Tips for new oDeskers
Submitted by sophieworks on Jun 10, 2009 – 4:27 pmNo Comment
Hi there! Getting started in oDesk can sometimes be overwhelming. Especially since you are new to this kind of environment.
It takes time and persistence to succeed in this type of job but lucky for you it doesn’t take that long either. A couple of weeks or months perhaps.
I’d like to share with you some of the things that I did which I think helped me as I started in oDesk. Hope this will help you too!
- Apply only to a Buyer who has an oDesk Verified Payment method seal. This means that oDesk has verified that the Buyer’s financial account is active and that the Buyer is ready to pay you once your work log is approved.
- Apply only to hourly-paid jobs. This will ensure that you get paid for the work that you do, since oDesk has a payment-guarantee only for hourly-paid assignments and not for fixed-price assignments. If you are interested in applying to a fixed-price job, check out the Buyer’s Assignment History first. Check out if the Buyer has good feedback. It would be best if the Buyer has fixed-price jobs in his History and you can see the payments the Buyer made.
- Apply to more recently posted jobs. You will increase your chances of getting an interview if you are among the first 5 candidates, or first 10 candidates, so that your profile will most likely be viewed by the Buyer as he goes down the list of Candidates. If you’re way down the list, your Buyer might already be interviewing or hiring someone in the front of the list.
- Apply only to jobs that you are qualified for and have skills for. Provide samples of related work. If you’re applying for a writing job then attach a Word file with samples of articles you wrote, or provide a link to blogs you authored. If you’re applying as a graphic artist, attach a sample of your images or make sure that your portfolio contains work you’ve already done.
- Write a good cover letter. Respond to the buyer’s questions and supply relevant information, this will ensure that your cover letter is not regarded as Spam or will not be perceived as a standard copy-and-paste application letter. Highlight not just your technical skills, but also your soft skills, your strengths. For example, you can say "I am extremely reliable, patient and hardworking." Make sure also to check your cover letter for spelling and grammatical errors.
- In your cover letter, always provide your online messenger account where the Buyer can contact you. I suggest you start off with a Yahoo Messenger ID as most Buyers have this or can at least access this online.
- Bid low on your initial projects. Some Buyers prefer oDesk Providers who have already worked certain hours, but they do make an exception for a skilled Provider who is affordable. It will certainly help you land your first job. As you start to build your reputation in oDesk and receive good feedbacks from Buyers, you can slowly increase your bids to new projects.
- Try to be online most of the time to catch the recently posted jobs. If you have applied for jobs already and are just waiting for an interview invitation, and you really need to be offline, make sure you’ve set up your Yahoo Messenger to send messages to your mobile phone. There’s a Sign Out to Mobile option in the Yahoo Messenger client. This will ensure that you don’t miss any messages and you can even reply to Buyers thru your mobile phone.
I’m sure there are still a lot of tips you can try, these are just the basics but I’m confident that if you follow these you will not have a hard time. Enjoy and happy oDesking!
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