Getting that tricky first job on PPH, oDesk and eLance

[sebdean]

Hi guys,

This one is mainly targeted at other web designers. I've been freelancing for about a year now and doing well at it on a local level, but I'd like to begin building my profile on People Per Hour, eLance and oDesk too so that I have a couple of streams of income.

The problem I'm having is actually getting the first job without having the feedback and endorsements of other people.

Has anybody got any tips for getting over this hurdle?

Seb

 

[FSIvan]

Presumably as a designer you have a portfolio of work which you can link to? If you can afford to do it maybe you can offer to do one or two a freebie?

 

[sebdean]

Yeah I have got a portfolio uploaded onto the actual sites and also on my personal website but I haven't really had any luck.

I don't think they allow freebies or I'd do that just to build up my reputation on them for things such as logo design etc. It's really annoying ha!

The lower budget jobs get absolutely swamped with offers from people that have feedback, it's proving to be a real stumbling block for me.

 

[Mad Frog]

The likes of elance and odesk are tricky when it comes to getting work, there's always someone offering to work for almost free.

Your best bet is too have a completed profile and portfolio and just keep plugging away, apply for both cheap and more expensive jobs and with a bit of luck eventually something will come through, just don't expect to earn great money from them, use them more as a stop gap when business is a little quiet.

 

[mcb247]

Hi Sebdean,

Make sure your profile has great content on it including a portfolio of previous work and maybe get some of your local clients to give you an endorsement on some of these other sites. Or the other way is to do a couple of small jobs for free in return for a good endorsement to get you up and running ... hope this helps...

 

[sebdean]

Thanks for the advice guys,

I'll get my local clients to endorse me and keep pitching for some smaller jobs and build it up slowly.

Wasn't planning on relying on it as my main source of income but it'd be a nice secondary income stream for, like mad frog says, if it goes a bit quiet locally.