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 »
When writing a resume, or in the case of online job marketplaces such as oDesk your profile, your objective should be a brief statement of what you can do, not what you want. Often, you'll see "stock" resumes with objectives stating something along the lines of: To obtain a position where I can maximize my management skills, quality assurance, ... more »
Everyone wants to be "in the loop", and everyone wants to know whether or not they've done a good job. This is understandable - it's human nature. Especially in the world of freelancing, our reputations as honest, hardworking providers are at stake. We all want to do a good job, and we want other people to ... 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 »
In an earlier post about cover letters, I mentioned a cover letter checklist. With every cover letter you write, whether it's applying on freelance job boards like oDesk or applying to a normal job, you'll want to be sure to include vital pieces of information. At the same time, however, you do not want to recycle your cover letters. ... more »