Overview

Finding online writing jobs demands persistence, innovation, and flexibility. You need to continually be on the hunt looking for new job boards, markets, writers sites, writers mailing lists, e-mail newsletters, and contacts. The sites and boards that you regularly depend on for leads may suddenly disappear from the Web. That s why it s important to bookmark both a variety and a long list of resources.

In the beginning of your online writing career, you need to make some important decisions. Do you want to be a freelance writer who juggles an assortment of projects at one time? Do you want a telecommuting job? Or do you want the security of a staff job on site?

Traditional job-hunting tactics don t always apply on the Web. You can t send out your resume and wait for the calls to come in. Sometimes you have to take bold approaches to find new leads. For example, you might contact companies who are not listing job openings and set up an informational interview. After the interview, keep in contact with the person who you spoke with in case job openings come up. Network with former colleagues, friends, and neighbors. Join professional organizations in your field. If you re a technical writer, you could join the Society for Technical Communication (STC) at www.stc.org.

If you want high-paying jobs, your best strategy is to go after the large companies. Visit company sites and contact recruiting agencies. You also have to keep up with technology to get the insider s edge. In...