If your typical rates are above what the listings offer, it may be time to stop checking the job boards altogether. In general, you'll do better with proactive prospecting to find your own clients, rather than applying to mass-online-job ads where you compete with hundreds of writers.
But if checking online job ads is still a part of your regular marketing routine, at least be an educated freelancer and target boards that are the best fit for you. We interviewed site owners and researched listings to bring you this inside look at what's available on 17 top boards:
Cost to view: freeCost to list: freeTypical rates: nothing below $50 per blog post or $0.10/wordNumber of jobs posted weekly: 3Email job alerts: noYear founded: 2013
Although small, Be a Freelance Blogger, owned by Sophie Lizard, offers higher-paying gigs than some larger boards. It also has a space targeted for freelance writers and bloggers. Most listings include an email address to a real person, plus a link to the original posting.
Listings from all over the country are available, and some request that writers reside in a specific location. Commonly featured positions are for editorial articles, blogging, and marketing content, plus niches like tech, teaching, real estate, and fashion.
Cost to view: freeCost to list: $30 for 30 daysTypical rates: $0.05/word-$0.60/word; $35-40/hour; not all listings include ratesNumber of jobs posted weekly: 9Email job alerts: noYear founded: 2007
Writers looking for specific jobs should consider BloggingPro, since it filters some higher-paying gigs from big boards like Indeed. "We screen ads as strictly as possible in order to make sure they're legitimate jobs," says Noemi Tasarra-Twigg, Editor of Splashpress Media, via email. If there's negative feedback on an employer, BloggingPro removes their ads.
Listings must indicate a rate. Jobs focus on freelance writing, blogging, and copywriting. It's mostly freelance and contract jobs, but there are also part-time gigs. Most are remote or telecommute, with a few in specific cities like Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Montreal.
Each listing contains a link to the original posting or a contact email. Popular opportunities include content writer, blogger/writer, editing/proofreading, tech writer, social media, copywriting, restaurant critic, and journalist. Common topics include food, travel, firearms, books, business, and healthcare.
Cost to view: freeCost to list: freeTypical rates: $0.05/word-$0.35/word; $16-60/hour; $20-$100 per postNumber of jobs posted weekly: 50-80 (OWJ); 85 (eNewsletter); 6-12 (FJO)Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 2006 (OWJ); 2008 (FJO)
Longtime freelance writer Brian Scott started these sites and approves each listing. Freelance, remote, offsite, home-based, telecommute, contract, and virtual jobs are included. Scott says popular jobs are content writing/SEO writing for digital or traditional marketing agencies, creating industry-specific content, and commercial copywriting for businesses and ad agencies, crafting web pages, brochures, emails, white papers, and marketing materials.
Common job listings are for freelance writing, magazine writing, blogging, SEO writing, copywriting, technical writing, and resume writing. Common topics include food, fashion, travel, automobiles, sports, and real estate. Scott says certain jobs exclude rates because "clients want to assess the writer's experience beforehand and then negotiate a rate, instead of committing to one."
Cost to view: $500-$1000/yearCost to list: only Contena staff post listingsTypical rates: $0.03-$1.30/word; average of $70,000/year full-timeNumber of jobs posted weekly: 60Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 2015
Contena is new and pricey, but offers a lot. Currently, you must join a waiting list and pay a high fee when you get an invite to join. Scout, the name of Contena's job board, allows you to filter for category, job quality, minimum rate per word, full-time, contract, or submission as you search for online writing jobs.
Each job has a quality rating from low to very high to give a sense of the pay, even if the rate isn't provided. Plus, members can review Rates, which includes over 1,600 company pay listings. Kevin Fleming, founder of Contena, says their full-time, remote writing positions pay an average of $70,000 per year.
Staff at Contena find all listings. Common requests are for a writer, editor, web content writer, email marketing, content creator, journalist, copywriter, or medical writer. Frequently mentioned niches include education, sports, architecture, food, travel, business, social media, accounting, finance, and business.
Cost to view: freeCost to list: free for paid jobs; unpaid jobs cost $30Typical rates: $20-$25/hour; $25-$150 per article; not all listings include ratesNumber of jobs posted weekly: 23Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 1996
If you're looking to break into editorial writing, Ed2010 is the job board for you. Many of the top newsstand magazines post ads here, and you can grab editor emails to use in your pitches. Even though this site is for beginners, rates are good.
Ed2010 has full-time, part-time, temporary, and freelance positions, as well as paid and unpaid internships. Many jobs are remote work. "Eighty-five percent of our jobs are for people who are just breaking in, so zero to four years out of college, and looking to gain as much experience as possible," says Chandra Turner, founder and president of Ed2010, and executive editor of Parents Magazine.
Listing employers—a recent search found Hearst, Meredith, Time Inc., Food Network, Martha Stewart, Redbook, and Rodale—must provide a name and email. Ed2010 is particular, and if an applicant has a bad experience, they put the company on probation and won't run their ads.
The most commonly posted positions are for a content writer or content editor for lifestyle websites, plus editorial writing gigs at newsstand magazines and start-up websites. "We're very picky about paid positions for freelancers. I need to know what the salary is, because I want to make sure they're paying at least minimum wage," explains Turner.
Cost to view: $15/month-$50/yearCost to list: free; premium placement costs $99Typical rates: $10-$40/hour; $100-$125 per article; not all listings include ratesNumber of jobs posted weekly: 188Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 2007
Going to cruise just a handful of boards? Make FlexJobs one of them as they offer great gigs with flexible schedules from high-quality employers. Beginner and seasoned writers will find telecommuting, flexible schedule, full-time, part-time, contract, and freelance positions.
Jobs are scattered throughout the world, with a few having location requirements. "Writers, in particular, will find a huge variety of positions, from blogging to white papers, technical manuals to lesson plans, respected news outlets to popular how-to websites," explains Brie Weiler Reynolds, senior career specialist at FlexJobs, via email.
Recent listings include offers for a technical writer, desk writer, copywriter, proposal writer, medical writer, content marketing specialist, government editor, digital content author, and script editor. FlexJobs listings supply a link to the company's website.
Cost to view: freeCost to list: freeTypical rates: $12-$50/hour; $30-$300 per articleNumber of jobs posted weekly: 113 (FW); 65(MCN)Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 1997
If you're frequently on Indeed, Freelance Job Openings.com, Freelance Blogging Jobs, Ed2010, Craigslist, Mediabistro, or BloggingPro, you could skip them and use FreelanceWriting.com and the Morning Coffee Newsletter, which filter a ton from these sites. Top companies like Under Armour, Google, Houzz, Dell, and Amazon have jobs posted, along with universities and magazines. There's also a writing contests board, plus submission guidelines for 700-plus publications. Many listed full-time gigs pay well.
Jobs include blogging, editing, copywriting, social media, journalism, and technical writing. Hot topics consist of science, law, fashion, and tech, says Erik Episcopo, project manager of Freelance Writing.com and the Morning Coffee Newsletter.
Cost to view: $25/monthCost to list: freeTypical rates: nothing below $30/hour, $50 per post, or $100/articleNumber of jobs posted weekly: 20Email job alerts: noYear founded: 2011
If you're a seasoned freelancer looking for well-paid, thoroughly-vetted gigs, the Freelance Writers Den's Junk-Free Job Board is for you. This board is one of the few listed here that includes other writer resources in that subscription fee—300-plus training recordings, 24/7 support forums, and multiple new trainings each month. Job-board manager Millie Lapidario says she includes a link to the original posting.
Jobs are pulled from FlexJobs (the Den has an arrangement that allows the Junk-Free board to post up to a dozen of the best FlexJobs writer gigs a week), as well as from Journalism Jobs, Gorkana, LinkedIn, Indeed, the Morning Coffee Newsletter, Dice, Monster, Twitter, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter, just to name a few. All types of freelance work situations are included, along with the occasional full-time job.
Listings are heavily screened—Lapidario visits the list site or Glassdoor and determines if there's a budget for a writer. If she receives negative feedback on a posting, she bans the company. Freelance writer, copywriter, reporter, and journalist are common jobs, as are blogger, marketing content writer, social media specialist, and content marketing specialist.
Cost to view: freeCost to list: $30 for 30 daysTypical rates: $10-$20/hour; $12-$35 per articleNumber of jobs posted weekly: 5-150Email job alerts: noYear founded: 2007
Searching Craigslist or Indeed? You may want to cruise Freelance Writing Gigs instead for the best of what's available on those mass boards. This site, headed by Noemi Tasarra-Twigg who is the freelance writing jobs community manager and editor of Splashpress Media, has one of the smallest boards with rates on the lower end.
Commonly featured jobs include copywriter, content writer, blogger, freelance writer, editor/proofreader, tech, marketing, education, and content marketing writer. Ads provide either a link to the original posting or a direct email.
Cost to view: freeCost to list: $99-$249 for 30 daysTypical rates: $50-$250 per article; $11,000-$132,000/year full-timeNumber of jobs posted weekly: 1,200Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 2007
You'll need to create an account and sign up for Glassdoor to view their listings—but it's worth it. Big companies are prevalent, as is detailed information to help you meet the right clients. It also includes info on freelance writer salaries.
Unlike other sites, Glassdoor's job postings come with stats like company size, revenue, headquarters, founding date, reviews, salaries, CEO approval rating, and percentage of workers who recommend their company. Allison Berry, Glassdoor community expert, recommends signing up for an account to save jobs, using the job search tool to filter results, and uploading your resume for quick submission.
Jobs are based across America, with many remote and telecommute. Recent posters include Thrillist, Time Warner Cable, Ghirardelli Chocolate, AOL, newspapers, magazines, universities, and other Fortune 500 companies. Freelance writer, freelance copywriter, blogger, SEO marketing specialist, magazine jobs, and technical writer jobs are posted frequently.
Cost to view: freeCost to list: $200Typical rates: $18-$20/hour; $10,000-$100,000/year full-time; not all listings include ratesNumber of jobs posted weekly: 10Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 2003
For writers wanting to break into newspapers in business, finance, law, or general news reporting, Gorkana is your best bet. You may also be able to pitch freelance writing to posters of full-time jobs.
Many listings are based in New York City or Washington DC, but there are remote and telecommuting options, too. Common titles include reporter (financial, law, antitrust, business, technology), writer, editor, and copyeditor. News channels including Bloomberg and Dow Jones are listed in addition to local papers and universities.
Cost to view: freeCost to list: $0.10-$5 per job seeker clickTypical rates: $15-$50/hour; average $28.79/hour; not all listings include ratesNumber of jobs posted weekly: 175Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 2004
If you want to only scan a single board, Indeed is an aggregator site that provides a good roundup of freelance writing jobs from many sites. The downside: You'll have to wade through the low-paying gigs to find the good ones.
Companies like CBS, Time Warner Cable, and Fortune 500 companies are featured here. Many listing show a company star rating (1-5) as well as a link to the company page with info on salaries, management, culture, and work/life balance.
The full spectrum of job types are represented. Common positions sought include freelance writer, web editor, freelance journalist, content writer, healthcare freelance writer, business writer, food writer, blogger, social media manager, contract journalist, and SEO writer.
"I've used Indeed a lot, but don't anymore because client quality appears to be low," says freelance writer Kaitlin Morrison. "I did land one client, but they were a nightmare, really cheap, and disorganized." She says it was hard to land gigs, even with well written, custom letters of introduction.
Cost to view: freeCost to list: $100 for 5 weeksTypical rates: $15,000-$68,000/year full-time; not all listings include ratesNumber of jobs posted weekly: 438Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 1998
Due to the volume of jobs posted per month, Journalism Jobs is ideal for writers who want to target newspapers, magazines, and TV or radio stations. About 85-90 percent of job listings are full-time, but you're free to pitch and see if they also use freelancers. There's a huge range of pay, from good to poor.
Journalism Jobs posts opportunities from across the US. "Look at as many opportunities as you can," says Journalism Jobs founder Dan Rohn. "See where you're a good fit, apply, and follow up with letters inquiring if the job is still open. Be aggressive."
Cost to view: free and paid subscriptions ($30-$100/month)Cost to list: roughly $195/monthTypical rates: $20-$30/hour; $15-$250/article; not all listings include ratesNumber of jobs posted weekly: 400Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 2003
LinkedIn is ideal for freelance writers who want to use a single online board. The vast amount of high-ranking companies and well-paid full-time jobs make it a great pool to select clients from. You can see the number of applicants on listings, view company info, and apply with your profile, too.
Jobs are throughout the country, with many in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, and Atlanta. Recent listings include calls for writing, editing, freelance copywriter, blogger, technical writer, content writer, marketing writer, social media manager, and medical writer.
Additionally, LinkedIn offers ProFinder: a new, free service set up specifically for freelancers to connect with employers. Create a profile, set up job alerts, and answer only requests you like. When a potential client posts a job that matches your skills, you get an email that includes all the info you need to submit a proposal and bid on the project. As of September 2016, it has 52,000 members, and delivers highly targeted job alerts.
Cost to view: freeCost to list: $297 for 30 daysTypical rates: $20-$75/hours; $45,000-$110,000/year full-time; not all listings include ratesNumber of jobs posted weekly: 212Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 1994
Mediabistro is a wonderful niche board, as it has many beginner and experienced writer opportunities at high to mid-range companies. Full-time, part-time, freelance, remote, contract, work from home, and internships are offered. "There's a lot to be said for looking at a job board that addresses your niche because the advertisers and employers are targeting that audience," says Katie Hottinger, senior content strategist at Mediabistro.
A majority of the jobs are based in New York City, with California, Washington DC, Massachusetts, Illinois, and New Jersey also prominent. Freelance writer, email marketing specialist, social media strategist, copywriter, and digital content/copywriter are common job titles featured in Mediabistro ads.
Cost to view: $260/yearCost to list: freeTypical rates: $10-$50/hour; $40-$50/post; $25-$100/articleNumber of jobs posted weekly: 75Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 2013
If you join Paid to Blog Jobs, you can stop combing Craigslist or ProBlogger. Paid to Blog Jobs compiles writing and blogging listings from these sites; some pay decently, others pay little. Started by Tom Ewer, founder of Leaving Work Behind, Paid to Blog Jobs has positions all over the US, with some remote and telecommute.
Catherine Here, lead jobs researcher for Paid to Blog Jobs, says they offer part-time and freelance jobs plus paying internships. Most jobs are topic-based requests for writers in food, technology, business, travel, news, and law.
Writer and editor Evan Jensen says he joined this board a few years ago, but unsubscribed after a month. Although he saw many jobs in his niche, they were at low rates, and originated from boards he could view for free.
Cost to view: freeCost to list: $50 for 30 daysTypical rates: $7-$300/articleNumber of jobs posted weekly: 20Email job alerts: yesYear founded: 2004
ProBlogger provides great resources for bloggers, but gigs listed on their board usually don't pay well. Part-time, virtual, remote, or telecommute jobs are available, with few location-specific requests.
Many smaller companies and websites post here, some seeking extremely specific skills for minimal pay. Niches such as technology, fitness, parenting, finance, healthcare, and business are common along with titles including content writer, freelance writer, marketing/SEO writer, and freelance journalist.
Now that you see the variety of sites out there, think about the best place for you to look for writing gigs. Is it a board fewer writers see because they have to pay for access? Or maybe one where the companies pay big, and it qualifies better prospects?
Have you found a gig through an online job board? Tell us about your experience in the comments.
Mandy Ellis is an Austin-based freelance writer who focuses on food, travel, and health topics.
Source: Online Writing Jobs: The Inside Scoop on 17 Job Boards
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