Introducing The HackerNoon Blogging Fellowship

HackerNoon wants to help remove the technology industry's barriers to entry. 

The university system is broken (in America it is at least). You pay tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars and spend years of your life to get a degree, only to be faced with countless companies who are looking for candidates with 2-4 years of real-world experience.

At HackerNoon, we’re offering you a chance to learn about the technology industry, how to write better, and grow your internet presence - without paying a dime.

The HackerNoon Blogging Fellowship is a free remote online writing program where you can get mentored by a seasoned editor to build up your writing portfolio.

About HackerNoon

HackerNoon is a world-leading tech publication that gets millions of monthly views. It is a community-powered website that publishes articles from professionals working at the world’s biggest tech companies: Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, and more. 

We have over 35,000 contributors and that number grows every day.

How Does The Blogging Fellowship Work?

You choose your niche and you own your content. 

In most post-secondary education programs, technically the universities or colleges own the rights to research and content created by their students throughout their programs.

Even on most online blogs and publications, usually the site owns the content.

At HackerNoon, the contributors own the content. 

You spend the fellowship building a portfolio that you can republish wherever your heart pleases, like your own personal site or with your next employer. 

1. You choose your own stream

Every fellow must choose an industry that they want to specialize in.

Want to become a Tech News Journalist? Then write about the latest Apple, Tesla, SpaceX, and Google news each week.

Itching to land a job at IGN or the next up-and-coming gaming company? Write about the gaming industry.

Interested in content marketing in the cybersecurity industry? Show off your knowledge and passion by writing top-tier security guides.

The world is your oyster! Go out and grab it.

2. You gain experience following an editorial schedule

We expect you to submit at least 1-2 articles a week, but we can be flexible based on everyone’s unique situations.

Once you have successfully published 20 articles (normally should take 3 months), you will have completed the fellowship and will receive a Digital Certificate to signify the completion of the program. You will also receive a letter of recommendation written by your mentor.

The expected program duration is 3 months.

3. Get Mentored by Seasoned Media Professionals

Your editor will teach you the basics of keyword research, SEO optimization, and self-promotion, and give you feedback on your pieces each week before publication.

HackerNoon will provide the fellow with interview opportunities with devs and professionals leading tech companies, and teach the fellow how to secure interviews on their own.

We can also provide free press passes to events or free video games (for our gaming writers) you’d like to cover.

At the end of the fellowship, your editor will help you improve your CV to highlight your experience at HackerNoon and you will be provided with an official Digital Certificate of Completion, which you can also add to your LinkedIn profile. 

What Can you Write About in The HackerNoon Blogging Fellowship?

Whatever you want within your chosen industry.

Your editor will guide you and help you understand what makes a good topic and what makes a good title. But at the end of the day, you get to choose what you write about within the stream you’ve chosen.

Program Requirements:

1. Strong grammar, punctuation, and formatting skills
2. A passion for writing
3. Knowledge and a passion to learn more about their chosen industry niche
4. A willingness to learn from the HackerNoon team and an openness to criticism

That’s it! 

You don’t need to be an experienced or published writer.

At HackerNoon, we’re willing to publish anyone who has a story to tell and takes the time to write their stories well!

Why Should You Join the HackerNoon Blogging Fellowship?

1. Build an online portfolio on a leading tech publication
2. Learn how to write for a digital audience
3. Experience working at a fast-paced fully remote tech publication
4. Get your name published alongside professionals from the world’s top tech companies
5. Set yourself up for full-time writing positions

Case Study: Jack Boreham

Jack is one of our best Blogging Fellows. When he started the fellowship, he was in the middle of his master’s degree at the University of Essex, while maintaining his personal blog, PixelPolitics.co.uk. 

“For me, adjusting my writing style to an online article/feature approach was tricky. I come from an academic background, so the adjustment was not easy. Likewise, making sure my work was well polished came as a challenge."

"On the flip side, my most gratifying moment was when an article would do really well, that I put a fair amount of time into. Seeing my writing skill grow over time was another gratifying moment. Limarc Ambalina couldn't have been a better manager/supervisor—great encouragement and constructive criticism that has shaped me as a writer. Writing for Hacker Noon has been a pleasure, due to the positive vibes and energy of the fellowship and leadership.” - Jack Boreham

While completing his master’s degree, Jack completed the HackerNoon Blogging Fellowship Program in the Video Game Industry stream.

Jack’s online digital portfolio went from this...to this in under 6 months.

In less than 6 months, Jack built up a portfolio and received 3rd-party validation from a world-leading tech publication.

He learned the basics of on-page SEO optimization, internal backlink strategies, and content promotion.

Jack also learned how to write for the internet, how to use visuals, headings, and line breaks to create the best possible reading experience.

Now, Jack is an experienced content writer that any publication or content marketing team would be lucky to have! 

When recruiters search Jack’s name, they can find his HackerNoon profile at the top of Google search results. And with one click, recruiters can see all of the amazing work Jack has published.

From blogging fellow to Editorial Director at Metaverse Insider

Under a year after Jack graduated from the fellowship, he became the Editorial Director at Metaverse Insider!

He now manages submissions from writers, conducts interviews, and leads editorial strategy for the website.

...

If you want to follow in Jack’s footsteps and set yourself up for a career in media, online publishing, or the tech industry, join the HackerNoon Blogging Fellowship today.

How to Apply

Our editors will be setting aside dedicated time each week to help improve your writing and mentor you throughout the blogging fellowship. Thus, we only have 10 - 20 spots available in the program each quarter. 

The sooner you apply, the higher your chances of securing a spot. 

Here’s how to get started:

1. Create an account on Hackernoon.com/signup
2. Fill out the application form: https://hackernoonbloggingfellowship.paperform.co

We're currently accepting applications for our July 2023 cohort. Good luck and keep writing!