We’ve talked about ways clients can tell you’re a brand-new copywriter. And don’t get me wrong: There’s nothing wrong with being new. But there’s a lot wrong with seeming inexperienced to your potential clients.

Often, when we’re new to a skill, copywriting or otherwise, the lack of confidence can lead to some serious self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and major worries. There are three common copywriting worries in particular our team sees copywriters worrying about all the time. Even copywriters who have been working for awhile still worry about these things!

But these three things are actually not things you need to worry about at all.

So, let’s dig right in!

1. Taking Time to Quote a Price

When new copywriters get a would-be client on the phone and talk about a project, they often feel a whole lot of effort to quote a price at the end of the conversation.

But guess what? You don’t have to! In fact, I almost never quote a price right at the end of a conversation.

At the end of a conversation in which you’ve just gotten a ton of information about a potential project, you have a lot to think about. It makes sense that you need a little bit of time to go through your notes, take a look at your schedule, and think through the project before you can tell a prospective client what your price will be.

Even better, you can just make this feel like the standard next step by just ending the call by saying something like, “Super! What I’m going to do is take a look at all of my notes and then put together a few notes about the scope of the project so that we’re on the same page and send over my project quote by [TIME].”

The key, of course, is that you give them an idea of what’s coming and when they can expect it by. But don’t ever feel like you need to instantly quote a price—it’s not necessary at all.

2. Not Having a Ton of Experience to Reference

When you’re talking with a would-be client, your instinct will be to try to wow them with all of the projects you’ve done that are just like theirs. And if you don’t have tons of experience, you might feel insecure and unsure.

But here’s the thing: You don’t need tons of experience, you just need some experience along with mastery of the concepts and strategies. What you know—and what you need to convey to your clients—is that the principles of copywriting are the same from project to project. You may not have ten thousand sales page examples, but you can talk to your client about another project in which you really got into your clients’ target audience’s head.

Once your would-be client has seen the samples in your portfolio, the best way to demonstrate your expertise is to ask insightful questions about the project, their business, and their goals, and then talk a bit about how you’ll address all of that. You don’t need tons and tons of similar samples to prove your expertise, you just need to help them understand how you’ll help them solve their problems.

3. Not Having an Impressive Copywriting Resume on Your Website

New copywriters are often worried because their resume is heavy with non-copywriting work. (Which is natural, right? You’re new to copywriting!) First, you don’t need to worry about your copywriting resume as a whole—instead, you should put together a “selected credits resume” for recruiters and people who ask for it.

But as for your website, not only should you not worry about the resume you have posted there—you shouldn’t have one posted!

Imagine this: Your would-be client gets to your site, takes a look at your samples, and thinks, “Hmm, I really like this work. I’m going to reach out so we can talk about my project.” But, before they get to your “Contact Me” page, they notice your resume. And when they get to your resume, they think, “Oh…you know, this copywriter doesn’t have a ton of experience. Maybe I won’t get in touch.”

If someone comes to your website and they’re impressed with your samples, you don’t want anything to interfere with them getting in touch with you! You don’t need to have your resume on your website. If someone wants it, they’ll ask for it—but you don’t need to volunteer it.

Let me be clear: You’re not hiding anything from anyone. You’re never going to pretend you’re anything you’re not. But if the strength of your samples and your website will make people want to get in touch with you, you don’t want to do anything to dissuade them.

(Side note: I’ve been a professional copywriter for 20 years and I’ve still never put a resume on my portfolio site. My work speaks for itself!)

And there you have it…three copy about!

But it can be tricky getting started in a new industry, so now it’s your turn: Are there other things you’re worried about as a new copywriter? Let me know in the comments below!

The post 3 Common Copywriting Worries That You’re Likely Overthinking appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

It’s hard enough to get started in copywriting without making one of these huge mistakes. And when I say huge, I mean huge: Any one of these is enough to delay your success, if not bring your career to a grinding halt.

And what’s worse, the vast majority of copywriters will make at least one of these mistakes, if not more.

So read on to find out what these mistakes are, and then read just a bit further to find out how to fix them.

5. Never Brand Yourself as a Copywriter & …

What I mean is, never brand yourself as a “copywriter/copy editor” or “copywriter/content writer” or “copywriter/designer“—hiring managers and recruiters will instantly know that you’re an amateur.

Too often, new copywriters think they need to add more services. More services means more clients, right? Not necessarily. What it more often means is you spread yourself too thin. And if you don’t have the proper training (design and copyediting are two entirely separate careers!), you risk delivering sub-par, unprofessional work.

There is more than enough work for you as as copywriter—without burning out trying to take on four different careers at once.

4. Never Charge in Any Way Other Than by the Project or by the Hour

If you’re charging by the word, you’re actually penalizing yourself for being a good copywriter! And offering to negotiate rates during the project or even <shudder> offering to work for free at first means you’re shooting yourself in the foot, big time. In fact, even charging by the hour sometimes means you’re getting paid less than you’re worth.

Here’s how to go about charging the right way—and ensure you’re making what you’re worth >>

3. Never Treat an Interview Like an Interview

I know, you’re thinking, “Why would I do that??” But I guarantee that at some point you will—and it will be a big mistake.

You need to treat an interview just like you would a copywriting pitch. You need to have researched the business and have a few ideas for how you could already, as a copywriter, benefit that business.

Here’s how to come prepared >>

2. Never Use a Standard Resume

If you’re relatively new to copywriting, your resume is chock full of non-copywriting work. Who’s going to hire you to write copy if all of your experience is in doing something else?

Here’s what to use instead >>

1. NEVER Get Started Without a Creative Brief

Too many copywriters—including seasoned pros—skip the brief. And guess what? It hurts both you and the client in the end. You deliver sub-par work the client isn’t thrilled with and you end up spending extra time you didn’t budget for making things right.

Here’s why the creative brief is a must for every project >>

Your Turn! What else should a copywriter never do? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post The 5 Things New Copywriters Should NEVER Do appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

Many new copywriters want to know what the best copywriter resumes look like. And I’ll certainly answer that question, but there’s actually and even bigger consideration that entirely outweighs the resume.

Must-Haves on Your Copywriter Resume

1. Benefit to Consumer

There’s one simple swap that will make your copywriting resume stand out above all others. In fact, this is a swap you should make for any industry, copywriting or otherwise (so, send this along to your friends).

You know that “Objective” section at the top of your resume? The one where you tell your prospective employer about what you want out of your next job? Scrap it. Delete it. Or at the very least, cut and paste it somewhere else.

Most people make the mistake of listing an “objective” as in, “My goal is to get a copywriting job that lets me exercise my skills while learning…” Yada yada yada.

Here’s the thing: Nobody cares what you want. What they care about is what you can bring to the company! So, turn this first part around and make it all about what you bring to the table that no one else can. Your resume is your ad for yourself! So, sell yourself effectively. What’s your benefit to consumer?

And, when you craft this section, be sure to include a little bit of personality. Stay on topic and stay concise, but show them a little bit of yourself. Use words you actually use in real life. (Have you actually ever spoken the sentence, “I’m passionate about facilitating and effective relationship between strategy and copy”??)

If you’re excited or passionate or driven wild by something, make sure it’s clear. People want to hire brilliant copywriters, but they also want to hire people who are fun to work with and who really care about the work they do.

Here’s some more information about how to write that well.

2. Relevant Experience

Second, if you’re newer to copywriting, your resume is probably full of work experience that has little do to with copywriting. Sure, it shows that you’re employable, but it says nothing at all about your copywriting skill. So, instead of using a standard resume, use a “selected credits resume” that lists just your copywriting credits.

You can find more details about putting together a selected credits resume here.

Your Portfolio is More Important Than Your Copywriter Resume

But here’s the thing about a copywriter’s resume: It’s significantly less important than your portfolio. Your portfolio is what proves that you know how to do what you say you do. It shows that you’ve got copywriting skills, that you know how to work with a designer, and that you know what constitutes a great piece of creative work.

Before anyone even meets you, your portfolio helps sell you as professional. Yes, you should polish your resume and make it professional and well-written. But you need to put much more energy into your portfolio and make sure that it absolutely shines with your copywriting brilliance.

Your turn! How have you polished up your resume? Let us know in the comments below!

The post What Do the Best Copywriter Resumes Include? appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

When you’re looking for work, the biggest questions on your mind are very likely, “How do I get what want out of a job?” and “Do I want this particular job?”

As you’re putting together your resume and applying for work, then it’s natural that these questions would be on your mind, too.

Is Your Thinking Backward on Your Resume?

But the problem with focusing solely on what you want out of a job is that it stops you from thinking about what a job wants out of you. In this way, your thinking is backward. You need to think about the recipient of your resume, not yourself as the job seeker.

As a copywriter, you know that “benefit to consumer” is the most important thing to convey.  As a job applicant, however, it’s exceedingly likely that you’re missing it.

Many resumes start with an “objective” section in which applicants talk about what they want out of a job. To this, most hiring managers are going to say, “Who cares?” (And, in truth, people just likely rephrase the job title they’re applying for in this section anyway, so it doesn’t really serve a purpose.)

A hiring manager’s first objective—especially since they don’t even know you yet!—isn’t what you want out of a job. Their first concern is what you can bring to a job. And that has to be conveyed in your resume.

What Can You Bring to the Job?

If you have an “Objective” section in your resume, delete it. And if you have an “About Me” section at the beginning of your resume, prepare to revamp it.

What is your benefit to consumer (in this case, your future employer)? What makes you the best candidate for this job? What makes you a unique candidate for this job? What do you have to offer that no one else does? These are the questions you need to answer at the beginning of your resume. (And prepare to answer them should you land the interview!)

The best way to improve your chances of getting a reply to a resume submission? Stop making your resume about what you want and start making about what you have to offer.

Look at your resume objectively. If you were the hiring manager who received it, would you see someone who has something special to offer the company? If not, it’s time to rewrite your intro.

Read More

Worried about having too little experience? Learn more about how to created a selected credits resume >>

Not getting callbacks? Here are five reasons you’re not getting copywriting job responses. >>

Your Turn!

How have you changed your resume’s About Me or intro section to focus on the company’s needs? What was missing from your copywriter resume that you added? Let us know in the comments below.

The post The One Thing Your Copywriter Resume Is Missing appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

After you go through all the time to find job listings, polish your resume and submit it, it can be soul-crushing not to hear back at all. What’s going on? What are you missing? And how can you fix it?

The bad news is that there are some pretty common things that keep people from getting calls for interviews after they apply for a copywriter job. But the good news is that it’s all entirely fixable.

Here are the top five reasons you may not be hearing back for that copywriter job.

1. You Don’t Have an Online Portfolio

If you’ve been following our site for a while (or if you’re a student in the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy), then this one probably isn’t a surprise. On the other hand, if this is news, let me break it down for you: You absolutely must have an online portfolio. Your online portfolio shows prospective clients and bosses that you are capable of writing copy the way that you say you can. It “pre-sells” you, so to speak.

Without an online portfolio, you won’t be taken seriously as a professional copywriter. Case closed.

But again, this is entirely fixable. Sites like virb.com, wix.com, imcreator.com, and squarespace.com make it pretty easy to create an online portfolio even if you have no design skills whatsoever. (You can go the wordpress.org route, too, though that has a bit steeper of a learning curve.)

2. You Don’t Have Experience

This one has a couple of components: You don’t have any paid copywriting experience and the subsequent ads on your site, you don’t have any spec ads up on your side, and/or your resume is loaded with things that have nothing to do with copywriting.

The problem with applying to a job with no experience (and, as this implies, no training or real knowledge of copywriting) is that it essentially says to the creative director, “I don’t know how to do this, but how hard can it be?” And that’s really not the message you want to send, right?

Of course not. So, if don’t have training yet, start there. The big mistake a lot of would-be copywriters make is to think that because they know how to write, they know how to write copy. It’s a specific career skill set; of course it requires training! And worthwhile training should also teach you how to create your spec ads and get your first paid copywriting work. (A training like that used to be hard to find—that’s why we created ours.)

3. You’re Applying for Too High a Level—Without Explanation

This scenario comes into play when a company or agency is looking for a senior copywriter and you apply for the job, even though you’re at a junior level—and you don’t reference that level difference at all in your application; you just send in your application with your fingers crossed.

Well, the big problem isn’t that you applied for the wrong level; it’s that you didn’t say anything about it. Not mentioning it implies that you don’t understand that you’re applying for a level that’s beyond where you are right now. Plus, you’re wasting a creative director’s time.

On the other hand, if you send in a note that says, “I know that you’re looking for a senior copywriter and I’m not at that level, but I wanted to offer my services in case you need any help until you find the right candidate” you’re actually being useful. Sure, they may not take advantage of your offer—but then again, they just might. And they might find that they don’t need a senior copywriter after all; they just need you!

Listen to CCA student Mike share how he landed a senior copywriting role >>

4. You Sent a Boring Cover Letter

You’re a writer! And you’re applying for a job where people would pay you to write! It is absolutely inexcusable to send in a boring, average, templated cover letter.

Your cover letter needs to be interesting and dynamic—and, most importantly, it needs to sell you as the best candidate for the job. You know benefits are crucial in copywriting, so what’s your benefit to consumer? What do you bring to the table that no one else does? What’s your USP? Use all of this to create your cover letter and give your creative director something that’s really worth reading!

And pro tip: Do NOT write a LONG cover letter. It should never be more than a page and it should not just repeat what’s in your resume. Use it as the place to say something that isn’t in your resume.

5. You Sent Your Resume to the HR Person

Or you submitted it through the website. “Wait, isn’t that what I’m supposed to do? That’s what the job listing says to do!” And that’s true. They want the HR person/internal recruiter to weed out all the people who aren’t right for the job before resumes get passed to the creative director.

But the problem is that the internal recruiter isn’t a creative. He or she doesn’t understand all the nuances of experience and, most likely, received a list of “must-have” words by the creative director and is tossing out all resumes that don’t have those words in them. Well, you and I both know that’s not how creatives actually work. Just because you don’t have financial experience doesn’t mean your tech experience wouldn’t make you a fabulous writer for this company.

The internal recruiter is the gatekeeper. And whenever possible (whenever they don’t explicitly say resumes won’t be accepted outside of their online submission system), bypass that gatekeeper and get your resume to the creative director. The creative director understands that experience is transferrable—and will probably have special appreciation for your willingness to go the extra mile. Do an online search and find out who the creative director is then send your info to him or her.

Are these all the possible reasons you might not get called back? Of course not. Maybe they found a great candidate right before they saw your resume. Or you just don’t have the experience they’re looking for. Or it’s Tuesday, and the creative director sets fire to all of Tuesday’s mail. (Okay, that’s probably least likely, but you know what I’m saying.) There’s no way to know for sure why you’re not getting called back, but fixing these five mistakes will give you the best chance at success.

Your Turn!

What are your secrets to getting copywriting jobs? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 5 Reasons You’re Not Getting Copywriting Job Responses appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

Let’s face it: No one likes looking for a new job. Usually, you’re looking for one because you’re disenchanted with your current one or you don’t have one—not exactly Zen-like states of mind.

Plus, you know you’re up against unknown, unseen, huge hordes of people vying for the copywriting position you’ve got your heart set on. You may feel like you’re going to get lost in the crowd of other copywriters. How do you stand out?

But there is always a job out there for you! (Pro tip: Our team compiled a blog post on where to find the best copywriting jobs here.) Below we look at how to shake off the negativity and take your job search to the next level.

Make Your Copywriting Application Stand Out

Even when you’re perfectly qualified for a job, you may never get a call—simply because the company has so many resumes and cover letters to sort through. For nearly every job posted, there are tons of applicants. But there’s one thing you can count on among these applicants: They’re all doing the same thing.

They’re all applying using roughly the same resume template, all writing derivatives of basically the same cover letter, all (or they should all be) sending a link to their portfolios. But let this be a clue for your job search and throughout your career: Anytime you see a group of people all doing something the same way, do it differently.

Find a way to make your work application stand out. Perhaps, instead of a cover letter, you write the story of how you help a client turn around a failing campaign. Or you work with a designer and create an ad, brochure, or direct mail piece for you as a copywriter. Or you make your resume into a mini portfolio with examples of your best work. It doesn’t even take all that much to stand out! Just put your creative mind to use.

Offer a Benefit to Your Prospective Employer

That said, though, creativity and standing out without incorporating tactic number two could end up creating a real dud. For example, I once read about someone who wanted to get in for an interview and decided to be creative. He/she packaged up a single shoe in a big box and mailed it to the hiring manager with a note that said, “I just wanted to get my foot in the door!”

While, at first blush, that may seem creative and fun, take a moment to think about it. What does it convey about the applicant except that he/she is a little wacky? There’s no information at all about why this person would be qualified for the job! On top of that, what is this hiring manager supposed to do with the shoe except throw it out? This is why tactic number two is so important: Offer a benefit. 

Make sure that your application makes very clear the benefit to the company of hiring you. If possible, too, add an extra benefit for the hiring manager—send along an article you found interesting, include an idea for an ad, or send the name of a book you found particularly inspiring.

(Note, there’s a limit to the kind of benefits you should send. A $20 Starbucks gift card certainly does benefit the recipient, but it’s also pretty easy to construe it as a bribe. That won’t help, and it’s more likely to hinder getting your foot in the door.)

If you really want a job, applying for that job is worth your time, attention, and creativity. Your first impression via your application can make or break your interaction with the company. Stand out from the crowd and offer a benefit to the company and you’ve already put yourself head and shoulders above the competition.

Read More

Learn how to set yourself apart from the competition here >>

Your Turn!

What have you done to stand out or add benefit when you’ve applied to jobs? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Supercharged Job-Hunting Tactics appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

When you’re first starting out as a copywriter—or really any new career—your resume loses its luster. It’s hard to put together a traditional resume without filling it with a ton of non-copywriting experience. And, of course, when you’re trying to attract copywriting clients or hiring managers, you want to put your best foot forward and show what you have to offer to them.

Luckily, you have a couple of different options to create an outstanding resume.

Option 1: Selected Credits Resume

The first option is to eschew a traditional resume in favor of a “Selected Writing Credits” resume. Instead of listing out all the jobs you’ve worked, go back through your years of experience and pull out all the writing work that you’ve done. (This, by the way, is 90% of what a copywriting hiring manager cares about, anyway. The other 10% is split between the fact that you’ve worked somewhere before and that you’re not a complete lunatic.)

When you put it together, in additional to your contact information up top, it should look like this:

XYZ Hospital – Boeing, Vermont
– Created welcome letter for new patients
– Updated monthly newsletter with hospital news and doctor interviews

ABC Cafe – Smithville, Maryland
– Created signage for new breakfast offerings
– Rewrote menu to focus on unique dishes.

And so on and so on. Of course, as much as possible, you should try to have samples of the projects you reference in your Selected Writing Credits resume in your portfolio.

Option 2: Keep Your Current Resume

Now for option 2: Keep your current resume, take out the things that are really irrelevant, and draft a stellar cover letter. I suggest taking out the things that are irrelevant because the hiring manager needs to see that you can tailor your message to your audience. (Ahem: big part of copywriting.)

Then, in your cover letter or email, sell yourself. Let them know what you can bring to the job that no one else can, let them know all the copywriting work and all the copywriting self-study you’ve been doing and let them know a few things that make you particularly excited about this opportunity. (Do your research on the company so you can be detailed and specific.)

Now, one more step: Let’s say that, unfortunately, a hiring manager doesn’t opt to have you come in for an interview. In that case, send that hiring manager a very polite email to ask what they didn’t see in your resume or cover letter that they wanted to. Too little interactive work? No agency experience? Not enough technical writing? If they give you the feedback, thank them profusely and then use it to get that experience/make those improvements and make your resume even better.

Your Turn

How have you optimized your resume when looking for a new job? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 2 Fixes for New Copywriter Resume Woes appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.