What is the Secret to Landing Your First Freelance Writing Job?

Q: What is the secret to landing your first freelance writing job?

A: If I had to name one thing as the ultimate secret to landing a first freelance writing job, I would have to say that the secret to getting a freelance writing job is confidence. It’s hard to convince a client to hire you as their contractor unless you are fully convinced of it yourself. Whether you are bidding on a job board or cold calling a prospective client, you have to be absolutely certain that you can do the job you are trying to get.

This can be especially hard when the job in question is your very first freelancing job. A seasoned freelancer knows from experience that he can get the job done. He’s done it before and can most likely cite a number of glowing reviews and client referrals in his job proposal. As a new freelancer, you don’t have reviews or client referrals. However, there is still plenty you do have. You have a strong work ethic, plenty of creativity, and a willingness to get the job done. If you have a degree, you can mention it in your bid, but if this is your first freelancing job, you probably aren’t going to get it by talking about your background.

Instead, talk about the job. There is a reason you chose this particular job to be your first job. While it isn’t a good idea to highlight your inexperience, you can still talk about the reason you were drawn to this particular job. Is the subject one you are particularly interested in? Do you have ideas that would make this project better? What can you bring to the table in terms of creativity, knowledge, and enthusiasm? Write a proposal highlighting these things and the client may not even notice your lack of experience.
 

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