I've always had at least a solid part-time job that's my anchor while I do other things on the side.

 

I'd recommend the same for you, whether that part-time job is related to your career interests or not. Ideally it is... and there are more part-time writing jobs out there than you think. Companies LOVE to get away with shafting writers with part-time pay and no benefits...

 

Good job sites:

- indeed.com

- journalismjobs.com

- mediabistro.com

 

And if you haven't already done so, I'd suggest setting up a website for yourself where you can list past work/clients and post some writing clips. An easy-to-use free one is pressfolios.com.

[introverted1]

LA, I worked as a writer for many years and I'd be happy to help, but I am unclear what you want to do. Are you hoping for a full-time writing gig? If so, what type of writing do you want to do? What degrees and/or certifications do you have? Any foreign languages?

[losangelena]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I will now proceed to be annoyingly contrarian:

 

A man I was talking to yesterday is a freelance writer and has found himself in the same position, so he has gone back to uni to gain his education cert. so that he can do some relief teaching.

 

I actually have a master's degree, so I could teach at a community college level (not sure what the UK/EU equivalent is). However, I have about zero interest in teaching and I myself do not want to go back to school, either.

 

I feel you are confused about your career goals. Setting a long term goal is very important. You are at cross-roads because you don't know where to go now.

 

You have bills to pay so holding a job at the moment is important. But also give importance to what you want to do ahead. I mean going back to admin is ok but if don't want to stay in the field for ever, you lose time and opportunity. If possible seek professional career help. I believe writing is driven by passion but there are not a lot of stable jobs in the field. If you are passionate about writing, you could try to find some stable jobs in your field simultaneously pursuing other areas.

 

You're right in that I don't know where I want to go, hence the confusion. I am not interested in admin work forever, but since it's a known skills set, I feel that I could utilize it for temp work. I want to get the help of a career councilor, but they cost money, and I need to save a bit before hiring one.

 

I've never felt a deep passion for much of anything. I'm not passionate about writing, per se, but am good at it.

 

I work in the same field. But I've never relied only on freelancing because — as you're finding yourself — it's simply not sustainable. I've always had at least a solid part-time job that's my anchor while I do other things on the side.

 

I'd recommend the same for you, whether that part-time job is related to your career interests or not. Ideally it is... and there are more part-time writing jobs out there than you think. Companies LOVE to get away with shafting writers with part-time pay and no benefits...

 

Good job sites:

- indeed.com

- journalismjobs.com

- mediabistro.com

 

And if you haven't already done so, I'd suggest setting up a website for yourself where you can list past work/clients and post some writing clips. An easy-to-use free one is pressfolios.com.

 

I scour those sites regularly. But, as stated, I am growing tired of the part-time, freelance lifestyle. I have a better idea of what I don't want to do than what I do want to do, and I know that I no longer want to string together several part-time jobs with no benefits and no stability.

 

Again, thanks all for taking the time to swing by! Even though I just shot down all your suggestions (sorry!), I do appreciate the feedback.

[Standard-Fare]

One thing I'll mention, because you have a master's:

 

In the past I've been able to get part-time work in academic writing centers, as a tutor or counselor. (Personally, I prefer that to teaching.) The pay/hours/benefits vary wildly across institutions — sometimes sh*tty, sometimes very decent — but that could be potentially be a solid "home base" as you juggle other freelance things.

 

In rare cases it can even be a full-time job, and working at a college or university is GREAT when you have benefits and all the other perks, i.e. all the holidays you could dream for, laid-back summers.

 

With writing itself, I've shifted more in recent years to more PR-type stuff, because frankly, that's where the jobs are and that's where the money is. I'd imagine this is especially true if you're in Los Angeles. Maybe you could focus on that more? In an ideal situation you could be doing PR/communications stuff for a company or organization you actually respect.

[losangelena]

LA, I worked as a writer for many years and I'd be happy to help, but I am unclear what you want to do. Are you hoping for a full-time writing gig? If so, what type of writing do you want to do? What degrees and/or certifications do you have? Any foreign languages?

 

Haha, yes, I am unclear as well. Let me try and clarify:

 

 

I am not sure, but do not think that I ultimately want a full-time writing gig. I interviewed a couple of years ago for a communications specialist job at a large insurance company. It paid very well and had the whole benefits package, etc. If a job like that came along, I would be tempted to take it, because I have certain debts and responsibilities that require a larger, more stable income. Right now, that's the priority.

 

I feel like I'm on two tracks. One is the long game, where I figure out what I'd like to do long-term and focus on taking steps to get there. I don't think this is full-time writing. I have a lot of other strengths and interests (I have high organizational skills and I'd like to have more face-to-face interaction with people, whether working in a team environment or with clients) that I'd like to incorporate into a job, even if that job includes some writing.

 

Even though I like the flexibility and low responsibility of the freelance lifestyle, I'm tired of the home office life, and many of these part-time, freelance gigs have me operating far below what I feel I'm capable of, talent- and income-wise. I'd like to eventually do something I feel is meaningful, or at least useful, and I'd like something that's a challenge.

 

So that's one track. This will take a longer time to sort out.

 

The other track is looking for a more immediate way to make money, since once I get that final paycheck in April, my income stream reduces to zero. For this, I'm far more open to the nature of the work. Like I said, I am going to try temping, for which I spent a couple hours yesterday revamping my résumé. I would continue to do part-time writing, but I want to start moving away from that freelance hustle, so I'm not too inclined to go chasing after those gigs.

 

A friend of mine who works at a tech start up is trying to get me in there to do half-time content writing and half-time client relations. It's well-paying, but not what I'd like to do ultimately, but it may be a good stop-gap solution for now. Anyway, fingers crossed.

 

To answer your questions directly, introverted, I have a master's degree in professional writing; I don't have any foreign language aptitude. In terms of what I'd like to write, I know that I DON'T want to do things like ad copy or grant writing. I do well with corporate comms, internal communications and the like. I have a broad range of writing experience in many sectors (health care, education, online marketing, tech, non-profit) and my personal projects have included novel writing, blogging, personal essays and stage plays. It runs the gamut.

 

Thanks!

[jen1447]

Seems like a semi/temporary return to admin's the path losa.

[losangelena]

One thing I'll mention, because you have a master's:

 

In the past I've been able to get part-time work in academic writing centers, as a tutor or counselor. (Personally, I prefer that to teaching.) The pay/hours/benefits vary wildly across institutions — sometimes sh*tty, sometimes very decent — but that could be potentially be a solid "home base" as you juggle other freelance things.

 

In rare cases it can even be a full-time job, and working at a college or university is GREAT when you have benefits and all the other perks, i.e. all the holidays you could dream for, laid-back summers.

 

With writing itself, I've shifted more in recent years to more PR-type stuff, because frankly, that's where the jobs are and that's where the money is. I'd imagine this is especially true if you're in Los Angeles. Maybe you could focus on that more? In an ideal situation you could be doing PR/communications stuff for a company or organization you actually respect.

 

Thank you.

 

Re, tutoring: a lot of people have suggested this. I'm open to it as a short-term solution, but it seems far enough outside my wheelhouse that it would take a considerable amount of time and energy to get myself situated, which I don't have to devote at the moment to something that I know I'm not interested in doing full-time or long-term.

 

If I were to pursue writing full-time, I would definitely focus on getting a job in PR or internal/external comms for a large company. Those jobs generally do pay well. That being said, I'm not sure full-time writing is where I want to go.

 

That's a big part of my problem—I'm not 100% sure which direction I want to head. I've spent most of my working adult life in jobs that I'm not all that excited about that eventually end and I go looking for something else. I've never given it much thought, have just taken what's come along and have ended up not really liking any of it.

 

Now that I'm at a place of going, "no, this system is broken, it no longer works for me," I feel completely out of my depth. I feel deeply ambivalent about work, I have commitment issues towards it. I'm trying to figure all that out with my therapist. I know I'll make sense of it one day, but for now it just feels like a tangled mass.

[introverted1]

What about technical writing? This can be an end unto itself (it's a reasonably high paying gig) or a stepping stone into business analysis, which, in turn can step into project management. The latter two especially leverage strong organizational, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.

[losangelena]

What about technical writing? This can be an end unto itself (it's a reasonably high paying gig) or a stepping stone into business analysis, which, in turn can step into project management. The latter two especially leverage strong organizational, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.

 

Ohhh ... maybe.

 

Honestly, that sounds so dry. I know I probably sound annoyingly difficult.

 

I'm not so concerned with getting my long-term goals locked down, those will come as I solidify goals, etc. I'm more concerned at the moment with short-term sustainability and survival.

 

Thank you.

[introverted1]

It is a little dry.

 

Depends on whether you are a live-to-work or work-to-live type. I figured out my passion way too late, so I am pretty much a work-to-live person.

 

If you can combine your interest with something that pays the bills, well, that's the dream, right?

 

Good luck with it.

[losangelena]

It is a little dry.

 

Depends on whether you are a live-to-work or work-to-live type. I figured out my passion way too late, so I am pretty much a work-to-live person.

 

If you can combine your interest with something that pays the bills, well, that's the dream, right?

 

Good luck with it.

 

Thanks, yes I totally agree. Feeling "passionate" about my job has never been a priority, but I want something that's a bit stimulating. I do feel like there's a whole spectrum of possibilities that haven't necessarily occurred to me. That's why I want to eventually enlist the help of a career counselor, or someone who can help me straighten out my priorities.

 

I've been applying to temp pools and writing various iterations of my résumé all day. Got a couple of interviews scheduled. Let's see what starts to shake loose.

[SherryEast]

I'm a freelance writer as well and I have to admit that the ups and downs are stressful! You go from one gig to the next, and what's really horrible is the way that the pay sucks!

 

In the past, I was able to make enough money, but the economy has been so terrible, small businesses and others who typically hire me just don't have the money to pay a writer fairly, or steadily.

 

So what I did was take some phone sales work on the side, P/T, as my 'steady work,' and I'm allowed to work remotely. But since I live in NY, believe me, that's still not enough money to pay all the bills. It's been very difficult.

 

I would say look in other fields and don't rely on writing for a steady paycheck.

[losangelena]

I'm a freelance writer as well and I have to admit that the ups and downs are stressful! You go from one gig to the next, and what's really horrible is the way that the pay sucks!

 

In the past, I was able to make enough money, but the economy has been so terrible, small businesses and others who typically hire me just don't have the money to pay a writer fairly, or steadily.

 

So what I did was take some phone sales work on the side, P/T, as my 'steady work,' and I'm allowed to work remotely. But since I live in NY, believe me, that's still not enough money to pay all the bills. It's been very difficult.

 

I would say look in other fields and don't rely on writing for a steady paycheck.

 

That's been my experience, too. Several really interesting companies that I'd been doing work for have recently lost their funding and all of a sudden the work dries up.

 

It's frustrating, and just not sustainable, especially when I start to think about retirement and savings. How anyone would choose this kind of lifestyle for many, many years is beyond me.

 

Hence the career shift.

[SherryEast]

That's been my experience, too. Several really interesting companies that I'd been doing work for have recently lost their funding and all of a sudden the work dries up.

 

It's frustrating, and just not sustainable, especially when I start to think about retirement and savings. How anyone would choose this kind of lifestyle for many, many years is beyond me.

 

Hence the career shift.

 

It's the smart thing to do... and damn right, we MUST think about saving, about retirement, or we'll be going from gig to gig at 60, no thanks, lol!!