Hi All,

We need another full-time, in-house copywriter at The Total Package and for Clayton’s direct response agency, Response Ink.

And Clayton’s willing to train you at his expense.

You’ll get a regular paycheck AND a chance to apprentice with a top copywriter.

A year or two of working here will give you the experience, training and contacts to set you up for your whole career.

This is an entry level position so, yes, this is open to newbies.

Plus you’ll get hands-on experience in …

• Marketing Strategy – Our copywriters are intimately involved in the planning process for everything they write. Because to be a great copywriter you must become a great marketer.

• Customer File Marketing – You’ll understand this intimately. Building relationships with customers, developing products, designing messaging strategies and more.

• Customer Acquisition Marketing – You’ll write and help develop paid campaigns, joint ventures campaigns and more – learn the strategies and tactics in the real world.

• Business strategy – You’ll get the chance to participate in meetings with top marketers, entrepreneurs and business owners. Often with industry legends. You’ll see how marketing strategy, campaign strategy and copy strategy flows from business objectives.

And eventually you’ll get this experience in multiple markets working with multiple businesses. You’ll start at the bottom though, doing unglamorous stuff.

Here are few questions to ask yourself before you apply:

1. Are you serious about a career as a copywriter? We’re looking for people who are hungry to master copywriting because they understand how good this opportunity is.

This is NOT a position for copywriting hobbyists.

Copywriting is not the ONE THING in life where success comes easy. Sadly, you will not be writing from a beach part-time. Sorry.

Which leads to…

2. Are you a go-getter? Really? Does the thought of giving up an occasional Saturday terrify you?

We’ve got a ton of work. There’s no room for slackers.

We’re looking for people hungry to be the best they can be at what they do.

And money should motivate you at least a little. But you also have to be the type of person who takes pride in what they do and wants to do it the best they can.

3. Can you take criticism?

You’re copy will be criticized and torn to shreds.

You’ll write the best copy you’ve ever written and then you WILL REWRITE it because it wasn’t good enough.

Your copy will be bloodied. I don’t care how much you’ve studied.

‘Tis part of the experience.

And that can’t dampen your enthusiasm.

4. Are you willing to re-locate to western North Carolina (Due West of BFE)?

This is an in-house position. We work with freelancers already. If we wanted someone remote we’d work with one of them. ‘Nuff said

Truth be told, this is a GREAT place to work. Especially if you’re passionate about this business.

We have a lot of fun over here too but we don’t want anyone coming to this with any illusions – it’s hard work and you’ll have bad days.

Clayton doesn’t want to see your samples right now. We’ll get to those soon enough.

If you’re really interested in applying, he wants to get to know ya’ a little first. So go here and fill out the form:

Response Ink Questionnaire

While we're looking to move pretty quick on this we're going to wait for the right person. So consider this position is open until filled.

Cheers!
John Newtson

I read the questionnaire and although i like the opportunity, I do not like answering personal questions that do not relate to copywriting. I have worked as a copywriter for a short time and have not seen any kind of questionnaire where such personal questions were asked.

Although you would benefit greatly from my expertise, providing such a questionnaire deters people like me from applying for the job.

Seems to me like they just want to get to know you and see what you're all about.

They'll get a ton of people applying who can write copy, but they want someone who's going to fit into their business.

If you're not the type of person to take the quiz you're not the type of person they want working with them

Not wanting to hire me based on not wanting to fill out a form, that really is not a part of copywriting is discrimination. When it comes to doing the job, they don't have to know anything about me except to see my samples and to know if I can do the job. Anything else would be overstepping their borders.

I worked for a advertising agency a few years ago where I did not have to fill out any questionnaire. All they wanted to see was my samples, and that was enough. If this or any company can't hire me based on my samples and longevity in the business, they are too picky and will be hard to work with.

If this was an outsourcing position I would agree. As long as you get the job done then not much else matters.

But when you're hiring someone to work alongside you every single day -- and going to be investing a significant amount of resources into their development -- you're going to want to screen people based on more than just the bare essentials of "can they get the job done."

Anyone who hires a long term position based solely on a few samples is asking for trouble.... hire slow, fire fast.

That is not exactly true. At least not in all cases. I was hired by a company to work along side a manager, and all they new about me was my work samples, what I could do, and if I could work independently or as a team. They didn't ask deep personal questions, which I consider none of their business anyway.

I did the job and they actually fired people around me but not me. So, I have to disagree with your assessment, basing it on my experience.

In that case everything worked out fine. Obviously you can hire a great employee without even meeting them... but as a business you're taking chances by not going through a structured hiring process. You're basically gambling.

Your example could just as easily been a nightmare, either for you or the company that hired you.

Anyway, for me those questions aren't that personal. The kinda stuff that would come up in the first few weeks of working with someone.

The questions don’t relate to copywriting? Really? I think your answers to these questions are a FANTASTIC view into your copywriting ability. Consider what each reveals …

What are you proudest of? What I want to know: Can your writing inspire me?

What breaks your heart? What I want to know: Can your writing move me?

If your salary doubled what would you buy first? What I want to know: Can your writing make me WANT something?

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? What I want to know: Can you make an emotional argument?

Describe your dream home? What I want to know: Can you paint a word-picture?

And chances are none of your answers will be swiped. Your writing and intelligence will shine through.

Then of course, there’s the issue of how easy it is to deter you from your goals – if a simple questionnaire is too large a hurdle, how will you react to your copy bombing spectacularly when the game was on the line? (It WILL happen in this game, NO ONE hits 100%)/

Not too mention, these questions give you the chance to reveal perhaps the most intimate insight into your personality by letting you answer the eternal question: Kirk or Picard?

Seriously though, unless your copy is on par with geniuses like Parris Lampropoulos (GAWD, it makes you sick how good that guy is!) or Gary Bencivenga your copy is probably not up to snuff in Clayton’s eyes.

Clayton will be taking a LOSS by investing in you for months while training you. All with the hope that eventually you’ll be good enough to make HIM money before you run off and make a few million a year on your own.

If you’re not interested, no harm no foul. Life is short, why stress over opportunities that don’t excite you? If you don’t feel good about this process, that’s cool, but we’re not going to change it.

Like life, it is what it is.

All the best,
John

Personally, I'd volunteer to run buck-naked down the streets of Asheville in a snow storm, just for the chance of being mentored by one of the all time copywriting greats.

But, everyone has a line to draw somewhere in the snow. Mine is my unwillingness to sacrifice my marriage and the aspirations of my daughter, who both need my financial support and are unwilling to move (again.)

We all make choices in life, some we live to regret, some we are forced to make, and some are the result of dumb, beautiful luck...

In the end, it all boils down to how much you want something and how much you're willing to sacrifice to attain it.

Me... I have no pride, false or otherwise. I'm a total whore to my dreams--until my wife pulls a Cher, slaps me across the face, and yells, "Get over it!"

And then, sometimes, getting over it, is the wisest choice of them all.

--Barry

This is one of the best questionaires I've ever seen.

You guys really care about who you're bringing in, and the passion for your work and team just radiates right through.

Whoever you're hiring is really lucky. Good luck.