One of the biggest blunders I see happening on oDesk all the time is the idea that clients control everything. Contractors have this flawed philosophy that their clients hold all the power in their contractor-client relationship.
True, clients are the ones who determine their budget... Can they afford to pay for the services that you're selling? Yes, or no?
But that's it. They don't determine what your payment is. You determine that. They don't determine what hours you'll work. You do.
Freelancing is a business, not a job. It's your business. And you need to take care of it. Have you ever seen one of those signs outside of a restaurant or other business, "We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to Anyone". This absolutely applies to you, too. Imagine that sign is hanging over your computer.
If you quote your rate to a potential client, and they say it's too high, you have a choice. You can decide to lower your rate or you can stick to your guns. The choice is yours, not the clients'. If you do decide that you want to lower your rates, it's up to you to determine how low you're willing to lower them. Don't bend to the clients' budget! If they tell you, "I can't pay more than $50 for this book to be edited" and you really want $75... then guess what. They can't afford you. Tell them to go find someone they can afford.
It is not an opportunity for you to say to yourself "I better take the $50 or I won't get the job". If you do that, you lose your power.
Think of it this way. Imagine that you have $3 in your pocket, and you want a cheeseburger. And not a fast food burger but a real cheeseburger. When you walk into the restaurant, their cheeseburgers are $7. What do you do? Do you demand they lower their prices just so you can eat one of their cheeseburgers? And let's say you did take a chance and talked to one of the managers, is he obligated to lower his price for you?
No. Chances are, you will find yourself leaving that restaurant and seeking out another place to find that cheeseburger. And chances are high that the place you will find yourself eating that cheeseburger will be at a fast food chain. Is that bad, well... that kind of depends on how you feel about fast food.
Running your freelancing business is the same thing. When a potential client walks up to you and says "I can only afford to pay $X" you can decide whether or not to accommodate him or send him to the fast-food-contractor. He doesn't determine your income... only you can do that.
And finding clients through oDesk is the same thing. Yes, it's frustrating because you can see bids on projects for ridiculously low offers. It's enough to make your head spin when you view a project and see that someone else has bid at $0.90 to build a web site. And it's even more frustrating when clients see these types of bids and expect that they will receive a $1500 web site for $35. But that doesn't mean you should take that project or even bid on it.
Remember, you're the contractor. Above all, you work for yourself - not anyone else. Therefore, you hold all the power in your business. Grab hold of your power and run with it... don't hand it off to anyone else.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
The biggest mistake new contractors make
One of the biggest mistakes that I see new contractors on oDesk fall into is, sadly, letting themselves be new. That is to say that they're waiting too long to learn how oDesk works.
Don't get me wrong. Every contractor at oDesk was new at one point in time or another. But I don't know what's going on with this latest wave of contractors. When I was new, the first thing I did was start reading the help section, checking out the forums, contacting support with stupid questions, and even watching the learning center videos. But now... not so much. There has suddenly been a flood of posts cluttering up the community forums asking for the same pieces of advice or complaining about having fallen victim to a scam.
And why are they falling victim? Because they aren't reading.
oDesk has an entire section of their web site dedicated to helping new contractors with advice, policies, examples, How Tos and Do Nots.
And what happens? At least half a dozen contractors today got sucked into working for free because a potential client emailed them, asked them to begin working, and then never bothered to hire them or start the contract. Half a dozen.
I love oDesk. And one of the reasons I like oDesk so much is because of the amount of help that it gives newcomers. But, my word, that advice isn't going to do you any good if you don't read it.
For goodness, sake... if you're a new contractor at oDesk, read the help section. Get to know how oDesk works and you won't fall victim to scams. If you have questions, ask the community, contact customer support or start reading. Or even ask questions here. Sure, it may look like I write this for my own entertainment, and in part, I do. But I would still be happy to answer any questions you have if it means I can help keep you away from the scams before it's too late.
Don't get me wrong. Every contractor at oDesk was new at one point in time or another. But I don't know what's going on with this latest wave of contractors. When I was new, the first thing I did was start reading the help section, checking out the forums, contacting support with stupid questions, and even watching the learning center videos. But now... not so much. There has suddenly been a flood of posts cluttering up the community forums asking for the same pieces of advice or complaining about having fallen victim to a scam.
And why are they falling victim? Because they aren't reading.
oDesk has an entire section of their web site dedicated to helping new contractors with advice, policies, examples, How Tos and Do Nots.
And what happens? At least half a dozen contractors today got sucked into working for free because a potential client emailed them, asked them to begin working, and then never bothered to hire them or start the contract. Half a dozen.
I love oDesk. And one of the reasons I like oDesk so much is because of the amount of help that it gives newcomers. But, my word, that advice isn't going to do you any good if you don't read it.
For goodness, sake... if you're a new contractor at oDesk, read the help section. Get to know how oDesk works and you won't fall victim to scams. If you have questions, ask the community, contact customer support or start reading. Or even ask questions here. Sure, it may look like I write this for my own entertainment, and in part, I do. But I would still be happy to answer any questions you have if it means I can help keep you away from the scams before it's too late.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Looking for projects on oDesk... Avoid these bad clients.
So, you're new to oDesk. And you're so excited because you've got your profile to look just perfect. And then it happens. Finally, you can start looking for that perfect milestone - your first job.
Except that it doesn't seem to be going very well, does it? There are thousands of potential projects posted up, and you only get 20 chances to apply. What do you do? How can you make sure you don't waste one of your applications on a scam? Are there scams?
Of course there are scams! The people who post projects at oDesk, just as in every other freelancing site, are humans. And whenever a demographic group of humans do anything, especially in business, there are always humans within the group who will try to run a scam. As a contractor, it's up to you to protect yourself. And the best way to do that is to learn how to spot the bad employers right up front.
First - The employers looking for a Rockstar. Feel free to replace the word "Rockstar" with Guru, Maestro, or Extraordinaire. Okay, not every client who uses these words is bad - but it's still a red flag to watch out for. Why? Because 95% of the time, clients who are looking for guru-extraordinaire are also looking for a guru-extraordinaire who can do it all. Most of the time, they actually describe 3-4 different jobs in these descriptions and they expect to pay just one person. Well, I'm pretty sure you already know, if you've dedicated time to specializing in anything, chances are you aren't a guru at everything. Most of the time, these jobs have unrealistic goals that end in unhappy experiences.
Second - The employer who will ONLY PAY $XX! Ugh, these are annoying. And as tempting as it might be for you to go "hm... maybe I should apply just to get the feedback...?" Stop. All you'll be doing is encouraging these employers who will realize that it's okay because contractors will bid. As soon as you see this phrase, move on. Don't waste your time.
Third - Employers looking to give you your big chance. Approach these posts with caution. There are a lot of clients who purposely seek out the new contractors because they know just how hard they're trying to find a job. Statistically, newcomers to oDesk fall to employer scams more than anyone else. And about 75% of the time, it's because of a job post that is "perfect for newcomers or contractors looking for feedback!"
Fourth - The employers requiring samples. Your cover letter, profile and portfolio should be enough to prove your skills and abilities to any client. Employers asking you to provide more than that are more than likely running a scam and asking the same thing from every applicant. Never work for free!
Fifth - The employer who claims that his job is simple. Most of the time, if the job description claims that it is so easy, so simple, will only take a few minutes... they just don't have a clue what the job entails. Yes, some jobs really are just so easy and so simple you can get them done in less time than it would take to log into the oDesk Team App to log your time. But most of the time, I've seen these jobs turn into something very different. Either more tasks and endless responsibilities piled on without any increase in money, or the employer really didn't know what he was asking for and the job ends up being much larger than he knew, or it's a bait and switch.
Any of these five items within a job description should act as a red flag for you - apply at your own risk. Not every employer who refuses to pay more than $XX for the next guru-extraordinaire who desperately needs feedback and is willing to send in a new, free sample is a scam artist. But approach these jobs with extreme caution. Do not jump in headfirst. Remember - freelancing is your business. And no one can run your business but you.
Except that it doesn't seem to be going very well, does it? There are thousands of potential projects posted up, and you only get 20 chances to apply. What do you do? How can you make sure you don't waste one of your applications on a scam? Are there scams?
Of course there are scams! The people who post projects at oDesk, just as in every other freelancing site, are humans. And whenever a demographic group of humans do anything, especially in business, there are always humans within the group who will try to run a scam. As a contractor, it's up to you to protect yourself. And the best way to do that is to learn how to spot the bad employers right up front.
First - The employers looking for a Rockstar. Feel free to replace the word "Rockstar" with Guru, Maestro, or Extraordinaire. Okay, not every client who uses these words is bad - but it's still a red flag to watch out for. Why? Because 95% of the time, clients who are looking for guru-extraordinaire are also looking for a guru-extraordinaire who can do it all. Most of the time, they actually describe 3-4 different jobs in these descriptions and they expect to pay just one person. Well, I'm pretty sure you already know, if you've dedicated time to specializing in anything, chances are you aren't a guru at everything. Most of the time, these jobs have unrealistic goals that end in unhappy experiences.
Second - The employer who will ONLY PAY $XX! Ugh, these are annoying. And as tempting as it might be for you to go "hm... maybe I should apply just to get the feedback...?" Stop. All you'll be doing is encouraging these employers who will realize that it's okay because contractors will bid. As soon as you see this phrase, move on. Don't waste your time.
Third - Employers looking to give you your big chance. Approach these posts with caution. There are a lot of clients who purposely seek out the new contractors because they know just how hard they're trying to find a job. Statistically, newcomers to oDesk fall to employer scams more than anyone else. And about 75% of the time, it's because of a job post that is "perfect for newcomers or contractors looking for feedback!"
Fourth - The employers requiring samples. Your cover letter, profile and portfolio should be enough to prove your skills and abilities to any client. Employers asking you to provide more than that are more than likely running a scam and asking the same thing from every applicant. Never work for free!
Fifth - The employer who claims that his job is simple. Most of the time, if the job description claims that it is so easy, so simple, will only take a few minutes... they just don't have a clue what the job entails. Yes, some jobs really are just so easy and so simple you can get them done in less time than it would take to log into the oDesk Team App to log your time. But most of the time, I've seen these jobs turn into something very different. Either more tasks and endless responsibilities piled on without any increase in money, or the employer really didn't know what he was asking for and the job ends up being much larger than he knew, or it's a bait and switch.
Any of these five items within a job description should act as a red flag for you - apply at your own risk. Not every employer who refuses to pay more than $XX for the next guru-extraordinaire who desperately needs feedback and is willing to send in a new, free sample is a scam artist. But approach these jobs with extreme caution. Do not jump in headfirst. Remember - freelancing is your business. And no one can run your business but you.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Can you Really Find Success at oDesk?
Yes, yes, YES...
This is probably one of the first questions that I get asked as a contractor at oDesk - is it possible to make a living there? The answer is inescapably, unequivocally, absolutely YES. Yes, it is possible to find success and financial security at oDesk. And to be honest, it isn't even that hard to do.
Well, at least, it isn't any harder than finding success anywhere else. If you're new to oDesk, you've probably already felt the stings of not getting hired because you have no experience. Well, how can you get experience if you can't get hired? Don't worry. It'll happen. The key is that you have to get out there and make it happen. prove that you are the best person in your field - convince that client that he would be a fool not to hire you.
Eventually, someone will take the bait - and you'll be able to prove it from there. And then, there will be no stopping you.
So what are the keys to finding success?
First, start small. Don't shoot off at the hip and start spamming every single $1,000,000 contract being offered... The chances of well established clients hiring new contractors over well-established contractors for a lot of money are very small. Find a contract that is smaller - maybe designing a blog instead of a whole web site... And start your bidding.
Do not, repeat, Do not ever lower your value. When you lower your value, you will lower your value to every client that goes through your profile. If the work truly deserves $15 an hour - then bid at $15. If you're not sure of what to bid, take a look at what the average bids are at the time you're applying. If they average out to $15 - bid at $15 ;)
Be very, very careful about where you apply. I get questions all the time about contractors not being able to find work, and bless their hearts - they're bidding on jobs and competing against 450-700 other people for the one job. Trust me, it's hard enough for me to stand out in a crowd of 700 people. And if you have no stars, feedback, or portfolio to help you stick out just a little bit more, then you probably won't even get seen. Again, no reason to panic. Just start by finding jobs that have fewer than 15 applicants - a much easier crowd to stand out in.
Make absolutely sure that you deliver on every promise - especially at the beginning. I know, things come up. Life happens, phones die, computers crash... It happens all the time. Hehee, it happened to me just at the beginning of this year - I went nearly two months without a reliable computer. And I didn't lose a single client, in fact, I gained two more!
In the online world of freelancing at oDesk, your reputation is built on your promises - and when you're new, it's all the more crucial that you do everything, absolutely everything, to deliver on those promises. Short of Solar Flares suddenly melting the Earth right beneath your desk and taking your cell phone, computer, lap top, and every single piece of paper and pen with it, you bend over backwards to protect your reputation. Get to a library, get to a friends house, walk to an Internet cafe, or even call oDesk for help in emailing whomever you need to email... Use every tool available to you and deliver.
You might not like the idea of having to walk that extra mile or three, but trust me - the karma gained from that extra walk will more than make up for it. And once you're established, you'll have a little more breathing room the next time life happens... it won't be such a panic.
Freelancing is not easy - if it were easy then everyone would be doing it, right? But it is possible and it can be very rewarding. Just keep at it, and you'll see. :)
This is probably one of the first questions that I get asked as a contractor at oDesk - is it possible to make a living there? The answer is inescapably, unequivocally, absolutely YES. Yes, it is possible to find success and financial security at oDesk. And to be honest, it isn't even that hard to do.
Well, at least, it isn't any harder than finding success anywhere else. If you're new to oDesk, you've probably already felt the stings of not getting hired because you have no experience. Well, how can you get experience if you can't get hired? Don't worry. It'll happen. The key is that you have to get out there and make it happen. prove that you are the best person in your field - convince that client that he would be a fool not to hire you.
Eventually, someone will take the bait - and you'll be able to prove it from there. And then, there will be no stopping you.
So what are the keys to finding success?
First, start small. Don't shoot off at the hip and start spamming every single $1,000,000 contract being offered... The chances of well established clients hiring new contractors over well-established contractors for a lot of money are very small. Find a contract that is smaller - maybe designing a blog instead of a whole web site... And start your bidding.
Do not, repeat, Do not ever lower your value. When you lower your value, you will lower your value to every client that goes through your profile. If the work truly deserves $15 an hour - then bid at $15. If you're not sure of what to bid, take a look at what the average bids are at the time you're applying. If they average out to $15 - bid at $15 ;)
Be very, very careful about where you apply. I get questions all the time about contractors not being able to find work, and bless their hearts - they're bidding on jobs and competing against 450-700 other people for the one job. Trust me, it's hard enough for me to stand out in a crowd of 700 people. And if you have no stars, feedback, or portfolio to help you stick out just a little bit more, then you probably won't even get seen. Again, no reason to panic. Just start by finding jobs that have fewer than 15 applicants - a much easier crowd to stand out in.
Make absolutely sure that you deliver on every promise - especially at the beginning. I know, things come up. Life happens, phones die, computers crash... It happens all the time. Hehee, it happened to me just at the beginning of this year - I went nearly two months without a reliable computer. And I didn't lose a single client, in fact, I gained two more!
In the online world of freelancing at oDesk, your reputation is built on your promises - and when you're new, it's all the more crucial that you do everything, absolutely everything, to deliver on those promises. Short of Solar Flares suddenly melting the Earth right beneath your desk and taking your cell phone, computer, lap top, and every single piece of paper and pen with it, you bend over backwards to protect your reputation. Get to a library, get to a friends house, walk to an Internet cafe, or even call oDesk for help in emailing whomever you need to email... Use every tool available to you and deliver.
You might not like the idea of having to walk that extra mile or three, but trust me - the karma gained from that extra walk will more than make up for it. And once you're established, you'll have a little more breathing room the next time life happens... it won't be such a panic.
Freelancing is not easy - if it were easy then everyone would be doing it, right? But it is possible and it can be very rewarding. Just keep at it, and you'll see. :)
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Five mistakes that new Clients make when hiring through oDesk
Okay, it had to be said sometime, right? If you haven't been to the community forums at oDesk lately, then you haven't seen all the insane complaints coming from clients and potential clients that got scammed. Some of them I feel genuine sympathy for. It's not fun giving so much of your time, money and effort into a project only to have some slouch run off with all your codes, scripts, money and graphics.
Contrary to popular belief, oDesk wants to see both contractors and clients succeed. They really don't side with one or the other, and most of their policies are built around a system that was designed to be fair and accommodating to both of them. So why are people still getting scammed? Because they don't read; they don't read the policies, they don't read the help pages, they don't read the advice in the forums... They just don't read. And if they did read, they wouldn't be making all these mistakes. So, for you clients who are hoping to find your next, best contractor through oDesk - please, please, please at least read this!
1. Do not automatically go for the lowest bidder. I know, it's so tempting. You post a project and receive 30-40 new applicants, all ranging right around $15-$20 an hour, and all look good - and then in comes that one person who bid at $2 an hour. Yes, it happens. But before you immediately start thinking about that $13 - $17 dollars you're going to save, try asking yourself why they're bidding at only $2 an hour.
Yes, it's true, oDesk is a global marketplace and people from every country are there - some with a cost of living that allows them to survive on $2 an hour and others that need a minimum of $15 just to pay for their Internet bills. But a difference in bidding of this magnitude is a red flag. I'm not saying that everyone who bids at $2 an hour is a scammer, or that they're lazy, or that they're not goo dat their job. They very well could be awesome... But before you go jumping onto that Hire button, at least try to find out more about that bid. Is it average for their region or country? Are they brand new and hoping to land a contract to establish their name? There are a number of reasons that could explain a lower-than-average bid... Just make sure you find the reason before you jump to hire.
2. Perform a real interview just as you would if you were asking applicants to walk into your office in person. oDesk does not run your business... you do. Ultimately, you're responsible for your hiring process - not oDesk. There are plenty of tools available for you to check on the relativity, skill-sets, and experience that an applicant has. Use those tools. Get on Skype, make a phone call, ask questions... Whatever process you would normally use to screen your applicants in person should be the same process you apply to your interviews online. And interviewing through an online forum becomes even more critical than before because you lose a very important aspect of communication - body language. So, to make up for that loss, you absolutely must not skimp on your interview.
3. Make sure your job postings are clear. I hear a lot of complaints about scammers when the truth is that the job posting wasn't clear to begin with, or the job suddenly changed after they've hired someone. And then they complain that the contractor they've hired wants more money. Well, of course they want more money - you changed the aspects of the job. If you've added new tasks to the job, they deserve to be paid for the extra work.
And if you're not sure of the difference between jobs or of the terminology to use - then stay away from using terminology. Use your own words. A lot of people don't know the difference between setting up a web site and designing a web site... and that's fine - that's why you're looking to hire someone to do either one or both, right? Just write up what you know about the job, and use clear terms to describe it.
4. Read through the policies and help pages on the oDesk web site. One of the most commonly missed policies is about disputing an invoice. You only have until Thursday at noon UTC to dispute any hours billed to your project during the previous week. And, to dispute the hours, you must contact customer support. Posting a complaint in the discussion forums, emailing oDesk, or flagging the contractor will not count - the department that handles disputes will not see it. And you will lose your money.
5. Use the oDesk Work Diary to watch your contractor's progress. Getting a contractor that you can communicate with easily is even better - and if you feel comfortable communicating with him or her, that's even better. Email progress reports are great. But, you must watch the work diary. Every time you hire a contractor, you will have the opportunity to create a team room or add them to one of your other teams. Then you can review the snapshots taken by the oDesk Team App, review their activity, and see any progress they are making. Supplement this tool with regular, open communications and you will be golden. Ignore this very important tool and you may get scammed.
When all else fails, of course, visit the oDesk community forums and see what other contractors and clients can advise on your particular problem, or visit customer support through the help link on the oDesk web site. Chances are, someone somewhere will have the answers you need - just make sure to ask.
Contrary to popular belief, oDesk wants to see both contractors and clients succeed. They really don't side with one or the other, and most of their policies are built around a system that was designed to be fair and accommodating to both of them. So why are people still getting scammed? Because they don't read; they don't read the policies, they don't read the help pages, they don't read the advice in the forums... They just don't read. And if they did read, they wouldn't be making all these mistakes. So, for you clients who are hoping to find your next, best contractor through oDesk - please, please, please at least read this!
1. Do not automatically go for the lowest bidder. I know, it's so tempting. You post a project and receive 30-40 new applicants, all ranging right around $15-$20 an hour, and all look good - and then in comes that one person who bid at $2 an hour. Yes, it happens. But before you immediately start thinking about that $13 - $17 dollars you're going to save, try asking yourself why they're bidding at only $2 an hour.
Yes, it's true, oDesk is a global marketplace and people from every country are there - some with a cost of living that allows them to survive on $2 an hour and others that need a minimum of $15 just to pay for their Internet bills. But a difference in bidding of this magnitude is a red flag. I'm not saying that everyone who bids at $2 an hour is a scammer, or that they're lazy, or that they're not goo dat their job. They very well could be awesome... But before you go jumping onto that Hire button, at least try to find out more about that bid. Is it average for their region or country? Are they brand new and hoping to land a contract to establish their name? There are a number of reasons that could explain a lower-than-average bid... Just make sure you find the reason before you jump to hire.
2. Perform a real interview just as you would if you were asking applicants to walk into your office in person. oDesk does not run your business... you do. Ultimately, you're responsible for your hiring process - not oDesk. There are plenty of tools available for you to check on the relativity, skill-sets, and experience that an applicant has. Use those tools. Get on Skype, make a phone call, ask questions... Whatever process you would normally use to screen your applicants in person should be the same process you apply to your interviews online. And interviewing through an online forum becomes even more critical than before because you lose a very important aspect of communication - body language. So, to make up for that loss, you absolutely must not skimp on your interview.
3. Make sure your job postings are clear. I hear a lot of complaints about scammers when the truth is that the job posting wasn't clear to begin with, or the job suddenly changed after they've hired someone. And then they complain that the contractor they've hired wants more money. Well, of course they want more money - you changed the aspects of the job. If you've added new tasks to the job, they deserve to be paid for the extra work.
And if you're not sure of the difference between jobs or of the terminology to use - then stay away from using terminology. Use your own words. A lot of people don't know the difference between setting up a web site and designing a web site... and that's fine - that's why you're looking to hire someone to do either one or both, right? Just write up what you know about the job, and use clear terms to describe it.
4. Read through the policies and help pages on the oDesk web site. One of the most commonly missed policies is about disputing an invoice. You only have until Thursday at noon UTC to dispute any hours billed to your project during the previous week. And, to dispute the hours, you must contact customer support. Posting a complaint in the discussion forums, emailing oDesk, or flagging the contractor will not count - the department that handles disputes will not see it. And you will lose your money.
5. Use the oDesk Work Diary to watch your contractor's progress. Getting a contractor that you can communicate with easily is even better - and if you feel comfortable communicating with him or her, that's even better. Email progress reports are great. But, you must watch the work diary. Every time you hire a contractor, you will have the opportunity to create a team room or add them to one of your other teams. Then you can review the snapshots taken by the oDesk Team App, review their activity, and see any progress they are making. Supplement this tool with regular, open communications and you will be golden. Ignore this very important tool and you may get scammed.
When all else fails, of course, visit the oDesk community forums and see what other contractors and clients can advise on your particular problem, or visit customer support through the help link on the oDesk web site. Chances are, someone somewhere will have the answers you need - just make sure to ask.
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