4 Lessons Writers Can Learn From College Humor’s Layoffs
Plus, what you can do to protect yourself
College Humor, a popular comedy website that posted articles, listicles, info-graphics and other media, laid off most of it’s in-house staff a few months ago. The official reason is that its parent company decided not to continue financing it, due, in part, to Facebook inflating its video metrics, which the site relied on for ad revenue.
Unfortunately, I’m not surprised (Facebook is the devil.) But I am disappointed. College Humor was one of my favorite time-wasting websites in High School and college. And once I started freelancing, it became a possible avenue for income (though I never got around to writing for them).
In fact, I almost included College Humor in my article about places that would publish you with little-to-no experience. Anyone could pitch them an idea and get paid for it, as long as it was funny and well-written.
But I’m glad I didn’t waste anyone’s time. When I type in Collegehumor.com, it directs me to the College Humor YouTube Channel.
As of now, College Humor will primarily produce video content. And the sad reality is that many of the talented people who made the website popular are now left without jobs. I have no idea what that means for people who might want to freelance with them.
What I do know is that there were likely signs in place that forewarned College Humor’s downfall. Unfortunately, there always are. When companies are on the cusp of a shut-down, the higher-ups usually follow similar scripts. If you’re interested in writing for digital media, learn these signs now (and save yourself some heartache later).
1. The Pay Is Cut
The first sign of trouble is usually a pay cut. Sure, it could just be proof that a greedy owner is trying to pocket more of the bottom line, but most times, a decrease in payouts is necessary to keep the company afloat. The first people who feel the sting are usually the writers.
2. There’s Less Work To Go Around
Sometimes, companies won’t cut the pay, but they will start to assign less work. So, you might still get paid good money per assignment, but suddenly you’re not invoicing enough work to pay your rent anymore.
It’s a pay cut, and a sneaky one one at that. Content is always in the demand, so if a company cuts back, it’s because they don’t have the budget to pay at the scale they were before.
3. Office Luxuries Are Canned
All of those lush office amenities like catered lunches, on-site gyms, spa days, that attracted you to the company don’t come cheap. But a company that’s doing well invests in its employee’s happiness because it will help the company in the long run. At some point, when the company is failing, it’s not not possible to keep funding such luxuries, and they disappear out of nowhere. This is never a good sign.
4. Hire Ups Are Looking For New Jobs
Long before the lower-level employees feel the effects of the impending lay-offs, the people up top are already scrambling. They’re privy to information that those near the bottom of the totem can only speculate about. So, if notice that many of the higher-ups are jumping ship, assume it’s about to sink.
*How To Protect Yourself
No matter how nice or understanding your boss is, or how much your like your co-workers, your interactions exist within the business realm. You’re there because you benefit the company in some way, not because you’re friend So, when it’s time to cut dead weight — or rather, weight the dying company no longer can support — your friendship will not save you.
Companies will always protect their own interests. As a writer, it’s your job to protect your own. Here’s how.
Unless you’re a famous journalist with premium health benefits, making hundreds of thousands or millions a year, you should have more than one source of income. For most writers and creators, job security is a myth, so it’d be smart to keep a side hustle (or three).
If you’re allowed to take on outside work — some contracts forbid it — you should take a few (or as many as you have time for) freelance assignments a month to supplement your income. That way, you’ll always have some money coming in even if you get fired from one job.
You should also keep your LinkedIn page or author website updated so that interested employers can contact you, should your work impress them.
These days, companies consolidate multiple positions so that they can hire less people. So, a company looking for a writer might favor a candidate with graphic design or marketing skills over a writer who only writes.
While that’s not exactly fair, you don’t have a choice but to keep up with the market demand. So schedule some time to learn a new skill or two. Especially if you can intertwine it with your current skill set.
Take a new class, sign up for a webinar, or to read a new book. Anything to get and keep your creative juices flowing.
There are some pretty sweet jobs in media, but you should never get too emotionally attached. Early on, I made the mistake of attaching my writing identity to the trendy sites that attracted me to freelancing in the first place.
Instead of continuing to look for new opportunities and network, I got comfortable. And once they went belly up — as many websites do — I lost not only a part of my income but really good writing samples.
Now, I treat every freelance or ghostwriting job strictly as a means to make money. And I’m always looking out for new, exciting jobs that fit my skill set (even sometimes ones that don’t).
Long story short, don’t get too attached to any of your work — even if it’s your “dream job.” There will always be more, better out there.
Don’t miss out!
