This morn’ saw a cool job post on Upwork.
Honestly, I was blown away.
I’m gonna break it down line-by-line so you can “reverse engineer” these tactics to hire your own ambitious writers and make mega moolah for your business.
Ready Freddy?
Here we go, Joe:
The Job Post Breakdown
Copywriter for blog articles [SAAS/Marketing/Sales]
Nice! Copywriting and blog writing are totally unrelated—this confusing “twist” in the title ensures only the sharpest wordsmiths in the realm will apply.
We are looking for a copywriter for Ellty blog articles.
Again, really hammer the oxymoron. I’m hooked like a black bass.
If you are ambitious, and can deliver at least 2 articles per week, we offer $5 compensation for 1000 symbols.
The qualifying! “If you’re ambitious” practically needs a smirk next to it.
“At least 2 articles per week” is ambitious? How long are these articles?
“$5 per 1000 symbols.” Ah, there it is. You have to write the articles in hieroglyphics.
If you have reached this point and this offer appeals to you, start your response with the phrase ‘Koala is on board’ and attach a link to your portfolio.
We get it, you’re Australian. Crikey…
If you’ve managed to read through all THREE lines of this job post, congratulations! We want to chat.
And your eternal reward?
Five dingodollars for every thousand symbols.
Why This Happens (and How to Fix It)
Really, this job post symbolizes the sad state of the freelance job market—good businesses can’t find talented freelancers, and good freelancers have to wade through “ambitious” job posts like this one.
And if you’re hiring, here’s the problem you need to solve:
- Good freelancers don’t waste time on job boards. They build their own inbound lead engines so they never have to answer garbage posts like this.
- A-list talent isn’t cheap—but they pay for themselves. The right hire can 10x your business investment. If you’re only looking for the cheapest option, you’ll get what you pay for.
- If you can’t find great freelancers, it’s because they don’t see a reason to apply. The best in the biz don’t fight over scraps—they’re busy working with clients who understand their value.
How to Hire the Right Way
Same whether you’re a business owner or a freelancer:
- Diversify your outreach platforms. If Upwork is your only fishing hole, you’re gonna pull up some weird catches. Try networking groups, LinkedIn outreach, or referrals from top talent.
- Give people a reason to contact you. If you want top talent, make your job post magnetic. Good freelancers don’t apply to desperate, low-budget gigs.
- Understand that talented freelancers can easily 10x a business’ investment. Plan to charge/pay accordingly. The best aren’t cheap—but neither is hiring two, three, or four cheap people to fix the mistakes of one bad hire.
A Better Way to Find (or Be) a Freelancer
Now, I have both freelancers and business owners reading these emails. So let me play matchmaker…
With myself.
- Freelancers—Poke “reply” and ask me about a new course I’m working on designed to help you get better-paying clients (way more than $5 per 1000 symbols).
- Business Owners—If you HAVEN’T hired me yet, stop living vicariously through these emails and join my email list before you miss the good stuff:
Past clients tell me my email list has some of the best legroom in the industry—way more than your typical econo-flight to Australia.
This is your captain speaking,
Nick
