Start a Job on Odesk
oDesk allows people to find jobs online, whether it be for full-time, part-time, or freelance type of work. In our current world where telecommuting to work is very much possible, you don’t need to leave your home to get a job. You can just do it online or virtually, and oDesk is a good place to look for jobs.
Contents
Steps
Registering in oDesk
- Register. Go to https://www.odesk.com and register as a freelancer. Click on the “Sign Up” button at the upper right corner of the page.
- Sign up as a freelancer. Go to the “I need a job” option and click the “Sign up” button. You will be brought to the account creation page.
- Fill up the form. Input the data requested on the account creation form. You will need to input your full name, email, country, and your username and password for oDesk.
- Click the “Get Started” button below the form to proceed.
Setting Up Your Profile
- Log in. Once you have your account set up, log in. Go back to https://www.odesk.com and click on the “Log In” link at the upper right part of the page. Enter your username and password for oDesk, and click the “Log in” button to proceed.
- Go to Profile. Under the “Find Work” tab, click on “Profile.” This will bring you to your oDesk Profile page.
- For prospective clients to notice you, you must ensure you have properly set up your user profile. Highlight your strengths and skills, your work history and relevant certifications, and a basic and professional overview of yourself.
- Edit your profile. Click on the “Edit my Profile” link to input your data. There’s a lot of sections to fill up for your profile. You don’t need to focus too much on your personal life, but you need to highlight your professional background, skills, and qualifications.
- Do the “My Pubic Profile.” This section of your profile focuses on your basic information. Input your job titles, hourly rate, and a basic overview or background.
- It is also a good idea to upload a professional portrait of yourself so that clients will see how you look.
- You may also upload a video of yourself under the Video section.
- Put up qualifications. The next few sections are where you put your skills, certifications, employment history, educational background, and other relevant experiences. Much like a resume, this is where you tell people who you are, what you've done, and what you can do.
Taking Tests
- Go to My Tests. Under the “Find Work” tab, click on “Tests.” The next page will list all the tests you've taken on oDesk. Most of these are skills and certification tests. These will add to your credibility on oDesk as your scores and percentiles will appear on your profile.
- Some clients do take these tests into consideration when choosing their applicants.
- Take more tests. Click the “Take More Tests” button on the upper right corner of the page. You will be brought to the Skills Tests page where you can find and filter all sorts of tests.
- Select a test. Find a skills test you want to take. Be sure you take something relevant to the jobs you’re applying for.
- You can filter the tests by categories using the drop-down list found at the top of the page.
- Click the link of the test title you want to take.
- View the test. Before taking the test, read the details of the test first on the test page. It will tell you what the test is about and how long it will take.
- Start the test. Once you’re ready, click the “Start Test” button.
- Complete the test. Do your best on the test. Some tests cannot be retaken if you fail.
- If you do well on the test, it will do well for your job profile.
- If you do badly on the test, it may hurt your chances in landing jobs.
Finding Jobs
- Find Jobs. Under the “Find Work” tab, click on “Find Jobs.” It will bring you to the “Find Work” page where you can search for all available jobs.
- Search for jobs. Use the search field in the middle of the page to search for jobs. You can also browse for jobs by clicking on the appropriate categories from the left side of the page. A list of recently added jobs that fit your qualifications is also displayed in the middle of the page.
- Select a job. From the results, click on the link of the job title you want to see. It will bring you to the job page.
- View the job. On the job page, a lot of details will be listed. The job description will be there and so are some pertinent information like type of job and duration. The job rate or payment will also be listed.
- Study the posting carefully. You don’t want to apply for a job you can’t really do or that pays too low for your taste.
- Know the client. It is also a good idea to review the client. The client’s location, total jobs posted, total spent, and reviews or feedback can be accessed from the right side of the page under “About the Client.”
- Be sure you’re applying for a job posted by a credible client to avoid getting scammed.
- Study the job. Do your due diligence in getting to know the job and the client. Both are equally important. If you’re unsure, don’t do it and find another job.
Applying for a Job
- Apply to this Job. When you’re ready to apply for the job, click the “Apply to this Job” button found on the right side of the job page. You won’t miss it.
- Propose terms. On the job application page, you will have a chance to negotiate and propose your own terms. This is where you put your rate. It can be either an hourly rate or a lump-sum rate, depending on the type of work. Input the amount under “Your rate” field.
- Note that oDesk takes 10% off that rate as the service fee, so be sure to incorporate that.
- Write a cover letter. There’s a section where you can write your cover letter. Do so.
- This is where you write something specific and direct to your client about the job you’re applying for.
- Much like the real-world job hunt, a cover letter matters.
- Answer questions. Some clients include specific questions in their job application forms. They may use these to filter out applicants. Answer these questions seriously.
- Submit. Click the “Apply to this Job” button at the bottom of the form. Your application will be sent to your client.
- Accept the job. If the client likes you and offers you the job, you will receive a job offer notification from oDesk. Click the “Accept Job” button and you’re good to go.
