elance freelancer guide

A Freelancer’s Guide to Earning More on Elance.

1. Work Differently™: You’re gonna love it ................................ 3

2. YourProfile:Shinelikeadiamond ........................................ 5

1.WriteyourOverviewwiththe“ideal”clientinmind ..... 5

2.Includeanengagingandprofessionalphoto .............. 6

3.TakemultipleSkillsTests ............................................ 6

4.UseyourPortfoliotoshowcasetalents ...................... 7

5. Join Elance Groups .................................................... 7

6.Miscellaneoustips,adviceandotherstruths .............. 8

3. YourJobSearch:Findinggreatworkfast ............................. 9

1.CheckyourOpportunitiesdaily ................................... 9

2.UseWatchListstofollowpotentialclients ................ 10

3.UsetheElancesearchbartofindjobs ..................... 10

4. Respond to Job Invites you receive .......................... 11

5.Miscellaneoustips,adviceandotherstruths ............ 11

4. YourProposal:Theperfectpitch ......................................... 12

1.Stayinyourhappyzone,selectingjobscarefully ..... 12

2.Screenclientsascarefullyasthey’llscreenyou ...... 13

3. Now write a killer Proposal ....................................... 14

4.Setafairprice .......................................................... 15

5.ConsidersubmittingaProposalwithnoprice .......... 15

6.Don’tjustsitthere,follow-up .................................... 16

7.Don’tjustsitthere,sendmoreProposals ................. 16

8. Negotiating your price ............................................... 16

Table of contents

5. YourWorkroom:Wherejobsgettackled ............................. 17

6. YourReputation:Standoutfromtherest ............................ 19

1.Feedbackisimportant.No,critical ........................... 19

2.MakingsenseofMyStatsandLevel ........................ 20

3.ManagingyourFeedback,StatsandLevels ............ 21

7. YourReminder:Rulestokeepyousafe .............................. 22

8. You’reHired:Godoanawesomejob ................................. 23

1.Speakingofwhich,look-outforfollow-upjobs .......... 23

Section 1:Work Differently™: You’re gonna love it

Hello and welcome to Elance.

Readytolandfantasticonlinefreelancejobs?Excitedaboutearninggreatmoneyworkingwhenyouwant,onprojectsyoulove?Wethoughtso.Well,you’vecometotherightplace:Elance.

Whetheryou’renewtoElanceorlookingtobrush-uponyourexpertise,thisFreelancer’sGuideisagreatstartingpointforbeingmoresuccessful.

You’lllearnhowtoperfectyourProfileandProposals,howtofindthebestjobs,howtostayprotectedandevenhowtogetjobsdoneandgetmoreworkflowingin.

Weassumeyou’vealreadyregisteredonElance.Ifnot,signupnow(it’sfree).

What exactly is Elance?

ElanceiswherepeopleWorkDifferently™.

We’reanonlineworkplacewherebusinessesgotofind,hireandcollaboratewithskilledonlinefreelancerslikeyourself.Nottobrag,butElancehasover500,000businessesposting100,000+jobseachmonth.

OnElanceyou’llhavetheopportunitytoworkwithbusinessesinmorethan170countries–fromFortune500companiestosmallbusinessesandindividualentrepreneurs.

CorrinaS. UnitedStates|ITProjectManager

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|3

Section 1: (continued)

Work Differently™: You’re gonna love it

How Elance works.

To work at Elance, all you need is an internet connection and talent.

YouuseElancetofindjobs(wehelpyou,makingiteveneasier),thenyoucompletejobsinasecureWorkroom.Wealsotakecareofallthepaperwork,pluscollectandpass-onyourmoney-due(soyou’resuretogetpaid).

Asafreelancer,workingonElancedoesn’thavetocostyouapenny.Youhaveachoiceofmembershipoptions,includingafreeplan.Wemakeourmoneybyaddingasmall8.75%servicefeeaboveandbeyondyourprice.Forexample,whenyousubmita$500proposal,weaddourfeetoyourquoteandpassiton(yourclientwouldseeaquoteof$543.75).Whentheworkisdelivered,wedeductour$43.75andpasstheremaining$500ontoyou.

Ready to learn more?

Takeafewminutestofamiliarizeyourselfwiththeguidelinesinthefollowingpages.Withyourtalentandthetipsprovided,you’resuretoearnmoremoneyandbeevenmoreawesomeonElance.

Go for it!

ArtemK.Ukraine|ITProgrammer

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|4

Section 2:Your Profile: Shine like a diamond

Whenyoustandoutfromotherfreelancers,youimproveyourchancesofgettinghired.That’swhymakingagreatfirstimpressionisimportant.Cometothinkofit,it’scritical.Herearesometipsoncreatinganeye-catchingProfile:

1. Write your Overview with the “ideal” client in mind.

Youcan’tbeallthingstoallpeople.ThrowingtoowideofanetinyourOverviewsectionwilllandyounothing.

Write your Overview to be read by one person and one person alone: Your idealclient.Whatwouldheorshewanttoknow?ExplainhowyourSKILLSallowyoutoSOLVEPROBLEMS(asmuchaswehateusingallcaps,thisisonetimethey’recalledfor).

Also,writeinafriendlyyetprofessionaltone.Bewarmandyou’llinstantlystandout.Andnotpyos(oops).

Good:

Standoutwithgreatdesign!

Withover12yearsofproducingcorporatemarketingprojectsforsomeofthemostinnovativecompaniesinworld,I’mheretobringyourideasandvisiontolife.I’vepersonallymanagedover150websitedesignsandhundredsofprintpackagesthatincludemagazines,1-pagers,andothercollateralforeventsandotherspecialpromotions.

Icanandwilldelivergreatresultswithaprocessthat’stimely,collaborativeandatagreatvalueformyclients.

Bad:

Minimumhourlyrate$15.A10yearoldsoftwaredevelopmentcompany.

DanielB. UnitedStates|Videographer/Animator

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|5

2. Include an engaging and professional photo.

Clientsarepeopletoo.Theyloveputtingafacetoaname,andafriendlyphotoofyousmilingissuretogetthemleaningyourway.Research shows that freelancers with an image are twice as likely to get the job. Yes, twice as likely.

Good:

Bad:

Section 2: (continued)

Your Profile: Shine like a diamond

3. Take multiple Skills Tests.

Showclientsyouknowyourstuff.MostprofessionalswillfindrelevantSkillsTestsonElance,assessingyourproficiency.Testcompletionhelpsseparateyoufromothers.In fact, 76% of clients say they prefer hiring tested freelancers.TestsarefreeonElance,andifyousufferfromthetestjitters(asweallsometimesdo),don’tworry.Youcanalwaysre-takethetestlater.

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4. Use your Portfolio to showcase talents.

Don’tbeshy,show-off.Real-worldsamplesbringyourskillstolife.Again,fillyourPortfoliowithworkyouridealclientwouldwanttosee.Bespecificinyourdescriptions,explainingyourroleintheprojectandwhatwasaccomplished.Alsonameyoursamplecarefully,aspotentialclientscanuseoursearchbartofindPortfoliopiecesofinterest(suchas,“ecommercemobileapp”).

Section 2: (continued)

Your Profile: Shine like a diamond

5. Join Elance Groups.

Yourmembershipinpre-screenedprofessionalGroupsgoesalongwaytoreassureaclientthatyou’retop-notch.You’llfindElanceGroupsinmanycategories,fromtechnicalfieldstocreativecategories.PotentialclientsoftenexclusivelyinviteGroupmemberstoajob.

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6. Miscellaneous tips, advice and other truths.

Hereareotherjuicytidbitsthatwehearoftenfromclients:

▪InyourService Description section,explainhowyousolveproblems.Besolutionsorientedandgiveclientsagoodideaofhowyouthinkandapproachjobs.

▪PaycloseattentiontotheKeywordsyouenteronyourProfile.Again,trynottobeallthingstoallpeople.Narrowthelistofwordsthatshowcaseyourtalenttothosethatwillattractaveryspecificclient.

▪Clientswanttoknowforsurewhothey’vehired.Completethe Identity Verification and verify your Credentials. Trust is key to any working relationship.

▪YourPortfolio will be public.Don’tincludesensitivefilesyouwouldn’twantshared.Andmakesureyouhaveapprovaltousethosefiles.

▪No borrowing/pilfering.It’sOKtocheck-outotherProfilesforinspiration,butdon’tplagiarize.DittoforPortfoliosamples.Withyourtalentandthestrategiesaddressedinthisguide,it’sonlyamatteroftimeuntiltheawesomejobsstartrollingin.

▪MakesureyourProfile is 100% complete.Clientsconstantlysearchforfreelancers(read:you),andtheinformationfoundinyourProfileiswhatsteerstheminyourdirection.OntherightsideofyourMyElancepage,you’llseeatrackerthatmarksYourProfileCompleteness.Aimfor100%togiveyourselfthebestchanceofattractingclients.

Section 2: (continued)

Your Profile: Shine like a diamond

Next: Your Job Search

Yoko M. Japan|GraphicDesigner

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|8

Thefuturelooksbright!NowthatyourProfileissimplydazzling,you’rereadytoexplorethe100,000+jobspostedonElanceeachmonth.Youhavemanyoptionsforgettinghired,butherearesomequickthoughtstohead:

1. Check your Opportunities daily.

ThegreatthingaboutElanceis,youdon’thavetodoanythingtofindjobs.Youcanbemoreproactive(andwewhole-heartedlyencourageyoutobe–seebelow),butwewilldoafairamountoftheworkforyou.ThisincludesyourpersonalizedOpportunitiesfeature.Here’saquicksynopsis:

▪GetemailupdateswithjobOpportunities.Weuseournumber-crunchingübercomputersandwell-seasonedjobmatchingexpertisetopinpointjobsthatmatchyourskillsandinterests.Wethenemailyourecommendations.Howeasyisthat?

Section 3:Your Job Search: Finding great work fast

▪ViewOpportunitiesfromMyElance.MyElanceisyourhomepageonElance,whereyou’llkeepaneyeonallprojectsandpossibilities.Toseemorerecommendationswefoundforyou,simplyclickontheOpportunitiestab.Voila!Jobsgalore.

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|9

2. Use Watch Lists to follow potential clients.

Onceyougetuptospeed,you’llfindlotsofcompaniesthataredoingtheworkyoulovedoing.Soundslikeamatchmadeinheaven?SimplyputthecompanyonyourWatchListandyou’llknowwhentheypostjobs.You’llbeamongthefirsttocatchtheireye!

Section 3: (continued)

Your Job Search: Finding great work fast

3. Use the Elance search bar to find jobs.

TousetheSearchbaronElance(besureyoutoggleto“jobs”),simplytypeintheprojectyou’relookingforortheskillsyouhaveandwe’llgiveyoualistofgreatjobopportunities.Browsetheselectionforprojectsyou’reperfectlysuitedfor.Keepcheckingbacktoo,asnewjobsarepostedallthetime.

KeepinmindyoucanalsoNarrow Results whensearching.Simplytypeinageneralskill,suchas“writer”andyou’lllandonourSearchresultspage.Ontheleftcolumn,you’llseeoptionsformore-specificjobcategoriesforwriting,aswellasoptionsforJobType,Budget,HourlyRate,Featuredjobsandmore.Thiscanbearealtimesaver,ifyou’refocusingonspecificprojects(whichyoushouldbe).

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|10

4. Respond to Job Invites you receive.

Withyoureye-catchingProfileandstrongskillset,you’resuretogetpersonallyinvitedtojobsaswell.EspeciallyifyoujoinElanceGroupsandfollowtheothersuggestionsfromtheprevioussection,YourProfile.Besuretorespondquicklytoinvites,lettingthemknowifyou’reinterested(ornot).

Section 3: (continued)

Your Job Search: Finding great work fast

5. Miscellaneous tips, advice and other truths.

Thingstoconsiderwhenyou’refindingjobsonElance:

▪Usemultiple forms of communicationwhenconferringwithpotentialclients.YourprojectWorkroomhasitsownprivatemessageboard,allowingforemailcommunication.However,sometimesitmakessensetopickupthephoneorSkype.Justbesuretowaituntiltheclientrespondstoyourproposal–notdoingsoandprovidingyourcontactinformationupfrontviolatesElancepolicy.Andbesureyouandyourclientalwaysdocument anydecisionsintheproject’sWorkroom.

▪Whensearchingforjobs,keepinmindwhetheryoupreferHourly jobs or Fixed Price jobs.Eachhasitsadvantages,sodecidewhatworks best for you.

Hourly jobs arebasedonasimpleprinciple:Anhourpaidforanhourworked.Theoptionisparticularlypopularwhentheprojecthasagoodchanceofflexibility,suchasthescopemaychangemid-stream.FreelancersoftenchooseHourlyworkbecauseoffeatureslikeWorkView™andTracker–whereyourtimeisautomaticallytrackedandscreenshotssubmittedtoyourclients.Whenworkisapproved,timesheetsareautomaticallypaid.

Fixed Priced jobs aregenerallypostedwhentheclienthasagoodgraspofwhattheprojectentails,andtherearen’talotofdetailslefttotheimagination.OnebenefitistheElanceEscrowfeature,wheretheclientfundsyourjobbeforeworkbegins.Whencertainpre-determinedmilestonesaremetandtheclientapprovesthework,paymentsareautomaticallyreleased to you.

Next: Your ProposalDennis H.

Germany|WebDeveloper

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|11

Welldone.NowthatyourProfileisapower-packedmagnetpointedsquarelyatgreatbusinesses(ifnot,seeTheProfilesection),yournextstepispinpointingwhichbusinessesaretrulygreat(read:greatforyou).Andthencraftingaproposaltheycan’trefuse.Hereissomesageadvice:

Section 4:Your Proposal: The perfect pitch

1. Stay in your happy zone, selecting jobs carefully.

JustasyourProfileOverviewcan’tpositionyouasallthingstoallpeople,norshouldyourjobselectionprocessspanwidelyacrossyourfield.It’sbesttofocus,focus,focusonjobsbestsuitedforyou.Thingstoconsider:

▪Find jobs that match your skill and interests.Lifeistooshorttoworkonprojectsthatneitherinterestyounorputyourbesttalenttowork.

▪ Find jobs with a hearty description. Iftheclient’sjobdescriptionisvagueandfeeble,chancesarethejobwillbeequallywoeful.Keepsearchingforbetter opportunities.

▪Find jobs with the right budget. Onegoodjobyoucansinkyourteethintoisbetterthanfoursmallonesthattaketimeandenergyrampingupfor.However,ifyou’rebrandnewtoElanceoryourcategoryyoumayneedtostartsmallandgrowyourwaytosuccess.

▪Find jobs that fit your availability. Whenyou’rebookedsolidandgoingona2-weektriptotheislands,passonmonsterprojects.Therewillbemorebigprojectswhenyourstresslevelisbacktonormal.

Ivy F. China|Translator

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|12

2. Screen clients as carefully as they’ll screen you.

WithsomanyopportunitiesonElance,beselectiveinthebusinessesyouchoosetoworkwith.Ifit’snottherightmatch,you’lljustspinyourwheelsandwastepreciousenergybetterusedforotherclients.Afewthoughts:

▪Find businesses who truly want you. Browsethejobpostingtomakesureyou’rewhatthey’relookingfor.CheckfortheExperienceandSkillstheydesire,aswellasanyGeographicPreferences.Don’tfit?Moveon.

▪Find businesses with Verified Payment.Althoughit’snotessential,itmakessensetofirstseekclientswhohaveapaymentprocessinplace.LookfortheVerifiedPaymentsymbolintheirjobpost–adollarsignamongthegreenicons.

Section 4: (continued)

Your Proposal: The perfect pitch

▪Find businesses with an established Job History. AlthoughgreatnewbusinessescometoElancedaily,thereispeace-of-mindinfindingclientswithasolidtrackrecord.

▪Find businesses with a high Award Ratio. TheAwardRatioisafairindicatorofhowseriousthecompanyisinhiringyou.Yourtimeisvaluable,souseitwisely.

▪Find businesses giving regular Feedback. Yourstatus(seeYourReputationsection)isbasedgreatlyontheFeedbackclientsleave.Lookforpartnerswhoarequicktospreadthewordaboutyourskills.

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3. Now write a killer Proposal.

Aftervettingclientsandfindingajobthatlookssensational,it’stimetopounce.Actquicklyandsetthosewheelsofgettinghiredinmotion.NaturallyagreatProposalisparamounttogettingnoticedandsealingthedeal.There’salottocover,solet’sjumprightin:

▪Customize (yes, customize) your Proposal.Clientscanspot“cut-and-paste”Proposalsfromamileaway(1.6kilometers),givingyoutheaxeinstantly.Cookie-cutterresponsesstandoutlikeasorethumbandearnyouaquickthumbsdown.Askquestionstoo.Aswellasshowinginterest,it’sgoodtobeginatwo-waydialogbetweenyouandtheclient.

▪Write in a suitable tone. MuchlikeyourProfileOverview,yourProposalshouldbepersonableyetprofessional.Saveyour16-letterwordsforScrabble,insteadexplainingyourselfinawarmandfriendlymanner.Makeafriendandyou’llgetthejob.

▪Be succinct. Beagoodeditor.Brevityisvital,asclientsmaybebrowsingseveralproposalsinashortamountoftime.Andplease,notypos.Spellcheckerisyourfriend.

▪Show you’re a good listener.Besuretodemonstratethatyou’vereadthejobposting.Askgoodquestions,andshowinterestandenthusiasm.

▪Highlight the value you bring. Don’trelyonlyonyourProfile.Bespecificaboutbenefitsyoubringtothisparticularjob.Spotlightrelevantexperiencesyou’vehad,howyoutackledsimilarjobsandwhatuniqueapproachesandskillsyoubringtothetable.

Section 4: (continued)

Your Proposal: The perfect pitch

▪Ask for the job. ThinkofyourProposalasaninterview.Whatwouldyousaytomakesureyougetcalledback?Showyourenthusiasmandletthepersonknowyouwanttostarttheprojectsoon.Oh,thankthemfortheirtimetoo.

▪Showcase relevant samples. YourElancePortfolioshouldbefullofawe-inspiringpiecesdemonstratingyourtalents,butwhynotpullsomeofthemorerelevantexamplesandincludethemdirectlyinyourproposal?Thisgivesclientsyourbest,mostrelevantworkwithouthavingtosearchforit.

FirmoS. Indonesia|Translator

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|14

4. Set a fair price.

Clientsareinevitablygoingtogetlow-pricedProposalsfromthedesperateanduninspired,aswellasoutrageouslyhigh-pricedProposalsfromothers.Don’tworryaboutthem.Ifyou’veprovenyourworth(seeabove)you’llgetyourfairprice.Now,whatexactlyisafairprice?Here’sastartingpointtodeterminethat:

▪Factor in your time and effort.Carefullyguesstimateallthat’sinvolved.Makesuretotakeintoaccounttheproject’scomplexity,time-frame(any16-hourdaysneeded?)andtotaleffortrequired.

▪Research your market.Doyourduediligence,decidingwhoyou’recompetingagainst.Getanideaforindustrypayaverages,startingwithElance’s very own Trends pageswhereweshowyouallthetopskillsbeinghiredonElance,alongwithaveragepayrates.Factorinifyou’reofferingapremiumskillthat’sdifficulttofind.

▪See things from your client’s perspective. Areyoujustbreakingintothemarket,ornewtoElanceandyettobuild-upyourstanding(seeYourReputationsection)?Orjusttheopposite,areyouaprovenexpertwithgreatfeedbackandratings?Itmatters.Andrealistically,sodoesyourpotentialclient’spastbudgets.Looktoseewhatthey’vespentforsimilarprojects.

▪Decide what you’re worth. Estimateinallhonestywhatisafairpriceforthejobathand.Don’tsellyourselfshort,reactingtolow-ballpricing.Iftheclientwantsqualityworkinatimelymanner,they’llpayyouwhatyoudeserve.

Section 4: (continued)

Your Proposal: The perfect pitch

5. Consider submitting a Proposal with no price.

Ifyou’renotsureoftherequirements,don’tmakeawildguess.Itcancomebacktohauntyou.Instead,onyourProposalcheckthe“Willsubmitamountlater”box.InyourProposalbesuretoaskspecificquestionstogetfurtherclarification,andreassuretheclientthatyou’llfinalizeapricebasedonthatinformation.

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|15

6. Don’t just sit there, follow-up.

OnceyourProposalissubmitted,keepyoureyeontheball.CheckyourMyJobspageorWatchListdailyforstatusupdatesonyourpotentialproject.Theclientmaybeaskingforadditionalinformation.Ifyouchangeyourmindorearnanotherjobandcan’tfitthisprojectintoyourschedule,bepoliteandwithdrawyourbid.Youmaywellcomeacrossthisclientagain,andthey’llrememberyourcourteousness.

7. Don’t just sit there, send more Proposals.

Althoughyouwanttobeselectiveinthejobsyousetyoursightson,youalsowanttomakesureyoucoverallofyourbases.YourfirstProposalisjustthebeginning.OncethatProposalissubmitted,starttheprocessoverandfindanotherjobthat’sperfect.Andanother.Andanother.Asyoubuildyouronlinework reputation at Elance you’ll want to give yourself lots of opportunities.

Section 4: (continued)

Your Proposal: The perfect pitch

8. Negotiating your price.

Oftenapotentialclientwilllikewhattheysee,butnotseeeye-to-eyeonpricing.Thismaybeastraight-upcostissue,orthescopeoftheprojectmayhavechanged.Eitherway,keepthesethoughtsinmind:

▪ Always remain professional.Noneedtotakethingspersonally.You’reaprofessionalandyouknowwhatyou’reworth.Simplyexplainwhyyoufeelyou’re asking a fair price.

▪Be willing to withdraw your offer. Ifthereisabsolutelynowiggleroom,walkawayandthanktheclientfortheirtime.Simplywithdrawyourofferandmoveon.

▪If the price changes, update terms and milestones. Whenfluctuationshappen,updateallrelateditemsintheproject.Beespeciallysensitivetoshiftingenddatesandscope.

▪Do not work without job funding. Whiletheearlybirdgetstheworm,insomeinstanceshe/shegetsburned.Don’tbetheonewhogivesawayfreework.Waituntilfundingissecuredbeforeyouloghours.

Next: Your Workroom

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Congratulations!YourProposalwasacceptedandyou’renowreadytocreatesomemagic.Witheveryprojectyou’llautomaticallybeassignedasecureElanceWorkroomwhereyouandyourclientcancollaborate.Thisisalsowhereyou’lltrackprogressandensureyougetpaid(yeah!).Whiletherearemanyservicesandfeatures,herearesomehighlightsofyoursharedWorkroom:

▪ Communicate and collaborate.You’llfindtoolsforstayingintouch(fromemailtovideoconferencing),aswellassolutionsforsharingfilesandtracking work.

Section 5:Your Workroom: Where jobs get tackled

▪Manage projects.UseyourWorkroomtokeepprojectsmovingsmoothly.Youcansetandupdateterms,sharestatusreportsandhaveyourtimesheetssubmittedautomaticallyifyou’reworkingonanhourlyjob.

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|17

▪Get paid quickly.AllthetoolsforgettingpaidareincludedinyourWorkroom.Whenobjectivesaresuccessfullymet,yourmoneywillbereleased and sent to you.

Section 5: (continued)

Your Workroom: Where jobs get tackled

▪ Eliminate paperwork and busy work.Elancehasstreamlinedtheprocessofgettingworkdone,includingtakingmanyofthebureaucraticstepsoutoftheprocess.Thingshappenautomatically,intuitivelyandgreenly.MotherNaturewillthankyou.

Next: Your Reputation

Esteban T. Argentina|iOSDeveloper

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|18

Withallthingsbeingequal,clientswillobviouslyaccepttheProposalwiththebestbalanceofqualityandvalue.Butasweknow,notallfreelancersareequalintalentnoraffordability.That’swhereyouronlinereputationcomesintoplay.Elancegivesyouseveralopportunitiestodistanceyourselffromotherswhomaybeinterestedinthesamejob.Here’ssomeinformationonhowtoputyourselfinthebestlight:

Section 6:Your Reputation: Stand out from the rest

1. Feedback is important. No, critical.

Foreachjobyouwork,aclientcan(andshould)leaveFeedbackratingstosharehowgreatitwasworkingwithyou.

Justasclientscanleavecommentsonwhytheyenjoyedworkingwithyou,youcanalsorespondwithyourownFeedbacktotheircomments.Itgoeswithoutsayingthatanycommentsyouleaveshouldbeprofessionallyworded…asotherclientswillbeabletoseethem.SometimesweseefreelancersreactingpoorlytoFeedbackreceived.Don’tgetcaughtupinthenegativity.IfyoudisagreewiththeFeedbackleft,besuretoremainprofessionalandallowyourresponsetoexplainthesituation.

IfyoufeelthataclientispressuringyoutochangethescopeoftheworkbywithholdingpositiveFeedback(example:askingforextraworkyoudidn’t agreeto),giveusacall.CoercionisaviolationofElancePolicyandyoudeserve better.

And remember, Feedback cannot be changed once it’s posted. This is important to remember when asking for Feedback, and when leaving Feedback for your clients.

SarahR. PuertoRico|Writer

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|19

2. Making sense of My Stats and Level.

TohelpdifferentiateyourselfbeyondaProfileandprice,Elancehasseveralfeaturesfordeterminingyouronlinereputation.TheseincludeMyStatsandyourLevel.MyStatsincludesasnapshotofyourhistoryofworkonElance,whileLeveliscalculatedusingthenumbersfromMyStats.Letusexplain:

▪ My Stats is your online work history.SomekeynumbersweincludeinMyStatsarethenumberofclientsyouhave(andrepeatclients),aswellasthenumberofjobs,milestonesandhoursyou’veworkedonElance.ItalsoincludesclientFeedback–fromrecommendationstoreviews.

Note: Feedbackleftbyformerclientsisviewablebypotentialclients.That’swhyit’simportanttomakesureclientsleaveFeedbackaftereverysuccessfuljobandyourespondprofessionallytothatFeedback.GoodFeedbackalsoelevatesyourLevel.

Section 6: (continued)

Your Reputation: Stand out from the rest

▪Your Level is determined by My Stats.ByfactoringinthedataweaccumulateinMyStats,we’reabletoassignanumericalnumberthatassessesyourlevel.Whenyoufocusondoinggreatworkandbuildingasuccessfulonlinebusiness,yourLevelwillriseaccordingly.

Note: YourLeveliscalculatedasaresultofanumberoffactors,fromyourservicedeliveryandclientrelationshipstomarketingperformance.YourLevelwilldeterminewhereyouplaceinthedefaultsearchrankingsonElance.

▪ Key drivers of My Stats and Level. Manyfactorsplayintoyourultimatenumbers,includingjobFeedback,earningsvolumeandgrowth,howyougrowclientrelationships,whetheryoubidanappropriatepriceandevenyourElancepolicycompliance.

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3. Managing your Feedback, Stats and Levels.

HerearesomequickpointersformaximizingyouronlinereputationatElance:

▪Always request Feedback from clients. WeautomaticallypromptyourclientstoprovideFeedbackonceajobiscomplete,butwecan’tforcethemtodoso.Ifafewdaysgobyandthere’sbeennoFeedbackentered,besuretogentlynudgethemasareminder.Itmayeventakeasecondnudgeormore.Bepersistent,butnotrude.Remember,beforeacceptingajobyoucancheckapotentialclient’stendencyforgivingFeedback.KeepthatinmindwhensendingProposals.

▪Respond professionally to Feedback. Whetherit’sgoodorbad,rememberthatit’ssomeone’sestimationandrespecttheiropinion.Plus,Feedbackcan’tbechangedonceithasbeenposted.Also,yourresponsewillbedisplayedonyourProfile.Doyoureallywantpotentialclientstoseeanastyremarkyou’vemadetoaclient?

▪Use the Elance platform.You’llcompletejobssuccessfully, getFeedbackandreceivepaymentthroughElance.

▪Build strong relationships. To best raise your online reputation, continue to addnewclientsandachieverepeatworkandstrongearningsfromthem.

▪ Dot your “i”s and cross your “t”s. Bediligentinthedetailsprovidedinthisguide.CreateastrongProfile,submitqualityProposalsforrelevantjobs,priceyourserviceswithincustomarybudgetrangesandensurethework isawardedandcompletedonElance.

Section 6: (continued)

Your Reputation: Stand out from the rest

Next: Your Reminder

DaynaB. Canada|Illustrator

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|21

YoursecurityisparamountatElance.NaturallywewantyoutotakeadvantageofallthegreatfeaturesandservicesweoffertohelpyouWorkDifferently™.Ourguidanceissimple:StayonElance,GetPaidonElance.

Usingthejob’sWorkroomandTerms&Milestonesareastodocumentcosts,deliverablesandotherdecisionsrelatedtoyourworkiscritical.Elanceisheretohelp,butwecanonlyrelyontheinformationprovidedintheWorkroom.UsingWorkView™andElanceEscrowaregreatwaystomanageyourpaymentsonElanceandwillgiveyouandyourclienttheconfidencetohittheground running.

Keeptheserulesinmindatalltimes:

▪Never take jobs off Elance. IfclientsaskyoutoworkoutsideoftheElanceplatform,awarningbellshouldgooffinyourhead.Somethingisnotright.Ifyouagree,it’sagainstElancerulesandyou’reindangerofgettingscammed.You will lose all protection Elance affords you. Period.

▪Refuse (and let Elance know) if clients:

-Askyouforfinancialaccounts

-Askyoutobuyanythingtocompletetheirjob

-AskyoutoworkonajobElancehasdisallowed

-ArenotofficiallylistedonElance

▪Never create custom samples. Again, don’t give out your work for free. Use yourPortfolio(andprolificpowersofpersuasion)tosellyourself.Ifyoumakesamplesbeforethejobisawardedthere’sagoodchanceyou’llneverhearfromthemagain.

Section 7:Your Reminder: Rules to keep you safe

Next: You’re Hired

Gillian W. Jamaica|Writer

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|22

Withyourincredibleskillsandtheknow-howgleanedfromthishandyFreelancer’sGuide,you’resuretobeanawesomesuccessonElance.

Remember,youronlinereputationisamajordriveringrowingyourbusiness.Sobesuretogotheextramile/kilometertodoagreatjob.Feedbackisanimportanttoolforattractingnewclients.Exceptionalworkwillalsohelpyougetasecondandthirdjobfromeachclienttoo.

Section 8:You’re Hired: Go do an awesome job

Speaking of which, be on the look-out for follow-up jobs.

Andaswementionedpreviously,long-termclientrelationshipsissomethingthatwillonlyhelpyoubemoresuccessfulonElance.Whenyou’refinishedwithaproject,don’tbeshyaboutsuggestingotherworkyoucando.Clientsaresometimessofocusedontheirto-dolistthattheydon’trealizeopportunitiesthatmaybeintheperipheral.Enlightenthem(inanon-pushyway).Inshort,becomeaninvaluablepartner.

Sogogetyourselfsomeonlinefreelancejobsanddoanawesomejob.We’reexcitedtohaveyouontheteam!

Ifyou’relookingforadditionalhelponearningmoremoneyatElance,checkouttheseresources:

Elance Help Center

ElanceOfficialBlog

Hiring Trends

TermsofService

ElanceWebinarSignUp

WaterCoolerMemberForum

Cheers,

TheElanceTeam

SamB. Australia|Writer

Elance:AFreelancer’sGuide|23