When it comes to intellectual property, there is only one exception to the rule that everything you create belongs to you: Work for hire. When you sign the oDesk Marketplace Agreement (along with other freelance board agreements), you are giving up the rights to everything you create, and it becomes property of the buyer - all work produced ... more »
Up until now, my posts have been strictly provider-centric - there are many ways that a provider can get scammed or lose out on an opportunity because they just don't know any better. Buyers, however, are just as susceptible to "wrongdoing" in the freelancing world. It's nice to think we can find someone to do ... more »
One thing that comes up often in the oDesk Community Forums is the topic of rates. More specifically, people assuming that what they are being paid is a wage, therefore demanding a minimum to be set. What a lot of people new to freelancing aren't aware of is that they are not paid a wage, rather a contract ... more »
Often, when browsing jobs on sites like oDesk, the occasional job will appear where a buyer requests providers be "tested". Now testing, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. Many buyers (myself included, when I post data entry jobs) will give all interviewees the same test to complete to see who can follow directions. Many buyers make it ... more »