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Re: online job hunt -- for telecommuters

Subject: Re: online job hunt -- for telecommuters
From: Dick Margulis <margulisd -at- comcast -dot- net>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 13:49:06 -0400




Jefro wrote:


Thanks very much for the advice.
I'd be happy to give up a "captive" job to bill myself as an independent, but I'm not certain how to go about doing this. Thus far I have been searching for "contract technical writer" jobs at the usual job boards, and finding a lot---but no call-backs. The captive companies love my resume but want me on-site. How does one go about setting up a network as a consultant writer?



I have no idea how "one" does that. My experience is different from yours, so my starting point wouldn't necessarily work for you. I've been an active participant on techwr-l for a number of years, and when I made it known (politely, and within list rules) that I was available, I got a few leads from other list members. I designed business cards and circulated them among friends, acquaintances, and local businesses, also getting me a few leads. I also spent some time putting up a small Web site (lately revised and expanded) and paid Google as much as my budget would allow for AdWords advertising to drive people to my site, which is where the bulk of my business comes from right now. Customers like my work and, if they're the sort who have ongoing needs, they come back to me for more.

So that's how I did that, but it may not be the way YOU do that. You have to find your own path, I guess.

If I had to suggest a starting point, I'd say spend some time on Google looking for other independent tech writers and see how they've put their own sites together. You may get ideas of how to design--and how NOT to design--your own site, what services to offer, what industries to target, etc. I wouldn't put much stock in the job boards. From time to time I contact a company that lists a job I think might be better handled on a consulting basis; but it seems that once somebody has decided they have a slot to fill, they lose interest in independent outsourcing. At least so far I haven't gotten any responses that way.


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References:
online job hunt -- for telecommuters: From: Jefro
Re: online job hunt -- for telecommuters: From: Dick Margulis
Re: online job hunt -- for telecommuters: From: Jefro

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