The Lady Programmer

Even though my recent posts on this blog are less on freelance and more on technology, blogging and social networks in general, I keep on getting emails asking me inside freelancer tips on how to get their first oDesk work assignment. For a while, I had been active in oDesk’s forum discussions, helping fellow Filipino freelancers land their own jobs. But ever since I’ve discovered blogging, I had already abandoned the forums in favor of learning new ways of making money online.

If you do not have an idea on how oDesk works, you can read an overview of this freelance site through this previous post, Get Paid by the Hour in oDesk, or see this video:

Now here are my additional tips for new freelancers in oDesk:

• Be one among the early applicants: Try to be among the first few applicants for the job. You don’t need to be the first one, but it always helps to be an early player. The buyer most likely reads the first few applicants then makes a decision to interview some guys. Also, if there is a job opening that was opened a few days back and has a few applicants, you may want to send an application too, provided that you are qualified enough for the job.
• Apply to less competitive jobs: Data entry jobs are the easiest jobs, but it can be quite difficult to land to such gigs because there are plenty of skilled freelancers who can do the job. Buyers often award those job assignments to those freelancers who gained good feedbacks and plenty of oDesk hours. It just needs basic computer skills to accomplish such job. Some freelancers decide to upgrade their skills to less competitive skills such as writing and graphic design because there is less competition and higher chances of landing such gigs.
• Learn new skills to meet the job demand: I had encountered this one when I started out this kind of freelance jobs. There are those jobs that are always in demand in oDesk. For instance, there is a demand for people who can do SEO jobs and web designers who can design SEO-friendly websites, so I had to learn this stuff.
• Don’t ignore the basics: Most newcomers are in a hurry to apply to jobs. Freelancing in oDesk does not work through sheer luck. Buyers are out to hire good providers who can do the job, so they are picky on which person to give their own projects because they don’t want to waste valuable time. Before applying to jobs, make sure that your profile is complete enough. If you don’t have something to put on your portfolio because you don’t have a job experience or past projects, you can always create mockups.
• Address the issue in the cover letter: In every job opening that I had applied with, I don’t have that generic format stored on my computer. If the job assignment specified what is required of the job, I make sure that I mention relevant experiences that will prove my capability of handling the job. Other times, I mention ways on how to solve what was asked in the job assignment. If the requirement is vague, I ask questions to show my interest in the job.
• Tests, tests and more tests: I had to agree that oDesk’s in-house tests are not that good because many of these tests are applicable to older software but for newcomer these tests are still helpful in building your profile by proving your capabilities.
• Don’t give up: This is one of the most common mistakes some new freelancers do. They apply to a few jobs then get rejection notices one after the other and get discouraged. It is true that new freelancers are less preferable over those ones who had earned some hours and good feedback. Eventually an oDesk provider who really learns how to apply to jobs, spruces up his profile every now and then and learned how to communicate to the buyer every now and then are the ones who are able to jump high with excitement and land on their first assignment.

10 Responses so far | Have Your Say!

1. 

   johnV
   March 25th, 2009 at 10:22 am #

   Very informative indeed, Gem. These are the essentials, people. So if you’re looking to land that first ODesk job, heads up. you’ve just found yourself a sun beam.

2. 

   Deron
   March 25th, 2009 at 11:04 am #

   This is a perfect roadmap for anyone trying to get started. I can’t even imagine how many people you will personally help with this information.

   Knowing yourself is probably another important thing. Making a self evaluation before jumping into the deep end is a good idea for everyone to do. Compare that evaluation against what the job market is looking for and from there you can take the steps as you mentioned to learn the new skills that need to be learned to be successful.

   Many people want to just jump into it and that is probably the worst thing they can do. If they do end up even getting a project then they may fail at it because they were ill-equiped and then they will have a negative feedback on their record which is the worst thing that can happen.

   Great article!

3. 

   berryblitz
   March 25th, 2009 at 5:16 pm #

   nice tips!!! i actually have an odesk account, and i forgot my username and password! anyway, i dont have time for odesk. but i will come back to this post of yours for sure if i would start freelance work in odesk.

   and your tips doesn’t only work in odesk. it applies to all jobs/freelance jobs.

4. Blogjoints.com | Rate this Article
   March 25th, 2009 at 8:18 pm #

   Freelancer Tips to Land on that First oDesk Work Assignment | The Lady Programmer…

   I’ve always received emails from new freelancers in oDesk asking me some freelancer tips on landing the oDesk work assignment. This post should be a definitive guide to make it on the way to the first job….

5. 

   Netbizsavvy
   March 27th, 2009 at 1:23 pm #

   I just shared this article at Pinoyexchange forum. Newbies are totally clueless about freelancing. I’d like to personally thank you for answering my email before about this kind of stuff(once upon a time I was a newbie too..lol).

6. 

   Nikki113
   March 27th, 2009 at 5:31 pm #

   Thanks for this tips. Very helpful and informative specially to those pinoy’s we are just starting to do freelance job at odesk…

7. 

   PinayProject
   March 31st, 2009 at 11:22 am #

   Thanks for this! I agree with you. Most of newbies at odesk would rather ask their Odesk provider friends thru instant messengers. This post is a helpful guide for them.

8. 

   Gem
   April 3rd, 2009 at 4:00 am #

   I’m happy that you shared this one over PinoyExchange. Thanks a lot!

9. 

   Isis
   June 25th, 2009 at 7:27 pm #

   Thanks for this post. A friend of mine texted me about oDesk today. So, I started researching it and landed on PinoyMoneyTalk, which in turn led me to this site.

   I’m still new at this blogging thing and I would like to be able to use my blog in the future as part of my portfolio when I decide to do more freelancing work. Right now, blogging and all the tasks related to maintaining & promoting my blog has kept me busy I’ve had little time to do anything else. And I’ve only been at it for a lil over a month.

   So, having a blog like yours – which is very informative – is a big inspiration to me. The fact that you can keep both going at the same time makes me feel less worried and anxious about my financial status – currently broke!- but hopefully not for long.

10. 

    Gem
    July 19th, 2009 at 11:33 pm #

    I was also broke for a time, but not too long too. When I still had a few skills to “sell” in oDesk, I went out to learn how to blog. One thing led to another, until I was ready to face freelancing again.