You Ask Too Many Questions

When I first started freelancing as a business writer, I used to troll Craigslist and other job boards regularly. My experience was pretty positive. I didn’t feel very confident in my ability to approach companies directly and offer my services back then. Responding to ads seeking help was easier.

Over time I’ve noticed the prospect of coming across decent paying opportunities has become pretty slim. My experience on Thursday is a good example. I still wonder over to Craigs List every blue moon (I know, I know). Although I don’t have time to dig around there regularly for clients, I can’t completely dismiss it because back in September I quite literally stumbled across an ad that was NOT your typical Craigs List gig that has so far provided a nice steady stream of well-paying projects. It appears that you can still find a jewel among the rubbish, though I’m not sure I’d recommend relying on it to build a solid client base.

Last Thursday I thought I might have come across another gem – a regular blog writing gig in my area of expertise offering pay that stuck out like a sore thumb among all the $10 and $15 per post blogging jobs you usually see littering the site.

I responded to the ad, and received a response pretty quickly; only it wasn’t at all what I expected. The respondent stated that he was very interested in working with me based on the information I’d provided, but listed a completely different rate for the project – one that was significantly lower than the advertised rate. I replied asking for clarification since the ad listed one rate while he’d responded with a lower rate. His response to that email: “Fine, I’ll pay you $x. When can we get started?” No other explanation of why he changed the rate.

Before you even ask, yes, red flags were popping up all over the place; but I was too curious and couldn’t resist asking a few more questions , namely:

• How many blog posts will you need a week/month?
• What payment terms are you proposing (e.g. weekly pay? Monthly Pay?)
• Do you have a contract agreement? If not, are you willing to consider my terms of service agreement?
• Do you require an image with each post?
• How do you want the blog posts delivered? Do you want me to upload them myself into your blogging platform, or deliver them to you in a Word .doc?
• Do you provide blog topics, or do I submit blog topics for your review?
• Are keywords involved, and if so do you provide them?
• Are there weekly or monthly deadlines?

Now I didn’t ask all these questions all at once. Initially I asked my contact if he would be providing project details. He had no idea what I was talking about. He just needed me to start cranking out posts, stat.

Eventually all my questions must have rattled him because he finally responded saying, “You ask too many questions. I like being able to tell a writer what I need and get it. This just isn’t going to work.”

Indeed. I receive no project details (other than the general topic of the blog and some bait and switch per post rate), and then get chastised for asking too many questions?

If you spend time searching for writing jobs on Craigs List or other job boards, scams aren’t the only thing you need to look out for. You must qualify each job opportunity carefully. Sometimes it takes responding to get the full gist of the offer. Lots of people use these platforms to find writers, yet have no idea how to work with a professional writer.

It IS possible to find good projects/clients on these sites, just make sure to do your due diligence when using them.

Is Craigs List the Freelance Jobseeker's Inside Joke?

I started freelancing full-time as a writer in August of 2007. I spent my time reading and learning all I could from various writer's forums about where to look for decent paying jobs. I found that many job listings were just rehashing Craigs List jobs, so I started checking there on my own as well. I landed two decent paying SEO clients from from the job listings, and they are still clients today.

I belong to a copywriter's egroup. A new writer asked members of the group how she should get started finding clients and setting rates. One respondent suggested that the new writer get her feet wet by getting a few clients from Craigs List. A couple of other writers responded and virtually pooed this idea. One respondent, who also teaches writing courses, stated that she always tells her students to avoid Craigs List when seeking clients because it is strictly low pay. Another writer who once posted job ads on Craigs List for her employer says they stopped because of the increased appearance of vague ads and scam ads.

Visit any freelance writer, business writer or copywriter forum and you will find somewhere in the archives a discussion about finding freelance work on Craigs List. There is also likely to be some complaining about the site. Some of the complaints are valid – the job listings can be riddled with work from home/write from home scam advertisings or just plain old con artists asking for free samples to review for a supposed job, hoping a few naïve writers will send some in so they can get free content for their site. Then, of course, there are the ads that get mysteriously flagged before you even get to see the opportunity being posted.

Sure, Craigs List can often be hit or miss. I learned quickly not to rely on them as my only source for finding consistent work. And if you are aiming for a higher salary as a freelance writer, you'll have to employ other methods to find higher paying gigs. Most people who make their living from home learned long ago – even before Craigs List was around – to be careful when presented with opportunities to make fast money from home. Just because they say you can doesn't make it true.