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Stingy employers

January 24th, 2017 at 03:42 pm

This morning i had a phone interview with the home remodeling company.

The woman who interviewed me has only been in her job for about 6 months and the marketing department referenced in the ad consists of her and a designer they just hired.

I could tell she was inexperienced because at one point she asked me when I graduated from college, which is basically like asking how old I was. I avoided answering.

She wanted me to write 2 unpaid 500-word articles on 2 different topics and turn them in within a day or two as she wants to decide who to call in for interviews, based on the writing samples, by end of this week.

It's a full time job that would require me to be there on site but they will pay based on an hourly rate of $12 to $14 an hour, which is less than what I'm making now freelancing for the higher education website where I don't have to drive anywhere. Of course, I don't work a full 40 hours weekly for the higher education website.

This new job would be a 65-minute drive one way and benefits that include medical coverage and paid vacation would not start til AFTER 1 YEAR.

Ridiculous.

I told her I'd think about it but I already sent her an email declining to pursue it, and I laid out all the reasons above.

The classier companies that ask writers to do unpaid work as a "test" will pay for their time (like the company I interviewed with last week) and to ask for more than one free piece of writing is a bit much, let alone they need it in a day or two.

Having to wait a year for medical coverage just wouldn't work since my COBRA would run out before I was eligible to get medical coverage at the new company.

Just like when you're dating, you have to weed through a lot of crappy jobs to find a good one.

6 Responses to “Stingy employers”

  1. AnotherReader Says:
    1485275315

    From their perspective, writers are a dime a dozen. They are paying market rate for the type of writer they need. Thousands of people are out there trying to pick up some extra dollars by writing this stuff. You cannot command an above-market price in that market.

  2. ceejay74 Says:
    1485276107

    Yikes, that is a terrible hourly wage for writing. You were right to turn it down! Even the other opportunities you've written about had way better rates than that. AS generally charges $100 per hour or $1 per word for writing.

  3. fern Says:
    1485276911

    I find that hourly rates for freelance copywriters all over the map, with no relation at all to what salaried copywriters would make. there are many outfits that want to hire a freelance or contract copywriter with job descriptions similar to what a perm job might involve, yet instead of making $70 or $80K on an annual basis, they pay close to minimum wage!

    The Internet has greatly expanded opportunities for copywriters, and every website has a need for constant, fresh content, but many sites are filled with gibberish. I guess you get what you pay for.

    I think digital employers with a greater awareness of search engine marketing can tell the difference between fluff that fills out a space and copy that moves people toward a desired behavior (like a purchase), and are willing to pay more for quality over volume.

  4. Dido Says:
    1485311105

    Paying your dues is one thing when you are new to an industry (I worked for 18 months for $13.50 an hour on my way to the CPA) but another thing entirely when you are well established. I'm sorry that you've had such a frustrating day and general time of things.

  5. FrugalTexan75 Says:
    1485403003

    Ouch. That was definitely a Pass!

  6. livingalmostlarge Says:
    1486491781

    Keep trying. I don't know what your field is really like for money.

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