Finding Contract Work Online
Follow these five tips to make freelance bidding sites work for you.
Q: What are the pros and cons of
bidding for contract work on the web? I signed up on Guru.com and bid on 10
jobs with no acceptances. Is there any hope?
A: Yes, there is hope of getting
work on freelance bidding sites like Guru.com or Elance Online.
Here are five ways to improve your chances of becoming a successful
bidder:
1. Make sure the
biographical profile you submit to a site like Elance Online
or Guru.com reads well and has no typos or grammatical errors. It
should show your background in the field; your education, training
and credentials; the services you offer; and the range of your
rates. If you need help writing your profile, consider posting it
as a job on one of the freelance boards for a writer to help you.
You'll experience firsthand what it feels like to receive bids,
and you'll see what impresses you about the bidders.
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2. Put up a portfolio
with samples of your work. If you have them, include
testimonials from clients as text or audio files.
3. Don't place
your bids based on guesswork. Ask good questions about the
company or person seeking bids. Often, work descriptions are too
sketchy or leave gaps.
4. Propose payment
schedules that will show you're motivated to get the
work done in a timely manner, such as asking for a relatively low
initial down payment of 20 or 25 percent, with progress payments
based on agreed-upon milestones.
5. If you're
using elance online, consider becoming a select service
provider. This helps the positioning of your bid and means
your credentials have been verified. These steps won't
guarantee you work, but they will improve your chances.
Authors and career coaches Paul and Sarah Edwards' new
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