Freelance Earning Series
Part 1 – Getting Started; Part 2 – Completing Profile; Part 3 – Getting Jobs(you are here)

As I said in the earlier posts that freelancing is a fantastic way for earning money online. I am a freelance web designer and I make a good amount of money every month just by taking projects. It helps me get in touch with new people, make connections and learn so many new things. It also helps me challenge myself and reach new heights. In the past 2 articles I wrote how to setup your freelancer profile at odesk. In this final installment I shall guide you on how to apply and get the jobs at odesk or any other marketplace.

So many people join these freelancing marketplaces every day but fail to get a job. The majority of these people bid on jobs without knowing and they bid with less and less hourly rates. This way the marketplace gets saturated and the buyers find it hard to get a good worker. New people get discouraged as there are so many people bid on the same job.

But you don’t have to worry about all that if you have what it takes to become a super freelancer. Go ahead and read my article to find out how.

In order to get the job in odesk you have to think like a winner, a solution provider. Only bid on jobs that you think you can do.

Just put your keyword on the job search and you shall find a range of jobs posted by the buyer. For an example if you are a C# programmer you can type the word C# to find these jobs. Read the job title, opening lines, payment type and some details. This will give you enough info about the job.

Job titleJob type: Hourly or fixed priceWhen the job was postedThe job short description and read more linkPayment method verified and how much the client has spentClient’s feedback from the contractorsSkills required

Then click on the job to read the details,

Once you are in the details page you have to read the job description carefully. What this buyer wants and how it should be done. If you are a pro in the field of C# (or your chosen field) you should know what this person is talking about and what to expect.

You should also check if you meet their requirements and proceed. Sometimes you won’t meet all their requirements. Maybe they want a provider from USA but you are in Asia. Only apply if you are 100% confident that you are an exception and you can do better than your competition.

You shall also see other people who have been invited/applied for the jobs. The average hourly rate will be shown in the job. If the client has started to review the applicants you shall see the average hourly rate. This will give you an idea how much the client is willing to pay for this job.

Once you have read the job description carefully, it is time for you to apply.

When you have decided to take on this job, the next part is to hit apply and write a cover letter. Here you have to be creative and show to the buyer that you are really up for this.

Most bidders would copy paste cover letters and write mediocre applications. Some would copy paste the profile description and stuff. A buyer who is around odesk for some time gets a lot of these and they ignore these types of applications. In order to get noticed and get contacted you should write what they want to read.

It is as simple as that. You should not write a lengthy cover letter, your buyer has no time to read it. Start by writing a bit about you, what you do and how long you are doing this.

I am a web designer and when people say that they are building a website for a construction company, I put a few live links to sites that I have done which are related to construction.

The buyer has no time to check out your profile and see what you have done, so always place links that show examples of your work/testimonial and feedback. It is much easier for the client to look at and check them out.

Then you should mention about some industry lingo. This means every industry has some words and terms unique to that industry. A person who is in search optimization will know about the words SEO, SMM, PPC, Penguin, Panda etc. My point is when you mention these things, the buyer will know that you know what you are doing and you are not just another guy wasting their time.

Mention how many hours/days it will take for you to complete and how much money it will cost. Be definite or at least close to it. Better if you can provide a deadline.

Then finally tell them you can be contacted through email and skype. Buyers love getting in touch with skype and email. So the tip is, setup a skype ID and get yourself a good headset and webcam for chatting with your buyer. The more open you become with the buyer for contact, the more chances you will have to get the job.

End the cover letter by writing a few words like,

“I am looking forward to working with you”

or

“Will be waiting for your response”

or

“Let’s setup an online meeting to discuss the project”

The tip is to get them moving and they will feel that they found the right person.

Now that you are done, it’s time to bid on that job. Just put your hourly/fixed price rate, agree with the terms and submit. Wait for the buyer to respond, follow up and then get hired.

Now it is up to you, go ahead bid on a few more projects. You are allowed to bid on a number of jobs per week. Once you get a job complete it and do it again and keep earning money.

Bonus tip: Create your online portfolio using Behance

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