Words You Should Watch Out For When Scoping the Job Ads

I have to confess. The #1 place I’ve found writing jobs has been from online job boards including Craigslist. Surprised? This could explain why I’ve gotten myself into a few tumbles in the past. But for the most part, it’s been a successful journey. Maybe because I’ve learned job-ese (language of the job ads).

You know like when they say “charming and quaint” in describing a home, they mean “small.” Same thing.

Things to Watch For

I used to read and apply for any job with the word “writer” in it. But now I’m a lot more picky. As you should be too.

Here are a few red flags to look out for:

Asking for too much.

“Create 4-5 copywriting samples based on this description. We’ll look it over and contact you if we’re interested.”

Been there. Done that. And maybe it’s not always a scam, but you need to decide if it’s worth taking a chance. Sometimes companies want free ways to get their cup of copy and use writing samples as their ticket to get it. It’s been done before.

Solution:

Submit just one sample and send them past samples of their work. This should be enough to let them see what kind of writer you are. If not, move on. You can also try googling the company. That’s how I learned that I wasn’t the first writer an ad requesting free copy fooled. But fool me once…well you know the saying.

Repeat Ads.

Two times is okay. Maybe the company hired a writer and it just didn’t work out. But when you begin to see the same exact ad every few months and it’s for the same position, be very wary. It could mean that they have a high turnover rate because this is a bad company to work for.

 Looking for students or recent graduates.

This could mean internships. But in general, it means low-paying jobs.

How about you? Any ads that make you a little skeptical or fooled you in the past?