Javelyn (writer)

Why did you decide to apply and work with us?

I decided to apply to Young Publisher because I was looking for a long-term position and the job description fit exactly what I was searching for. The high compensation also caught my attention, and overall, it felt like I was applying for a welcoming and friendly team when I read Young Publisher’s job posting.

Did the job meet or exceed your expectations (and in what way)?

The job exceeded my expectations. All my previous roles were simply focused on submitting written content and getting paid with little to no feedback from my client. But here in Young Publisher, I know exactly what to write, and I’m improving daily thanks to Angel’s (our editor) feedback. Moreover, Young Publisher understands it when we can’t work on certain days because of unexpected power interruptions, personal appointments, or we’re feeling sick. So really, being a member of this team feels very comfortable and rewarding.

What are the most valuable things you’ve learned since you started?

The most valuable thing I’ve learned since I started working here is that perfection isn’t the goal; it’s steady improvement. When I first started writing for Young Publisher, I was anxious about whether or not my articles would meet their expectations. But when I saw the feedback video for my first article, I was immediately assured that this team doesn’t expect writers to write perfectly. Rather, they want members of the team to steadily improve. That said, working here taught me that it’s alright to make mistakes sometimes as long as I learn from those errors and strive to craft better articles next time.

How did this job help you develop your skills?

This job helped me develop my writing skills because we always get thorough feedback videos for our articles. Really, half the time, working here feels like being a student instead of being an employee. And I really love that aspect of Young Publisher.

On top of that, since each writer gets a dedicated document that lists the improvement opportunities for each of our articles, it’s very easy to look back and see my previous mistakes so I can avoid them on my next assignments.

How would you describe the work environment? 

I would describe the work environment as a chill and healthy workplace. Despite having strict deadlines, I don’t feel rushed because Young Publisher places reasonable expectations on each member. Moreover, even if anything unexpected happens during our working hours, I don’t worry about getting pay cuts or punishments because I know that Young Publisher will understand the situation.

Overall, this healthy environment motivates me to provide the best output I can give to the team. And to work longer if needed just to ensure that I submit high-quality articles to our editor.

What do you like best about this job? 

What I like best about this job is hard work and improvement are appreciated. It’s rare to find an employer that acknowledges their employees’ improvements, regardless of how small they might be. But Young Publisher, and our editor always point out the good things about our writing style and working habits. And, of course, it goes without saying that it feels great to be appreciated.

Moreover, constructive criticisms of our articles are given in a way that encourages improvement. So I’ve never felt offended or belittled when editors tell me to change something about my submitted articles. (Unfortunately, my previous client wasn’t really great regarding this aspect haha)

All of these pros made me adjust to Young Publisher’s working schedule and conditions in very little time. And they also make working feel fun and comfortable instead of it being a stressful task.

What would you improve and why?

I can’t think of anything else to improve on the team’s workflow. Because I think the current setup works efficiently as it is. But if I could suggest one thing, it would be having a more-detailed guide of the writing requirements for the new writers.

Honestly, it was kind of intimidating seeing all the documents related to writing for Young Publisher at first. Mainly because there was a lot, so I didn’t know where to start.

That said, I guess it would be helpful for the newcomers if they’ll have a guide to check out the documents in a logical order. Because upon closer look, the writing requirements aren’t as intimidating as they’d seem at first.

Is there anything you miss and if so, what is it? 

I don’t really miss anything about my previous roles. Because really, content writing is pretty much just writing and submitting articles remotely regardless of who your client is.

Which is your favorite part of the work process?

My favorite part of the work process is polishing my articles before submitting them. It just feels like an accomplishment every time I look at a finished document I’ve written from scratch. And all the hours I’ve spent typing feel worth it when I finally stare at the piece coming together.

The next part in line is filling up my KPI page. Simply because I like seeing all my work accomplishments in just a glance, and of course, I like adding more to it each day.

What do you think are the most important abilities for this job? 

The most important abilities for this job are being able to adjust and improve based on feedback. Young Publisher has strict formatting requirements. So it’s important to be able to adhere to them as soon as you can. And it’s also crucial to improve based on the feedback you’re given daily. Because this way, you’ll spend fewer hours re-editing your submitted articles which is beneficial for you. And the editors will also spend less time furnishing your work, which is helpful for the whole team.

If you ever start getting bored, what new challenge would you be up for?

I’d be up to the challenge of helping new writers adjust to the team. Well, this role doesn’t really exist now, but if the team ever creates a 1-on-1 mentorship plan where a senior writer guides new writers with the roles and writing style of Young Publisher, then I think it’d be fun to teach new members. Of course, I still have a lot to improve as a writer myself, and I’m pretty sure I’m not in a position to teach other people yet haha, but assuming I’d improve more in the future, this would be a fun little challenge to undertake.