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#WednesdayWisdom
"Someone needs this reminder:Be firm with that boundary you set. You made a decision for your betterment so be firm and follow through with it. You teach people to respect your boundaries by upholding and respecting them yourself." ~ @MinaaBe
Morning Musings
Confession time: I've been interviewing for full-time editorial staff jobs. Yes, yes I know we're about a year or so into this full-time freelance life (depending on whether you count a part-time editor gig as freelancing), and here we are.
There are a variety of reasons for this decision, chief among them moving back to the third most expensive city in the county and adding daycare to our monthly expenses (which is pretty much a mortgage in and of itself). Plus, ya girl just enjoys financial stability, okay?!
Some things have changed for the better since I was last on the hunt (shoutout to hiring managers including salary ranges and benefits in the job description ... more of this, please!), but for the most part companies are still tripping. Case in point a lifestyle writer position I recently interviewed for, one that had Big Red Flag Energy, as my friend Heather described it.
For starters, and this was my fault, this was not one of the companies with the salary range in the job description. In fact, there wasn't a job description at all. Just a Facebook group post and vibes. Nevertheless, I persisted. I submitted my cover letter, resume and link to my portfolio.
I was invited to interview and, unsurprisingly, I nailed it. You know the people who test well? I interview well. I give good interview. I can't help it. I don't know if it's the people-pleaser in me or the Scorpio in me, but I can charm my way through almost every interview.
I completed the (unpaid) edit test and moved on to the next round. And the next round. Finally it was time to meet with HR and I thought, "okay, finally someone will be able to tell me what this salary is talking about." Wrong. Instead, I was handed another writing test (this time paid, but starting at about $200 for a 700-word story AND a 1,200-word feature). But wait, there's more. This was on a Tuesday afternoon and the deadline for the stories (WITH sources) was a Thursday.
If this was the rate for stories, then the salary was probably not within my range (about $90,000-$100,000 given my experience). If this was the desired turnaround, then the work-life balance was probably nonexistent. Big. Red. Flag. Energy.
After giving it some careful thought (and running the scenario past my husband, Jeff, and my journo group chat--thank you, Sierra and Heather), I decided to withdraw my application. I later learned I was the first choice (naturally), but I was also able to give the hiring manager some candid feedback that will hopefully help streamline their process in the future and make it a more enjoyable experience for candidates.
As I often tell my sister (hi, April!), "forget securing the bag. YOU are the bag!" Any of these companies would be lucky to have YOU. So if something feels off, it's probably off. Don't just trust your gut, actually LISTEN to it. Don't ignore the red flags, they're their to protect you. And lastly, if something reeks of Big Red Flag Energy, RUN! Do not walk. Do not stop to collect $200. Get out of there as fast as you can. Your mental health will thank you.
Love,
L'Oreal
ICYMI
In my latest for Well + Good, I wrote about my losing my 600-day Peloton streak late last year and how it helped me come to terms with my perfectionism. I also shared my step-by-step curly hair routine with The Zoe Report. 4C, represent!!
Upcoming Events
April 22: Permission to Write Office Hours. Join me and my writer friend Ashley Coleman for an informal on querying, editing and revision, our journeys so far and answering any of your traditional publishing questions from an author’s perspective.
April 24: An Introduction to the Basics of Being a Freelancer. Join me and former New York Times editor Tim Herrera for a candid convo about all things being an independent journalist, including invoicing, negotiating contracts, finding work, building relationships with editors, writing strong first drafts, and more.
Links I Love
1. 10 Tips for Dealing With Any Kind of Regret, According to Mental-Health Professionals (Well + Good)
2. Tracee Ellis Ross Is the Moment (InStyle)
3. Forced to Care (Culture Study)
My Latest Obsession
Y'all, Jeff went on a Trader Joe's run the other day and game back with this life-changing deliciousness aka the Organic Spicy Honey Sauce. So far we've put it on pizza and breakfast sandwiches and I cannot wait to try it on fried chicken next.
P.s. We're finally within easy driving distance of a TJ's, so send me all your favorite items from there!
Now Hiring
Research Assistant/Editor for Culture Study
Editorial Assistant for Well + Good
Editor/Writer for Washington Monthly
Director of Communications for Black Feminist Future
Content Marketing Project Manager for Masthead Media Company
Social Media Strategist for The Opportunity Agenda
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