While browsing the web in search of royalty-free graphics, I came across a source described this way:
This site does not host one unattractive image, it is rammed full with outstanding landscapes and breath-taking scenes of nature.
What? Surely this blogger meant to say “crammed full.” Surely, no one else is confusing the verb ram with the similar verb cram, I thought.
ram: verb. to force or drive down or in by heavy blows.
cram: verb. to fill (a receptacle) with more than it properly or conveniently holds, by force or compression.
True, the action described by cram may include a certain amount of forcing, but the difference is that between pounding sand down a rat hole and mashing another T-shirt into a drawer.
As I always do when encountering a usage that strikes me as odd, I searched to see if other writers were using ram in contexts that I thought called for cram.
To my surprise, I found plenty of examples. Here are three.
We booked the Catalina Island trip instead with the local diving company. Much more exclusive and not rammed full of tourist boats.—Tripadvisor comment
In theory I’m lucky with storage. I have a lovely chest of drawers, another less lovely but perfectly functioning set of drawers and a large bookcase. All of course absolutely rammed full.
—Personal blog
Search Engine Land’s own Mobile SEO Search section is rammed full of useful posts – everything from mobilegeddon to ranking factors and app indexing.—Personal blog
Convinced that ram for cram was indeed a thing, my next destination was the Ngram Viewer. There I saw considerable activity for “rammed full” dating from 1800. However, as useful a tool as it is, the viewer does not distinguish between changed meanings. It is possible, however, to get a notion of when meanings changed by consulting the sources offered for different decades.
The Oxford English Dictionary does have this example written by Lady Bury in 1840: “I always ram my clothes into a box,” but the Ngram sources I consulted used ram for such actions as using a ramrod to load a firearm or using a hammer or other device to pound soil to make it firmer or to force a substance like sand into a cartridge or other industrial receptacle. The first uses of rammed in the sense of crammed that I noted begin to occur in the 1990s.
Evidence that I’m not the only one to question the use of ram in some contexts is the fact that, for at least one of my examples of ” misuse,” the Spelling and Grammar feature in Word flags “rammed” and suggests “crammed.”
Merriam-Webster’s ram entry gives crowd and cram as synonyms, but while these words are close in meaning, they do not connote the sense of fierce determination, anger, or violence that ram does.
The connotation of aggression and heavy pounding makes ram a popular figurative choice in a political context:
It will take the Senate only 10 hours to ram through the worst legislation in living memory.—The New Republic
. . . even by Oli’s own standards, choosing to ram through ordinances that have nothing to do with the handling of the current Covid-19 outbreak—in the middle of an extended and uncertain lockdown—is pushing it to a new low.—The Kathmandu Post
A year ago, the Ohio legislature rammed through a law to save four unprofitable nuclear and coal-fired power plants from retirement, while it rolled back energy efficiency and renewable targets and passed on the $1.3 billion cost to customers.—Mother Jones.
When used intransitively (no object) and followed by a prepositional phrase, the preposition that follows ram in these examples is through. If you find yourself placing with after rammed, crammed is probably the better choice.
Inspectors highlighted the El Paso Del Norte Processing Center, which was designed to hold 125 people but was crammed with 750 migrants on May 7 and 900 migrants the following day— USA Today.
Bad economy leads to shelters crammed with cats—Sky-Hi News
[The Guggenheim Museum] Crammed with Famous Works!—Tripadvisor
Not all these, laid in bed majestical,
Can sleep so soundly as the wretched slave,
Who, with a body filled and vacant mind,
Gets him to rest, crammed with distressful bread;—Shakespeare, Henry V, IV, i
Used transitively (with an object), the word that follows the verb identifies whatever is being rammed or crammed.
The builder then rams the soil and clay mixture to compress it.
The slumlord crams as many tenants into a unit as possible.
When the intended meaning is “filled to overflowing,” crammed or crowded will do the job.
If the intention is to suggest anger or fierce determination, go with rammed.
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Welcome Writers, this could really be inconsequential.
According to a 2019 report, 57 million Americans work as freelancers. It’s a lifestyle that comes with lots of flexibility and, with a median hourly wage of $28, the potential to outearn 70% of non-freelancers.
However, being consistently productive outside a traditional 9-to-5 office setting doesn’t happen automatically. You must learn how to manage your time effectively.
After all, as your own boss, you work on multiple projects and deal with several clients at once. In addition, you’re also continually hustling to find and secure more work.
It’s easy to see that, if you can’t make efficient use of your time, you’ll be unable to maximize your professional output and, as a result, your earning power will be limited. For any freelance struggling with time management, here are seven tips for making the most of your workday.
1. Build Detailed To-Do Lists
Arguably the most valuable tool for managing your time as a freelancer is creating to-do lists. Some best practices for creating these lists include:
Include specific project notes and technical requirements from different clients.
If your list is all-digital, link to in-progress documents.
Use color-coding to help visually organize your work.
To-do lists are polarizing in and of themselves. Some studies claim that these lists can be a graveyard for non-urgent tasks. But, with time being such a finite resource for so many freelancers, it’s almost never a good idea to “wing it.”
The reality is that your to-do list setup only has to work for one person: you. Whether you use apps like Evernote or Google Keep, or simply jot information down by hand, knowing exactly what you need to work on is an indispensable part of strong time management for freelancers.
Just make sure there’s enough information in your to-do list, not just titles or jumbles of words. Everything, including important links or comments from clients, needs to be at your fingertips.
2. Create a Realistic Schedule (and Stick to It)
Once you’ve got a to-do list up and running, the next logical step is to break your day or week up into time blocks by creating a schedule.
How long those individual time blocks are, and how many you fit into a single day, will vary depending on your preferences. The key is understanding how much you can realistically get done in a given amount of time.
Some time constraints are scientifically unavoidable. The general rule of thumb is that the human mind can only focus on any given task for 90 to 120 minutes at a time.
With that in mind, listen to your body’s natural rhythms and maximize what you can do in those shorter spurts. Once you find that sweet spot, stick to it by establishing a routine.
Don’t forget—you’ll also need to make time to hunt down new projects and clients, creative brainstorming, marketing, networking, and much more.
3. Find an Optimal Work Environment
Now that you’ve got the “what” and the “when” figured out, it’s time to tackle the “where.”
Your work environment, just like your to-do list and schedule, should cater to your strengths as a freelancer. Some professionals need absolute silence to do their best work. Others prefer working to the hum of a crowd in a cafe or communal workspace.
That said, some universal environmental elements, regardless of the location, must help your productivity rather than hinder it. Here are some important ones to keep in mind:
Make sure your chair is comfortable. These days, most freelance work involves sitting in front of a computer or mobile device for several hours a day. Back pain, leg numbness, or any other physical discomfort can be distracting and needless to say, impede your productivity.
Invest in a good pair of headphones. If you prefer working in public places, noise-canceling headphones are a must. They give you the ability to filter out most ambient noise if you need to.
Find good lighting. Working in a room that lacks natural daylight can be fatiguing, as can working next to the wrong kind of desk lamp. This may also mean investing in a computer monitor with a decent color spectrum and viewing angle.
4. Go Offline to Minimize Distractions
Even the most self-disciplined freelancer can be jarred by a sudden notification or buzz from their phone. And if they occur frequently enough, these distractions may drain several productive hours from your day.
One solution: going offline during your work hours.
Of course, setting aside time during your day to manage your various inboxes is important. But, when it’s time to settle in and knock items off your to-do list, avoiding notification pop-ups or incoming message alerts is paramount.
If you can’t help but peek at your emails or scrolling through social media, try one of these apps:
Freedom is the best-known option, although the features in its free version are limited.
Hocus Focus is a great free tool for Mac users that only lets you view one window at a time.
Other effective free alternatives to Freedom include FocusMe and SelfControl.
Let’s face it—any device connected to the internet hosts dozens of websites and applications that compete for your attention. Nip that timesuck in the bud and go offline when you work.
If you don’t, managing your time around all of those distractions will be nothing short of impossible.
5. Break Larger Projects Down into Smaller Tasks
Another crucial time management challenge for freelancers is mastering the art of breaking up larger projects into smaller tasks.
This practice, also called “chunking,” adds another layer of time management depth to your existing to-do list and schedule. Trying to tackle a project that’s too big or time-consuming as a whole can diminish your focus and drive.
A common misconception about freelancers is that they’re multitaskers. But multitasking implies simultaneous work, often with mediocre or average results. Productive freelancers who are efficient with their time don’t try and work on everything all at once. It’s not feasible.
Instead, here are some ways you can break your projects down into manageable pieces:
Create a work plan. A work plan breaks a big project into smaller objectives and deliverables, helping keep you on track when something requires more attention to detail.
Devote all your attention to one task at a time. Sometimes, solving your productivity issues is really that simple. By focusing on a singular task, you have far more control over the speed and accuracy of your work.
Avoid switching tasks often. If you fall into the trap of “task hopping,” you’re really just multitasking in a fragmented fashion. Once you begin a task, try and complete it before starting another one—or, in some cases, at least finish a rough draft.
Work with self-imposed deadlines. You’ve married your to-do list with a schedule for a reason: you have client-imposed deadlines. Within those timeframes, use self-imposed micro-deadlines to keep the clock ticking and your attention on point.
Once your projects become collections of bite-sized tasks, you’ll be amazing at how much you can get done in a day or week.
6. Take Enough Breaks
One of the downsides of working your own hours is that, unlike a standard 9-to-5 job, there are no built-in breaks. Instead, it’s on you to remember to take them every day.
When you get into a good rhythm, the idea of breaking away from your work can feel counterintuitive. However, stepping away from your task actually helps you consistently perform at a higher level.
Leave workaholic tendencies at the door and ensure that you pencil enough breaks into your time management strategy.
7. Avoid taking on more work than you can handle
Let’s end this post off with the most uncomfortable of these time management tips for freelancers: saying no.
By its very nature, freelancing involves dealing with the ebb and flow of available work. Sometimes saying no to a project or client is scary because you don’t know when that next call or email will come your way.
Despite this, in ideal circumstances, you owe it to yourself to say no. To bad projects that won’t pay you what you’re worth. To bad clients who don’t value your time or skills. To anything that won’t be worth your time.
This also encompasses projects that don’t align with your goals as a professional. Every piece of freelance work you produce should eventually become part of a portfolio that helps you get the next job. In that sense, projects need to help you advance your career, not just get paid.
For those who have a difficult time saying no to new projects, consider making a decision tree. This visual can help guide you in the decision-making process for each new opportunity that arises. For instance, you might want to ask yourself:
Do you have time to take on additional work?
Does this project align with your skills and/or interests?
Will it benefit your portfolio?
Does the project offer fair compensation?
Don’t just jump at every paying customer who waltzes into your inbox. Otherwise, your to-do list and calendar will be clogged with work you don’t care about. That, above all else, is a huge waste of your time as a freelancer.
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NOTE: ONLY ONE WINNER PER HOUSEHOLD PER CALENDAR QUARTER, PLEASE.
THIS WEEK’S PRIZE: A free print or ebook of your choice from Booklocker.com!
90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book’s Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy
Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it – a lot more.
We know what you’re thinking. You’re an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts
and we’re going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online…and almost all of our techniques are FREE!
Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor,
which makes it fun for creative folks like you!
Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90…and beyond!
7.625 STRATEGIES IN EVERY BEST-SELLER – Revised and Expanded Edition
At this moment, thousands of would-be authors are slaving away on their keyboards, dreaming of literary success. But their efforts won’t count for much. Of all those manuscripts, trade book editors will sign up only a slim fraction.
And of those titles–ones that that editors paid thousands of dollars to contract, print and publicize–an unhealthy percentage never sell enough copies to earn back their advances. Two years later, most will be out of print!
Acquisition Editor Tam Mossman shares seven essentials every book needs to stay in print, and sell!
Read more here:
http://writersweekly.com/books/5635.html
It’s A Dirty Job…Writing Porn For Fun And Profit! Includes Paying Markets!
Fact is, writing porn is fun! It’s also one of the easier markets to crack and make money at while you’re still honing your skills. “It’s A Dirty Job…” is one of the only resources that can teach you everything you need to know to create your stories and target your markets.
Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed
A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly!
Chock full of ideas, tips, techniques and inspiration, this down-to-earth book is easy to read, and even easier to apply. Let author Jeff Bollow take you through a process that brings your ideas to the page faster, more powerfully and easier than ever before.
How are you Geniuses, this may really be worth reading.
According to a 2019 report, 57 million Americans work as freelancers. It’s a lifestyle that comes with lots of flexibility and, with a median hourly wage of $28, the potential to outearn 70% of non-freelancers.
However, being consistently productive outside a traditional 9-to-5 office setting doesn’t happen automatically. You must learn how to manage your time effectively.
After all, as your own boss, you work on multiple projects and deal with several clients at once. In addition, you’re also continually hustling to find and secure more work.
It’s easy to see that, if you can’t make efficient use of your time, you’ll be unable to maximize your professional output and, as a result, your earning power will be limited. For any freelance struggling with time management, here are seven tips for making the most of your workday.
1. Build Detailed To-Do Lists
Arguably the most valuable tool for managing your time as a freelancer is creating to-do lists. Some best practices for creating these lists include:
Include specific project notes and technical requirements from different clients.
If your list is all-digital, link to in-progress documents.
Use color-coding to help visually organize your work.
To-do lists are polarizing in and of themselves. Some studies claim that these lists can be a graveyard for non-urgent tasks. But, with time being such a finite resource for so many freelancers, it’s almost never a good idea to “wing it.”
The reality is that your to-do list setup only has to work for one person: you. Whether you use apps like Evernote or Google Keep, or simply jot information down by hand, knowing exactly what you need to work on is an indispensable part of strong time management for freelancers.
Just make sure there’s enough information in your to-do list, not just titles or jumbles of words. Everything, including important links or comments from clients, needs to be at your fingertips.
2. Create a Realistic Schedule (and Stick to It)
Once you’ve got a to-do list up and running, the next logical step is to break your day or week up into time blocks by creating a schedule.
How long those individual time blocks are, and how many you fit into a single day, will vary depending on your preferences. The key is understanding how much you can realistically get done in a given amount of time.
Some time constraints are scientifically unavoidable. The general rule of thumb is that the human mind can only focus on any given task for 90 to 120 minutes at a time.
With that in mind, listen to your body’s natural rhythms and maximize what you can do in those shorter spurts. Once you find that sweet spot, stick to it by establishing a routine.
Don’t forget—you’ll also need to make time to hunt down new projects and clients, creative brainstorming, marketing, networking, and much more.
3. Find an Optimal Work Environment
Now that you’ve got the “what” and the “when” figured out, it’s time to tackle the “where.”
Your work environment, just like your to-do list and schedule, should cater to your strengths as a freelancer. Some professionals need absolute silence to do their best work. Others prefer working to the hum of a crowd in a cafe or communal workspace.
That said, some universal environmental elements, regardless of the location, must help your productivity rather than hinder it. Here are some important ones to keep in mind:
Make sure your chair is comfortable. These days, most freelance work involves sitting in front of a computer or mobile device for several hours a day. Back pain, leg numbness, or any other physical discomfort can be distracting and needless to say, impede your productivity.
Invest in a good pair of headphones. If you prefer working in public places, noise-canceling headphones are a must. They give you the ability to filter out most ambient noise if you need to.
Find good lighting. Working in a room that lacks natural daylight can be fatiguing, as can working next to the wrong kind of desk lamp. This may also mean investing in a computer monitor with a decent color spectrum and viewing angle.
4. Go Offline to Minimize Distractions
Even the most self-disciplined freelancer can be jarred by a sudden notification or buzz from their phone. And if they occur frequently enough, these distractions may drain several productive hours from your day.
One solution: going offline during your work hours.
Of course, setting aside time during your day to manage your various inboxes is important. But, when it’s time to settle in and knock items off your to-do list, avoiding notification pop-ups or incoming message alerts is paramount.
If you can’t help but peek at your emails or scrolling through social media, try one of these apps:
Freedom is the best-known option, although the features in its free version are limited.
Hocus Focus is a great free tool for Mac users that only lets you view one window at a time.
Other effective free alternatives to Freedom include FocusMe and SelfControl.
Let’s face it—any device connected to the internet hosts dozens of websites and applications that compete for your attention. Nip that timesuck in the bud and go offline when you work.
If you don’t, managing your time around all of those distractions will be nothing short of impossible.
5. Break Larger Projects Down into Smaller Tasks
Another crucial time management challenge for freelancers is mastering the art of breaking up larger projects into smaller tasks.
This practice, also called “chunking,” adds another layer of time management depth to your existing to-do list and schedule. Trying to tackle a project that’s too big or time-consuming as a whole can diminish your focus and drive.
A common misconception about freelancers is that they’re multitaskers. But multitasking implies simultaneous work, often with mediocre or average results. Productive freelancers who are efficient with their time don’t try and work on everything all at once. It’s not feasible.
Instead, here are some ways you can break your projects down into manageable pieces:
Create a work plan. A work plan breaks a big project into smaller objectives and deliverables, helping keep you on track when something requires more attention to detail.
Devote all your attention to one task at a time. Sometimes, solving your productivity issues is really that simple. By focusing on a singular task, you have far more control over the speed and accuracy of your work.
Avoid switching tasks often. If you fall into the trap of “task hopping,” you’re really just multitasking in a fragmented fashion. Once you begin a task, try and complete it before starting another one—or, in some cases, at least finish a rough draft.
Work with self-imposed deadlines. You’ve married your to-do list with a schedule for a reason: you have client-imposed deadlines. Within those timeframes, use self-imposed micro-deadlines to keep the clock ticking and your attention on point.
Once your projects become collections of bite-sized tasks, you’ll be amazing at how much you can get done in a day or week.
6. Take Enough Breaks
One of the downsides of working your own hours is that, unlike a standard 9-to-5 job, there are no built-in breaks. Instead, it’s on you to remember to take them every day.
When you get into a good rhythm, the idea of breaking away from your work can feel counterintuitive. However, stepping away from your task actually helps you consistently perform at a higher level.
Leave workaholic tendencies at the door and ensure that you pencil enough breaks into your time management strategy.
7. Avoid taking on more work than you can handle
Let’s end this post off with the most uncomfortable of these time management tips for freelancers: saying no.
By its very nature, freelancing involves dealing with the ebb and flow of available work. Sometimes saying no to a project or client is scary because you don’t know when that next call or email will come your way.
Despite this, in ideal circumstances, you owe it to yourself to say no. To bad projects that won’t pay you what you’re worth. To bad clients who don’t value your time or skills. To anything that won’t be worth your time.
This also encompasses projects that don’t align with your goals as a professional. Every piece of freelance work you produce should eventually become part of a portfolio that helps you get the next job. In that sense, projects need to help you advance your career, not just get paid.
For those who have a difficult time saying no to new projects, consider making a decision tree. This visual can help guide you in the decision-making process for each new opportunity that arises. For instance, you might want to ask yourself:
Do you have time to take on additional work?
Does this project align with your skills and/or interests?
Will it benefit your portfolio?
Does the project offer fair compensation?
Don’t just jump at every paying customer who waltzes into your inbox. Otherwise, your to-do list and calendar will be clogged with work you don’t care about. That, above all else, is a huge waste of your time as a freelancer.
A word’s original meaning often expands over time. For example, take decimate, from Latin “to take a tenth.” The element dec is from decem, the Latin word for ten. One meaning was “to tithe,” but the sense that has given us the English word related to destruction is from a Roman military practice:
To select by lot and put to death one in every ten of (a body of soldiers guilty of mutiny or other crime): a practice in the ancient Roman army, sometimes followed in later times.
From this specific meaning, decimate has expanded to mean “to destroy or remove a large proportion of; to subject to severe loss, slaughter, or mortality.”
Mad cow disease decimated English cattle herds in the 1980s and 1990s
The newspaper has been decimated by market pressures
Supreme Court’s Latest Ruling Could Decimate Public Sector Unions
Occasionally I come across comments from persnickety purists who insist that decimate must be used only in a context that has something to do with the number ten, and I shake my head. Meanings shift. They expand.
However, when it comes to the word dishevel, I find myself slipping into the ranks of the persnickety.
Like the dec in decimate, the shevel in dishevel has a Latin origin: capillus (hair).
English disheveled (Br. dishevelled), the past participle of a verb that originally meant, “To loosen and throw the hair about in disorder,” derives from the French word for “head of hair”: chevelure. French descheveler meant, ”to disarrange the hair.”
Borrowed into English with the meaning, “hair hanging loose and thrown about in disorder,” the word came to denote a disordered personal appearance that included clothing.
In its original sense of messy hair, the word has become indispensable to describe British PM Boris Johnson:
Dishevelled Boris Johnson returns to face Commons rebellion—The Irish Times
Don’t be deceived by his scruffy appearance, the Tory leadership hopeful’s strategic dishevelment is his Trojan horse. —The Financial Times
At Eton, AB Johnson became “Boris” – rather posh, very English, somewhat eccentric and the deeply distinctive, deliberately dishevelled character we know now.—BBC News
By extension, dishevel can also apply to an individual’s clothing and living environment.
a spirit in disheveled clothes lingering on the side of the road and waiting to hitch a ride.—
The police looked into the house from a sliding glass door and saw various boxes of electronic equipment and the house appeared somewhat disheveled.
Figuratively, dishevel can describe a person’s inner self:
Frankenstein’s outward poise and elegance masks his disheveled soul within.
The disheveled mind must be eschewed from the early years; the cultivated mind is the orderly one.
A note in the entry in Merriam-Webster points out that disheveled has been used for things other than hair since the early seventeenth century, but the word is so wonderfully specific, it seems a waste to use it to describe something that doesn’t have hair or feathers or some type of excrescence that can be ruffled. I question the following uses of the word.
[a project] that would have remade the disheveled community . . .
I imagine a community made up of people with messy hair, but that’s not the intended meaning. The relevant project was to redevelop a run-down neighborhood.
Other factors such as oil development . . . have completely disheveled the wildlife and vegetation populations.
I can see how oil development might decimate wildlife and vegetation populations, but dishevel them?
The queue meanders to the west of the hotel entrance, past disheveled and crumbling statuary . . .
Statuary, even crumbling statuary, would have its hair in place.
Dishevel and disheveled, like rumpled, tousled, and unkempt, are closely associated with hair and personal appearance. In a less personal context, perhaps another word could serve instead of disheveled to indicate a state of untidiness. A few possibilities: chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disordered, jumbled, littered, messy, untidy, run-down.
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Congratulations to Tatiana Claudy for being the first to correctly answer that Christy Lindsay keeps her readers updated by publishing her main character’s journal.
According to last week’s issue of WritersWeekly, How does Christy Lindsay keep her readers updated on her main character’s thoughts, emotions, and reaction to current events?
You must be a WritersWeekly.com subscriber to participate in the weekly contests. Subscribe today. It’s free!
NOTE: ONLY ONE WINNER PER HOUSEHOLD PER CALENDAR QUARTER, PLEASE.
THIS WEEK’S PRIZE: A free print or ebook of your choice from Booklocker.com!
90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book’s Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy
Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it – a lot more.
We know what you’re thinking. You’re an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts
and we’re going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online…and almost all of our techniques are FREE!
Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor,
which makes it fun for creative folks like you!
Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90…and beyond!
7.625 STRATEGIES IN EVERY BEST-SELLER – Revised and Expanded Edition
At this moment, thousands of would-be authors are slaving away on their keyboards, dreaming of literary success. But their efforts won’t count for much. Of all those manuscripts, trade book editors will sign up only a slim fraction.
And of those titles–ones that that editors paid thousands of dollars to contract, print and publicize–an unhealthy percentage never sell enough copies to earn back their advances. Two years later, most will be out of print!
Acquisition Editor Tam Mossman shares seven essentials every book needs to stay in print, and sell!
Read more here:
http://writersweekly.com/books/5635.html
It’s A Dirty Job…Writing Porn For Fun And Profit! Includes Paying Markets!
Fact is, writing porn is fun! It’s also one of the easier markets to crack and make money at while you’re still honing your skills. “It’s A Dirty Job…” is one of the only resources that can teach you everything you need to know to create your stories and target your markets.
Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed
A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly!
Chock full of ideas, tips, techniques and inspiration, this down-to-earth book is easy to read, and even easier to apply. Let author Jeff Bollow take you through a process that brings your ideas to the page faster, more powerfully and easier than ever before.
Writing is a constant dialogue between author and reader.
The craft of writing involves an interchange of emotions between an author and a reader. An author creates a story line, conflict, and characters, gives his characters words to speak, and then hands off these materials to a reader. This process results in a constant dialogue between the mental imagery produced by a reader and that proposed by the author.
In times of uncertainty, people wish for some magical means of foretelling the future.
Considering that uncertainty is one of life’s certainties, it’s not surprising that human beings have come up with numerous ways to “look into the seeds of time/And say which grain will grow and which will not.”
The English vocabulary is rich in words that name different ways of divining the future. Most of them end with the suffix –mancy. The suffix derives from mantis (mάντης), a Greek noun for a prophet, diviner, or fortune-teller.
English compounds with –mancy include some that have been around since ancient Greek was still spoken. Others have been coined in later times, sometimes seriously, but sometimes tongue-in-cheek, like pedomancy (divination by reading the soles of the feet) as a proposed opposite for palm-reading.
Perhaps the most familiar of the divining terms is necromancy.
necromancy
In current usage, necromancy has a general sense of sorcery, witchcraft, or black magic, but its literal meaning is formed from the Greek word for a corpse, nekros.
A medieval spelling of the word as nigromancie resulted in a misconception that the word was related to Latin niger, “black.” For that reason, necromancy was often defined as the “black arts.” The spelling was “restored” to necromancy in the sixteenth century. Practitioners of the art believed that the dead knew where treasure was buried and attempted to summon ghosts to reveal the information. They also robbed graves for body parts to use in divining rituals.
Here are some—but by no means all— English words that name different types of divination.
astromancy
divination by the stars. Astromancy is another word for astrology.
bibliomancy
foretelling the future by placing a finger on the page of a randomly opened book and finding meaning in the words so found.
Any book can be used (biblios=book), but the Bible is commonly used for the purpose.
cartomancy
divination with playing cards.
Playing cards are thought to have originated in China during the Tang dynasty (618—906 CE), whence they spread to Egypt and Europe. Decks with four suits existed in southern Europe in 1365. Tarot cards began as playing cards in the mid-fifteenth century. Later, in the eighteenth century, they became popular for divination and special decks were developed for the purpose.
chiromancy
divination by studying the lines in the hands. Chiro is Greek for hand. Chiromancy is another word for palmistry.
hieromancy
divination from the observation of objects used in sacrifice or other religious rites. Hiero– is from the Greek word for holy.
oneiromancy
divination by interpretation of dreams. Oneiro– is from a Greek word for dream. I first encountered this word when I studied Chaucer’s Nun’s Priest’s Tale about Chaunticleer and his dreams.
pyromancy
divination by fire or by signs derived from fire
ornithomancy
divination by observing the behavior of birds. Ornitho is from a Greek word for bird. Augury is another term for reading meaning in the behavior of birds.
The ancient Romans were big on ornithomancy. My favorite story about the sacred chickens is the one about Publius Claudius who consulted them before an upcoming naval battle in the First Punic War. Before an important undertaking, the chickens would be released from their cage and offered food. If they gobbled it eagerly, the undertaking would be successful. The chickens Claudius consulted refused to eat, but he was determined to engage the Carthaginians. According to the story, he said, “If they’re not hungry, perhaps they’re thirsty,” and had them tossed overboard. That supposedly happened before the Battle of Drepana (249 BCE) in which Claudius was soundly trounced by the Carthaginian fleet.
rhabdomancy
divination by means of a rod or wand, specifically discovering ores, springs in the earth by means of a divining rod. Rhabdo is from the Greek word for rod. The practice of rhabdomancy remains very much alive. People who use rods, usually made of copper, are called dowsers. What they do is also called witching. The American Society of Dowsers, founded 1961, has a web page and hundreds of members who presumably make a good living plying their craft.
scatomancy
divination or diagnosis by the examination of feces.
This word makes me think of King Pellinore in T.H. White’s The Once and Future King. He spends his life pursuing the Questing Beast, following its fumets.
BONUS WORD fumets: the excrement of a deer (or other animal hunted by human beings).
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It doesn’t matter what is going on in the world, as a freelance web designer, knowing how to get web design clients is critical.
It might feel as if you have hit a dead end, but there are still plenty of opportunities to find new web design clients; you just need to know how to get web design clients and where to look. That’s why we’ve put together the top ten places to get web design clients.
Here are 10 Best Ways to Get Web Design Clients:
1. Search Job Boards to Get Web Design Clients
It’s possible to start a full-time business just from the work you receive on freelance job websites. Here are a few of the reputable choices we prefer.
At first glance, you might not see what makes SolidGigs different, but the tools offered take this platform to new heights. Start by signing up to receive top-tier freelance gigs in your inbox every week, then browse the library of education and other tools that help you excel in your field. The value is second to none.
Professional freelance marketers rely on FlexJobs to provide positions from some of the top companies. Every job posting is screened carefully by the team. This level of security ensures that you won’t get wrapped up in a scam.
Upwork is one of the most popular freelance platforms around. It was formerly named Elance-oDesk, but changed its name in 2015. There are opportunities in every field, including web design.
Fiverr operates differently than many of the other platforms. You post your services and a flat-rate fee. Then, those looking for web design will reach out to you directly. If you take the time to market your skills, you can find a lot of success on this site.
Currently, about two million clients are using PeoplePerHour. To stand out from the other freelancers, you want to post a portfolio of your work. This simple action helps others to see what you can do.
2. Market Your Skills Online to Potential Web Design Clients
With the work you have already performed, you have a lot to brag about. Take to social media to start marketing your talents. Digital marketing is your best friend when you are looking for work. Whether you handle your social media content yourself or you utilize marketing management software, you want to consider these platforms.
Twitter
Getting Twitter followers isn’t difficult if you have some time to invest. If you want new web design clients, you want to connect with other businesses, which is where Twitter excels.
Leverage this platform to not only market your services, but also yourself. Plus, it’s not expensive to advertise on Twitter, if you decide that spending some of your marketing budget is needed.
Start your Twitter account, if you haven’t already. From there, start following influencers and people you hope to build a relationship with. As you interact with them, you gain more connections in the industry.
Facebook
To get more web design clients, you can also try out Facebook. Across the platform, you will find small businesses in every industry and sector. The organic reach has suffered slightly over the years, but Facebook continues to offer many advertising solutions that help you achieve success. We always suggest starting out small and running a few targeted ads.
Then, join some industry-related groups. As you participate, others will begin to see the value your services bring to the table.
LinkedIn
With LinkedIn, you quickly connect with other professionals in your industry and beyond. Whether you are just starting your web design business or you are completely established, the connections you make will become invaluable. There’s also the option to use LinkedIn jobs to get more work.
Make sure you mention your website and portfolio, so that others can see what you’ve done.
3. Gain Referrals via Past or Current Web Design Clients
Even though social media marketing takes the forefront of getting new clients, you can’t overlook the value of referrals. Your existing customers can serve as a salesforce as you learn how to get web design clients.
Cash in on Compliments
If your customer praises you for a job well done, take advantage of the compliment. Tell them that you are happy to hear that they enjoyed the work and ask them to refer you to others.
Create a Referral System
If you plan to make a referral system, give something valuable in exchange. It’s true – you get what you give. People are more inclined to share your information with others if there is something in it for them. Don’t be afraid to leverage this to get more web design customers.
Utilize Testimonials
On your website, social media pages and print advertising, you should be highlighting testimonials from other happy clients. Link to their website in exchange for providing the testimony.
4. Spend Time on Your Website
If you want to sell your website design services, your own page must be top-notch. After all, any prospect looking at your site needs to see something they like. Otherwise, all of your efforts won’t help you figure out how to get web design clients. Here are a few things to consider as you work on your site.
Focus on Design
Your website should display your competency as a professional. After all, no one is going to trust you with their website when yours is unappealing. Focus heavily on providing professional photography and high-definition images throughout.
Prioritize SEO
Your website provides one of the best marketing tools you have in your arsenal. If it ranks highly in the search engines, you are going to acquire more business naturally.
If you don’t have a working knowledge of search engine optimization, it’s best to hire a professional to craft an SEO game plan.
Curate Blog Posts Regularly
Posting regular content helps you to rank higher with the search engines, but it also provides valuable information to your clientele. With the right content, your audience will keep coming back to learn more. It also helps you to build a stronger reputation.
To create the best content strategy, you should sit down with your calendar and map out blog post ideas. If special events are coming up, you should leverage this time to rank higher in the search engines. Otherwise, stick to valuable how-tos and tips that your clients will appreciate.
5. Spend Time on Outreach to Web Design Clients
With new technological innovations, we’ve changed the way we’ve outreached as a business. Several decades ago, it was common to knock on doors and try to get appointments, but that’s not the case today. Now, you can outreach as a way to get web design clients.
Focus on Social Media
Social media outreach is simply leveraging Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook to raise awareness for your company or brand while building relationships. There’s a fine line between social media outreach and spamming, so you must be careful.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is the modern-day alternative to cold calling. You can send your message out to a list of prospects in hopes of getting new web design clients. You should also have a place to sign up for email marketing on your website. It can be in the form of a pop-up.
Beyond that, make sure you connect email addresses when you attend networking events or meet any new business owners. These can prove to be invaluable as you follow up and offer your services.
Cold Calling
While many businesses have moved away from cold calling, the practice isn’t yet dead. It often works best if you practice warm calling instead. What is warm calling? It’s when you establish a connection with someone through another avenue first.
For example, if you have the contact information for a business owner that you want to pitch to, try sending an email first. Then, a few days later, you can follow up on that email with a phone call.
6. Network With Peers
Networking will always be the key to success, no matter how you do it. Without these vital connections, you can’t find new web design clients. While most people have taken to social media as a way to network, you can’t overlook the value of in-person relationships. Here are a few innovative ways to begin networking.
Rent Co-working Space
Sure, it’s fun to sit at home in your pajamas and work, but it doesn’t help you extend your reach. If you join a coworking space, you can visit occasionally and start making connections.
Bring your neighbor a cup of coffee and start chatting. Over time, you will learn about the services offered by your peers and they will know who to turn to for web design.
Make an Appearance at Local Gatherings
The networking opportunities are endless, especially if you work in a city. However, even in the smaller areas, you will find lots of chances to connect with others.
Search out dedicated networking events, but go beyond that. Attend any company events that are seeking press, or look for places where companies are scouting for new talent. Just make sure you have your professional business cards with you.
If you live in a major metropolitan area, the options available to you are endless, but you can find plenty of opportunities in smaller regions as well.
Join Forums
If you would rather start out online and avoid face-to-face meetings, you might consider looking at some forums instead. Online forums offer a great way to make connections without leaving your office or home.
You must read the rules of the forum you plan to use and follow all of the rules. After all, you don’t want to get kicked out of the group.
When done right, sharing your knowledge on a forum can help you establish new connections.
7. Follow Up On Old Web Client Leads
While you have a heavy focus on finding new web design clients, you don’t want to forget about the potential available from previous leads. When you are slow, it’s time to connect with these two groups of people to see how you can help.
Web Design Clients Who Haven’t Purchased
Go back through your contacts of people who either turned you down or those that disappeared from your radar. Now is the time to follow up through email and offer your services again.
You can take the nonchalant approach and ask them to look through your packages, or be bold and ask for some feedback regarding why they didn’t choose you.
Past Web Design Clients That You Worked For
You can also connect with old clients that haven’t had work done in a while. Shoot them an email and ask how it is going or to see if they need any help. If you know a client recently did something new, like wrote an ebook, it’s the perfect time to reach out and see how you can be of assistance.
8. Showcase Your Web Design Portfolio
If you plan to get web design clients, you must be able to show them your previous work. That’s where your professional portfolio comes into play.
If you are just starting out, you might need to take on a few clients for free just to build your portfolio. Don’t be discouraged by this step; it will bring you paying business in the future.
Then, you want to market your portfolio with every client you met, on social media and during networking events. Be ready to show off what you can do and take pride in your work. People will see your confidence and want to work with you.
9. Hire an Agency
At first, you might think working with an agency goes against the point of working for yourself, but that’s not true. With an established agency in place, you can quickly build relationships and find new web design clients.
Working with a web design agency is also perfect if you are just getting started. You can become instantly profitable without searching for web design clients. They handle all of the sales; all you need to do is the work.
Plus, agencies work with much larger clients than you will be able to in the beginning.
For some freelancers, it becomes wise to work with a mixture of agencies and independent clients.
Just be careful that you don’t share the work done through the agency without prior permission. You could get into a lot of trouble if you have signed a non-disclosure agreement.
Here’s how to get started.
Make a list of agencies you would work with.
Email them a link to your portfolio.
Include your rates in the email.
Set up a time to meet for coffee or lunch, or via Zoom to discuss the working arrangement
It could take several emails or calls to various agencies before you talk to someone that wants to work with you, but don’t get discouraged. Many agencies are willing to outsource work; you just need to find the right one.
10. Never Give Up
It doesn’t matter if you are just starting out or you are established, you can utilize new skills every day to find web design clients. The key to learning how to get web design clients is to never give up and to always strive for more.
Every foot you put forward takes you one step closer to your next job.
Constantly strive to improve your sales pitch, marketing efforts and website ranking. These are all vital aspects to ensure your success and should be a work in progress. As you experiment, you will learn new tactics and tricks that keep you in the game.
3 Tips on How to Get Web Design Clients Fast
As you embark in trying out these steps to see what works for you. Remember, these three vital tips.
1. Be Confident in Yourself
If you want to win over new web design clients, you must have confidence that portrays success. No one wants to work with someone that isn’t sure of themself. As you remain confident, others will believe you are an expert in your field and naturally want to work with you. Right now, it’s your job to sell yourself.
2. Do Your Research
To be confident, you must know what you are talking about. Before you meet with any new client, do your research. When you sit down to pitch your ideas, you need to know:
What the client is looking for
How you will solve their problems
What you bring to the table that helps them succeed
3. Follow Through
No matter how you find new prospective clients, it’s essential that you follow through. After the initial meeting, make sure you follow up and cultivate the relationship further. Just remember, there is a fine line between persistent and annoying. Don’t become the latter in your quest to gain more business.
Prepare for Your New Web Design Clients
Now you know how to get web design clients. Since reading this article, you’ve likely seen several steps you are willing to take today. Start with these and begin the experiment. You will quickly learn what works in your situation and what doesn’t.
It won’t be long before you have a steady flow of work coming in and the days of hustling to get new clients will be behind you.
It’s advisable to avoid taking on too many steps at once, or you could burn yourself out. Instead, focus on one or two of the paths to begin and see where they take you.
As time progresses, you can add in more until you have a well-rounded marketing plan. You might even be able to help other web designers get their start in the future.
As more and more people get online on a daily basis, the way people are advertised to shifts along with the move. In 2005, people logged around 10 hours online per week week.
In 2014, that number jumped to over 20 hours, with 16-24 year olds spending the most time online, around 27 hours. Today, the number continues to grow as a Pew Research study notes that 81% of Americans spend at least some time online on a daily basis. In short, people are spending rather a lot of time online.
The more time spent online, the more things there are to do from reading the news, scanning social media and shopping. In 2016, 1.6 billion shopped online for goods and services, but that number is expected to reach 2.14 by 2021 according to forecasted trends. As a response, the marketing world has altered its course and begun to focus where the consumers are: online.
Today, brands slip in on your social media feeds, marketing is directed at you, through your device, often based off of your history or likes. It’s an elegant system if you’re a company, and it’s perfectly personalised if you’re a consumer.
All of this is of course very good news if you’re already in a digital marketing job or considering entering the digital marketing jobs market – it’s a market that is only going to continue to grow.
What is digital marketing?
Even if you’re involved in digital marketing you might not realise quite how broad the industry has become. So we’ll take a quick look through what digital marketing is today and how influential it is on consumers.
Digital marketing is simply any sort of marketing on electronic devices. Since most people are spending time online, it’s marketing catered to each individual.
The history of digital marketing
This aspect of marketing includes more than marketing on Facebook or personal websites, digital marketing has been around for over 100 years, begun when the Guglielmo Marconi invented the radio.
He sold show tickets to a Met opera after broadcasting it through the radio, but the technical definition of what he did wouldn’t exist until the 1990s. In the 1970s, Ray Tomlin sent an email, and that technology would forever alter marketing and the consumer. Officially, digital marketing began in 1990 when FTP sites created the Archie Search Engine as an index.
As consumers have changed, so have digital marketing methods. Massive changes were made in the 2000s and 2010s as the internet gained more daily users and as smartphones became prevalent. Opportunities for advertising now exist in people’s hands.
But, with the rise of personal devices came issues.
The switch to online shopping caught many companies off guard. As late as 2000, many UK retails neglected to even register their domain names. Marketing automation helped marketers, but moved slowly integrating adaptability to personal devices.
Today, there are concerns about customer privacy and data protection. As the world of digital marketing evolves, so will the issues being faced and how they are handled.
Digital marketing campaigns made up of search engine optimisation (SEO), content marketing, influencer marketing, e-commerce marketing, and more require experts in these fields to best cater to consumers.
While many of these digital marketing jobs require a technical ability, they all still require many traditional job skills such as teamwork, personal modiviation, and excellent verbal and written skills. Today digital marketing is as much an art form as it is a science.
Of course, some of the newer jobs, such as virtual reality developer, will require an intensely high tech background that comes from years of learning. Just as every person has a unique skill set, so does every job in digital marketing, and there is probably a place for you within this field that fits your qualifications.
Most popular digital marketing jobs right now
Social Media Marketer
With the influx of social media comes more and more jobs. As a social media marketer, your job is to help companies interact with consumers across the wide array of social media platforms. You’ll give input on social media campaigns designed to attract new customers, and retain current customers with.your knowledge of analytics and consumers.
Bot Developer
Today fewer people are willing to make a phone call for help and instead head to a company’s website for assistance. As a bot developer, you’ll be overseeing the creation and interaction of a chatbot with customers. Your chatbot will converse and hopefully sell products to customers or nudge customers towards a buying decision, making your contribution invaluable.
Digital Marketing Manager and Director
Overseeing and implementing digital campaigns is the job of digital marketing managers and directors. Tasks include organizing and managing a budget, planning out the project, setting milestones, and more.
To be a digital marketing manager and director, you must have stellar communication and organization skills, as well as staying firm with decisions and excellent delegation skills. Typically, this job requires a considerable amount of experience, but the payoff is excellent.
Content Manager and Strategist
A content manager and strategist can often work on developing content for a variety of marketing needs. They will have a solid knowledge of creating keyword orientated content, in addition to organizing and managing it.
They will know how to write well, channeling a wide variety of information into concise and informative content that will reach people effectively.
Email Marketing Specialist
If your writing is stellar, and you have a background in marketing, copywriting, or editing, this highly specialized job field may be for you. An email marketing specialist is part of a specific area of content development and marketing, and will probably be in charge of launches, campaigns, or PR activities.
As email is a strong and effective way to reach consumers, this job requires a persuasive method of writing. Not just any person can be an email marketing specialist, you must be able to showcase your excellent writing and editing skills and be prepared to work quickly and efficiently.
Data Analyst
A data analyst organizes and examines data, whilst preparing it for a company to interpret and apply it to their own digital marketing campaigns. As a data analyst, you must have a technological and computer science background. You understand programming, data optimization, and machine learning.
User Experience Designer (UX Designer)
A user experience designer or UX designer is involved throughout the design and development phases of a websites creation. Bigger websites may even have a UX team to ensure ongoing user experience improvements on their website properties.
Many tend to shift towards the technical or the design aspect of creating, but they must understand the website from a marketing aspect.
Additionally, they must understand their audience, as well as the product or service they are promoting via the website. A UX designer often takes on the lead roles in project management, and caters to a website usability throughout the process.
SEO and SEM Specialist
SEO (search engine optimization) and SEM (search engine marketing) specialists are vital to a digital marketing campaign. Their knowledge is made up of both digital and technical aspects. As search engine algorithms fluctuate, so do businesses, and a person with SEO and SEM experience cannot lag behind in this speciality.
While businesses, particularly ones in e-commerce, will always need someone in SEO/SEM to maintain high ROI, this job requires a considerable amount of experience and knowledge. The payoff is fantastic though, and SEO/SEM jobs command a high price.
Internet of Things Marketing Specialist
With the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) comes more and more jobs. An IoT specialist will understand and corral data collected from computing devices and be able to create a campaign from those devices to users of each device.
As personal computing devices grow, so will the needs and requirements of IoT specialists.
Virtual Reality Developer
This is definitely a highly technical role, but the paycheck should equal the technical requirements necessary for this gig. It is both new and highly specialized, but you must have strong creative skills.
A background in visuals, technology, or special effects would be helpful, as well as a very strong creative vision with an eye to the future. Many predict that virtual reality is the future, so you’ll be on the cutting edge of technology.
Where to look for digital marketing jobs online
The best resource for digital marketing jobs would be found on the internet itself. Here are some of the best ones sites out there, from smaller websites, to the largest.
FlexJobs offers a variety of different job options in either full or part-time capacities. Their blog gives helpful advice, but more importantly, their research companies section allows you to research and ensure that a particular company and you would be a great fit. For professional, flexible jobs, FlexJobs is the site for you.
Use Marketing Hire for specific searches in the marketing field. While the website feels dated, they have the info available in a wide variety of sources from podcasts to summer internships. Their free videos and webinars are helpful as well. They state that they display jobs from HP, Microsoft, and Nike and more, as well as smaller firms, making them an excellent resource for reliable digital marketing jobs.
Digital Agency Network features jobs from all over the world, from Charlotte, NC to Vancouver, Canada. Their mission is “… to support the digital marketing industry and enhance the intelligence, expertise, reach and effectiveness of digital agencies, companies, and individual marketers through online platforms, consultancy, events and training.” Additionally, the ability to showcase work through DAN gives you the opportunity to display your talent, depending on your field.
Glassdoor is a behemoth in the job searching industry, and many employers use this site. While the jobs posted here will always have a high concentration of competitiveness, it’s a valuable resource to use. Additionally, you can search for jobs worldwide and in specific fields, so it offers more options than some of the smaller, specialized sites. Most importantly, Glassdoor allows you to assess your salary, making it an invaluable resource as you determine what to charge for your services.
Just the task of looking for digital marketing jobs is a full-time job in itself. Looking to save time and just get to the best jobs? Enter: SolidGigs.
For a mere $2 to try it out, SolidGigs scours the internet for the best jobs online and sends them directly to your email. It leaves you to just apply and do what you love (not searching for jobs). Not only that, they have a library full of resources to help you become a better freelancer.
If you’re looking for a wide variety of information on digital marketing, the Drum is the website for you. They have an equally wide array of job postings from design to PR. Their email newsletter offers useful information about the market, while their comprehensive social media helps you stay connected and informed. This is a worldwide job posting site.
Surprisingly, Mashable has a thriving jobs board that allows you to select your job title, location, and then organizes jobs by employers. It doesn’t display nearly as many helpful options about perfecting your CV or your specific job market, but it does have jobs available in marketing/PR. As a big name in digital talent, Mashable offers a unique way to find your perfect job.
If you’re looking for worldwide jobs, Creativepool is an excellent resource. They also cater towards freelancers and contract roles, but permanent roles are also available. Their magazine offers a wide variety of career advice, making this site and excellent and unique resource for job hunting.
Fiverr isn’t technically a job board, but it’s a great way to stay connected with others in the digital world. If you’re a freelancer, signing up will help you find short term projects, with a starting fee at $5. With a broad user base, and guaranteed payment, Fiverr opens up opportunities for the short term to give you experience and possibly help you transition into a full time job.
Utilizing the jobs on Facebook feature may display possible jobs in the digital marketing sphere. While this is a relatively new feature, it might prove helpful for people in the tech world. The advantage is that it is connected to your social media already, making it simple to upload your CV and connect with others.
Lastly, no comprehensive list of job sites would be complete without including Indeed. As easily one of the largest and most recognized names in the job search world, Indeed offers a wide variety of job postings across the world. Their job resources are helpful and it’s very easy to upload your CV and apply to an assortment of jobs.
Other ways to find digital marketing jobs
By staying up to date on LinkedIn and following companies relevant to your interests, you will stay abreast of changes and possibly find yourself ahead of the competition for a job.
Even Twitter can be beneficial, as long as you’re active on it and not derogatory or demeaning. Utilizing the background information that is available on social media may also help you better understand certain companies and hopefully help you ace that interview.
If you use social media in applying for jobs, remember to keep your social media clean and try to paint yourself in a positive light. Using social media to attack others, act violently or erratically, or use hate speech is not just unkind, but will probably keep you from getting a job in the digital field.
More often employers today use social media as a way of checking on possible employees to make sure they measure up. Think of your social media as an extension of your CV.
Do you really want your future employers to see your drunken comments and pictures from your holiday in Cancun? Probably not. So use this time to clean up your accounts.
Tips on landing digital marketing jobs
So, you have your dream job in mind, you have resources for finding your job, now what?
Do your research on the companies you’re applying for to make sure you’re going to be a good fit and that you and the company are aligned in values and culture. Before you send in your cover letter and CV, make sure they’re unique and will stand out from the crowd.
Have a friend proofread your documents to make sure you use proper grammar and spelling. Stay honest and tell the truth. Be positive, but don’t add in falsehoods to your CV. And lastly, check in, but don’t stalk. Prove yourself as a go-getter, but if the job is a bust, move on to another company.
Best of luck on your digital marketing journey!
Armed with your newfound knowledge and skills in the digital marketing, you should be set to land yourself a job in digital marketing. While you’re waiting for your job, keep practicing your skills and stay relevant online to keep yourself qualified for your new digital marketing job.
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