Here’s how

Last month, I started working with Kit (formerly ConvertKit). I joined their social media team.

I’ve been using Kit’s email software since April 2021, and I love everything they’re doing.

Having them as a client is a dream come true.

But here’s the thing:

I don’t have any experience running social media for companies. Zero. Diddly squat.

And this job I landed?

It wasn’t advertised.

As Alex Banayan might say, I snuck through “the third door”: an entry point around the back that no one’s aware of. They’re too busy queuing at the front (i.e. sending resumes).

So how did this opportunity come about?

And how can you forge your own?

Here’s my playbook.

Step #1: Form genuine connections

I’ve been an affiliate with Kit since 2022.

Earlier this year, they incentivised top-performing affiliates to switch to their new platform:

To anyone who switched over by a specified date, they’d send a copy of I Am A Creator Vol. 3 — the company’s official book.

I did.

And I devoured the book in a couple of weeks:

The book’s case studies are beautifully written.

So I hopped on Instagram and dropped their Senior Storyteller, Isa, a message to say how much I like her writing:

We went back and forth a bunch.

She asked about my writing on Medium, so I shared one of my favourite case studies.

She loved it!

That was it for a while.

A couple of months later, I started reading Isa’s book.

And one strange coincidence made me reach out again:

I just read the Paulo Coelho quote that starts Part 1 of your book, and it’s the EXACT SAME QUOTE I have on my bookmark!! ❤️️

(I made the bookmarks over 4 years ago for my podcast, where I interviewed over 100 entrepreneurs I admire who are having fun in their businesses. I made the bookmarks to give to listeners, and I still have a bunch kicking about!)

We’ve since messaged about a number of different things.

Our connection is genuine.

Sidenote: I didn’t message Isa with the intention of working with Kit. It’s only in hindsight that I’m connecting the dots.

Step #2: Look for opportunities

One of my friends told me something she’d seen on LinkedIn:

“ConvertKit is looking for a new CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)”.

It got me thinking about how cool it would be to work with Kit…

And of course I now knew someone who worked in their marketing team…

And she liked my writing…

Mmmmm.

I messaged Isa.

She put me in touch with their social media guy, Thom:

I then hopped over to LinkedIn and messaged the main ConvertKit account.

(This was before they rebranded to Kit.)

Before sending this message, I went through ConvertKit’s LinkedIn company profile.

I then wrote down five areas for improvement, based on advice I’d been given by Tim Denning. (Tim is one of the internet’s most read writers with over 1 billion content views.)

I put these ideas into a slide deck and recorded a Loom to go through it:

I then uploaded this Loom to my Google Drive and sent Thom a link:

I followed up a week later after no response.

And I included a link to the slide deck:

Thom got back to me later that day.

He’d recorded his own Loom with feedback:

The main takeaway?

Not all my ideas were relevant, but some were good.

He also told me my presentation was the best cold outreach he’d ever received.

Step #3: Show them you’re serious

I thanked Thom for his time and told him about my LinkedIn experience.

(He’d asked for this at the end of his Loom):

My suggestion fell on death ears.

So after no response, I followed up a week later.

I included a week’s worth of LinkedIn posts I’d put together:

Thom got back to me later that day with some feedback.

“My initial take is they feel a little bit ChatGPT (mainly because I’ve run our stories through it before) BUT they’re also formatted well, hit on the key points we want to include, and speak to our target audience.”

He also shared Kit’s latest tone of voice docs with me:

I thanked him for his feedback and said I look forward to seeing the data.

And that was that for a while…

Step #4: Have a little patience

Some corporate workers receive hundreds of emails per day.

Thom is no different. He’s running Kit’s entire social media strategy, and Kit was going through a rebrand.

So I didn’t follow up any more.

Instead, Thom messaged me back three weeks later:

And the following week, he set me up with a project:

When he asked me how much I’d charge, I said I’d do this project for free.

My thinking?

I wanted to build a long-term working relationship:

Thom thanked me for my message.

He also made me aware of another freelancer working on the project.

It was time to get to work!

Step #5: Go above and beyond

I completed the work ahead of my self-imposed deadline.

Thom then gave me feedback:

I thanked him and told him I’d made notes.

Later that day, I updated my posts using his feedback.

He hadn’t expected me to do this, but the teacher’s pet in me figured it couldn’t do any harm:

Step #6: Name your price

Two weeks later, Thom shared some thoughts.

He also asked me how much I’d charge on a per-project basis for each case study:

I thought long and hard about the price.

On the one hand, I knew each case study would take me around 6 hours to re-purpose (based on the trial project), so I had to charge enough to make it worthwhile.

But I also knew other freelancers were vying for the job.

I couldn’t take the p*ss.

What’s more, I figured I’d be one of the least experienced writers applying for the job.

So I asked for $525 per case study:

A week later, Thom messaged me with some great news:

I’d got the gig!

Better still, Kit would pay me for the work I’d already said I’d do for free 🥳️

Key takeaways

The best opportunities don’t just land in your lap.

You have to make them happen.

Here’s a reminder of the six steps you can follow to sneak through “the third door” and land your dream job:

Step #1: Form genuine connections — A genuine connection with someone in the company got my foot in the door.
Step #2: Look for opportunities — Once you’re connected, ask yourself this: What would help this person right now? Give them something valuable. If you’re a video editor, you could make YouTube Shorts. If you’re better with words, you could write blog posts. There are countless ways to help.
Step #3: Show them you’re serious — Follow up (if needed) and keep giving. Nine times out of ten, your help will be gratefully received.
Step #4: Have a little patience — If they say they’ll get back to you, trust that they will. Don’t be too needy.
Step #5: Go above and beyond — Be clear in your communication, deliver work ahead of schedule, and do a great job. It’s pretty simple, really.
Step #6: Name your price — No one will expect you to work for free forever. Once you’ve proved your worth, name your price. And if your price makes you feel uncomfortable because you think it’s too high, that’s good! You’ll do great work.

It might take weeks. It might take months (like it did for me).

The question is this:

Are you willing to put in the work?

If so, opportunities are waiting.

Go get ’em :)

Want to ditch the 9–5? Get my free 19-page guide: Everything I Did to Quit My 9–5 Job & Transition Into Profitable, Sustainable Solopreneuring :)

I Just Got a High-Paid Writing Job (Without A Resume)

Here’s how

Step #1: Form genuine connections

Step #2: Look for opportunities

Step #3: Show them you’re serious

Step #4: Have a little patience

Step #5: Go above and beyond

Step #6: Name your price

Key takeaways

Scott Stockdale

I Just Got a High-Paid Writing Job (Without A Resume)

Here’s how

Step #1: Form genuine connections

Step #2: Look for opportunities

Step #3: Show them you’re serious

Step #4: Have a little patience

Step #5: Go above and beyond

Step #6: Name your price

Key takeaways

Find Your “Why” in the Next 4 Months — It’ll Be the Best Thing You Do In 2024

Scott Stockdale