oDesk Community - Tips and Best Practices

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 01:29:39 -0700

To help our new providers create an attractive oDesk profile and, therefore, launch their first project, we are introducing a feature in the forum.

If you would like to get advice on creating a great profile from more experienced oDesk providers, Buyers and oDesk staff, create a new forum topic with a link to your profile, so it can be reviewed and commented on!

Before asking for your profile to be reviewed, make sure that you have studied the Profile Help Pages and these tips from a successful oDesk Provider. Also check if any advice already provided in this thread applies to your profile as well.

Summary of the advice provided in this thread:
* If you are a web designer, your portfolio is going to be critical. Show as much as you can.
* Provide external links to examples of your work, whether programming, design or writing
* In your title I would try to highlight something that really makes you stand out.
* Make sure your cover letters to buyers are highly personalized and custom to their job posting. Buyers hate getting cut and paste cover letters.
* Take the time to do a spell-check
* Format your profile so it looks accurate and is easier to skim through
* If you are an individual provider upload a portrait rather than a logo
* If you are skilled in several different areas, help buyers really understand your focus
* Spend time on your Objective field. It's at the top of the profile and is intended to deliver your profile summary and goals in a concise sentence or two. Might want to talk more about what you want to do for potential buyers than what you have done for others.
* Try including a brief testimonial from some of your previous clients / employers

Regards,
Olga
oDesk

Vote Result

Score: 8.0, Votes: 4

Thu, 22 Dec 2005 10:38:30 -0800

Dear oDesk Providers,

The latest and most up-to-date rate distribution can be found in oConomy.

The following information is not current and will not be updated:

Here is some information to help you set your hourly rates.

(Note that you can change your hourly rate on the "Profile" tab. The new rate shows up immediately on your profile, does not affect currently Active assignments and will take effect on your next assignment.)

Below are two tables showing distribution of hourly rates for both providers and assignments for ALL skills in the network.

• Go to providers rate table
• Go to assignments rate table

Please keep in mind that the table shows hourly charge rates that already include oDesk Fee. The oDesk Fee is 10% of the bill rate. When changing your hourly pay rate, our interface will show you the total hourly charge rate before you save the change.

Hourly rates are NOT the only criteria used by buyers. Buyers have told us that they consider several other important factors in making hiring decisions:

Vote Result

Score: 7.6, Votes: 37

read more

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:20:40 -0800

Hey there,

I have been an oDesk member for several weeks, have applied for jobs, completed my profile and portfolio, taken tests - and yet I never seem to be able to snag that first job.

Could I get some feedback? I would so appreciate it!

Thanks!

Prosediva:  http://www.odesk.com/users/~~5b3ab9621da84ed0

Vote Result

Score: 0.0, Votes: 0

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:45:18 -0800

I am new to this site.  Hi, Everyone!

I got an email saying that the reason that I was rejected was, "Spam application -- recycled cover letter - null."

 I think that this assumption is unfair.  I worked hard on that letter...  parts of it, such as my availability and my writing sample, were similar to other letters that I sent, but it was definitely tailored to that opening.  

 Now that I've ranted, can anyone offer me some advise as to how I can avoid this in the future?  Also, if you could offer a critique of my profile (http://www.odesk.com/users/~~87a1ff562532a82a), that would be really sweet of you. 

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Melissa Franklin

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Score: 0.0, Votes: 0

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:17:21 -0800

Hi All,

I recently posted a job opening (for a relatively simple job) and got a overwhelming number of responses from Extremely qualified candidates.

How do I let everyone know/post a general note that I can only hire one person and it is not their qualification that is the problem.

Thanks,
Karthik

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Score: 0.0, Votes: 0

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:40:29 -0800

I can not for the life of me figure out how to review a syllabus prior to taking a test. Can some one please tell me how to do this? I would greatly appreciate it. I need to bring up my scores, but also take the tests.

Thank you,

Tiffney C.

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Score: 0.0, Votes: 0

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:36:18 -0800

Hello!

Greetings to all. New to oDesk.

Have question: I work alot with Rentacoder, Elance, now oDesk is really an in-depth marketplace sort of website and contains alot of mechanism and etc. One thing that I am shocked with is no escrow service - there is no posssibility for me as a buyer to guarantee payment with the buyer with a fixed rate project. How do you work like this??

Yes, correct, you can define an advance payment and milestones. True, thats good. What I want to hear is how good (or better) is this rather than a de-facto standard escrow of money upon bid acceptance. Everyone knows, the buyer accepts a specific bid, escrows money and waits for the provider to complete the work. This is impossible here. How do you deal with this? Even with milestones, I CANNOT guarantee myself that the buyer will pay for the last stage (the finishing milestone). To be honest, I am not used to this, and I dont like it and thats why I am writing and opening discussion about this. I want to hear what do you think and how do you cope with this? The approach that you take.

If Iook at the numbers, $50 millions is an excellent number, more over very inspiring. On the other side there is no escrow service! Is it better this way? I can see that the long-term approach is getting lost, if it matters : I mean, we are going to schedule resources for completion of a certain project, do projections, estimate and everything that goes with it, maybe turn down other jobs (unlikely though), and we may end up in a situation: Buyer is willing to stop half-way thru, or stop at milestone 1, or somewhere in between and decides that there will be no payment which obviously hurts.

What do you all think? Please share your food of thought!

Thanks!
Vaidot Inc.

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Score: 0.0, Votes: 0

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:17:23 -0800

I just applied for a job and within a few minutes received an email that my candidacy ended due to "spam application".

 What exactly does that mean?  Is it saying that I sent in a spam or that the job was a spam job?

 Thanks for the help!

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Score: 0.0, Votes: 0

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:50:24 -0800

Hi everyone I am new to Odesk and I would love to get some tips and advice about the jobs listed.  Will someone please help

Thank you,

Sharon Young

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Score: 0.0, Votes: 0

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:03:04 -0800

Hi!

I am very new to this so I need to know about few things

 1. What if after I posted a job and I cancelled it after bidders put in their rate?

 2. Is there any thing that I should now before I venture into this?I know there is FAQ and help section but just in case I might missed a point(s) to consider before I start with this

Thanks in advance.

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Score: 0.0, Votes: 0