The web is great, isn’t it? But…how much information do you have out there that could potentially hurt you as a writer? Does your Facebook account have pictures of you really drunk at some party? Do you have a personal blog that talks about your political views? As a freelance writer, you simply have to think about these things–because they can wind up doing you damage.
Don’t underestimate the power of a Google search. Don’t think potential employers won’t check you out online before hiring you for a gig. I know someone who hires people for a large company…and the first thing she does is go to the Facebook pages of applicants to read the wall posts. It’s really easy for someone to check you out on the web these days. Here are some things to keep in mind that could help sheild your personal life from the peering eyes of work-related searches:
Set your accounts to private. Facebook has a feature where people can’t access your page unless you say they are on the list. This is a good idea overall, but great for making sure editors don’t peep into your home life.
Get approval first. On Twitter, you can go into your settings and see to it that you have to approve someone before they can follow you.
Watch personal posts on forums and blogs. Assume that everything on the web with your name attached to it can be found–and read. Think about what you are putting out there and make sure that you are comfortable with everyone seeing it.
Google yourself periodically. This can help you see what others would be seeing if they are searching your name. If you find anything objectionable, see if you can fix it.
Subjects to avoid posting on? The usual faves, such as politics, religion, family business and personal problems. But don’t forget to pass on posting about editors that you don’t care for or publications that you have had issues with. That can come back to haunt you. Using a little caution when it comes to your online activities can be a really smart move.
Have you noticed a social media-driven trend in writing resumes and “about me” blurbs lately? Brevity has always been the soul of wit, but thanks to social media your resume and About Me blurbs need to get even wittier.
Cutting out the flab from a resume is nothing new. Strunk & White have been shouting the “Omit needless words” gospel from the rooftops for generations. But in an age where attention spans are so short that anything longer than 140 characters seems positively Joycean, short bursts of credibility are more important than being fun to read.
If you can’t tell what a person’s About Me is all about at a glance, the feature might be missing the mark. On my Twitter page, for example, I cut out all the fun stuff about being a snarky columnist and music photographer. Yes, I am those things. But I get right to the point now, saying basically, “Joe Wallace for hire. I write finance, medical, SEO and other high-value topics. I excel at quick turnaround projects with insane deadlines.”
And that’s pretty much it. I was sad to see the snarky fun go out of my About Me, but the value of being instantly attractive to a potential client shouldn’t be underestimated.
I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times that somebody found me one way or another and then offered me a job. I can tell you that it pays off to invest some of your time and effort into marketing yourself as a writer. If you are visible, you will get work. The question is…how visible are you? Here are some smart ways to extend your reach and let people know you are out there:
Have a website. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate creature. Mine is fairly simple, but has enough for people to get an idea of what I have done and what I can do.
Start a blog. If you want to write on the web, a blog is great practice. I had never done one before Freelance-Zone and now that I have the hang of it, I really enjoy it. Just make sure you are aware that anyone can read what you put on there. Keep it professional.
Stay in touch. Yes, I send holiday cards. I e-mail editors and let them know what I’m up to–or just touch base and say hello from time to time. Staying on their radar means they won’t forget about you when work comes through. Plus, it’s nice.
Add a bio. Whenever possible, see if you can add a one-line bio to articles that you write. Include an e-mail or website where people can get in touch with you.
Use a signature block. I have said this before and I’ll say it again….the signature block is your best friend. All e-mail correspondence should have one. I have gotten a lot of additional work through this. It should at the very least include your full name, a telephone number and your website and e-mail address.
Use social media. Not on Twitter? Today is a good day to set up the account. Do you have a Facebook account? If not, perhaps it is time. Social media can really get your name out there and it is FREE. Take advantage!
A great post on FreelanceSwitch is a reminder that while not all social media networks are as easy to use as Twitter, the same rules apply. On Twitter and Facebook it’s easy for freelancers to get chatty, make new friends and do that much-needed networking. But more complex platforms like LinkedIn are just as important–as is respecting the power of being social and active.
I use LinkedIn, StumbleUpon, Twitter, and Facebook to stay in touch with both friends, fellow freelancers, and clients. Of the four, StumbleUpon and LinkedIn are the most time consuming. StumbleUpon has high value for driving traffic back to a blog or resume site, but LinkedIn is wonderful for developing contacts you might need later on. I find the four together add up to much more than the sum of their parts.
But the key is using each of them in the ways they were intended–to be social, an active member of each community. It is NOT easy to maintain, but I find the results are well worth the effort.
Bottom line for me personally? I try not to sign up for new social media where I can’t actually PARTICIPATE. I’d rather use a smaller number of social networks well than sign up for a bunch of them and use them all poorly.
Do you use twitter? If not, it might be worth looking into. I resisted at first, but have found that in some ways it is better for networking than facebook. (Although I must admit to liking facebook more.) On twitter you can find professionals that you might not normally have access to and link up with them. Plus, you can get the word out to a large number of people about what you are up to in your writing career.
That said, be nice too. It is considered “polite” to mix self-promotion with helpful advice, quotes and other fun stuff. And if someone follows you, it is always a good idea to thank them for it. Personally, I have my privacy settings on so that I have to accept someone who wants to follow me, but do what you are comfortable with.
The learning curve on twitter is a bit more steep than facebook in my opinion, but there is a help page that really does the job. Start there for the skinny on things such as finding people, following and direct messages. You don’t have to dive in and start tweeting away, but not having this social marketing site in your toolbag means you are one step behind as a writer. It’s worth a shot.
(And look me up! I’m catherinetully on twitter. Tell me you are a FZ reader so I know who you are…)
I’ve always been a bit of a come-lately when it comes to the latest fad in social media, but it’s clear even to me that Twitter is taking over. Recent developments including Dave Allen of Pampelmoose.com announcing his migration (more or less) from Facebook to Twitter and a series of articles about Twitter’s increasing dominance over Digg and other platforms has me convinced–Twitter is THE next big thing.
I had an interesting chat with someone behind the scenes in the pro web pages game who tells me that from his perspective, it’s best not to act like a corporate shill when using social media to promote yourself.
That is a total no-brainer to most of us, but Twitter levels the playing field by making it very obvious who the “real” users are and who the carnival barkers and ad men are. It’s tough to appear real when you’re limited to a couple of sentences to get your point across. If your only point is, “Buy my crap!” it starts becoming more apparent all the time…
I use Twitter to promote my blog at CheapToday.com and one of the most important things I do is avoid talking nonstop about it. I like to just contribute to the conversation, mention the new blog posts when they come up, and be a regular guy. The rest takes care of itself.
Look for Freelance-Zone.com to hit twitter with the freelance goodies soon…we’ll drop a line with our link when its ready.
Chicago-based content writing, editing, and social media. 1579 N. Milwaukee #220, Chicago Illinois 60622
I’ve always been a bit of a come-lately when it comes to the latest fad in social media, but it’s clear even to me that Twitter is taking over. Recent developments including Dave Allen of Pampelmoose.com announcing his migration (more or less) from Facebook to Twitter and a series of articles about Twitter’s increasing dominance over Digg and other platforms has me convinced–Twitter is THE next big thing.