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3 oDesk Challenges and Tips to Resolve Them

November 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Now, although freelancing is a great way of earning great income, as with all things there are pitfalls you need to be mindful of.

oDesk ChallengesThese issues I’m about to bring up may sound like things you’ve encountered in your work-place before, but be warned that they can cause you untold problems and unnecessary stress.

Challenge #1 – The vague request. The customer tells you to write a couple of articles for him in a general topic, say stress. Now, there are tons of things you can write about, but thanks to the fact that he wasn’t very specific, you end up writing loads of stress-related articles for him, and he ends up throwing half of them away, saying it’s not what he wanted…

Wouldn’t it have been better if you made sure he was more specific about his requests first?

Tip: Always, always make sure you know exactly what the requirements are on any job posting you’ve accepted. If you are not totally clear, ask. Make sure you understand in totality what the employer is looking for. Ask if they have a certain angle they want you to follow or if they’re not sure, you can throw suggestions into the mix.

Challenge #2 – Payment. We all know that there are nice customers and there are customers from the pit of hell. Imagine not getting paid after loads of time and effort put into a project.

Tip: Try using an external e-commerce service. The gentleman’s agreement is nice but I wouldn’t recommend it. There are many so called “spammers” out there just lining up to take advantage of you. Just make sure if you are working on a “fixed” project that you ask for some kind of payment up-front. If the employer is legitimate, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Challenge #3 – Project workload. You may attempt to take on almost every project you can get your hands on, but that’s not the way to work. In fact, you’ll be hard pressed for time, delay other clients and everyone is extremely unhappy.

Tip: Create a sort of schedule system and be prepared to reject 1 or 2 projects. After all, your reputation is at stake and if you can’t finish your work or make a mess out of it, news will travel fast. I know the money you make is your livelihood. However, you can’t be so bogged down that deadlines are missed or your work starts to reflect less than what you know you can deliver.

At the end of the day, be streetwise in your dealings, because not every situation is gonna be a nice one. Handle them one at a time. Ask lots of questions and get feedback from your employer before you start any project.

After all, this is YOUR freelancing business. Treat it as such. For more tips click here now!

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oDesk… Scam Or Not?

November 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

All you have to do is type in Google the words “oDesk Scam” and you’ll have a parade of articles – blog posts and forum discussions on this very issue.

oDesk ScamI’ve read many of the so called “oDesk Scam” posts and what seems to jump out at me is that all these oDesk scams have one thing in common…

It’s not the oDesk website itself that is a scam, but the employers and contractors taking advantage of each other is where the scam lies and has seemed to originate from.

Like any other Internet service today, for every honest, professional person trying to make a decent living, there are many thugs just waiting in the wings to take people’s money unethically. Unfortunately, that’s our society we live in.

Is oDesk a Scam?

From my experience, oDesk itself is NOT a scam. Here’s why I think that…

oDesk has grown exponentially in the past couple of years, with thousands of employers – contractors and job postings. Every company growing at such a speed will encounter growing pains, while problems will arise that need tended too.

oDesk is bound to bring in idiots on both sides, as well as sites like Elance, Freelancers and other online marketplaces. (Type them in Google to see for yourself) Believe me, they all have this same problem from time to time.

However, when I was sifting through the oDesk scam forum posts, I did see some that some generated a direct response from oDesk, taking into consideration the specific issue that a contractor or employer was complaining about. The response either explained it or the person was reassured that steps would be taken to look into it. That’s a great step in the right direction; listening to both party’s concerns and making adjustments to try and resolve them.

Another thing to keep in mind is that just like in other companies…anywhere, you’ll have disgruntled employees – bosses – managers etc.. oDesk is no different. What’s happening is that the employers and contractors both feel like they’ve been duped for whatever reason. Now I’m not saying all the time, however some of the posts were just people complaining about the actual work from one side or the other.

So it’s not the oDesk website that’s a scam…it’s the people using it.

With our world evolving at a lightning speed, I think both employers and contractors do not take the time, serious time, to read and learn all the rules and procedures that oDesk puts out there. This is a must if you really want to safeguard yourself. I know for myself- it’s hard to go through all the information and completely understand it all. But that’s why it’s there.

But guess who does take serious time to read through it all?

oDesk scammers. You betcha they read through every rule – regulation – procedure and find all the teeny-tiny holes they can blow wide open to make themselves a pile of money…your money. They bank on you not knowing what you’re doing. And it works…

In closing;

I hope to continue to see that oDesk is taking an active approach to secure their employers and contractor’s positive online experience. I for one have had great success on oDesk But I have to say, I’ve encountered a couple of “shady” employers myself. And I’m as equally sure that oDesk scammers will continue to scour the oDesk website – finding new ways to beat it…beat you.

My motto? Screw me once, shame on you. Screw me twice…shame on me!

So if you still think oDesk is a scam, you have the option to report that abuse. But make sure you are not convicting the actual website if you’ve had a specific – unethical incident either as an employer or a contractor. I think it’s time to get the word out about the real oDesk scammers and expose them for who they really are and give the oDesk website a break to work it all out.

What say you? Leave a comment…

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Odesk Everyday…Practical Tips

November 9, 2011 By 1 Comment

Working from home as an oDesk freelancer is an absolute dream. You set your own schedule – work as much or as little as you want – choose only the jobs you enjoy and basically have total control over your freedom and finances.

Odesk TipsHowever, sometimes we get so caught up in all the projects we’re juggling, that when everyday distractions start breeding, we can get very irritated and completely thrown off track. And for good reason.

The general population that works outside the home can have their distractions, but for the most part…they’re left alone to focus and do their job.

Sometimes when working at home…it’s not that easy.

For example: Unless you take your phone off the hook, it will ring. Whether it be a family member or friend or those irritating telemarketing calls. But it’s just enough to put a damper on your creativity and focus even for a few seconds.

We all want to succeed in our freelancing careers. We all need to make the best out of our environment and working conditions.

Odesk Tips

Below are 3 important practical Odesk tips to apply while working in your home office that should make your day go a little bit smoother and a whole lot more productive.

1) Set your hours and keep them. This can be somewhat challenging and easier said than done. Our flexibility is what seems to draw our friends and family members to call or stop by unannounced. Just this week, I had a friend phone me twice wanting to go walking in the park – my Mother doesn’t drive so she called wanting me to drop off a book of stamps – my Husband needed help packing for a hunting trip and my niece needs help with a book report that has to be done in 2 days.

So…hello people! I’m working…

Let them know, this is when you’re working and to call you after hours.

I’m an early bird, so my best time to work is your usual 8am-5pm day job. As hard as it is to say NO…I really have got to stick with my schedule if I want to be productive.

Let all friends and family know you can’t be disturbed unless of course it’s an emergency between (in my case) 8-12…1-5…period. If I was working outside the home, I’d rarely get interrupted.

If you start to deviate from your schedule, others will think this is acceptable all the time.
My recommendation? Don’t start it if at all possible.

2) Eliminate distractions. One thing I didn’t have for a long time was a door to close off my home office. The dog would trample around, chewing on her bone and anyone that came to my door could see in and know that I was home.

Close off your office. Hang a sign on the door if you have to; Do Not Disturb.

Another distraction is the TV – radio or music playing. Now some people enjoy a little background sound which is fine. A little soft music(or loud) whichever helps you concentrate. Everyone is different. But if you do find these devices distracting, shut them all off.

3) Get yourself comfortable. If you’re not sitting in a comfortable position or a great chair, chances are you’ll be distracted. Constantly squirming – moving your chair up or down – back and forth just trying to be content, typing away on your keyboard or doing whatever your skill is.
Invest in a good, comfortable chair.

Same goes for your desk. Make sure you have it set up that you’ll know where everything is. From pens and pencils to all the notes you’ll need to be productive. Whether your work space is large or small, set it up for you. Set it…then forget it.

You might think these Odesk tips are “common sense” and yes they are. However, you wouldn’t believe the amount of chatter I’ve heard about being comfortable while working at home.

4) Dress for comfort or professionalism. Here’s one you might think is a little off, but I still want to throw it out there…

Many people who freelance from home love to work in either their pajamas or sweats and t-shirts. If you’re comfortable…go for it. But sometimes, dressing up – putting on that nice pair of pants and shirt or your favorite dress may boost your professionalism and confidence. Do this if you have an interview on the telephone – webcam – or chatting on Skype. When you’re dressed professionally, it will definitely come across either through your voice or posture. You feel good, you feel confident and professional and it will give you an edge. I know…you’re thinking that sounds silly, but try it before you knock it. It just may surprise you.

These 3 practical Odesk tips are really just the tip of the iceberg when working from home, facing elements you may not encounter in a regular office. However, these should get you thinking on ways to give you an edge and become even more productive than you already are!

Let me know what you do to beat distractions. I’d love to hear them!

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