I'm trying to get on with Odesk and my applications aren't always passed up becuase my rate is too high or because I don't have any ODesk hours. How am I to get ODesk hours and feedback if no one will give me a chance? Agh!!! This is so frustrating. Also, there is a competition with people from third world countries offering to do Administrative work for around $2-3 per hour. Does anyone have any positive feedback on ODesk?

I've never used oDesk myself but when I was first starting out I did do some projects for clients via Get A Freelancer - and actually did contract one long term client there as well as get some good experience. However, you're right - you're competing with extremely low bids - the only way to get past that is to 1) lower you rates - A BIT and 2) wow the potential client with your enthusiasm, skills, and sheer talent - this means including a sample or link to a portfolio, etc. anything that will help illustrate the high caliber of your work.
The majority of the clients on that site are looking for cheap, fast work (ie - not ideal) - they hire cheap, fast freelancers and end up with exactly what they paid for most of the time. That's the only thing you can really use to your advantage - the fact that the quality of your work is 1,000 times better...
The projects were always hard won there and invariably way more work than I was compensated for. I decided I wanted the experience and the income had to be a secondary issue.


I know it's frustrating-and as soon as I was contracted with enough work to let it go I gave up on the freelance bidding sites altogether.

It's a good place to cruise for possible work but I wouldn't put a lot of faith or stock in it as a long term income source.

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Hi Liz,

I agree with Tess. I had put a profile on Elance over the summer and did not have any luck. The feedback that I got was that my rates were to high.

If I remember right I had to pay for a membership.

But it's true - You get what you pay for - When you go cheap it usually ends up costing you more in the long run. !

All the best,

Sigh. Julie, you're probably right. I've been trying to work with oDesk, and gotten a few tiny jobs, which would be great if they kept coming, but it's extremely hit or miss (and mostly miss). I took some of their tests to beef up my profile, but stubbornly stick to my rates, so I don't see a lot of action.
Anyway, til now I haven't wanted to pay for a job listing service, but there may be no alternative. Though I find their system strange and rather cold, I'm thinking eLance is the way to go, maybe .....

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Mary H. Ruth/Virtual Writing & Communications
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Ah but there IS an alternative - keep diversifying your marketing approaches - experiment with a new approach you've not yet tried. The 'real' clients are out there wating for you!

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Thanks for the responses ladies! I need the encouragement. As far as marketing goes, I've been contacting employers advertising for admin jobs and letting them know that I'm a freelancer and if they think the job would work remotely to contact me. Hopefully, I'll get a few nibbles from that.