Navigating oDesk for Newbies…

I just joined oDesk in November 2008, after my Mother-in-law saw the site featured on GMA’s Great American Job Fair. I have to tell you, this was not necessarily the best time to join oDesk. I was one of thousands of “newbies” worldwide flocking in for a chance to find work. I have to say that I was a little skeptical at first, especially after signing up and reading some quite negative posts in the forum about low pay rates and buyers requesting experienced providers. Being the perpetual optimist that I am, I decided to ignore the negativity and see what I could accomplish.

I’ve learned many things about oDesk in the two months I’ve been a member. First and foremost is :

The importance of your profile

Having a complete profile is essential to success on oDesk. I spent my first week setting up my profile and taking all the free certification tests I could before I even started applying for assignments. Your profile is an online representation of your capabilities. If that doesn’t look professional, it’s pretty hard to convince a prospective buyer that you’re a professional.

Take the time to edit and proofread it carefully. Imagine applying for a writing position, and the prospective buyer finds your profile full of typos. Fill out the profile completely. Detail skills and experience, and back it up with high test scores and certifications. Show examples of your best work. Which leads me to lesson number two…

The importance of your portfolio

You need to have a strong portfolio to break through the “No oDesk experience” barrier. Many of the job postings I see on oDesk prefer providers with at least 1 hour billed. Many buyers may also want to see recent samples of your work. So how do you get that first assignment if you’re new to freelancing? What if you don’t have any samples to link to?

Simple answer: create some. You can write a few articles, publish a blog or design a simple web page. Draft a few business templates or record a voice sample.  Produce a few high quality samples for buyers to see when they pull up your profile, and your work will speak for itself. Now you need to get buyers to look at your profile.

The importance of your cover letters

All the hard work you’ve put into your profile and portfolio won’t do you any good if buyers never see it. This is why your cover letter is so important. Your cover letter is the first thing a potential buyer sees after you apply for an assignment, and it is very important that you take the time to personalize every one. Generalized cover letters are usually passed over quite quickly as spam applicants.

Think of your cover letter as a sales pitch. Any good sales pitch needs to be focused toward its audience. Read the entire job description carefully to make sure you can provide the requested skills/services. Address the specific needs of the buyer in your cover letter, and let the buyer know how you can fill them. A general outline for your cover letters would go something like this:

1. Your introduction – Briefly tell the buyer a little bit about yourself, and mention any experience you have relative to the job post.
2. Skills introduction – Go over specific skills/education/certifications you have that are directly related to the buyer’s needs.
3. Questions – Make sure to ask the buyer any questions you might have related to the job posting. Answer any questions the buyer included in the post.
4. Additional information – Provide the buyer some additional information about your work habits, efficiency, estimated turn around time for a project, availability, etc.
5. Samples – Attach one or two portfolio samples relevant to the opening.
6. Closing – Include times you are available for interview in case the buyer has questions.

After six weeks of trial and error, polishing my profile and learning about the oDesk market, I have finally earned my first billable hour. You won’t get rich quick here, but you can build a reputation and customer base if you’re willing to put some work into it.

For more information on how oDesk works, read Make More Money.