Direct Access Panel with oDesk, Uber and Etsy

You Can Always Get What You Want: oDesk, Uber & Etsy Discuss On-Demand Access

We all know the Internet is driving disruption in just about every industry, but one of the biggest trends is the shift towards on-demand access, changing how we access what we want. The first generation of online marketplaces (like Amazon) brought fast, direct access to all types of consumer goods, including books, appliances, and electronics. But these early marketplaces mostly address mass-market, physical goods. Could this model apply to services as well? Last week, thought leaders from oDesk, Uber and Etsy gathered in Sydney, Australia, to discuss how their businesses are stripping away friction and providing consumers with direct access to what they want: staffing, transportation, and craftsmanship, respectively.

Contractor Manual

Your Go-To Guide to Working on oDesk: Introducing the New oDesk Contractor Manual!

The freedom to work whenever you want, from wherever you want—plus the opportunity to earn more money and set your own rates—is a tantalizing prospect for anyone. This is why millions of professionals have left the office behind to join the world of online work. But what does online work really mean? And how do you become good at it? We thought contractors on oDesk should have one unified, comprehensive guide to online work success, so we’re thrilled to introduce the first ever oDesk Contractor Manual. From finding great jobs that fit your skills to increasing your earnings and getting stellar feedback, this manual has you covered. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re already well on your way to success, the oDesk Contractor Manual can give you the edge in landing more jobs and growing your business.

Data searching with open notebooks, magnifier and flying scattered numbers, digits.

oDesk Data Reveals the Future of Work: Our Top Posts for 2012

Here at oDesk, we analyze data to better understand trends and growth — plus, we just like exploring the world of online work. As it turns out, you find the numbers just as interesting as we do! All but one of our top five oDesk posts from 2012, as determined by viewership, center around the “oConomy” — not just the world of online work, but the role oDesk plays in this ecosystem. Here’s a quick recap of the year’s most popular posts.