Last week I had the task of hiring 6 writers.

And as you can expect, it was a whirlwind.

I was working 16 hour days and finding time was difficult.

But it was also a huge learning curve.

I discovered what mistakes writers are making during their applications, and what makes them stand out.

So I thought I'd share my lessons with you.

Let's jump into the mistakes first.

1) Not following the brief

Honestly this one was a shocker for me.

I had at least 4 writers go completely off track.

Now I get you might want to add your flow and writing style...

But actually do what the brief is asking from you.

2) Missed deadlines

Now this one wasn't a surprise.

I purposely set a deadline as a test to ensure writers could meet them.

And around 50% missed this deadline.

Some by over 3 hours.

If you're going to miss a deadline just let the client know.

But don't go MIA for hours.

This alone could lose you a project.

3) Wrote in the wrong tone

This is a mistake I saw from a lot of writers.

They can't write in a tone other than their own.

And while this works great for a personal brand, it can be a problem for clients.

For this project I needed a very specific tone of writing.

Unfortunately, most writers couldn't match it.

While their writing was good, they weren't able to tailor it to the client.

I guess the best way to sum up these mistakes is this...

Master the basics and you're already ahead of 90% of other writers.

I'm really not joking. The bar is so low.

But with this in mind, here's what some of the best applicants did.

1) They were open

Some of the best applicants I got were open about their experience.

They stated they didn't have experience in the niche but had a wealth of writing experience.

Ironically, these writers outperformed the "experts" in the niche.

It also instantly gave me a level of respect for them.

Instead of claiming to know it all, they were transparent.

Which leads me to my next point.

2) They asked questions

There's nothing worse for you (or the client) than not knowing what you're writing about.

Some of the best applicants I had asked several questions.

And by doing so they produced fantastic work.

Don't be afraid to look "stupid."

It's better to look stupid when you start, than when you deliver something nobody wanted.

3) They tailored their writing style

This links to my previous mistake.

The writers I eventually hired had the skill to tailor their writing style.

While they still had their own tone, it was written in a way that met my client's needs.

And while this is a difficult thing to do, its crucial for landing jobs.

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All in all this was a huge learning experience and gave me a whole new view from a client's perspective.

Clients are always swamped when hiring candidates and the easiest way you can stand out is to be human.

Showcase your work, talk about your skills (and how they benefit the recruiter) and just be yourself.

People like working with people, not robots.

If you have any more questions about applying for projects let me know!

Copy "Build relationships" Maverick