What is Odesk?
Odesk has created the opportunity to connect talented individuals (contractors) with small to medium-sized companies to perform remote work. It’s called outsourcing. For you, it is free to sign up and to view the positions and apply to them.
One thing that I really love about this site, is that you have the ability to check the outsourcer’s history. Every independent contractor has the ability to leave feedback on the person/company that they worked for. Which is great for you. That means that you will not waste time with a company that does not have good ratings.
Their database is filled with a variety of jobs, from customer service, lead generation, web design, and more. I am pretty sure you will found something that you have done before in your past on the site.
There are a few things to be aware of…
Don’t expect to get one of the highest paying jobs at first. In most cases, you have start out with the lower paying jobs to build up your history. Most people looking to hire someone, will want you to have a history of completed projects on Odesk.com. If your history is blank, they will be skeptical of hiring you for their open position. Well, think about it this way…If you were a recruiter looking to fill a position, would you hire someone who shows no sign of ever doing that job before? This is the way it works on Odesk. If you start building your history with lower paying opportunities – the higher paying ones will give you a shot.
There are other Options on Odesk
Although there is a downside to obtaining a position on Odesk – there are other options to increase your chances of being hired. Odesks has several certifications (all free) that you can take – once you pass them you can list them on your profile page. This is proof that you are able to perform the duties of the job description that you would like to apply to. For instance, if you consider applying for a copy editing job – but your first language is Spanish – you can simply take a English Literary Test to prove your skills. This will increase your chances of being hired.
What else do I like…
Another thing that I like about Odesk is that you are paid on a weekly basis (or when the project ends) so this will be good income for you. They have a system that automatically take screenshots to ensure you are doing the work as well as a timer. This eliminates conflicts that may arise when it comes to the times you worked and so on.
What is the Pay like?
Pay rates depend on the type of assignment you take, your skill level, work history and reputation – However, you will be responsible for setting your own hourly rate. When you start the sign up process – the system will ask you how much you’d like to earn per hour. Most contractors set their rate a little lower than average at first until they have taken a few assignments. After their have proved their work ethics and increased their work history – they go back and change it to a higher pay. You can take a look at what other contractors are charging for the position that interests you to give you a general idea of what to charge per hour.
Can this be full time?
Building your reputation is key. More employers will be interested in you, ifyou have a good work history on Odesk. Some managers will want to keep you or you may find it easier to have more than one assignment with a few employers. To answer your question – yes – Odesk can be full time as long as you build your reputation from the beginning.
What I Recommend?
When you sign up for Odesk.com, be sure to fill out your profile, enter your job history and upload your resume. I highly recommend that you take some certifications to increase your chances of getting hired. Apply, apply, apply. Keep on trying. Try out the lower paying opportunites to build up your history first.
My Final Thoughts
Odesk is a great option to find work at home. It’s free and safe. To learn more about Odesk and to read the FAQ’s, visit www.Odesk.com
