At weekends, I also juggle hoops

 

I have started two new jobs in social media.

Ironically, this has left me with very little time to blog or tweet.

Both of these jobs have fantastic titles: Social Media Community Manager and Online Content Editor. How grown up is that?

The only down side is that as a social media 'expert' (and I use the term very loosely), I'll need to have an incredibly boring Twitter feed. It's like it's the law or something. If I am to do these jobs properly, I'll have to start spouting lots of guff about branding and grow a beard for my profile pic. I think I can manage at least one of those.

So this is the state of my portfolio career at present

• Author - promotion of my toddlers book is ongoing, and the book about fear of driving is currently being given the once-over by the publisher. So currently this job consists of checking my Amazon ranking 7 times a day. And also thinking about what my third book might be. Fiction maybe, Goats in Space (c) ?
• Media career coach - I have some really cool clients in various parts of the world, but I'm not taking on new clients until September. Unless I do. I'm not sure. I'm a bit of a crap Boss of Me in that respect. I'm never quite clear where I stand with myself (unless it's at the bar).
• Freelance journalist - I'm not really pitching much but I'm open to offers and am writing some parenting stuff for an ace new website. Am also talking poop in this month's Practical Parenting and have squeezed my big toe into the September issue of Psychologies.
  
• Online Content Editor - This involves developing and maintaining a Twitter feed and other social media doo dahs for an international company. Very interesting work, but you have to leave your ego at the door as there are no bylines to be had and it's all about representing the company rather than yourself. My ego can take it, it's had worse.
• Social Media Community Manager - Similar to the above, but with a few added dances to do, and a bunch of dirty words to avoid. LOVE a job that sends you home with a list of dirty words. My advice, if you're going for a job in social media like this, is just to put I KNOW WHICH WORDS TO AVOID in big letters on your CV. Trust me, it's a marketable skill.

Which brings me round full circle to the foreword I wrote to Linda Jones' new book about freelance writing. To be honest, I dashed this off in a hurry one night last August when Linda told me she had space for a foreword that needed filling quick-smart. I wrote that "a writer can find themselves doing jobs that didn’t even exist ten years ago, such as writing a blog for a client or getting hired to tweet" And here we are, the best part of a year later and that's what I'm doing. Funny how the world turns. As long as it keeps on turning, I think we'll be alright.

image credit: Flickr user Helico

Comments

[Jules]

This is very encouraging. You have the sort of career I want to have. Despite the fact I'm in denial and keep applying for 'proper' jobs, even the ones which sound dull or WAY above my level of experience.

At the moment my 'portfolio career' consists of some marketing work (which I dislike), Freelance Journalist (mostly unpaid), Social media manager (ie faffing about on FB and Twitter).

However, I know you've got to start somewhere and maybe a year from now I'll have a list as impressive as yours....fingers crossed!

[Joanne Mallon]

Aw, thank you Jules, that's very kind of you to say so. Though it doesn't sound to me like we are all that far apart, work-wise.

[Kinetikat]

Goats In Space! I'd buy it!
:D

[Edith]

This is a great inspiring article. I am pretty much pleased with your good work. You put really very helpful information. Keep it up.
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