Freelace Copy Writer Job Profile: Female, age 35, from Addison, TX (ID# 4722)

1. What exactly do you do?

What field is your job in?

Creative
What is your job title?

Freelace Copy Writer
Please provide a brief description of the firm or organization that you currently work for (size and general description of what type of organization it is)

I do content writing for the internet, using SEO writing techniques.
How long have you been employed in this position?

3 years
How many hours do you work a week on average?

45
Please provide a BRIEF description of your duties and responsibilities. (job description)

45
Please provide a BRIEF description of your duties and responsibilities. (job description)

I am responsible for writing content to client specifications, using keywords. Rewrites and edits are sometimes required with this job, and they must be performed to a deadline.
What was your gross income last year? Please include any bonuses or incentives received.

19500
What is your expected gross income for this year? Please include any bonuses or incentives you expect to receive.

22000
Please list any benefits you have (Please include number of weeks vacation, sick leave and type of health insurance, retirement plan 401k)

None other then working from home
Do you feel you are under/well/over compensated at your current position?

I make slightly less than averavge for this position but working from home balances some of that out.

Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Explain

Generally, I do not have to speak to anyone else in the company. I can, and occasionally must attend meetings with editors. This makes no difference to my job, since it is largely a solitary one.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it

Generally, I work from my kitchen table where I can see my son. This is the best perk I can think of. Occasionally, I work from other places like parks, restaurants ad while traveling. The ability to work anywhere and at anytime is one of the best things of the job.
Please rank in order of importance from 1-8 (1- most important 8- least important) Assign each number once.
- 2 Income
- 8 Work Environment - co-workers
- 7 Work Environment - supervisors
- 3 Benefits
- 1 Hours
- 4 Level of responsibility
- 5 The actual "work" you do at your job
- 6 Job Title

If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?

Apply and work very hard at it. This job takes practice to get to a livable wage, and the more you do it the easier it is. Loving to read, write and be able to take boring topics and lean about them is a must, as is liking to know weird facts.
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours? Please be specific and explain why (e.g., social skills, organization skills, technical skills)

Fantastic English and grammar skills. You must also have the ability to work under deadlines to meet them and be a self starter and self motivated.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?

High school equalivent at least.
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?

Keep a second job in the background until you get comfortable.

How did you find your current job? (e.g. newspaper, internet, referral, etc.)

Referral from a friend who worked in the company.
What was the application process for your job? (e.g. submitted resume, paper application, electronic application, all, etc.)

Application on line and a test article. The first week also included several test articles that went to actual clients.
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail? (e.g., number of interviews, who you interviewed with, group interview, individual interview, etc.)

No interview was necessary, my work and performance was my interview.
If you can remember, what questions were you asked at your interview?

N/A
Is this the job / field you planned to work in?

Yes
If your job is in a different field from your original plan how did you get here? Explain (Plan can be from high school/college/post college/personal plan)

Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?

None, I wanted to write and had developed habits on my own prior to this.
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain

No. I went from writing my own things to having to do specialized SEO work and ghostwriting for places like e-zine. None of the guidelines for anything have ever been given to me.
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain

In general, yes, but only because I liked English and reading in school.
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare you for your job?

If someone were to observe you at work, what would he or she say is "fun" about your job?

That I am able to be a mom while I work.
What is (are) the most fulfilling aspect(s) and least fulfilling aspect(s) of your current employment? (e.g. fiscal, spiritual, type of work, hours, commute, compensation, etc.)

I really like being able to fulfill the idea that I am a "writer" and this is what I do. It is personally something that makes me feel good. I make less, but I love my job.
Is your current employment part of your career plan? Why or why not?

Yes, but I wanted to be a writer. Eventually, I plan on using this to work in another type of field.
What are your current career goals? (Can be broad or specific)

Get a fashion design degree and work as a fashion writer/use it to advertise for my own business.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?

It is hard, it is lonely, but if you feel like you have to write, it pays well enough to do it.

7 am - 8 am

Finalize the day's work and submit the last of the articles. Get the assignments for the next day, and look over the topics to get an idea of what I am going to be writing about. I sometimes jot notes down on ideas of what I write about. Occasionally, I have to attend a meeting on yahoo and speak to the editor, especially if the client is a little apprehensive over services, or we have a lot of orders.
8 am - 9 am
9 am - 10 am
10 am - 11 am
11 am - 12 am
12 am - 1 pm
1 pm - 2 pm
2 pm - 3 pm
3 pm - 4 pm
4 pm - 5 pm
5 pm - 6 pm
6 pm - 7 pm
7 pm - 8 pm
8 pm - 9 pm
9 pm - 10 pm

Complete the research for all articles (10-15) assigned that day. I write these in a spiral that I keep, and if it is a repeat topic, find the previous research to be able to use for the new article. Anything I have to spend a lot of time on goes to a list at the back, and often will be put off until the easier topics have been written.
10 pm - 11 pm

I work overnights for the ease of alone time. I spend 20-40 minutes per article that has to be rewritten twice(standard procedure for my job). Write all the basic articles, then go back and do the 2nd and 3rd versions. Edit, reread, submit.
11 pm - 12 pm

I continue to write until about 6:30 in the morning, and occasionally get more than the articles assigned if I have finished all the work. I research and complete them to be able to send them in all at once.