Okay, so I lied a little in the title of this blog.
Becoming a copywriter isn’t easy. The writing part is though, as long as you actually enjoy writing, but the rest is one-hundred per cent hard graft.
It’s a competitive industry, and just getting a job as a copywriter can seem like an uphill battle at times. But, if you’re dedicated, it can happen.
The seven steps part of the title to this blog is true though – it’s just that some of them are harder than others.
Let’s get started:
(Image courtesy of xkcd.com)
1) Realise your potential
Knowing that you want to be a writer and actually becoming a writer are two completely different things. When I was 15 I had an epiphany – I wanted to be a poet. The only problem was that I had zero confidence in my abilities as a writer.
The only way you’ll ever go from wishing and hoping to actually doing is if you stand up against that little voice inside your head that says your writing isn’t good enough/you’re too shy/no one will like you or your work, etc.
Every writer has that voice, it’s just that you learn to quash it the more experienced you get. Don’t listen to it, it’s just trying to bring you down.
If you truly want to take a leap of faith into the open arms of writing, you’re going to have to put pen to paper. It doesn’t matter what you write, just get used to the feeling of actually producing written work.
Also of note – it doesn’t matter how old you are. If you’ve only just decided that you want to be a writer aged 30, you’re just as capable as a 17 year old at realising your potential.
2) Get some qualifications
Nowadays, this might be harder than it used to be. Tuition fees are now so high that university applications have dropped by almost 9 per cent for 2013. However, there are other options out there.
You could sign up for an apprenticeship at a digital agency and specialise in copywriting, take a writing course at the Open University while still working, take an online course in copywriting or, if the fees haven’t put you off, study a degree in writing or English.
Your qualifications will teach you the ground rules for writing as a career, and they’ll come in handy when it comes time to actually get a job.
Of course, there are plenty of copywriters out there without degrees or fancy qualifications. If you think you’re brave enough to go it alone without the armour of education, give it a go – you can always go back later.
(Image courtesy of Life Hack)
3) Make connections
Networking isn’t just for the bigwigs. Knowing people in the know, so to speak, can do you real favours further down the line.
There are numerous ways you could meet people in the industry – go to writing groups, chat with other writers online, keep in touch with your old university writing buddies, get friendly with your university writing lecturers or attend writing events.
I was lucky – I got my first copywriting job through a friend of a friend. I’ve come to realise that it really is who you know and not what you know that will get you through the door in this industry, which is why getting to know people in the business (or even just on the fringes of the business) is so important.
And, LinkedIn is your friend.
(Image courtesy of Shutterstock)
4) Get some experience
It’s the age-old catch 22 situation – you can’t get a job because you don’t have enough experience, but you can’t get experience without a job.
If you want to get some experience though, my suggestion would be to freelance. Digital agencies all over the country often outsource their writing because it costs less than hiring someone in-house, and while it’ll probably be very low paid work it’ll look great on your CV.
I’ve found that the best way to get freelance work is to simply contact every digital agency or company that could require a freelance writer via email. A well-written email explaining your situation, outlining your rates and asking for consideration can do a lot to get your foot in the door of copywriting.
From there, you can begin putting your feelers out for potential full-time positions – more on this later.
(Image courtesy of The Loushe)
5) Constantly test yourself
So you’ve realised your potential, you’ve got yourself some qualifications (or not), you’ve made lots of friends in the business and you’ve notched up some experience – what now?
The last thing you should do in this situation is to let your skills stagnate. You have to keep your wits about you in this business, which means you need to be capable of all kinds of writing. Don’t box yourself off into one writing style.
If you realise you’re bad at a certain kind of writing, admit it to yourself and then do something about it. As they say, practice makes perfect.
If you’re confronted with a piece of writing that you have absolutely no idea how to approach, don’t back away from it and avoid it at all costs. Take the bull by the horns and do something about it. Sure, your first draft may be beyond awful, but it’ll show you where you’re going wrong.
And – remember all those writing friends you’ve made? You could always ask one of them for some help.
Reading writing resources will help you to hone your skills as well. Copyblogger, Good Copy, Bad Copy, Men with Pens and the Freelance Copywriter’s Blog are some of my favourite writing blogs of all time.
(Image courtesy of Shutterstock)
6) Read up on your industry
In the same vein as the note on reading writing resources above, you should also read up about your industry.
There are all kinds of copywriting jobs out there. Whether you want to become a copywriter in a video production company or a digital agency, you need to know what your chosen industry is doing at all times.
Why? Because it means you’ll really know your stuff. Employers want workers that are on the cutting edge of copywriting. They want people that can see potential issues coming a mile off and so can adjust to avoid them. They don’t want people that blindly bumble along without an ounce of understanding.
Know what’s going on in your industry and, from that, understand how your writing can help it.
(Image courtesy of Nanna Emma)
7) Get a job
It’s not easy, but it’s well-worth the uphill battle. You may be turned away from numerous companies but, in the end, you’ll come up trumps. I know it sounds like something positive your mum would say when you’re feeling a bit down in the dumps, but it’s true.
As long as you’ve done the work, you know your stuff and you interview well, you’ll get your dream job eventually. It’s just that it might take awhile for you to reach that stage. I’ve also found that applying for jobs directly is much easier than going through recruitment consultants, but that’s just my personal opinion.
One of the best things you can do to aid you in getting a job is to create a smart portfolio of your work. Choose only your best pieces to go in it, and make sure you take it to every single interview.
I hope this blog has done something to give you a bit of direction in your quest for a job in copywriting, or that it’s at least shown you that you’re doing all the right things. If you think I’ve missed anything, let me know!
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And, actually, as luck would have it, we’re currently recruiting for numerous positions within Neil Walker Digital. Check out this video we made and let us know if you’re interested in working at Neil Walker Digital by emailing us on [email protected].