Q: What are the pros and cons ofbidding for contract work on the web? I signed up on Guru.com and bid on 10jobs with no acceptances. Is there any hope?

A: Yes, there is hope of gettingwork on freelance bidding sites like Guru.com or Elance Online.Here are five ways to improve your chances of becoming a successfulbidder:

1. Make sure thebiographical profile you submit to a site like Elance Onlineor Guru.com reads well and has no typos or grammatical errors. Itshould show your background in the field; your education, trainingand credentials; the services you offer; and the range of yourrates. If you need help writing your profile, consider posting itas 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.

2. Put up a portfoliowith samples of your work. If you have them, includetestimonials from clients as text or audio files.

3. Don’t placeyour bids based on guesswork. Ask good questions about thecompany or person seeking bids. Often, work descriptions are toosketchy or leave gaps.

4. Propose paymentschedules that will show you’re motivated to get thework done in a timely manner, such as asking for a relatively lowinitial down payment of 20 or 25 percent, with progress paymentsbased on agreed-upon milestones.

5. If you’reusing elance online, consider becoming a select serviceprovider. This helps the positioning of your bid and meansyour credentials have been verified. These steps won’tguarantee you work, but they will improve your chances.

Authors and career coaches Paul and Sarah Edwards’ newbook is The Best Home Businesses for People 50+.Send them questions at www.workingfromhome.com or in care ofEntrepreneur.