You get what you pay for

It stands to reason.

Half the job of a successful freelance writer is writing: everything from catheters to vitamin supplement email blasts to Super Bowl commercials. If someone is handing me a brief, I'm handing them back some professionally written, ready-for-publication copy.

It also stands to reason that the other half of a successful freelance writer's job is seeking out the next freelance writing job. Or at least how to snake one away from Erik Moe.

This, even for someone like me, who, many times found myself double or triple dipping and turning overflow work to eager colleagues, has proven challenging of late.

We can sort through the myriad of reasons why that may be the case. But frankly I find it all too exhausting.

More curious and infinitely more interesting is the ad I spotted above. These type of job listings pop up in my social media feed all day long. And they make me wonder. Who sets out to find themselves a Freelance Junior Copywriter?

When I was a junior copywriter, I sucked.

When my friends were junior copywriters, they sucked too.

And there was a very good reason we all had agency staff gigs and never ventured out into the freelance world -- because WE SUCKED.

I haven't read a lot of Malcom Gladwell, OK I haven't read any Malcom Gladwell as I'm not fond of motivational corporate pablum, but I believe in his 10,000 hour principle, which holds that 10,000 hours of practice are needed to become world class in any field.

Let's be realistic, most Junior Copywriters have put in 700, 800 hours max, in their field.

And most of that time was spent at the agency Pop-A Shot Machine, Secret Santa Parties and Snap Chatting.

I know there are some very talented young people out there. I count my two creative daughters among them. But I also know from the assignments I see that deadlines are tighter, problems are more complex, and the marketing challenges that keep advertisers awake at night require more expertise not less.

So again, I have to ask why would any advertiser want to hire a Freelance Junior Copywriter?

Let's take this into the real world.

The starter ignition on the back burner of my industrial grade Wolf Oven is not lighting. And when it decides not to light, there is a slight whiff of gas in the air. I suppose I could call a licensed, bonded repairmen who has been replacing these doohickies like the Frymaster Electrode Assy, Piezo Ignitor ever since Jimmy Carter was in office or I could jot something down on an index card and slap it on the nearest telephone pole...

WANTED 
Freelance Junior Oven Repairman. 
Flammable gas experience preferred but not mandatory. 
If Debbie answers the phone hang up and call back later.
Ask for Rich.