How to Become an oDesk Freelance Provider

Ever since I started my freelancing career with oDesk, a lot of people have been asking me how they should go about the registration process as a freelance provider. I figured it may not be as easy as registering for an email account that I decided to post oDesk's registration instructions here.

So, to you folks out there, this is for you:

1. Click on this link to go to start your oDesk registration

2. Click on the 'Create an Account' link in the upper right hand corner of the oDesk homepage.

3. Select Freelance Provider - I want to earn money as an independent contractor.

4. Fill out the form that appears. Double check all your entries before you click the continue button.

NOTE: Pay special attention to the Username box. It will be automatically filled out by oDesk (usually, it will be a combination your first initial and last name). You will not be able change your username after your account has been created.

5. You will see the 'Post your Profile: Checklist'. You have to complete all four sections before you can start applying to jobs.

6. Check the email address you provided in step 2 above. Look for an email with the subject: Please verify your email address. Click the link in the email, or paste the URL into your browser. When the page loads, press 'Click here to continue.'

7. Fill out your contact information. You must provide a Yahoo Messenger ID (for interviewing with buyers), phone number (in case oDesk needs to contact you about your account), City, Country, and Timezone. Although not required, we would appreciate your letting us know how you heard about oDesk - please be as specific as possible. Double check all your entries before you press the Save and Continue button.

NOTE: Be especially careful when selecting a country. It will not be user-editable in your profile (you'll have to contact oDesk support if you need to change it).

8. Now you are ready to complete the initial setup of your oDesk profile. Select the job categories you are interested in. Check the box next to Job Alerts if you want to receive job listing updates via email (you'll be able to set up an RSS/Atom Feed later, if you prefer). Select a Primary Role (the job title that sounds most like what you're looking for). Set the Hourly Rate to display in your profile (buyers will see the calculated total). Select your availability (between 5-40 hours per week). Fill in a title for yourself, and try to make it sound interesting. Double check all your entries before you press the Save and Continue button.

9. Review the oDesk Marketplace User Agreement. You may click the Printable version link for a file you can save for your records. After you've reviewed the User Agreement, you will need to check the box to indicate that you agree to our terms, conditions, and policies. Then press the Save and Continue button.

10. Now you should have a green check mark next to all four steps on the profile checklist. Press the Post my Profile button to officially list yourself as an oDesk provider.

11. You'll be taken directly to the Profile & Settings portion of the My oDesk tab. You should begin to fill out the rest of your profile right away.

All oDesk providers must pass the oDesk Readiness Test. You cannot apply to job openings unless you are oDesk Ready. This open book test is designed as a tutorial to help familiarize users with oDesk policies and practices. (effective June 4, 2008)

That's it! Congratulations! You're on your way now to earning dollars weekly! If you still have questions on how to go about the process, you are free to email me: jc.wfh.888 (AT)gmail(DOT)com.

Good luck and Happy oDesk Gig Hunting!

Related posts:

Tips on How to Get That First oDesk Assignment

Earning from Home

Tips on How to Get that First oDesk Assignment

First off, I would like to congratulate those people who signed up on oDesk recently. You are on your way to earning a good weekly income. To those who have not signed up yet I suggest you do (Here's the link).

For those who don't have any idea of what I'm talking about, you may check out my blog post about earning from home. You'll also see my weekly earnings there.

Next, ever since I posted a screenshot of my weekly earnings from oDesk, a lot of people have been asking me how I did it. I figured it would be best to post some tips that could help oDesk newbies out there to land on that first assignment.

Here goes…

1. Spruce up your profile. Remember that there are thousands of oDesk providers that have the same skills as you do. You need to be assertive enough to market yourself to get that first oDesk assignment. Check out other profiles to get ideas on how to do it.
2. This next tip is very important. Remember that the first thing an oDesk buyer looks at is your hourly rate. If you've just registered and haven't received any assignments yet, it would be best to go for a low rate first. Believe me, it works. I cannot stress enough how important this is. I guess I can only tell you that a lot of my fellow oDeskers were surprised to learn that I got my first assignment in less than a month while they had to wait for several months to get their first gig.
3. Never go tired of applying.
4. Be the first to check out the new Job openings at oDesk everyday. Although oDesk sends you a daily update thru email of the latest job openings, you would be at an advantage if you get to apply while there's still a short list of applicants.
5. While waiting, take tests that match your skills. Show scores that really prove that you have mastered your skill. You wouldn't want an oDesk buyer to see a score of 2.5 out of 5.0 in Article writing if you are promoting yourself as an article writer.
6. Prepare a good cover letter. When I say good, it must be really good. Ready made cover letters are good, but if you are really serious about your application, it would be best to come up with something that is tailored to the needs of your prospective buyer.
7. Be available on instant messengers for a chat interview. If you mentioned in your cover letter that you'll be available on Skype or Yahoo Messenger from 8am to 12pm Eastern Standard time, then you have to be online during that timeframe.
8. Once an interview is finished, send a thank you email to the buyer. It may sound redundant since you would be thanking the interviewer at the end of the chat session. But believe me, it helps. Remember, you are not the only one who's being interviewed by that buyer.
9. Build a good relationship with your buyer. Make sure that you meet his needs (don't overdo it though). Building a good relationship has a lot of lasting benefits. Not only will it help you get a good feedback score at the end of the assignment, you also increase the chances of getting your buyer hire you again for future assignments. That I guess is the most fulfilling part – establishing trust.
   

Once you've followed these tips, and have successfully ended an assignment with a good feedback score (that's 5 stars, of course), you now have the option to either stay with your current rate if you're already comfortable with it or take it a notch higher, if you think you're worth it.

Happy Job Hunting!

Related posts:

Earning from Home

How to Become An oDesk Freelance Provider

Making Money Online through Writing – The PLR Way (Part 1)

What is PLR? How does it work?

It’s no secret that one of the many sure ways to make money online is through writing. But how do you actually cash in on this? You can do it in many different ways – either you get yourself hired as a web content writer or web copywriter, or you can also go freelance (Most online writers have their own preferences).

But if you’re already into online writing, you definitely have to check out PLR, or Private Label Rights, as a great money making opportunity. It might sound complicated (like it’s some sort of financial, legal matters in court), no it’s not. Basically, these are just for sale articles or write ups. You write an article, then you sell it to somebody else and they’re free to use it for whatever purpose they want. Usually these are sold by bundles or packages of 2 or more articles at a time on 1 topic or subject.

Well, you can generally consider it as web content writing, because most of the time these are used as website content. The good news is that many web owners are on the look out for these, because it probably cost cheaper than hiring an online writer. So you’re pretty much like an online ghostwriter now, but, here’s the big difference – you’re not employed. You still write but you’re the boss.

So, you can consider it as an online job and business at the same time. A job, because you do the work – you write, and a business, because you also sell your write ups.

And here’s another advantage of PLR--- a package of articles can be sold and resold a number of times to different people. If you’re selling a package of 10 articles for $10 and you managed to sell it to somebody, it’s not exclusive. You are free to resell the same set of articles to others as well. It’s like having 1 product and selling it to 5 different customers and you get 5 times the profit.

Now you might be wondering, how can this happen? It doesn’t look good to find 2 competitor websites having the same web content. Somebody could be in danger of plagiarism. Well did I mentioned that, when somebody buys PLR articles, he owns them and is free to do whatever he wants with them? I just did. Meaning, he can also change or edit the article if he so wished (and you cannot do anything about it). It’s the usual practice nowadays, because naturally website owners know that PLRs are not exclusively theirs. There - problem solved.

Next post: Part 2 of PLR. So, stay tuned!

Work from Home Job Sites for Filipinos

A lot of my friends have been asking me where they could apply for jobs that will allow them to go freelance or work from home. I remember receiving an email two weeks ago asking about sites for online jobs. Although I replied with helpful answers, I thought it would be best to come up with a list of Filipino job sites for telecommuters and post it here. 

1. Bestjobs.ph 

They really live up to their name. This is where I was able to get most of my gigs in the past. For most people who want to try to work from home, Bestjobs.ph is one of the many freelancer sites that you can visit. They offer the basics of every freelancing site like free registration, job postings and bids. One unique thing about them though is they allow their users to create a web address for future employers to view. To filter home based or work from home jobs, simply type the keywords "home based" or "work from home" and it will give you the results that you need.

2. Filipino Freelancers 

Site specifically designed for Filipino freelancers which offers a wide array of jobs from Account to Instructor, from Marketing Specialist to Translator. Tabs include a page for Employers, Freelancers and Job postings. 

3. Pinoylancer 

Pinoylancer.com is a decent place to get quality freelance job. Site interface is clean and easy, and registration is free. Gigs are sorted through different categories although the site cannot really boast of an extensive pool of job offers. 

4. Bayanweb 

Bayanweb.net is a site for freelancers to look for jobs, post their resume, learn new skills and be a part of a community with “growing potentials.” Articles ranging from basic and to intermediate level tutorials are developed by senior Bayanweb members and by the site as well. Skill evaluation is also offered, as well as task “level up” where you care given more challenging tasks from time to time. 

5. Writers.ph 

Writers.ph is a website that would allow people, who have chosen to work from home as a freelance writer, decide if it’s really the job for them. Users can choose on the genre that they want to use, and their area of expertise. Registration is free and payment scheme is very flexible. 

6. Essays.ph 

Philippine’s Premiere Online Writing Community. Most of the assignments taken are based on provider’s preferred time and availability. While working at home is an option, working in their office is preferred to “manage you better.” Promotions, salary increase and other perks are available for providers who will work long term. 

7. Careerjet.ph 

The site, in effect, does not really offer the jobs posted but are actually jobs searched from different job finder’s site, collated and categorized, and presented or displayed on the page. While freelance jobs in the Philippines is a rarity, you can filter your search and include Asia or World-Wide in your search to start searching for freelance jobs outside the Philippines. 

8. Sulit.com.ph

Sulit.com.ph provides its users a free web space to post jobs and products to sell while interacting with the entire Sulit community. Site also offers paid banner ads but registration is free. 

9. Applyna.com 

If you are a job seeker and you want to find jobs “specifically catered to Filipinos,” you might want to give this site a look. Job categories include marketing, tourism, healthcare, manufacturing and a lot more. They also have a resume wizard to help people get started with their resumer. 

10. http://ontue.com 

The site’s distinct feel lies on the fact that it is specifically created for Filipino teachers. If you are a teacher, you can post your resume here and have prospective students search you by age, gender, city, major and webcam availability.  

Happy Job Hunting!

How to Make $100 a Day

Would you like to find out how to make $100 a day with zero investment? 

I'm actually on an experiment at the moment. I've so far come up with a list to test and find out how I can earn $100 a day in the next coming weeks. Care to give it a try, too?

1. How to Make $100 a day with Google Adsense

2. Blue Hat SEO's How to Make $100 a Day

3. How to Effectively Use Your Time to Become a $100/Day Freelance Writer

4. 20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online

5. You Can Make $100 Per Day Online Using Public Domain Content

Again, let me stress that this an experiment -- I still have yet to find out if any of these would work or not. Choose any from the list at your own discretion. If any of it works, share us your story.

Earning from Home

I know I haven’t been able to go into the details of how I’ve been earning from home during my previous posts. Not that I intended to do it. I’m saying this because some have actually emailed me saying, “When are you gonna give us the juicy part of earning from home?” Sorry if I have kept you in suspense.  I have really allotted a lot of time to gather all the good stuff so I could give it to you blow by blow.  Besides, it would defeat the purpose of getting you guys geared up first if you’d eventually be at a loss when you decide to immediately start earning. Believe me, it’s more financially rewarding if you’re able to have the right mindset first.

Let me give you a glimpse now of the so-called “juicy part” of earning from home:

Freelance Job Sites. There are hundreds out there, but the most that really give me one gig after another is a site called oDesk.  Payout is every week thru either Paypal or Payoneer (although there are other methods of payments, these two are the best ones for me)

oDesk was also the same site who sent me one reject email after another when I was just starting… It really pays to be patient (literally). 

By Earning from Blogs.  Just exactly what I’m doing right now with this site.  Those ads can work wonders in giving you another means for earning from home. With just a little SEO and proper ad placement plus some strategy to drive traffic, you’re on your way to making a second source of (passive) income.  

Below are my money makers as of to date:

Google Adsense

Chitika

Bidvertiser

I’ll leave it up to you to choose which of the above earning from home options work for you. If you ask me, it wouldn’t hurt to have one active and one passive income ;-).

Related posts:

Tips on How to Get that First oDesk Assignment

How to Become An oDesk Freelance Provider

 

The Essentials For Freelance Work

Efficiency = Skills + Discipline + Reliable Technology.

This is what I call my work from home formula. My toolkit. My mantra.

Discipline

While it may be true that freelance work or working from home gives you more freedom than when confined in an office with people monitoring your activities all the time, it should be noted that this kind of freedom should still be coupled with discipline --- twice the discipline that you once had when you were still reporting to an immediate superior.

The reason for employing discipline is simple: We are being paid for our output.

I remember one client of mine, a very nice guy, who had to hire a new set of people (I was part of that “new set”), as he could no longer afford to keep chasing on his former staff for deliverables. It was so ironic that the reason why he hired people was to free up his time and allow him to do more important things for his business, like get new clients, yet only ended up getting tied down because he had to baby sit his staff.

This should be very basic - Discipline promotes productivity and cost effectiveness, both which are essential for your client’s business.

If you want to be a keeper, bear this big “D” in mind. Put quotes about it on your wall, workdesk, or any part of your workplace area. Read it. Live it.

Skills

You need not have a wide range of skills to stay competitive. Just focus on one or two and you’ll do fine. Focus on that one that you are really passionate about.

1. Update your skills. Learn about new technology that could help you with it.

It pays to be aware of the current trends being used. In my case, I do a lot of project management. Although there are a lot of really good project management tools out there, I still would like to know which ones are the most cost effective and more suitable to my clients’ requirements.

2. Build your portfolio.

While a good portfolio gives a client more basis to hire you for your skills, it also gives you a reference of how you continuously evolve in improving your craft. Make every work your masterpiece. Always work as if it were your last.

3. Read and learn from the experts

It helps to learn from the experts. Find out how they started, find out what makes them marketable and learn from their achievements.

Reliable Technology

Take note: Reliable, but not necessarily the latest.

If you’re a newbie, it would be more practical to just get a piece of equipment that would serve its purpose.

1. A reliable PC

Honestly, the first pc that I bought when I started to work from home was just a second hand Pentium IV, and boy I must tell you, it worked wonders for me --- not bad with a 512MB RAM, a 40GB hard drive, and a network card that would allow it to connect to DSL – especially since most of the work that will be done is just admin-related.

2. A DSL connection

Two things to consider: speed and reliability.

Sometimes, we confuse the speed of our PC as also the speed of our connection. On my next blog post, I will show you some tips on how to rule out PC problems and internet connection problems.

Reliability. How many times have you called your ISP complaining about unreliable connection? Honestly, I’m guilty of that. It pays to ask around first before subscribing.

3. A dial-up connection or wireless USB connection

It helps to have a backup in case your DSL connection fails. Take note though that not all of the bandwidth that you use for DSL can be accommodated by these 2 backups. There are times when you have to only use one instant messenger (I’m guilty of using 2 or 3 at a time) for the time being. Nevertheless, these two would still come in handy, unless your other backup is another DSL connection. That’s a different story, of course.

Next post: Stay tuned for tips on how to troubleshoot your pc problems (before calling your local technician).