This is part of a mini-series covering what it takes to be a Families.com blogger, and what the benefits are to being a blogger. If you missed the articles posted previously, check them out here. For today, I wanted to write about the application itself.
For some reason, people seem to really get hung up on this. I think it’s because there isn’t a formal application that you fill out but instead just info you should include in your e-mail. One thing to remember is that Lisa is looking for someone who can follow directions, and so if your e-mail and application aren’t exactly as she wants them to be, your info will head straight to the trash bin. Lisa is just like any other boss (other than the incredibly nice part–no Dilbert-boss-with-horns here) in that she asks that people be able to follow directions with a minimum of hand-holding on her part. There are over 2,000 blogs being posted each month at Families.com–if she has to walk you through every single step, big or small, you are too much of a time-drain on a woman who has very little time to start with, and she would be much better off hiring someone who can do their job and leave her to do hers. Bottom line: Make sure your application and e-mail are what she wants! (I posted a rant on this very subject last month. Check it out if you missed it the first time around!)
The actual info page is here. The first two requirements have to do with choosing what topics you are going to cover, and telling Lisa how you are going to cover them. The second half of the requirements are for the work itself: She wants samples so she knows what you’re capable of. I will be covering that second half in my next two blogs. For now, let’s go over the first two:
1. Select a Topic – Select 1-3 topics either from our list of current topics or topics you feel would add value to our community for which you would like to write.
If you click here, you will see all of the current topics on the right hand side of the page in a brown box that says simply “Blogs” across the top. These are all of the topics now being covered at Families. If you think you have a new and brilliant idea, suggest it to Lisa and see what she says. It’s worth a shot anyway. If you want to write about jobs you can do from home, then apply to be a Jobs blogger and simply focus on work at home jobs. They most likely will not divide topics up so that you write about jobs at home and someone else writes about jobs in a brick-and-mortar office–this stifles your imagination too much–so simply pick the broad topic that interests you.
2. Outline – Please provide an outline of the sub-topics that you would like to cover in your blog. (i.e. Food would include subtopics such as Menus, Recipes, Restaurants, Preparation Tips, etc.)
Here, you can write all of those brilliant sub-topics that you want to tackle in your blog. If you were going to be a Jobs blogger, the ideas might be something like medical transcription, resumes, coworkers, and customer service jobs. Whatever ideas you have for your blog topic. Show Lisa that you can think outside the box with your ideas. She wants new and original ideas not covered elsewhere. For some examples of blogs that would be considered “outside of the box,” check out here and here.
Tomorrow, we are going to cover the most important part of the application: The sample blogs. Good luck in your quest to become a Families.com blogger!