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Making Money on Craigslist

by Dave158
11 replies
Okay, so I'm new to the forum so I don't know if this is the right place to put this, but I was wondering if anyone had any advice on making money via Craigslist. I'm not talking selling on Craigslist, but contacting people for jobs. I contact them and 99% of them won't reply. Is it them or is it me? I would be interested in learning how to communicate with these individuals so I get replies and a job lol.

Thanks,
Dave.
#craigslist #making #money
  • Profile picture of the author ZenEight
    It really depends on the type of job you're applying for, but since you're here I'm assuming something to do with the web.

    I've successfully hired Customer Service agents for a startup using Craigslist and have also been hired for contract work with my replies and here's what I've learned:
    1. Personalize your reply and cover letter. Make sure enthusiasm comes through in your reply.
    2. Put yourself in the employer's shoes. They get 10-20 applications a day and might give each email a 5 second scan. Keep your reply short and to the point, use whitespace, bullets, bold, etc. Always keep in mind the goal with the first contact is to perk interest to get a reply, not to get hired on the spot.
    3. Spelling / grammar. This is so obvious but shockingly overlooked. I deleted 50% of the CSR applications because of this.
    4. Provide 3 samples of previous work - most people do not do this. A simple personal portfolio site can go a long way and shows some technical ability.
    5. Google yourself and make sure there is nothing that would raise flags for a potential hire. If so, fix it if you can control it. This includes Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, BrandYourself.
    Hope that helps, good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author fedor50
    Originally Posted by Dave158 View Post

    Okay, so I'm new to the forum so I don't know if this is the right place to put this, but I was wondering if anyone had any advice on making money via Craigslist. I'm not talking selling on Craigslist, but contacting people for jobs. I contact them and 99% of them won't reply. Is it them or is it me? I would be interested in learning how to communicate with these individuals so I get replies and a job lol.

    Thanks,
    Dave.
    In today's current economy it's really tough trying to find a job via craiglist because everybody is trying to do that exact thing. It more so comes down to Who you know nowadays.
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  • Profile picture of the author mollymarkiewicz
    Read the book: How To Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnnegie. Perhaps it is your approach to people.
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  • Profile picture of the author saramks
    Hi, i never worked with Craigslist but i think that you can't really to do business with it. Perhaps you can earn some money with it but i advice you to devote much more seriously.
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    • Profile picture of the author ZenEight
      Originally Posted by saramks View Post

      Hi, i never worked with Craigslist but i think that you can't really to do business with it. Perhaps you can earn some money with it but i advice you to devote much more seriously.
      What really was the point of this reply? I'd like to hear more from people who have used it, as replies like this are not helping the OP and just create forum noise.

      Craigslist is very hit and miss, as anyone who has used it simply to sell things has likely experienced! But I know many friends in startups and 9-5 jobs who both use it as their major hiring tool (since it's free) or got jobs from it. However all these bad experiences could mean the quality is very location specific, because where I live here in Vancouver it is still a must for job seekers.

      eLance and to a lesser degree oDesk are great, but for local jobs it is hard to beat Craigslist. For many projects, especially longer ones that are harder to spec out, I still prefer to meet in person and hire locally.

      Btw +1 on the Carnegie reco, Molly. Fantastic book and still relevant after 75+ years.
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  • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
    I love craigslist, you just have to figure out how to utilize it for what you need. Easier said than done of course.. it's hard to figure out the ins and outs and leverage it, but once you do, it's DEFINITELY worth it!
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  • Profile picture of the author mattflynn
    Overall, I would be suspicious of job offers on CL...since anyone can post, a lot of the jobs posted are phony. I'll bet there are fewer bonafide job postings on CL than most other job boards.
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    • Profile picture of the author CankleFish
      Seems like Craigslist is mostly hit and miss, with many more misses than hits. I've listed several items for sale, with nary an offer coming back my way.

      I can only imagine the hellish experience that trying to find a viable job thru them would be like...!
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    • Profile picture of the author ZenEight
      Originally Posted by mattflynn View Post

      Overall, I would be suspicious of job offers on CL...since anyone can post, a lot of the jobs posted are phony. I'll bet there are fewer bonafide job postings on CL than most other job boards.
      I had to go through an automated phone verification by Craigslist for job postings. Yes there are ways around it, but it's not as bad as you believe. And scams get flagged and removed pretty quick if your own filters didn't catch them already.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dave158
    I definitely appreciate everyone's advice. Thanks to anyone who posts hereafter as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author damasgate
    If you're trying to get any online jobs, I would highly recommend you start off at a freelance site like elance and odesk.

    Those I find are far more beneficial than craigslist.
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