Job Hunting as an Author

Like many folks, I recently spent a long, LONG time in a rut, trying to find a job.

And I finally got one!

As I interviewed for different jobs, and as I wrote cover letter after cover letter, I began to notice some ways that my skills as an author were coming in handy. A lot of job interviewing and cover letter writing, I discovered, is about twisting your experiences into buzzwords that will connect with your future employer.

Below, I've listed some examples of skills that you have (or are developing) as an author that are also seen as valuable in the job hunting world!

MANAGING PROJECTS
If you've written a book while being a college student or working another job or being a mom, you've proven that you can juggle multiple projects. Bonus points if you're writing multiple books at the same time! Be prepared to talk about some of the strategies you employed to juggle all these tasks.

DEADLINES
If you have worked for an editor or an agent, this is for you, especially - it's good to emphasize that you have experience working under pressure and under deadline and that you deliver quality work on time.

SELF-RELIANT
This connects with the point above - almost always, you are holding yourself accountable, making sure you meet those deadlines, answering your own questions, self-editing, et cetera. Especially with a lot of people working from home these days, it can be very encouraging to know that you are good at working on your own.

GOOD TEAM PLAYER
If you have experience working with a co-author or a critique partner, you're a good team player! You communicate with your partner, you give them feedback, you work together - all useful skills for when you're collaborating on a project at work. I've also had interviewers ask me specifically if I'd collaborate well with someone working remotely in another city - thanks to the internet, you've certainly had that experience, too!

ACCEPTS CRITICISM WELL
If you're an author, you have doubtlessly gotten edit notes at some point. Wear this as a badge of honor - you know how to accept critique, process it, and implement it in a timely way.

KNOWS HOW TO GIVE CRITICISM
In the same way, if you're a critique partner, it goes both ways - you know how to give critique in an honest but (hopefully) delicate way, another skill that's extremely important when working with others.

GOOD COMMUNICATOR
You're a writer, kid!! You have a way with words. Maybe your ability to write different genres or age categories translates to an ability to change your writing style or voice from press releases to opinion pieces to social media captions.

INQUISITIVE/RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
If you went through the query process or just wrote a book with a lot of accurate details, you probably went through rigorous research at some point. Knowing how to find and implement reliable sources is an important skill in life and in many fields!

MARKETING SKILLS
As you build your author platform, you've probably become very familiar with social media platforms. Maybe you have a YouTube channel or a blog. However you're building your platform, that is a skill to flaunt! Some employers may even want to know a list of which websites specifically you're the most familiar. Plus, if you're like me and have a website or a newsletter, list those websites or software (like MailChimp and WordPress) on your resume!

GRAPHIC DESIGN SKILLS
This one became especially important for me and my current job! If you play around in Canva or Photoshop for social media posts or promotional graphics, save your favorite pieces and use them in a graphic design portfolio!

DRIVEN/UNAFRAID OF REJECTION
If you're willing to talk about it, mentioning the rejections you've experienced in querying or the submissions process can show how resilient you are. It shows how you respond to "failure" and rejection - and that you are relentless in the pursuit of what you want!

MENTOR/TEACHING EXPERIENCE
If you participated in a mentorship or helped teach a younger author in some capacity, this is important experience too! It shows that you are patient, knowledgeable, communicative, and, in a very concrete way, if your organization needs you to teach some co-workers or give a presentation, they'll know you have those skills at the ready.

ADDRESSING THE QUESTION - HOW WILL YOU BALANCE WORK AND WRITING?
If I ever mentioned I was an author, this question always came up. And it's a difficult question to approach! The interviewer wants to know that you are serious about working with them and that your attention will be on the organization or the company. I liked to answer this question in a very concrete way, explaining how I will make an hour of time to write at home in the evenings, or on the weekends - and draw back to my ability to juggle multiple projects. Plus, I often cited the many folks I know, including professional authors, who work full- or part-time jobs in addition to being authors - and sometimes, in addition to being mothers!

Remember, authors. You are driven, you are passionate, and you manage your time well. You can do this! May you find a workplace where your skills flourish and you find yourself being energized, not drained <3