Writer unblocked
How to get hired and — gasp! — paid
Applying for a job is the worst. You sweat over your résumé and craft the perfect cover letter. There are no typos anywhere. The job description is right up your alley. You submit your application, and then…crickets. They don’t even send you a rejection email.
Another day without a bite. You head outside, fall to your knees, raise your fists at the stars and scream “WHY DOES EVERY WRITING JOB REQUIRE EXPERIENCE?” So cinematic of you.
It’s a great catch-22. You need experience to write, but you can’t write without experience.
I’ve been there, friend. It took me years — YEARS! — after graduating college to get a paid writing job. That is hilariously brutal.
But I made it, and now I’m writing for a living. And recently, I stumbled into a new phrase during a conversation with a friend. It’s a juggernaut job tip in just four words, and I wish I had it when I was struggling.
The Illusion of Experience
This phrase is everything. It will shift your mindset. It will get your foot in the door. It will get you hired. It’s just as important to craft the illusion of experience as it is to craft the perfect headline. Here’s how to do it.
1
Hey. Guess what. You already have experience.
Mindblowing, right? Here’s my logic. If you want to be a writer, that means you love to write and have been doing it for years. The experience most jobs ask for is something you already have.
I can hear you highlighting that phrase and typing a reply that says “OH YEAH? THEN WHY WON’T ANYONE HIRE ME?” I know. I hear you. Now allow me to get real for a second:
2
Cover letters suck. Knock it off.
Those two words trigger some light PTSD for me. It can take hours to get a cover letter right. And for all that effort, it probably won’t be read.
Yes, employers ask for cover letters. It’s only because everyone else does it.
Ready for a hot batch of truth? I’ve never applied for a job and been asked why I didn’t attach my cover letter. And do you know why?
3
Portfolios rock. Make yours better.
I get away with the No Cover Letter practice because I link to my portfolio instead. It’s physical proof that I know how to write and someone has trusted me to give them some words. Establishing precedent is huge.
Don’t have anything written yet? That’s easy. Start a blog. Ask friends and family if they need anything written. Tell them you’ll do it for free. Now put the work you’re proud of in your portfolio, and never work for free again.
Irony alert: The more visual your writing portfolio is, the better it will perform. Embrace brevity. Have a title and short description of the work, then provide a link to the full story if there’s more to say.
Need help? I’m happy to talk with you about it. A better option would be to google “writing portfolio.” Lots of great articles out there from people who are smarter than me.
4
Talk the talk.
You’re not a wannabe writer. You’re not an amateur writer. You’re a writer.
Say it. “I am a writer.” Update your social media bios. Practice it in conversation. Talk about work you’ve done and work you’d like to do.
5
Walk the walk.
If you’re not writing every day and constantly getting better, you have no right to fall to your knees and curse the stars. If you think it’s supposed to be easy, you’re mistaken. Writing is hard, which is why countless people are willing to pay people to do it for them. Sit down. Focus. Do the work.
6
Be you.
Even if you do everything right, you probably won’t get the job. But if you’re proud of the work you’ve done, if you’re honest and passionate during job interviews, if you demonstrate the difference you could make if you were hired, job offers will come. Chin up. Be patient. And let me know when that first offer hits so we can celebrate together. It’s a lifechanging moment.
Hi, I’m Luke. I’m a copywriter. If you ever want to talk writing, just find me at @trukelayser. Also, #bancoverletters.
