Can I Become A Content Writer Without A Professional Degree?

No Academic Degree? No Problem! You Can Still Become A Content Writer

Well, the simple and straightforward answer to this question is ‘YES’, it’s not easy though. You can become a Content Writer if you are passionate, dedicated and want to learn more about this dynamic industry. You have to be creative and a forward-thinker. Constant research can help you achieve your goals in a couple of months. There are a dozen things that you need to know to be a successful professional in the area of content writing.

In this article, you will get to know about:

• How to start as a content writing intern to enter the industry
• Intern content writing job description
• How to apply for entry-level content writing jobs
• How to begin as a freelance content writer (Work from Home)

Let’s start from the ground level.

Having a degree can help you get a content writing job in a related industry such as travel, technology, retail. etc., but if you don’t possess any higher academic credentials, there’s nothing to worry about.

Now when you have decided to become a writer, you must be thinking about where to start from.

I’d suggest that the big online platforms might be of very little to no help as they prefer experienced writers and those with higher customer ratings.

Start as a Content Writing Intern to Enter the Industry

You can start as an Intern. The good thing is that when you begin your career as an intern, you get an excellent opportunity to explore your profession right from scratch.

Your employer and the team you are working with knows that you are not proficient in your job area; that’s why you are working as an intern.

You will get enough exposure to the content writing industry. You will learn everything from scratch and get to know new tips and tricks on creating an aesthetically beautiful piece of content.

So, you can search for local job sites to get the right match for you. Online job portals bank a lot of intern vacancies which are suitable for the beginners.

You might not get a higher salary, but you will learn a lot of content writing tips and tricks.

An internship is undoubtedly an excellent way to begin your career as a content writer. Moreover, if you start as a content writer trainee, you can get a recommendation letter from your employer for better placement opportunities in future. So, let’s know what you’ll do as an intern.

Intern Content Writing Job Description

Your job responsibilities might include but not limited to, the following:

• Writing content such as blogs, articles, social media posts, etc. for client’s website
• Writing content considering the target audience of the proposed product/ service
• Pitch articles to third-party platforms
• Conduct thorough keyword research and identify content opportunities
• Collaborate with design, development teams to create innovative content

Apply for Entry Level Content Writing Jobs

If not internship, you can begin your career with entry-level content writer jobs. Also, search online job portals such as Glassdoor, Indeed, etc. to find the right job match.

I’d highly recommend you to try visiting some of the best content writing blogs. Analyze the writing style of professional writers and understand the strategy they use to convey their message to the audience.

Starting content writing without possessing a degree in journalism, mass communication, or other related fields is quite easier. All you need to do is contribute as much time as you can in reading different blogs, articles, etc. If you are a good reader, you can certainly be a good writer. You can prepare a couple of content writing samples and promote to the employer so that they can get an understanding of your writing skills.

However, if you would like to enhance your knowledge in the area of content writing, pursuing professional courses might help. You can join part-time or full-time courses in content writing to get a good understanding of this particular industry.

If you don’t want to invest in content writing courses, then I’d prefer that you join content writer’s forums and communities. You will get quite a good number of resources on ‘how to start content writing online‘, and you will get access to the job opportunities that you may be interested in. You can get links to professionally written articles which can help you in getting started without investing in training programs.

Begin as a Freelance Content Writer (Work from Home)

Amid the current global pandemic situation, when the world is isolated, businesses have moved online. Freelance work culture is in full swing, and it’s undoubtedly a potential way to boost your career. Initially, you may start with small projects. You may not earn a massive income in the beginning, but you will learn a lot. As you grow your client base, you can increase your content rates, based on the type of content and difficulty level.

If you work as a freelancer, the benefit is that you can work from home as per your convenience. You can sign up to online freelance content writing platforms and start with small gigs. Slowly and gradually, you can switch to big projects. You can get a lot of tips and tricks to become a highly paid content writer here.  

Content writing is a rapidly rising industry which is creating over a million vacancies every six months. It’s certainly a must-have skill for the digital marketing domain, and you can start without having any academic credentials or professional degree. There are many opportunities to start content writing; the only thing is to get started in the right way.