Should I Pay or Should I Go?
Raise of hands, please – how many of you have considered or even plunked down hard cash to “join” one of those job sites? Really? That many? I’d count, but my hand is up, too.
It’s long been debated amongst us freelance types whether it’s worth it to pay for membership in a job board. Do you really get what you pay for? And what exactly is the measurement of a good site versus a bad one? When, and how, do you justify paying for job listings?
Here’s my take on it – if you’re new to freelancing and you don’t mind working for lower-than-average rates, go for it. I’m not saying these sites don’t offer some high-paying jobs. I’m saying that on average, your typical job posting site isn’t going to give you the type of gig that will keep you and your family in an upper-class neighborhood.
That’s because the typical posting on any of these sites is from an employer/client who wants to get a project done fast and for as little as possible. In fact, it’s not uncommon at all (all too common, sadly) to see job postings offer the dreaded “50 articles for $4” employment opportunity.
It was one of these postings that turned me from my opinion that some job boards are worth the money. I had searched for projects and turned up about ten of these “offers” in a row. I decided to write to the company and ask them to please rethink their position on posting what was obviously a crap offer. Oh, I called them spam, but they’re crap, let’s face it. The company’s response was diplomatic, but it soured me. “While we understand your frustration, we have a nondiscriminatory policy. The fact that some writers do bid on these offers warrants our continuing to accept them for posting.” Translation: If they pay for the ad, they get the space. Period. It was that day that I let my $75 subscription to this “exclusive” site expire. I also vowed to no longer pay to get work. I really don’t see other professionals forced to do this – why should I?
That said, I’m a few notches up the food chain from some writers. I’ve paid my dues and hopefully I won’t need to take the 5-cents-a-word jobs just to build a resume. The resume’s been built, and the road’s been paved for quite some time now. However, some of you are where I was back when I joined that site. You want work. You want paying work. You don’t care if it’s less-per-hour than you should be getting. It’s a check and a line item on the resume.
To you, I say go for it. But please, be smart about it. By now you know crap when you see it. You know that “exposure” means your work won’t see the light of day anymore than you’ll see a check. So choose carefully. Avoid those sites with open-bidding setups – that’s a recipe for disaster. It’s like a feeding frenzy – she can do it for $50! No wait, he can do it for $5! There’s no way to win at that game. Unless, of course, you’re the employer.
Stick with a site that offers closed bidding or better yet offers links to work you wouldn’t know about otherwise. Watch carefully your membership dollars versus your income generated from the site. If you’ve made up that fee in one job, amen. If you’ve gone through the three-month membership without one nibble, consider dropping it. The competition is still quite stiff on those sites, and while you may be incredibly talented, your low-bidding counterpart may snag the job from you despite your best efforts to wow the employer.
Always be on the lookout for free options. A few of my favorites: Craig’s List, About Freelance Writing, Writer’s Weekly and Media Bistro. And there’s always the hard way – networking and marketing your skills to a potential client base in the field in which you specialize.
Another great post, Lori. I’m in the middle of a free trial of a particular freelance job e-mail notification, and I’m not impressed. I don’t care if it’s cheaper than the competition–I don’t want something I can’t use even if it’s free, much less if I have to pay for it!
Kristen
Okay, I just had to leave another comment because the verification word that popped up made me laugh: brufn. Brew fun? Mmm, I could go for a beer right now…
Kristen, who has to get ready to leave for her first night of class in the fall semester. Bah.
Good luck in that first class, girl! Oh, and never forget the legacy of Kegstand!
I’d be tempted to pay for those job sites, but I can’t afford to! Lol, right now, I get paid in gift certificates. Someday, when scientists develop a pill to replace sleep, then I’ll finally be able to dig deep for those decent paying gigs.
I find it incredible when some writers claim that they can write a 500-word article about aerodynamics (or some other obscure subject) in under half an hour. I can’t compete with that kind of speediness. Unless, of course, I decided to cut-and-paste.
UNDER half an hour? That’s impossible! Stacy, I think you’re being hornswoggled! There’s no way anyone can write a decent article in that time. Wait – that’s the key right there. The article is most likely NOT decent. Okay, I feel better now. :))