✍️ “There Aren’t Enough Non-US Jobs”

For anyone who's been waiting for a listing to say "international welcome" — this is me saying it.

A version of this has been popping up in the comments lately:

“I’m in the UK. Most of these jobs seem US-focused.”

“Not a lot of options for South Africa.”

“Is this board only for Americans?”

If you’ve thought this, I hear you. And I want to talk about it — because I think there’s better news here than you might realize.

But first, a quick note:

I know we have a lot of subscribers from the UK, Canada, Australia, Nigeria, India, and beyond. I see you in the numbers. I see you opening these emails. And I want you to know — this newsletter, this board, this community? It’s for you too.

The Short Answer: Most of These Jobs Are for You

Here’s what a lot of people don’t know about the work we post:

95% of the jobs on our board are freelance or contract.

And of that freelance work — even when the company is US-based — the vast majority of clients will hire internationally.

The question isn’t usually “where are you?” It’s “Can you do the time zone?” “Can you communicate clearly?” “Are you available for occasional meetings?"

That’s often it.

Amy and I have worked with clients in Europe, Canada, Australia, and across the globe. We never assumed that being in a different country meant we were automatically out of the running.

We just... applied. And they wanted us.

“Okay, But Why Aren’t There More Non-US Jobs Specifically?”

Fair question. And I’ll be honest with you.

We scan everything. We have a minimum threshold of $30 USD/hour, plus quality and job-type standards that we hold pretty tight. We don’t want anyone on this board walking into an exploitative situation.

And the reality is: a lot of regional job markets — UK, parts of Europe, India, and elsewhere — their writing opportunities just... don’t meet that filter.

The pay is often drastically lower. The job type doesn’t hit our bar. So they get filtered out — not because we don’t care about writers in those regions, but because we care too much to send you toward something underpaying by what our standards are for this space.

The jobs exist. They just don’t pass our quality check.

And here’s the flip side of that: the US-based jobs that do make it onto our board? They’re often paying rates that value your work properly — regardless of where you live.

A $50/hour contract from a US client spends the same whether you’re in London, Lagos, or Los Angeles.

The Voice in Your Head That Says “They Don’t Want Me”

I talked to a subscriber recently — based in the UK — and she mentioned something that I’ve heard a few times now:

“The listing didn’t say they were open to international candidates, so I assumed they weren’t.”

And here’s what I said back:

They also didn’t say they weren’t.

You miss a 100% of the jobs you don’t apply to.

If a job posting doesn’t explicitly say “US only” or “must be based in [country]” — that’s not a closed door. That’s an open one.

Most freelance clients aren’t thinking about where you live. They’re thinking about the work. Can you do the work you need? Can you hit the deadline? Can you communicate clearly?

If the answer is yes, your passport doesn’t matter.

So don’t read restrictions into a listing that aren’t there. Don’t add a “no international applicants” line in your head that the employer never wrote.

If they don’t want you, let them be the ones to say it. That’s their job. Yours is just to show up.

Be the Asker

There’s a concept in economics called the Stable Marriage Problem (Ajeya Cotra wrote a great piece on it here).

TLDR: When two groups are trying to match up — think job seekers and employers — the group that proposes first has an advantage. They end up with matches that are more desirable to them. (Study by Scientific American)

In plain English?

If you wait for the world to find you, you’ll get what’s left.

Going out and actively pursuing the work you want — even when it’s scary, even when you’re not sure they’ll say yes — is the only way to get the best outcome.

I know it’s vulnerable. I know it feels like putting yourself out there over and over again. But that’s where the good stuff lives.

It's nice to be chosen. It's better to choose.

The Threshold Is Lower Than You Think (No, Really)

Here’s something that might actually make you feel better:

Amy and I recently went through a mountain of applications for a newsletter curator role. Over 200 resumes.

We put a little filter question in the application to include a few answers later — just a small thing to see if people were actually reading:

“What’s your favorite snack?”

Guess how many of those 200 people answered it?

20.

That’s it. 10%. The other 90% didn’t even follow a basic instruction.

We do this with other roles too. Sometimes it’s a different question, but every time, the results are the same.

I’m not telling you this to be harsh. I’m telling you because it means the bar to stand out is so much lower than you think.

You don’t need a perfect portfolio. You don’t need ten years of experience. You need:

• Attention. Actually read the thing.

• Time. Actually fill it out thoughtfully.

• Follow-through. Actually hit submit.

If you do those three things, you’re already ahead of most people. That’s not a knock on anyone — life is busy and overwhelming. But it is an opportunity for you.

You Belong in This Race

If you’re outside the US and you’ve been scrolling our board thinking “these aren’t really for me” — I want to gently challenge that.

The jobs are for you. Most of them.

And I know it’s hard. I know the voice in your head has a hundred reasons why it won’t work out. But that voice doesn’t get to decide.

You do.

So the next time you see a job that looks interesting and your brain whispers “but I’m not in the US...” — I want you to apply anyway.

Fill out the form. Answer the questions. Hit send.

Because while you’re sitting there debating whether you’re allowed to try, someone else — maybe with less experience, maybe with a messier portfolio — is just... doing it. And they’re getting hired.

Not because they’re better. Because they showed up.

You can show up too.

I’m rooting for you.

your fan,

kyle