Are you looking to get more writing jobs? Here are five strategies to help you stand out from the crowd so that employers want to hire you.
1. Keep track of your best work in a portfolio.
Before hiring you, clients want to see your portfolio. They want to know that you’re a competent writer who can produce successful grant requests.
Here is a list of items to include in your portfolio to help you get it ready for customers:
- A link to your writing resume.
- 2-3 of your best grant submissions.
- A list of all the funding you’ve received.
- Testimonials and letters of recommendation from prior customers are good ways to get started.
Your portfolio should be well-organized and readily accessible. You may keep it on your website or on a file-sharing site like Google Docs.
2. To demonstrate your new knowledge, update your social media profiles.
Ensure that you include grant writing in your professional profiles, including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You may also post a story advertising your firm as a writer and inquire if anybody knows of any employment possibilities.
If you want to make grant writing your primary area of expertise, take it a step further with your social media presence. Change your LinkedIn profile to declare yourself a “Grant Writer,” or develop a new banner for your Facebook cover photo that advertises your writing business.
Remember, the more others are aware of your grant writing abilities, the more likely you are to hear about new employment possibilities or have your name passed along if someone requires assistance with a grant.
You can add a page about your experience in grant writing to your website. Include information about how you distinguish yourself from other writers and any subject areas you want to write for.
Make certain to include any relevant non-writing expertise in your resume. If you’ve only ever written grants for school districts and have five years of teaching experience, that’s the type of thing potential clients are searching for.
3. Take a grant writing course.
A grant writing course can teach you the skills you need to become a successful writer. Many grant writers learn on their own, of course. You don’t need a bachelor’s degree in English or another related discipline to succeed in this business.
However, if you have the time to spare, taking a grant writing class is an excellent investment in yourself and your career. It might assist you in improving your grant researching and proposal writing skills.
There are several free educational materials on the market, including NonprofitReady and Coursera. If you want to learn more, there are plenty of classes available for a fee.
Make sure you do your homework and ensure that the class comes from a reputable, outcomes-based business.
4. Deliver high-quality work on schedule and on time.
The struggle continues: writing an outstanding grant is only half the battle. The funding organization’s deadline must be met. If you submit it at 12:01 and it’s due at midnight, the judging committee won’t consider it. It doesn’t matter if it’s the greatest proposal ever written; your efforts will go to waste. And because you missed the deadline and lost out on money, your employer will not want to work with you again.
Do whatever it takes to ensure you wrap up your content writing early if you are a chronic procrastinator. Set alerts on your phone to work on the piece, develop a timetable to make sure you get each part of the proposal completed, and establish a deadline sooner than the job orders.
This is especially true if your client requests time to review draft grant applications before submitting them. The sooner you can get the material to them, the better.
5. Ask your clients and colleagues for testimonials and recommendations.
Ask your client to write a testimonial about their satisfaction with the job you did on their grant proposal if you get the impression that they are pleased with it. If your grant application is approved, this is an excellent method to demonstrate that the client was happy they picked you. Testimonials demonstrate that you’re trustworthy, competent, and efficient at what you do.
Also, ask your customer if they know of anybody else who might benefit from what you have to offer. Recommendations are a fantastic method to develop your business and acquire more clients. Even if they can’t think of anyone right now, you’ve at least planted the idea in their minds that you’re interested in working together again. Then, should anything arise, they may suggest your name to others.
