Life as a wannabe freelance writer
In: Follies
20 Mar 2009Found this posting for a writer on Craigslist:
I need someone to help edit my resume to fit under a Technical Writer for a fashion company, as well as letters of reference from stating I was a technical writer and did these tasks.
I have most of the information for you, I just need someone to write a couple pages and edit my resume. I will need someone to research this job title function in the fashion industry.
$150 flat
What’s hilarious about this is that in the first paragraph he says he needs someone to help edit his resume & reference letters. Okay, as a writer I can understand wanting to get another pair of eyes on something I’ve written. Sure. But then, he says that he “(has) most of the information…(and) just needs someone to write a couple of pages…” Uhm, but didn’t you say you just needed an edit?
My quesiton at this point is a simple one: Do you just need an edit or do you need someone to write it all up for you?
If it’s the latter, then just say so. Actually, you could probably go to a resume writing service and get the work done for the same amount of money. So it’s not like he’s really saving any money.
This is why I love reading the writing job posts on Craigslist. Some of them are just so funny. But this one has a bad odour to it, in my opinion. What do you think?
I'm a freelance technical writer who's trying to make the transition from working for somebody else to working for me.
4 Responses to Job Fail: Why Doing the Job Yourself Is Important
Mel
March 24th, 2009 at 07:22
It sounds pretty hinky to me. It actually sounds like he wants someone to make up a fake resume and references. But, that is just what I got out of that.
Paula
March 25th, 2009 at 11:07
I agree with Mel, it sounds like they are trying to scam the prospective employer — scary.
Julia
March 25th, 2009 at 11:36
So true Paula, I hadn’t even really thought of the scamming of the prospective employer. I was thinking about it from the perspective of the writer. But you’re right, the prospective employer should be ware too.
Anne Wayman
March 26th, 2009 at 10:08
Well maybe. OTOH, I find few people really know there’s a difference between writing and editing unless they’ve been around both professions. It may be that this poor fellow needs not only a writer but a new education!