So great news, I was finally able to utilize the “Buyer” portion of oDesk for outsourcing some logo creation I was dreading, and it turned out wonderful. In about 8 to 10 hours on a Friday afternoon / night, I had about twelve candidates to choose from ranging from $20+ an hour to under $10 an hour. The designer I chose started the next day, Sunday, and had my finalized logo before the end of the day. The final project ran under $40 for the completed logo. I will be utilizing this end of oDesk quite a bit more down the line, it is useful and it allows me to focus on programming or other I.T. related work.
On the other side of the spectrum, I was able to get my first interview today for work on oDesk, and complete my first job only two hours afterward. This is a big step forward, as it seems there are quite a few new Providers whom have a hard time getting work on the oDesk system.
Do you want to know how I did it?
Well, first off, I had applied to quite a few jobs posted on oDesk to no avail, but I kept trying. I applied to jobs that I was confident I would be able to finish and get stellar reviews for completing quickly, and professionally. I took a pay cut, a decently sized one, but it helped me to get customer facing, some extra cash, and ultimately a “gold star” for completed work.
It is highly important to make sure you are working within your area of expertise, if you have hesitation whether or not you can complete the task, it may be best to pass it for the time being. It does not make sense trying to get your first job doing a project you are not 100% familiar with; you would just be setting yourself up for failure, right?
Be flexible. If possible, make yourself available as quickly as possible when you are invited to do an interview. If you are hired to work for the Buyer, let them know they are your priority and do whatever you can to please them throughout the entire process.
The buyer I worked with left this comment:
Vendor provided a quick and excellent service. He provided detailed documentation of the task that was completed, and ensured that I was satisfied. More vendors should be like this on oDesk — getting the job done, ensuring quality, and ensuring customer satisfaction.
If you do land your first oDesk job, ensure customer satisfaction and complete the job correctly. This will help you stand out from the thousands of Providers on oDesk, and eventually your profile will speak for itself when you apply for new jobs.
P.S. I just wanted to let you know, just because I got my first oDesk job, I am not proclaiming to know all the secrets of getting work on their system. Most of what I have written is from my years of experience working with my own business in the actual customer-facing world and I have merely adapted information to an oDesk scenario. Customer service is key, you will learn that if you do not know it already.
