Build a Content Writing Portfolio

The objective is to show some proof of work when applying for content writing jobs as a beginner with no industry experience.

Typically, you have to write for decent or great online publications and share the published articles’ links with your potential employer. These articles must meet or exceed the professional standards (grammatically correct, meaningful, etc.).

When your employer sees this, they should realize that you can churn out quality articles that the intended audience likes to read, increasing the probability of you getting hired.

In this chapter, I will take you through the steps to build a strong content writing portfolio.

Start with your platform

Create an account on Medium or a free blog on WordPress (or any CMS of your choice) and publish articles. 

Why?

Because digital publishers want proof that you can produce clear, publish-ready articles.

I’d recommend Medium. The platform allows you to tap into a wide reader base and also rank higher in the search results. This will draw some traffic and give you feedback regarding the quality of your content.

Additionally, if your pieces perform well, you can show those performance metrics (reads, claps, read-time) to your interviewer and strengthen your job application.

Furthermore, Medium has a lower barrier of entry. You can sign up with your Google account and start publishing your drafts today.

A personal blog, on the other hand, is too resource-intensive, especially for noobs whose priority is to get an entry-level job or freelancing gig. You have to design the homepage, promote your content (or you’ll get no traffic), and arrange the content in an aesthetic manner.

Anyway, regardless of your platform choice, write about 20-30 articles. Only then will you have 2–3 strong samples worth showing off.

Note that you can use this proof of work to apply for jobs directly as well. Don’t be surprised if your interviewer instructs you to complete an assignment. 

However, it is always better to write for well-known, authoritative websites to make your profile stand out from the crowd.

Finding relevant publications

There are plenty of publications that will accept guest posts from you as long as you keep the content educational, informative, or entertaining. Unless your articles are commercial in nature (recommend a brand or product explicitly), you are good to go.

So, how do you find them?

Search the following on Google:

intitle:"write for us"

You will get a list of websites that accept guest posts for free. 

If you are interested in a certain niche topic, such as lifestyle or technology, add the keywords right after the aforementioned search query.

It is crucial to go for neutral topics and avoid controversial ones, like politics, religion, and adult content. Keep in mind that the goal is NOT to fix society but to make your pockets fatter.

Shortlist about 30-ish websites you’d like to write for. The next job is to analyze their website and suggest relevant blog titles. You can use my Blog Title Generator GPT to expedite the process. Just paste the publication’s blog link and guidelines, and it’ll do the rest.

Then, write an email to the editor of the publication. Keep it short. Compliment their website, but don’t be patronizing. Mention that you’d love a guest posting opportunity. Share your suggestions. Request them to give feedback and conclude the message with gratitude.

The email should be straightforward. You can always leverage ChatGPT or Claude to write a simple outreach message.

Repeat the above process to reach out to 5-7 publications per day. Do this for three days. If you don’t hear from an editor in two days, send a follow-up email.

Proceed to write the outline or draft after getting approval. Do NOT send a complete draft to any editor. The chances of the unsolicited draft getting approved are lower than Stephen Hawking beating Usain Bolt in a 100m sprint.

Respect the editors

Every editor you work with while trying to get your article published has their own process, guidelines, and standards. Swallow your ego and bend to them. The ultimate objective here, just to remind you once more, is to build a portfolio.

If an editor requests an outline first, do it. When they make suggestions to your draft, accept them all and make the relevant edits. In extreme cases, they may ask you to rewrite some or all sections of the draft. 

Just do it.

This will also prepare you for the actual content writing job because you will (eventually) encounter a difficult client who is quite specific about their needs. Regardless of whether it is a good marketing decision, you must comply to get the cash.

Similarly, there are editors who take their jobs seriously and don’t mind rejecting your draft if their instructions aren’t accurately followed.

Wrapping Up: Get at least five links

Five great articles written for five decent or popular publications are enough to help you get into the industry. 

Earlier in this chapter, I advised you to reach out to a larger number of publications. That’s because some might reject your draft for whatever reason, and others may not even reply to your emails.

It’s a good practice to avoid putting all your eggs in one basket.

Another critical piece of advice is not to get depressed when you face rejection. Each rejected draft tells you where to improve. Learn your lesson, quickly turn the page, and move forward.

—

Next Chapter: The Best Way to Apply for Content Writing Jobs

Previous Chapter: If You Have to Pitch, You Failed

Index (Prologue): What is Content Writing