As a professional writer you want to make yourself available to potential work opportunities. You always want to showcase yourself in a positive manner. In the modern world this means you need professional websites and social media pages. Through these pages you are advertising yourself to potential clients. Here are some steps you can take to help make sure potential employers find you and your best material.
Writer Website: You can create a website for yourself. There are many tools that make this easier if you don't have programming skills. You can use the website to highlight some of your work in a portfolio. You can also link to any high quality article examples you have published that are online. Your website can also have a bio, clients list and the types of services you offer. Some contract writers also post freelance rates. You should check and see what other writers are doing on their websites. Your site should also have contact information. If you have a blog on your site make sure the you keep the content at a high quality. Keep in mind that people visiting your site to learn more about you are likely to read the most recent posts first.
LinkedIn: If you are actively looking for work be sure to use LinkedIn. You can find many articles about effectively using LinkedIn. The LinkedIn bio is one of the most important aspects of your profile. Any good recommendations you can get on your profile can be helpful to bringing in more work. You can also add blog posts to your LinkedIn profile to show off your skills.
Google Yourself: Keep up with yourself on Google, Bing and social media. Remove any incorrect or outdated information about yourself if possible, especially if you have changed careers. If an old site or contact information is showing up before your current information you will want to remedy this. It might also be wise to keep your old email addresses and check them periodically in case you are contacted through an old address.
Remove Negative Stuff: Right all wrongs. Scrub bad stuff if possible. Remove anything that might turn away an employer. If you have left any comments anywhere that are not work appropriate you should delete them or change the name you use on these services so it is not easily attributable to you. Employers are likely to scour the web to see if they can find information you.
Here are a few helpful resources:
- 22 Top Tips to Effectively Raise Your Profile on LinkedIn - some helpful tips from Inc.
- What Your LinkedIn Profile Should Look Like in 2018 - good advice from Money. Keep your profile looking modern with new photos and information.
- 65 Tips for Improving Your Freelance Writing Website - Creative Revolt offers many great tips in this article.
Cover Letters: For more career advice, check out our article on writing cover letters.
