About.com Topic Writer Evaluation
How does Topic Writer evaluation work?
Every week, our editors review applications for available Topic Sites, looking for qualified candidates to join our evaluation program. We hire one Topic Writer per Topic Site. If we select your application, you'll submit several assigned writing samples under the supervision of an editor. If you do well, you will be asked to create a site of your work using About.com's publishing tools. This site will become the basis for the real Topic Site, if you are hired as the Topic Writer. An editor will evaluate your work and the work of anyone else competing for the same Topic Site and make a hiring decision in conjunction with other members of our editorial staff.
Because we do have a thorough evaluation program where we take weeks to mentor applicants and review their progress, please understand that it may take some time to fill any one position we have open.
How does About.com evaluate potential Topic Writers?
When working with potential Topic Writers during the evaluation period, we look for the following:
- Writing Ability: A strong writer whose content is not only informative and factual, but compelling enough to make readers want to see more. We have an expectation that Topic Writers can self-edit, so we'll be looking for writing that is free of spelling and grammar errors.
- Web Savvy:: Someone who grasps the idea of formatting for the Web, whether from prior experience or from our guidance. We expect writers to organize their content into clear, easy-to-understand sections with effective use of bold and bulleting. We also expect our writers to have a good sense of when and where to link to other related content. Candidates who have a good command of blogging and social media will have an advantage.
- Topic Expertise: An expert in the topic with the ability to cover the basics with ease and the passion to research anything they don't already know.
- A Desire to Educate: A teacher who can communicate the basics of the topic to a neophyte audience in a way that's not only easy for a novice to understand, but interesting, too.
- Passion: Someone whose passion for the topic motivates them to write in-depth about something they love. Writing for About.com is a long-term investment of time and energy, and those who treat the job as a labor of love tend to do best.
