In Search Of Freelance Medical Writing Jobs At Home: Best Suggestions From An Expert
It seems like everyone is trying their hand at freelance writing these days, and why wouldn’t they? Working from home gives you so much freedom and if you work hard at it you can earn a reasonable income. However, becoming a medical writer is a lot harder to get a foothold in. For one thing, because it is a niche market there isn’t such a wide availability of work and the competition is fiercer. Here are my best suggestions to help you get started:
Research the market
You wouldn’t turn up for a job interview without at least doing some basic research, would you? Well, at least I hope that you wouldn’t. Spend some time looking through medical journals and on the internet not only to get a feel for the kind of work that might be available to you but also to try and narrow down your field. Are you going to write across the whole medical spectrum? Or is your aim to specialize in a given field?
Consider your skillset
Your skills and experience will go a long way to determining the kind of work that you can get. If you are a medical student then that will be enough to make a lot of potential clients at least stand up and take notice. Likewise, if you have first-hand experience of a particular condition or illness then that will also be advantageous.
Brush up your resume
Because you are aiming for a niche market then you will need to be prepared to send out your resume in the same way that you would if you were applying for a regular job. Take the time to tidy it up, take out any clutter and be sure to add in any particular skills or experience that you have.
Cast your net far and wide
Be prepared to send out lots of applications across a wide area. Yes, you might hit lucky and secure some work quickly. However, as I have already said competition will be fierce and many journals and periodicals will already have an existing pool of freelancer that they know and trust.
Be patient
Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your freelance career. You have to have a thick skin in order to survive in this industry. If you are afraid of rejection, then it isn’t for you.