Remote Talent uses the best testing software on the market to simulate what it is like to work in their job role. We ask questions designed to test critical skills that are required for that specific position, and the results show you their scores in the vital job competencies. Most candidates don't get past the assessment, so you only see the top performers.
1. How did you become interested in content writing, and what motivated you to pursue it as a career?
2. Can you share a recent content writing project you've completed and what you enjoyed most about working on it?
3. Are there any writing tools or platforms you prefer to use when creating content, and how long have you been working with them?
4. How do you balance creativity and SEO optimization in your content writing process, especially when faced with constraints such as word count or deadline?
5. Can you describe a time when you had to collaborate with a team or a client during a content writing project? How did you communicate and ensure everyone's vision was incorporated into the final written piece?
For the past four years, I’ve been working remotely for a variety of local and international organisations, doing web content writing (especially on technical pieces according to client requirements, but the majority of the content I’ve created has been in the tech—hardware and software—field, business development, and entrepreneurship). I have worked in long- and short-form web content creation, copywriting, editing, SEO writing/editing, proofreading, nonfiction ghostwriting, and social research consulting from my fully equipped home office and have found that I am much less stressed and more productive than before. My first language is English, and I am rather minutely focused on correct spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation, creativity, and logical flow that is easy for the reader to follow. I am particularly good at presenting complex material in a way that is easy to understand.
I have considerable skills in research, as you will note from my CV, my first fifteen to twenty years in employment have been in research—for university institutes, non-profit organisations, market research companies, and research consulting services. A big part of this work involved analysis, writing, editing, proofreading, and publication, and I currently act as an editor and proofreader for three international academic journals. That is not to say that I am just an academic, I have my nose firmly in pop culture and general consumption literature and media, I am active on social media, and have over the past four years built up my own list of useful sources that summarise trending topics, such as Google Trends, Hootsuite, BuzzSumo, SproutSocial, and Social Mention.
I have acted as an SEO writer/editor and general editor and proofreader for social media campaigns (like producing short clickbait snippets) or writing short- and long-form articles to add to client websites on particular products or campaigns. Being a holistic thinker with a sharp eye on events in the world around me, popular trends, topics of conversation or concern, and a strong interest in community-relevant topics (if your content is aimed at a particular group of people with similar interests/community).
I would say that the qualities that truly set me apart from others are firstly, my ability to connect the dots, put all the puzzle pieces in place from wide-ranging sources of information, and then secondly, to write about it in a holistic yet succinct and accessible manner. I consider myself to be a rather formidable lateral thinker and an effective leader and problem solver if the situation calls for it.
As a completely home-based worker, I have developed a high level of self-discipline, time management, and organisational skills, as well as a deep understanding of a broad array of technological tools to allow for remote teamwork arrangements. I am, of course, also completely fluent with the MS Office suite of applications, Open Office, Google docs, sheets, and slides, as well as a variety of online team collaboration tools such as Slack, Discord, Asana, Bootcamp, Google Workspace, Trello, and ClickUp.
Creative Content Writer at MiXTelematics
June 2022 – Current
I fill a variety of roles for MiX, including writing short- and long-form web content pieces mostly tech or business-related, social media posts/snippets, reports on market research results, blog articles, academic-style articles on customer engagement strategies, and supporting all the activities of my line manager, the Global Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and whatever that may entail in terms of content creation, research, lead generation, customer retention, strategies for conversion via paid media, social media, and customer engagement activities. I crave to work more directly with data and the design of campaigns that have social, or even psychological, appeal. Working at MiX is a bit too tech-heavy for me. I would like to have a greater variety of things to write about.
Part-time Content Curator and Project Manager at YouTubeMachine
August 2022 - Current
I research and select the most important trending topics in personal finance and financial markets, the stock market, and international trade to provide information to our scriptwriters to turn into content for YouTube videos. I am fully in charge of selecting the content, researching it, compiling the most important info, and then editing and checking the scriptwriters’ work when they have used the material I supplied.
Technical Article Writer at Freelance Platforms
2019 – May 2022
For Velocity Media, I wrote technical articles meant as marketing supplements to the websites of their clients in a variety of industries, from tech to energy to entertainment. For Study.com I write information articles aimed at teachers in the US on qualification requirements, exams, and tests they have to undertake to become licensed educators in their respective states. For Writer Access, WritingJobz, and ad-hoc clients, I write technical/academic articles on a wide variety of topics, especially in the social sciences and humanities.
Proofreader, Editor, and Translator at Various Companies
2019 – May 2022
I provide proofreading and substantive editing services on academic articles, postgraduate dissertations, nonfiction writing of any kind, and web content writing. I often not only translate but also advise on technicalities of proofreading and editing, paper- and sentence structure, logical flow, fact-checking, and suggestions on improving the factual content of their writing.
YouTube Video Scriptwriter at Kensho Studios, London
2019 – May 2022
I produce 3 short-form content articles for 3 different YouTube channels per week for Kensho, including travel, cryptocurrency, and personal finance. My content is then interwoven into a video via a voice-over artist.
Web Content Writer at Various Companies
2019 – May 2022
Articles on general interest subjects, more technical and scientific pieces aimed at the average reader or layperson. I’ve written on a variety of topics, such as mental health, themes in the social sciences, humanities, culture, socioeconomics, politics, history, and current popular science. These articles are purchased by organisations of all kinds to use as content for websites, blogs, online magazines, journals, and social media campaigns.
M.A. Development Studies
University of Johannesburg
2013
Focus Areas: Quantitative indexing of Quality-of-Life measuresTitle: "Socio-economic factors associated with mental health in Johannesburg"
B. Hons. Development Studies
University of Johannesburg
2006
Focus Areas: Behavioral Economics, Micro- and Macro Economic Theory, Development Theory, Statistics, and Quantitative and Qualitative Research MethodologyResearch: "The overlaps between profit and care in community-based organizing"
B.A. Development Studies (cum laude)
The University of Johannesburg (then RAU)
2004
Focus Areas: Development Studies/Applied Economics and Philosophy
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