As a subcontract resume writer especially, time is money.
One of the biggest complaints of subcontractors is the pay. It’s true — subcontracting often pays less than you could charge your own clients directly. But it also offers you the opportunity to smooth out the peaks and valleys of your own business, get exposure to new systems and processes (learning how other resume writers run their businesses is interesting!), and potentially earn a pretty good per-hour rate.
It’s that per-hour rate that is important.
What you’re paid for a subcontracting project is usually a fixed amount.
The formula looks like this:
The only input you can change in the formula is to lower the amount of time you’re spending on a project in order to increase your profitability.
Therefore, you need to control the time you spend on the project and take charge of that variable.
The first tip is to track the amount of time you spend on each project. Only then can you know how profitable the project really is for you.
That means tracking both the administrative work (your interactions with the contracting writer and the client) and the time you spend writing.
Also track your assignments so you stay on top of project deadlines — this is #1 with contracting writers: You must meet your deadlines.
The second tip is to make your writing more efficient. Members of the “Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor” membership site can watch the “Writing Strategies for Subcontractors” webinar recording. You’ll also find tips in the “Write Great Resumes Faster” book (watch the webinar at the bottom of the page.)
Remember, time is money.
If you’re looking to get started in subcontract writing (or move up), check out Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor (MMRS). You’ll get access to the “Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor” special report, the Directory of Subcontract Opportunities, and access to the recordings of the previous MMRS webinars, including “Project Management for Subcontractors,” “Writing Strategies for Subcontractors,” several Q&As, and all the tips in the “Time Management Strategies for Subcontractors” webinar.