| 1 - Regardless of where you land your first writing job, | | | | individual group.You will learn "on the job" how to |
| chances are you will work an exorbitant number of | | | | identify which issues are important and what their |
| hours for a less than desirable salary.Below are the | | | | technical terms mean in plain English.However, your |
| results of a poll on freelance income published in | | | | editor(s) are probably going to expect you to |
| Freelance WorkExchange News: Market Bulletin | | | | immediately understand much more than you do.To |
| FREELANCE SURVEY.Thanks to the hundreds of | | | | keep your bosses happy and make your job more |
| you who took part in last week's poll on freelance | | | | interesting, do not be afraid to ask questions at these |
| income. We asked you how much you earned from | | | | meetings.Once you establish contacts within each |
| freelancing in a year. The results were as | | | | group, you will probably find it beneficial to take the |
| follows:$0-10,000 48%$10-20,000 8%$20-50,000 | | | | time to call them before the meetings to find out what |
| 14%$50-100,000 18%More than $100,000 12%It seems | | | | is on the agenda and/or which issues they feel will be |
| that many of you are still freelancing part-time, or | | | | "newsworthy."It's not a bad idea to stick around after |
| working at building up your business. However, a | | | | the meetings (deadlines permitting) and talk to the |
| healthy 30% of you make over $50,000 a year, with a | | | | officials to clarify anything you did not understand and |
| good percentage reaching six figures.So the potential in | | | | or talk to the audience members to get their |
| the market is clearly excellent. We'll be working hard to | | | | comments on the meeting.Remember it's better to |
| move many more of you into the $100,000 bracket in | | | | have too much information than not enough.3 - If you |
| the months ahead.See the following sites for more | | | | pursue a career as a public relations writer, you may |
| information about salary surveys and industry | | | | be initially surprised by the lack of media response |
| trends:Salary.comWageweb.comAssociation of | | | | generated by your press releases.It can be difficult to |
| Research Libraries - Annual Salary | | | | attract attention to your cause or company's |
| SurveyJobsmart.org2 - If you get hired as a reporter | | | | announcement.When you're starting out in PR. |
| for almost any daily and/or many weekly newspapers, | | | | Sometimes no matter how well your write a release |
| you will probably have to cover municipal government | | | | and/or how important - exciting - "newsworthy" - the |
| and/or local school board meetings.These "official" | | | | information is, you will not get the attention of the |
| weekly/monthly gatherings usually occur in the evening | | | | media until they get to know you...You have to "break |
| and each session may last from an hour to more than | | | | into" your targeted markets by establishing contacts |
| four hours.You may find yourself bored to tears at | | | | and developing relationships with editors/producers |
| times. You may also feel confused by what transpires | | | | reporters etc...DO NOT give up too quickly. Persistence |
| at these meetings until you become more familiar with | | | | usually pays off in this game. |
| the agendas, personalities and practices of each | | | | |