Freelancing, The Odesk Way!

Apart from all the other advice I can give you.  The most important thing to remember is to be determined and you’ll get what you want in life.

When I started out as a freelancer, I couldn’t take a risk and leave my fulltime job (40+ hours a week), I was always tired.  And I found it hard to find clients, when I did; I was either underpaid or stuck with job that really didn’t interest me.   But I stuck with my plan, I was determined and today I’m a lot better off than I was back then.

I tried every which way to find work, online sites, domestic clients, word-of-mouth marketing. But only one avenue was truly a payoff, ODESK.

To put it simply: Odesk is an online human resource contractor.  They provide small businesses, corporations and even individuals with a platform to outsource work.  And freelancers and even businesses with the means to find work and get paid.

This article is aimed at amateur freelancers who need help getting started, here’s why I selected Odesk and not any of the other, similar sites out there (Elance, Freelancer.com, Guru etc.):

Guaranteed payment for the time you work. 
Odesk guarantees payment on hourly-jobs, so you never have to worry about your hard work going in vein.  And even protects employers from unscrupulous freelancers.

Leave the accounting to them.
No accounting experience is required to ensure that your freelance finances are in check.  Odesk takes care of invoicing, timesheets and lets you pull up the records when you want them.

Work where you want, when you want and on jobs that really interest you.
All you need is the expertise, a computer and the internet.

Get paid what you deserve with an hourly rate.
Odesk offers thousands of jobs from employers that are will to pay you on an hourly basis.  And even provides you with the latest market trends based on your skillset, so you know you're being paid accordingly.

Access jobs from around the world.
From the United States of America, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Japan, China to Australia and the rest of the world.

No membership or upfront fees.
Odesk doesn’t charge you, until you’ve found a job.  Odesk keeps 10% of the your earnings once you have been paid.  It’s a fair deal, since they’re helping you find work and establish yourself..

Build your own business online.
If you’ve intentionally or unintentionally bitten off more than you can chew and found enough work, you can hire freelancers, negotiate a rate and have them work for you.
  
Here are some tips to help get you started:

Getting started.
Whether you’re an individual freelancer or a business looking for work: It’s simple; to start offering your services to employers you need to sign-up for an account, which doesn’t take too long.

Build a killer profile.
Writing a great profile is the first step towards success.  Your profile should emphasize on your expertise, experience and achievements and should be capable of drawing prospective clients instead of being a bore.  Here are some great tips.

Maintain an updated portfolio.
Odesk allows contractors (freelancers) to create and maintain an online portfolio, you can upload images, include descriptions and links to jobs you’ve done in the past.

Passing tests.
Odesk includes numerous online skill tests, which allow you to prove your capabilities.  The more tests you complete the more chances of scoring interviews with employers.

Applying to jobs.
Odesk allows employers to categorize jobs into sections according to the skills required.  For instance if you’re looking for web design jobs, simply visit that section and start applying to the jobs there.  When applying to jobs you are required to submit a cover letter for the employer to review.  Here’s a great article on writing a killer cover letter.

Start working.
Once an employer invites you to an interview, it’s up to you to seal the deal. Once the employer is satisfied and hires you, you can start working,

Odesk Team.
Odesk team allows you to log the hours you work and maintain an online work diary, so that your employers know you are working and can pay you accordingly.  Read more about Odesk team here.

Remember to read the Odesk Blog for informative articles from successful freelancers and employers.