Luckily, technology offers many options for meeting online. All you need to worry about? Making a good impression.

Before You Begin

Whether your meeting is on camera or audio only, there are a few things you should do before starting your call:

1. How to Write a Cover Letter
Your cover letter may be your only chance to convince a client that you are the perfect fit for their project. Every letter is an opportunity to brand yourself and your work – whether you have written one or 100 cover letters, this solid advice is worth a review.

2. 5 Techniques to Double Your Freelance Rates
Advice to “raise your rates” is pretty common; many freelancers undercharge for their services and expertise. If you have read the advice but still have problems getting to the next level, the problem might be the way you interact with your clients; these techniques may give you a boost.

3. Top 100 Freelance Blogs
One of the best ways to learn how to excel as a freelancer is to learn from people with more experience. While this list from 2009 may need a few updates, it offers a treasure trove of information for the new freelancer or the professional looking for advice from peers.

4. Your Online Profile & Portfolio: Words Matter
Writing a new profile – or updating an existing one – can be both exciting and stressful. What can you say to a complete stranger so they will not just appreciate your skills but actually consider hiring you? Words matter – specifically, keywords you can use to convey your value and expertise.

5. 5 Profile Mistakes Keeping You Unemployed
If you have keywords covered but are still having trouble landing projects, maybe you need to take a different approach. Do you think of your services as a product? Does your profile focus on you, or what you can do for your client? Any one of these mistakes could slow you down; have a careful look and keep your profile problem-free.

What freelance posts made a difference for you in 2011? Is there any advice that really stayed with you? Please share your favorites in the comments section below!

Amy Sept recently joined the oDesk team as the assistant blog editor. A professional communicator with more than a decade of experience, she helps connect non-profit organizations and small businesses with the people who need their help – in print and online.

You began last year with a set of goals. They were short – a few words in bullet points – but they nonetheless cemented your plans, aspirations, ideas and dreams for your freelance business.

Twelve months later, your business is in motion and you are ready for the year ahead. You have several active projects, a handful of clients, busy days, and income that is twice or three times as much as it was before you became a freelancer.

What can you do to further improve your business? What did not work last year, and what would you like to work on this time around? What steps should you take to boost your income, attract more clients and win more projects?

Here are 12 great ways to start taking small but significant steps toward success.

1.  Increase your freelance rates and fees. Go beyond charging minimal rates for your knowledge, skills and experience; your experience has more value than that.

2.  Invest in professional development. Read business books, test out new strategies, buy better equipment, enroll in online courses, and develop new and marketable skills. As a result, you will be able to add to your services.

3.  Offer new or additional services. If you used to turn down requests for search engine optimized copywriting, imagine how happy clients will be when you add it to your list of services. You could also consider repackaging your current services into an affordable bundle that new and regular clients will have a hard time refusing.

4.  Take on larger long-term projects. Small projects were initially a big help for gathering feedback and building your reputation. Now, it is time to load the big guns and aim for bigger and longer projects.

5.  Market, promote and spread the word. Your freelance business should not hide behind the four walls of your oDesk profile. Market your services, promote yourself online and off, and spread the word. Some cost-effective ways to do so: business cards, blogging, and word-of-mouth referrals.

6.  Build strong relationships with existing clients. This will encourage them to either return for more business or to refer you to other people. Strive to make every project a success and your work memorable.

7.  Get creative when looking for freelance work. Look beyond your job applications on oDesk. If you have problems finding good projects to bid on, pursue social media and word-of-mouth referrals. You may be surprised to learn that you can actually find great people to work with through Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

8.  Connect with other freelancers. Working solo can get lonely sometimes. Take some time off to attend local or national conferences, major events, or small gatherings or meet-ups with other fellow freelancers. It’s a great way to meet new people and to bond with freelancers of your field.

9.  Likewise, connecting with freelancers is essential if you plan to create your own team of freelancers. If your aim is bigger and more complex projects this year, having your own team of freelancers to tackle different aspects of the project is essential. You can accept projects that require services outside of your expertise, plus the job gets done in half the time.

10.  Hire freelance services. Beyond hiring freelancers to partner with (tip #9) you can also hire people to take care of work you do not want to spend too much time on. For example, virtual assistants, bookkeepers and transcriptionists are freelancers you can hire to take care of administrative tasks. You can then focus your time and energy on client and personal projects you are passionate about.

11.  Cut unnecessary costs. Monthly subscriptions, unpaid projects, excess office expenses – these extra costs may be the reason your business has not reached its full potential yet. Make a list of all the business costs you have incurred throughout the year and cut items you do not need.

12.  Give back to the community. Freelancing is much more than just finding clients and earning money. It is doing work that you are passionate about and which could help your community as well. You can create a useful app, share great tips, or contribute to a cause you believe in.

What strategies have you used to successfully grow your businesses? Share your experience in the comments section below.

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing top-notch web content, such as product descriptions, website copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

Here are three ways it can help you land your next great job!

1. Leverage the power of networking.

Facebook is great for helping you connect with your existing network. For example, if you are seeking a new job or a fresh project, you can post a status message saying that you are looking for new opportunities. Even if no one in your immediate network has an opening, they can pass on your name to others. Just make sure to keep your network relationships strong by regularly interacting there, so it will feel natural to ask your connections for support.

But don’t just settle for leveraging your existing connections — Facebook can be a great tool for helping you build and expand your network. Following professional groups and pages on Facebook can expose you to thousands of other people in similar fields, helping you build your network substantially. “Like” oDesk on Facebook – our community there of successful oDeskers can offer online work guidance, an entrepreneurial support group and an ongoing stream of new opportunities!

2. Build your professional brand.

Branding isn’t just for businesses — building and strengthening your own professional brand may be one of your best assets. Your professional brand extends far beyond your resume or C.V. — it also incorporates your digital and social presence.

Now that you have “liked” professional pages and groups on Facebook, you can build your brand by taking time to participate in discussions that add value to those communities. Sharing tips and best practices, answering other users’ questions, and generally engaging with the group can all help build your status as an expert in that community, which is a great way to make a name for yourself professionally. Just make sure to avoid “spamming” the discussion pages of these groups with links to your website or requests for work on unrelated discussions — not only does this risk having your comment removed by group administrators, it undermines your credibility. Remember, the key is building your reputation by providing value and showcasing your expertise, not by advertising your services. If you effectively build your reputation as an expert in your field, it will help you attract high-quality employers and opportunities.

3. Access new resources and great advice.

Those familiar with “crowdsourcing” — using the collective wisdom of many people to help you solve problems or complete tasks — know that a lot of value can be found when groups of people share advice and resources. Trying to figure out which design program is best for a certain project, or what is a competitive rate for your services? Chances are there are many members of professional Facebook groups who can provide valuable input. Even if you don’t have any burning questions to ask, just observing group discussions can help you pick up tips you may never have found elsewhere.

So what are you waiting for? Start your Facebook networking today! Just make sure your profile is professionally friendly — if yours is linked to your college party pictures or the ones from that infamous tropical vacation, check your privacy settings carefully to make sure potential employers can’t see them.

Need a great place to start? Like oDesk on Facebook! On our page, you will find lots of great resources and advice from fellow oDeskers, as well as helpful tips and fun contests from your friends on the oDesk staff. We’ll see you there!

Jenna Weiner is a marketing specialist at oDesk and an editor of the oDesk Blog. With a background in business and technology writing and editing, she specializes in content strategy and social media marketing.

It is moments like this when we remember that we should have had a plan in place – but forgot. Chances are you have been in this situation once or twice. Whatever your unpredictable technology-related issue, one thing seems certain: These problems always come up at the most inconvenient times.

It costs extra effort and stress to recreate work you have lost – especially if your deadline is looming – plus you have other projects to tackle. Here are a few proactive steps you can take to help you safeguard your files and your time.

Create a framework so you can fill in the blanks

While having a plan for every project will not always save you, it can still save time if the worst happens, because at least you have a framework to help you recreate your work. If you don’t already do this, try to make a habit of sketching a rough outline of your project ahead of time. 

Get to know your autosave and version options

Automatic backup functions vary from program to program so there is no easy “how-to” guide for this. However, for the programs you use most frequently, check the help files or do an Internet search to check for autosave or version functionality. You may be able to adjust the frequency of these backups by adjusting the settings.

Learn to love working in the cloud

Beyond your many options for saving files to the cloud, there are an increasing number of options for actually doing your work online.

If you need more than the basic products offered through services like Google Documents or photo editors like Picnik, your cloud-based options have been slim – but they are quickly increasing. More industry-focused solutions are in progress: For example, Autodesk is moving at least some functionality to the cloud and Adobe recently launched Creative Cloud.

Old technology can still help

Your external hard drive and stack of blank DVDs may be collecting dust in the corner, but sometimes old tech offers a certain degree of comfort.

If you use Windows 7, for example, you can schedule a weekly automatic backup to copy your main drive to an external disk. This is a particularly good option if your Internet connection is slow or less than reliable – and large external drives are increasingly affordable.

Do you have any creative solutions for recovering lost work? How do you safeguard your important files? Share your advice in the comments section!

Amy Sept recently joined the oDesk team as the assistant blog editor. A professional communicator with more than a decade of experience, she helps connect non-profit organizations and small businesses with the people who need their help – in print and online. For the record, her computer randomly rebooted once while writing this article: She still has no idea why.

What can you do now – or over the next few days – that will give you an easier start in January without adding too much stress now?

Before you sign off for the holidays, avoid starting the new year in a rut by creating a plan for your first week back.

Start your to-do list now

The key to making these connections is establishing yourself as an expert in your field and building authentic relationships with others. Your goal is not to increase the number of followers you have but to effectively spread the word that you are a freelancer looking for people to work with.

Here are five important steps to help improve your job search on Twitter.

1. It is time to get professional.

Think of the people you want to work with and how you can help them. Then look at your Twitter profile – how can you make it more interesting, professional and inviting for potential clients to follow you?

For example, you could

• replace your avatar with a presentable portrait of yourself,
• write an interesting description about yourself and your work, and
• include a link to your oDesk profile.

2. Share useful, thought-provoking content in relation to your field of expertise.

 Whether the content you share on Twitter is your own or from others in your industry, provide quality information that will help or ignite conversation among members of your community.

Share your own insights as well. Your followers may respond to your tweets, adding their own opinions about the topics at hand. Engage them and carry on the conversation.

3. Follow Twitter users who can be potential clients to work with.

How to Really Use Twitter to Find More Freelance Work, an article from Freelance Folder, suggests building your Twitter community by zooming in on businesses you want to work with the most.

Use these three questions to write a targeted list of people to look for:

1. Who would you like to do a project with?
2. Does he or she have a Twitter profile? Does the company you would like to market your
   services to use Twitter?
3. Are you already following them?

With these three questions, you can create a concrete list of people to connect with.

4. Keep your eyes open for tweets about job openings and freelance gigs.

Companies are increasingly aware that social media is the new way to find customers and skilled professionals, and many now use social networks to reach out to the right people. Twitter is no exception, so it is important to keep an eye out for tweets about job openings and freelance gigs.

How can you find these important messages?

• If you do well with the first three steps, clients or companies may contact you directly, or
• Not knowing who to turn to, they may simply tweet job openings to their followers. To spot the latter, take the next step.

5. Use Twitter Search to find freelance gigs.

Twitter’s own search enables you to find tweets and users through specific keywords.

For example, a search for “freelance writer,” “logo designer,” “copywriter” or “WordPress developer” will deliver tweets that mention these keywords. Your job now is to respond to those looking for people with the skills you offer.

The next time you log on to Twitter, keep a look out for potential clients to connect with and freelance gigs to apply for. A simple Twitter search can yield all sorts of opportunities, but it is up to you to take advantage of them.

Do you use Twitter to connect with potential clients and find freelance work? Have you developed a long-term working relationship with anyone? Share your stories in the comments section below.

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing top-notch web content, such as product descriptions, website copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

Whether you need help giving your marketing efforts a facelift or sorting paperwork, this list has something for everyone. With a price tag of $0, you will not lose anything by taking any of these apps for a test spin. Treat yourself!

Business tools

• Enloop - Business plans: The essential tool we love to hate. Having one is critical for your business, but writing one – and maintaining it – is often seen as tedious and complicated. If you find this task a little cheerless, take a look at Enloop. This handy app purports to help you generate your plan, figure out financials, and even predict your chances of success. Plus, once you get your plan together, Enloop helps you share it with other business owners for them to critique.
• Dropbox – We have highlighted Dropbox several times here on the oDesk blog, but it is worth another mention. This cloud-based file sharing program automatically updates files and syncs with all of your machines. Perfect for the entrepreneur on the go.
• Prezi – Engaging presentations are a must when you are trying to woo customers or investors. Prezi is cloud-based software that lets you create visually-compelling presentations, then share them through the Prezi site or on your own web page. You can also work simultaneously with team members to create a presentation using Prezi Meeting.
• StringHub – It is a perfect pairing: College students who want to test their skills in areas like graphic design, programming and marketing, and cash-strapped businesses who need extra help. To bring the two together, StringHub allows a business to submit a project, then encourages students to volunteer to help for class credit. While quality can be an issue, it is still a worthwhile option for simple jobs you need to finish that do not fit into your budget.
• Freemind – Need to organize your research on a subject? Looking for a way to plan an article or brainstorm around a project? Freemind is an open source mind-mapping program that helps you order your thoughts in intricate and detailed ways.
• Sprouter – Similar to Quora, Sprouter is a forum where you can pose your business-related questions and expect to get answers. The difference? Anyone can answer questions on Quora but Sprouter has a pre-chosen panel of experts that will respond with quality information.

Marketing tools

• UnBounce – Customized landing pages are the perfect tool for you use to test your marketing ideas and improve the results of your advertising campaigns. UnBounce is the perfect tool for creating those pages without hiring a web developer. While the company does not offer a long-term free plan, they do have a 30-day trial period – just long enough for you to try out some of your ideas without paying a dime.
  
• BlogTalkRadio – Want to have your own online radio show? BlogTalkRadio will help get you started. All you need is a phone and a computer. You can host guests, chat live with listeners, embed the player on your site and build a fan base. If you have something to say, here is a way to say it!
• MailChimp – Ready to start an email newsletter? MailChimp offers a lot of features including Facebook integration, interactive newsletters, custom branding, RSS-to-email and Google analytics. Chances are the free version is all you need: It allows you to manage as many as 2,000 subscribers and send up to 12,000 emails each month.
• Tweet Alarm – It can be a pain to monitor Twitter for @mentions or important keywords; make the process easier with Tweet Alarm. This app sends you an email message whenever a Tweet appears about any subject you have flagged based on keywords you feed it. One of its handy features is the ability to ignore tweets from certain users, a feature you can activate directly from the email notifications.
• SnapEngage – When customers have issues, your website is one of the first places they will look for help. Make sure your contact information is easy to find, and give them instant access to your customer support team using the customer chat tool from SnapEngage. With their free version, you are allowed up to 30 chats per month and one live agent.

Development tools

• Project Locker – If your development team is geographically spread out, Project Locker is a great collaboration tool for you. Source control and issue tracking solutions are available, plus the program integrates with Basecamp and Fogbugz, so your team can communicate more effectively.
• Google Page Speed – This collection of open source tools from Google allows you to test, evaluate and optimize the performance of your web page. It includes Page Speed Mobile so you can analyze how your site works within mobile browsers.
• JotForm – Need a submission form? Try JotForm. This easy-to-use form builder uses a drag-and-drop method to build forms. Once you have created the form you need, simply integrate it into your site and any submissions will be sent to you by email.
• Gimp – If you do not want to pay the bill for Photoshop, Gimp is your open source (and free) alternative. Admittedly, it is not as slick or polished as its Adobe competitor, but for the price tag Gimp is a surprisingly robust offering and has a dedicated community of users you can turn to for help and how-to information.
• Color Scheme Designer – If you make the wrong decision, a task as seemingly simple as choosing a complementary color scheme can make a your website look hideously ugly. If you do not have a natural eye for colors, take advantage of this free tool.  The Color Scheme Designer site allows you to create various color schemes then demo how they would look on an actual website.
• Cacoo – From infographics to flowcharts, diagrams are an effective communication tool. Cacoo is a web app that provides dozens of stencils, backgrounds and alignment options to help you create the perfect chart for your project.

Financial tools

• Harvest – Harvest is an easy, web-based invoicing and time-tracking system. You can get the Harvest app for your Android or iPhone so you can track the time you spend on client projects from anywhere. The free version allows you to track and invoice up to four clients at a time.
• Shoeboxed – See that stack of receipts, bills and other miscellaneous papers you keep shoving to the side? You cannot throw them away but who has room to file them all? Cut the clutter with Shoeboxed, an online document storage and management app. With the free version, you unfortunately have to enter the data yourself, but then you can categorize and sort expenses by name or date.
• GnuCash – An open source accounting software for both personal and small business use, GnuCash is completely free. It uses the double-entry bookkeeping system to help you keep track of funds. The software has plenty of useful features, but GnuCash does not have the prettiest interface on the market. That said, functionally it is definitely a viable QuickBooks alternative.

Some of these tools have been around for a while – have you used any of them? What did you think? Leave your reviews and recommendations in the comments section below.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients including national magazines, small businesses and non-profit organizations. She especially enjoys covering stories about the intersection of technology and business. Got any great business tools that you have used? Share them with her on Google+ or Twitter.

So what can you do to put aside your qualms and network like a pro? We asked our users to share their favorite tips for successful networking and got some great responses. Here are our favorites!

1. Tim Lytle, via Twitter:
Be helpful: connect people — recommend someone else if it’s something you don’t do, and answer questions — it may be a future client.

2. Randika Ratnayake, via Facebook:
Try to give out more than what you get, and more than what the client expects. It sounds odd and expensive, but later on it pays you back with interest, so it is an indirect investment for the long term. A happy client is always a free marketing strategy and a tool.

3. Ahaiwe Kelechi C., via Facebook:
Motivational speaking.

4. Maita Alvin Enzo Perez, via Facebook:
The best tip — always keep communication lines open. If you are looking for a job, include all possible ways to contact you. If you already have a job, don’t hesitate to ask questions and clarify if instructions are not clear. This way, you will build strong working relationships with your employers.

5. Jadi Val Akuti, via Facebook:
Article writing and forum posting are the best ways for me … for the forum posting, you can react and interact with people that have the same interests, and you can come up with some ideas and suggestions for your product.

6. Sky Aldovino, via Facebook:
My tip would be commitment and patience … when I got my first oDesk contract I committed myself to it and jobs just came pouring down on me. I still have my first clients up to now when I started 3 years ago and new ones are coming in, too. I have even been personally referred by my clients to their friends.

7. Vaibhav Kanwal, via Facebook:
Build a list by asking buyers to sign up for your mailing list after a successful contract. That way, you can reach out to them later and even offer discounts!

8. Hugh Ghouleh, via Facebook:
People don’t like to network with takers; it might work for a while, but eventually… acknowledging mutual interests can increase your network value substantially.

9. Sarah Jane Valdez, via Facebook:
One should have FUN; networking is one fun way of meeting people, sharing ideas and establishing possible business relationships.

10. Dennis A Deschamps, via Facebook:
Attend a local neighborhood meetup to network with those in the know to alleviate doing what you are not necessarily good at.

Have any of these strategies been successful for you? Do you have other tips to add to the list? Let us know in the comments section below!

Jenna Weiner is a marketing specialist at oDesk and an editor of the oDesk Blog. With a background in business and technology writing and editing, she specializes in content strategy and social media marketing.

If you are expecting to take a break, what can you do now to make your time away from work – and your return – as stress-free as possible? Here are five helpful strategies.

1. Review your deadlines and milestones

Even if you plan to work all month, your clients may not. Review your current projects as well as upcoming deadlines and milestones. If you have any deadlines scheduled for later in December, consider moving them up or bumping them to January. Make sure to check with your clients about their own timelines!

Why does this matter? You deserve a break and so do your clients. Avoid the frustration of last-minute changes – or worse, missed deadlines – by negotiating any adjustments now.

2. Connect with people you have worked with – and say “thank you”

Even if you do not currently have any ongoing projects with certain colleagues, this is a great opportunity to connect with people you have worked with in the past – not just clients but also co-workers and sub-contractors. Let them know whether you are available over the holidays and thank them for their business or support over the past year.

Why does this matter? It is easy to fall out of touch with people you have enjoyed working with once a project wraps up. This is a great opportunity to send a gentle reminder that you are still here and in business – but more importantly, a lot of other people will not bother. That makes this an easy activity that can help you stand out, and also allows you to genuinely thank people who have helped you succeed.

3. Set an out-of-office message

Even with good planning and communication, you will likely still get emails while you are on vacation. Did you know that a lot of email programs allow you to create an out-of-office autoreply?

For example, if you use Gmail:

• Find “Mail Settings” under the “Options” icon in the upper-right corner.
• On the “General” tab, near the bottom of the page, you will find a section called “Out of Office Autoreply.”
• Set the start and end dates for your autoreply and write a message that tells people you are on vacation, as well as when they might expect to receive a response.
• Make sure you click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the page!

If you are concerned about an ongoing interview on oDesk, here is a tip from the community about adjusting your profile.

Why does this matter? If someone tries to contact you during your time off, this automatic message will let them know that you are away – not simply ignoring them – and makes a commitment that you will be in touch upon your return.

4. Make a to-do list for your first week back at work

Before you leave for your time off, make a list of the priorities you need to tackle when you get back. You may want to put this list together over a few days, just to make sure you don’t miss anything as you are wrapping up. (Hint: One of the top items on your list should be replying to any emails you missed while you were away!)

Why does this matter? Whether you plan to take a few days off or a few weeks, you should give your brain a chance to think about other things – like your family and friends. Knowing that you have already planned what you need to do when you get back will help you leave work behind and focus on having fun.

5. Actually take a break

Many of us are so wired with smartphones, laptops and tablets that checking in on work is literally just as easy as playing a round of Angry Birds. But if you cannot disconnect yourself from work, you will not enjoy much of a break – and you will rob yourself of an opportunity to relax and recharge.

(If you absolutely must check in while you are away, our Holiday How-To For Freelancers offers some great tips.)

Why does this matter? Not only do you deserve a break, you need one! If your life usually moves at a hectic pace, slowing down will give your mind and body a chance to recover so you will be ready to charge ahead in the new year. If you need more proof, read this post about why you need weekends: It is good for you and your business.

What tasks do you do before you take time off? Please share your advice in the comments section!

Amy Sept recently joined the oDesk team as the assistant blog editor. A professional communicator with more than a decade of experience, she helps connect non-profit organizations and small businesses with the people who need their help – in print and online.

From collaborating with others to tracking your time and budget, you can use apps to trim your usual workload and keep projects organized and accessible wherever you go.

There are literally thousands of apps available, but here is a great place to start: 10 useful web apps that can make life a bit easier and your to-do list shorter. (Bonus: Most of them are free!)

1. Screenr (Free)
This web app can instantly record a screencast – basically, a video of what you are doing on your computer – and generate a link for you to share with others. Screenr comes in handy if you create tutorials, troubleshoot issues that are too complicated to explain via email, or want to show off your work to a potential client.

2. Solo (From $10 per month)
Solo is a great-looking project management tool created for freelancers. Not only does it help you manage multiple projects, it also makes it very easy for you to visually track your projects, tasks and time.

3. Teuxdeux (Free)
Minimalist but attractive, Teuxdeux is a web-based task management app known for its horizontal and calendar-like interface. This lets you add tasks, strike them off, and jump from one day to another – all within one clean view.

4. Google Docs (Free)
Google Docs is one of the best tools available when you need to share documents or collaborate with fellow freelancers. You can easily create and edit a variety of file types like documents, spreadsheets, forms and presentations. A recent update added some helpful new features, including a more-streamlined sharing process.

5. Picnik (Free)
Need to resize an image or crop a photo? Picnik should do the trick. It is a very simple-but-useful editing tool that you can use to crop, resize and automatically enhance your images and photos. It also has an extension for Google’s Chrome browser.

6. Ge.tt (Free)
With 2GB of free space and the ability to share files while uploading, Ge.tt is a file-sharing app that makes uploading and distributing files of any size pretty seamless. You can also reuse links and get statistics for your documents – keeping track of how many times your file has been downloaded, for example.

7. Wave (Free)
If numbers are not your specialty, life just got a bit easier. Wave is a free accounting application that looks after your bookkeeping so you can focus on your work. For example, it can automatically categorize your expenses, and it learns as you use the program. You can also access Wave through its Google Chrome app.

8. Feedly (Free)
Feedly is a multi-platform, cross-browser web app that syncs with Google Reader and displays your RSS feeds beautifully – it practically invites you to sit down and read through every article. Beyond its attractive interface, Feedly lets you share articles via social networks and save content to read later.

9. Simplenote (Free)
If you are looking for a note-taking application that is not too heavy on features, Simplenote is one of the best. Using your free account you can create notes on your computer or phone and organize them using tags or pins – which help keep specific notes at the top of the pile. You can also review older versions of notes and sync your account with third-party applications.

10. Freckle (From $12 per month)
Freckle is a time-tracking tool for freelancers – but it is more than that. It creates easy-to-manage projects (you do not need to set them up separately), generates invoices, and helps you track your time so you can make more accurate estimates in the future. It offers time tracking and project management rolled into one beautiful and colorful app.

There are so many web applications available, which ones are indispensable for your business? Do you use any of these, or do you have alternatives? Share your favorite apps in the comments section below.

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing top-notch web content, such as product descriptions, website copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

As a hardworking contractor, you know that feedback scores are essential when applying for jobs – so you may need to step up and ask your employer to leave a comment. Here are five tips to help you make the request:

Tip #1: Give your employer every reason to give you positive feedback.

Finish all tasks, assignments, projects and leftover work within your deadlines and before the contract ends. Exemplary work and great communication skills will surely merit five-star feedback from your employer – and if your employer is clearly happy with your performance, it will be easier for you to ask for positive feedback.

Tip #2: Ask your employer for feedback in a professional manner.

There are many ways to ask an employer for feedback, but you must always do so in a professional manner that isn’t too demanding or annoying. If your main form of communication is email, for instance, you can ask for feedback using this kind of message:

Hello [employer's name],

It looks like our contract is coming to an end in two weeks. It has been a great experience for me, and I look forward to receiving your sincere feedback rating for my services as well as your thoughts on the work experience as a whole.

From there, you can emphasize how receiving his feedback on oDesk will significantly help boost your chances of finding more work and improve your standing as an oDesk contractor.

Tip #3: Thank your employer.

Before ending your message, thank your employer. It is always nice to give and receive appreciation, especially after all the work is done and the project has finally reached completion.

If the project was successful and your employer has treated you with respect and courtesy, do not hesitate to thank him for the opportunity and the experience you have gained. He will likely do the same in his feedback for you.

Tip #4: If the employer is new, help her out by sharing important information.

An employer may not leave feedback because she isn’t familiar with the oDesk system or does not realize how important feedback is. When working with new employers, you can take the initiative and show them how contracts work on oDesk. Share these important links in particular:

• How Do I End a Contract? – A step-by-step tutorial for employers.
• How to Make an Offer to a Contractor – If your employer plans to hire you again, this explains how she can easily rehire you by making an offer.
• How to Give a Bonus or Added Payment – If your employer wishes to give you a bonus or added payment before the contract ends, this tutorial will help.

Note: As soon as your employer is ready, instruct her to end the contract on her end. It is always better if the employer ends the contract first, so she can immediately settle any remaining payments and leave feedback.

Tip #5: If the contract has ended, let your employer know he can still leave feedback.

With a tight schedule and the urgency to move forward, your employer forgot to leave feedback after your contract ended. That’s okay: You can still invite him to leave a comment about your work.

If 14 days have passed since the contract ended, you can enable feedback changes by going to the Contracts page under My Jobs. Once you have done that through your account, your employer can leave feedback by going through his account to the Contracts page under Manage My Team.

Note: You can also negotiate with your employer for a higher rating, if you think you deserve it. Make sure you and your employer mutually agree that the feedback will be changed; it is also possible for an employer to lower your rating instead.

If your employer is unreachable and you have done all you can to ask for feedback, the best thing to do is to leave your own feedback and move on. It may not help your ratings on oDesk, but at least you will be helping your fellow contractors by sharing your own experience with this particular employer.

If you are a contractor, what advice do you have for encouraging employers to leave feedback? Employers, we know you are busy; how can contractors make this process easier for you?

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing top-notch web content, such as product descriptions, website copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

But should your stunning profile remain within the four walls of the oDesk website? Absolutely not! Your profile comes with its very own oDesk permalink, which you can showcase on various online networks for everyone ⎯ particularly employers ⎯ to see.

Let’s take a look at five other places to showcase your profile:

1. Business cards

When marketing your services on oDesk, you send out applications. Similarly, when marketing yourself in person, you give out business cards. Handing out your cards at conferences and other professional networking events is a great way to spread the word about your freelance business.

On your business card, below your name and title, include your oDesk profile permalink. That way, when you hand a potential client your card, he will know how to contact and hire you for a project.

2. Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and more

Social media is one of many popular ways to showcase your profile online, particularly through Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. Setting up a profile or a page is easy; sharing links, videos, photos and content can be done with a few clicks of the mouse; and connecting with respected people in your field is easier than ever.

What better way to spread the word about your freelance business than to place your oDesk profile link on these social media sites? You can place the link on your Twitter profile, Facebook page, Google+ page, or all three if you think these are the best channels to market your services online.

3. LinkedIn, Zerply and other professional sites

Networks like LinkedIn, Skillpages and Zerply focus on connecting professionals and companies all over the globe. In other words, your skills, portfolio and online resume are the highlights of your profile.

Feel like you are duplicating what you have already filled out on oDesk? It may seem like it, but creating a profile on these sites is actually a great strategy because thousands of people ⎯ freelancers and employers alike ⎯ are members of these sites, and use them to network with (and even hire) talented people like you.

Choose one or two of the most popular sites and build your network from there. Who knows ⎯ your connections may turn out to be your future clients and partners.

4. Your own website and blog

Your very own website and blog are also great places to promote your oDesk profile. There are plenty of potential clients who do not use oDesk, so you can direct them there through your website and through high-quality blog posts.

You can also use the oDesk Hire Me widgets to attract potential employers whenever they visit your website. Just choose the right size and display, then place it on your sidebar for everyone to see.

5. Guest posts on popular blogs

Do you write as a guest blogger for popular industry blogs, such as those in design, writing or web development? If so, you can use your byline to direct interested readers to your oDesk profile.

As a skilled and talented freelancer with great content to share on these blogs, employers are more likely to hire you over others because they see you as an expert in your field. To them, you know what you are talking about, are aware of the latest trends in the industry, and are a great addition to their team of freelancers.

When you write your next blog post, don’t forget to include your byline and an inviting call to action ⎯ or more specifically, a call to hire you through oDesk.

Where else would you showcase your profile for prospective employers to see? Have these outlets helped you get hired on oDesk? 

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing top-notch web content, such as product descriptions, website copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

A good virtual assistant — which you can find through oDesk — can be your right-hand man (or woman). From answering e-mails and managing social media accounts to setting appointments and providing programming support, the list of tasks a virtual assistant (VA) can help you with is long. And good VAs will not just shorten your to-do list; they can also increase your productivity and, by correlation, your business profitability.

The “Help-Wanted” Checklist

To determine whether hiring a virtual assistant is a good option for you, make a list of the following:

1. The tasks outside of your core competencies that siphon off large amounts of your time
2. The items on your to-do list that you never have time to get to
3. Repetitive tasks that could easily be accomplished by someone else
4. How you would use your time if the above items were taken off your plate

Take a look at your answers to the first three questions. If your lists are long, you should strongly consider hiring a virtual assistant. On the other hand, if those lists are short, you may need to regularly set aside a few hours each week to knock out those items on your agenda.

As to the fourth question, it’s important to consider whether or not a virtual assistant would save you money by freeing you up to concentrate on other revenue-generating tasks. As with all hires, ROI is important!

Find True (Virtual) Help

You have determined you need the aid a VA can provide — now it’s time to find the perfect match. Here are a few points to keep in mind as you conduct that search:

• Look for an assistant who has verifiable references, preferably from other business owners. Your VA will potentially have access to important business and personal information, so you need to be sure they are trustworthy.
• Re-examine the list of tasks you need a virtual assistant to do. Based on that list, jot down some of the key skills and qualities your VA needs to have. Then, examine potential candidates’ resumes in light of those essential characteristics.
• Craft a straightforward contract that clearly stipulates your expectations for your assistant as well as what she should expect from you. Discuss that document with your top candidates to ensure you’re both on the same page.
• Hire a VA for a test run. Assign him some non-essential tasks in order to see how he handles communication, as well as how diligent he is in completing the tasks as assigned. This type of trial run allows you to see if you and your virtual assistant are a good fit. Remember though, even if it’s just a test job, they still need to be fully compensated for their time. Here’s a great past oDesk post on how a test job should work.

Effective Management Tips

If you are used to being a lone ranger, it can be difficult to get into the groove of managing someone else’s time and work duties. But if you don’t, you might find yourself frustrated with your assistant … and it won’t be his fault. Keep everyone happy by following these guidelines:

• Make yourself available. One advantage an on-site secretary has over her virtual counterparts is the ease of communication with her boss. Your VA doesn’t have the luxury of being able to poke his head inside your office door to ask a question, so you need to make yourself accessible to him during a set period of time. Also, provide multiple lines of communication. Twitter, Skype, e-mail, and similar channels all make good communication tools, so make use of them.
• Set deadlines and priorities. Let your assistant know which tasks are most important as well as when you need them completed. That way your VA’s work can mirror your expectations.
• Create a manual of key processes in order to cut down on FAQs. Especially when there are repetitive tasks, having a procedure manual will speed up the training process as well as provide a benchmark for a job well done.
• Make sure e-mails don’t get missed. As outlined in my past post on using Gmail, you can employ filters to sort your e-mails in whatever way you choose. Use this type of filtering to put e-mails from your VA at the top of the list.

The Power of the Virtual Assistant

Like the idea of having an assistant, but still unsure of how to use one? Here are 10 ways a VA could lighten your workload:

1. Keep your social media outlets updated with content you provide
2. Do research
3. Filter incoming e-mails to identify good prospects for follow up
4. Manage your schedule
5. Make travel arrangements
6. Work on lead generation
7. Update mailing lists
8. Write newsletters
9. Handle customer service
10. Do bookkeeping

For more ideas, check out this (very) long list of 101 ways to employ a virtual assistant.

Do you use a virtual assistant? If so, what are some best practices for effectively managing and making use of your assistant’s skills? And if you’re a VA, how can employers make your job easier? Share your advice below.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses and non-profit organizations. She especially enjoys covering stories about the intersection of technology and business. Connect with her on Google Plus and let her know how you’ve made use of virtual assistants.

1. iris (free): Developed in just eight hours, this app is still in alpha mode, but is already being hailed as a “Siri-killer.” That, I think, is a bit overblown. While iris can answer questions, make phone calls and send texts, that’s about all it can do. Even the completion of those tasks is a bit buggy — in my tests, I found that results were 50/50 in accuracy. Still, the app is in the early stages of development and shows a lot of future promise. I am interested to see where iris will be in another six months or so. Maybe Siri will have to watch out after all.
2. Vlingo (free): Vlingo is a bit more Siri-like than iris, in that it actually works fairly well with other apps — allowing you to open, say, Pandora and start playing your favorite channel simply by using voice commands. One key difference: Vlingo does not speak back to you, so you do have to actually read the answer. Just a year ago, that would not have even been an issue, right? (This shows how spoiled the wonders of technology are making us.) All in all, I found Vlingo to be incredible. I love it. I’m addicted.
3. Speaktoit Assistant (free): The Speaktoit Assistant has a face (which is customizable), a voice (also customizable) and a lot of knowledge. I liked the conversational feel of Speaktoit, and my kids get a kick out of my phone talking to me. Like Vlingo (and Siri), the app will do tasks such as give you directions, text someone, control apps and make calls. However, I got a bit frustrated with how often the app seemed to have a hard time understanding questions and commands. I was also a bit annoyed by my avatar’s appearance. It felt cheap and cheesy, so I opted for the giant microphone icon. All that aside, it was definitely a useful app, especially for the price tag.
4. Jeannie (free): Jeannie is another personal assistant with a customizable voice and a bit of attitude; she actually has a Siri-like sense of humor. This clever little app can be in constant conversation mode, allowing you to speak commands at will without having to tap a button. I’ve heard that Jeannie isn’t as full-featured as Vlingo, a claim which is worth testing. Several users are also complaining that the app has a glitch that makes it occasionally pinpoint your location as New York when that just ain’t so.

As I use these various voice command apps, I can’t help but feel like I have stepped into my favorite futuristic science-fiction movie. As the artificial intelligence technology improves, I predict Siri and its virtual assistant ilk will have us talking to our smartphones with the same ease as we now have when using them to listen to music and browse the Internet.

It’s your turn. Have you used one of these apps? If so, what do you think? And which would you recommend as a good Siri alternative?

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses and non-profit organizations. She especially enjoys covering stories about the latest and greatest Android apps.

The thought of increasing one’s freelance rates can be a bit scary, of course, but it shouldn’t be something to shy away from if you believe it’s time to raise the bar up.  You’ve worked hard to get to where you are, and that kind of effort deserves a well-deserved raise.

We’ve tackled 10 ways to give yourself a raise and to give yourself an edge over the competition, so let’s take a look at 5 more ways to give yourself a raise and to bring your freelancing career to the next level:

1. Increase your hourly rate AND your fixed price fees.

This is, of course, the best way to give yourself a raise on oDesk.  You can increase your hourly rate by changing it in your Profile settings and your fixed price fees by bidding higher on fixed price jobs.

You can do this by estimating how many hours it would take to do a particular project (considering you already have experience) and multiplying that with your new hourly rate.  Don’t forget to factor in all other expenses and particulars when quoting a fixed fee.

2. Inform your clients about your price increases.

This is to let them know beforehand, in case they decide to bring in new and/or recurring business in the future.  There is a possibility that they’ll want to hire someone cheaper to cut costs, but if you’ve built good working relationships with them, price increases shouldn’t be an issue.  Heck, they probably were going to increase your hourly rate anyway.

3. Narrow down your choices of freelance jobs.

Back when you were still an oDesk newbie, you didn’t mind applying for jobs left and right.  Whether the tasks were administrative or involved writing long 450-word articles, it didn’t matter so long as you had the skills to do the job.

Now that you’re established and your rates are higher, apply only for jobs that truly match your best skills and whose employers are willing to pay your ideal freelance rates and fees.  Employers will especially welcome freelancers who specialize in a particular skill, since the skill level, knowledge, and experience are more refined and of higher quality.

4. Raise your standards as a freelancer by ignoring jobs that prioritize price over quality.

Now that you’re more experienced, you can now decide if a project is really worth your time and talent or not.

With that said, don’t fall for job posts that will only hire candidates with bids lower than your freelance rates.  If an employer asks that you lower your hourly rate for him to hire you, choose to negotiate or move on to other job posts instead of agreeing to it.

5. Open your doors to more long-term projects.

Apply for bigger projects that require work for up to 6 months, rather than sticking to small short-term jobs. Besides gaining much more experience and securing a stable source of income, your feedback scores (if good) will increase your overall oDesk rating significantly.  And when that happens, expect more work to come knocking at your doorstep.

Raising your freelance rates is a big step towards earning more income and growing your business.  Although your chances of winning projects may slide a bit due to cheaper rates from other contractors, it shouldn’t be a problem if you know deep down that your present skills and experience level are worth the raise.

Are you planning on increasing your rates today? If you feel hesitant, what’s keeping you from doing so?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic.

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product descriptions, website copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

So what can you do to ensure your client’s data security? Here’s 10 ways to protect yourself against information theft:

1. Identify Sensitive Data – Do you even know what types of sensitive data your clients have entrusted to you? From passwords to proprietary information to source code — take time to identify the data items that require extra vigilance. It’s called risk assessment and is the first step in successful endpoint protection. This review process will also assist you in pinpointing security holes.
2. Protect Your Computer – A firewall and up to date antivirus software is foundational. If you don’t have those in place, then you’re leaving the door wide open for the not so nice to walk right in and help themselves. For bare bones protection, check out AVG’s free anti-virus software and ZoneAlarm’s free firewall.
3. Choose Your Password Wisely – Sensitive data should always be protected by a password. Unfortunately, many users choose a password that provides little protection against the experienced hacker. A beefy password is characterized by containing more than one word, using symbols or numbers and being 8+ characters. For more on the ins and outs of a successful password, read “The Anti-Hacker Password Plan.”
4. Isolate Important Client Data – As previously mentioned, client data must be protected by a password. There are several 3rd party utilities that can accomplish this, including Protected Folder and TrueCrypt. Don’t store important data in multiple, unsecured locations. The more places you keep it, the more places you have to protect that are potential security risks. The only exception to this rule is keeping backups.
5. Prepare for Disaster – Hurricanes, fires, earthquakes. As this year has proved yet again, natural disasters happen. And if you’re not prepared when one hits, your business will be in a world of hurt. That’s why you need backups of all mission critical data. It’s fine to keep a backup copy on site. But it’s absolutely vital that you also keep one off-site in a secure location (i.e., not the trunk of your car). Cloud-based backup is another option, but it has some definite cons that are beyond the scope of this post. For more on that, read “Is Cloud Based Backup Safe,” as well as the post’s accompanying comments.
6. Avoid Dangerous Downloads – With the current proliferation of apps, it’s easy to be a little too trusting about the programs you download. This is one area in which being paranoid is a good thing. Check and double check the safety of your downloads — make sure they’re from a reliable source. That goes for links sent by friends via email or social media too. Accounts are getting hacked right and left, so even a link sent by your best friend should be treated with caution.
7. Ban Peer to Peer Software – P2P programs might (and that’s a big question!) have a place on your personal computer, but should NEVER be used on a machine that contains client data. The potential dangers of these file-sharing programs include firewall penetration, malware or virus infection and data theft. It’s a risk that should be completely avoided. And yes, even Spotify has been a source of trouble, according to this e-Week.com report.
8. Protect E-Mail Attachments – You worked all night on the code for the client. The next morning, you sent it to them…but inadvertently e-mailed it to the wrong address. That’s potential trouble, unless you’ve encrypted the file. If there’s e-mail attachments that are for your client’s eyes only, use the open source software program, 7-Zip. It’s an endpoint security program that will encrypt and password protect your e-mail attachments.
9. Handle Paper With Care – Paper documents might be hacker-proof, but that doesn’t make them safe. Yes, non-digital thieves still exist. So instead of just throwing that wadded up document in the trash, take the time to shred it. If there’s important info on the paper, then it deserves to be trashed with care.
10. Delete Metadata – Did you know that files you send could contain hidden information that could open you up to a brute force or social engineering attack? That concealed data, otherwise known as “metadata,” is descriptive info attached to a digital file. If your project is quite hush-hush, you might need to be extra careful about the metadata you’re sending out. For more on this, check out “Metadata Defense in Word” and “Removing PDF Metadata”.

When it comes to endpoint security, you alone are responsible. Don’t fail yourself or your clients by being lax in this area. I’ve covered some of the ways to ensure data safety. What are others that I’ve missed? Add to the post in the comments section below.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses and non-profit organizations. In the midst of writing this post, she realized her anti-virus software desperately needed updating. Connect with her on Google+.

Unfortunately, the fixed price model is often misunderstood and abused, and the last thing you need is a dispute for unpaid work, so let’s take a look at tips for contractors working on a fixed price project:

• Evaluate the employer’s background on oDesk. I encourage contractors to make a habit of looking at the employer’s feedback and payment history before agreeing to do a fixed price project. If the employer is a regular oDesk user, read the feedback ratings of past contractors. If his profile is still fresh, make sure to discuss all the details with him during the interview before saying “yes.”
• Make accurate project estimates. There’s less flexibility in the fixed-price setting, so take into consideration every aspect of the project before agreeing on a price and timeline. If it is necessary, don’t be afraid to go over the employer’s budget a little or extending the deadline so long as you agree on these things as you go, and ultimately deliver a great product. Top quality work is much better than a poorly done rush job.
• Ask for payment up front. Seasoned freelancers know how important it is that they’re paid for their work, so securing an upfront payment isn’t a mere option for them. You can ask for a 30% to 50% upfront payment at the beginning of the project. Once the deliverable is ready and handed over, you can then request for the remaining balance.
• Break the project (and payments) down into milestones. Make things easy for your employer by breaking the project and the payments into pieces or milestones. Once a milestone is finished and the employer sends partial payment, you can move on to the next milestone.
• Communicate often. There is a large brick wall between you and your employer, so communication must be strong and transparent. Send work progress reports to let him know how the project is doing, or hold weekly or monthly meetings to discuss about more in-depth details.
• Establish trust through honesty and reliability. For example, set an ideal deadline for your employer’s project and follow that deadline. Follow your employer’s instructions, take note of his feedback of your work, and never do anything to break his trust in you. This means never running away with the project, his budget, and lying about your shortcomings. Trust me, employers appreciate and value complete honesty.

Although protecting yourself is important when working on a fixed price project, your first priority should be establishing a higher level of trust between you and the employer.

Show your employer that you can are a true professional and you mean business by being honest, transparent, and reliable. Your employer will then respect and trust you to want to pay your professional fees upfront and hire you for another project in the future.

Every contractor handles fixed price projects differently, so I’d love to hear what your strategies are when working fixed price. Do you ask for upfront payment, or trust your employers completely? Share your experience in the comments below!

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product descriptions, website copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

It’s the 3rd quarter and the game is tight. Your team is barely hanging on. Wondering what others in the crowd are thinking, you pull out your smartphone, open up Yobongo, and begin chatting about the quarterback’s performance with those around you. Midway through the chat, a nearby restaurant chimes in to let everyone know about the happy hour specials available afterwards.

Location-based social media. Foursquare and Gowalla were just the beginning of a new onslaught of apps, all geared towards allowing people in a certain geographic location to interact. Most of these apps are still in their infancy, but they’re worth considering for their marketing potential. I mean, what better time to reach out to a customer then when they’re just down the street from you? Here’s a rundown of some of the available apps and ideas on how you can put them to use:

1. Yobongo (Available for iPhone and iPad):
• In Brief: You’re never alone … at least not if other Yobongo users are nearby. This app shows you other users who are in your general geographic area and allows you to chat with them. If people are using it, you know they’re interested in making connections. A great way for the social butterfly to network.
• Business Angle: If your business is at a physical location, then have a staff member monitor the Yobongo chatter in your area and occasionally chime in to share specials and offer useful input. If you’re a freelancer, mention your work during chats. You  never know when the chat includes someone who has a job requiring your expertise.
2. Localmind (Available for iPhone and Android):
• In Brief: Got a question about a location or an event and want to ask someone that’s actually there? Localmind purports to get your question answered by its users or your friends on Gowalla, Facebook Places or FourSquare, as long as they’re at or near the spot.
• Business Angle: In a recent FastCompany interview, Localmind’s founder pushed his app as an awesome tool for businesses. He extolled its virtues, saying, “We can connect business owners with customers who are clearly interested in the business .. .[they’ll] be able to offer temporal deals, location-based promotions, and in-store real-time offers.” For freelancers, Localmind could also provide a networking tool, allowing you to present yourself as a local expert and gain some new contacts. Think of it as Quora on the hyperlocal level.
3. LoKast (Available for iPhone and Android):
• In Brief: Similar to Yobongo, LoKast encourages RT chats and content sharing based upon proximity. Web links, songs, videos and photos — all are part of the “local casting” that LoKast seeks to enable. This app is also a good way to share content between Androids and iPhones.
• Business Angle:  One of the chief benefits of LoKast over its rivals (at least as I see it) is the ability for stores, restaurants, events, etc., to create their own digital LoKast space for customers and attendees to interact on. This allows the business to freely share relevant specials and answer customers’ questions, thereby increasing sales and making connections with patrons. If you’re a business that uses LoKast, you’ve got to advertise it and encourage customers to download the free app. Otherwise your digital space will stay empty. For a freelancer, LoKast could be an easy way to share your demo reel or portfolio when talking with others at an event.
4. Sonar (Available for iPhone):
• In Brief: Culling through your FourSquare, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn data, Sonar shows you who’s nearby that you know as well as those who are friends of your friends. It then allows you to message or send a tweet in their direction.
• Business Angle: Sonar allows you to connect with your professional online network with face to face meetings. It also alerts you (based on mutual friends) to others who might be worth meeting. If you attend industry events, Sonar could be the opening needed to make real life connections.
5. Trazzler (Available for iPhone and online):
• In Brief:  With a tight economy, there’s quite a few families who would rather vacation close to home and save a few dollars. Enter Trazzler. The company is working to be a recommendation engine for locals with some Groupon-style deals thrown in.
• Business Angle:  Promote your location on Trazzler! Whether you work with a local visitors’ bureau or an event venue, make sure your place is featured on the site. Check out the info about writing for their site to make sure you’ve got their style down.

Locally-based social media apps are quite the rage for venture capitalists these days. The space is definitely getting crowded and it’s hard to know who will end up on top. Have you used any of the above mentioned apps? Are there others you prefer that I didn’t mention? And is it time for small businesses to take them seriously or should they wait until there’s a clear leader in the market? Share your answers and any other thoughts on the subject in the comments section.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses and non-profit organizations. She especially enjoys covering stories about the intersection of technology and business.

To help you transform deadlines into a positive aspect of your freelance business, here are a few tips to help you effectively manage them for success:

1. Take your deadlines seriously.  This means giving each deadline top priority and committing yourself to beating every one of them, no matter what. Although it’s understandable to feel relaxed with a lot of time on your hands, don’t allow yourself to slack off to the point of procrastination.

2. Schedule reasonable deadlines. Another important step to managing deadlines is being reasonable about them. Scheduling a three-day project to be submitted overnight is just insane, even for the most skilled and experienced professional. Take into consideration every step needed to create a high-quality project, add an hour or two as a buffer for emergencies, and finalize an exact date and time for submission. That way, you won’t have any reason (besides life-and-death scenarios) to miss the deadlines you’ve set for yourself.

3. Communicate your deadlines clearly. A lot of today’s deadline mishaps are usually caused by a miscommunication and the misunderstanding of deadlines. Telling your client, “The final product will be submitted two to three weeks from now,” will not save you from all the possible bumps on the road that could slow you down and hamper your progress.

4. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Simply put, if you can finish either a part or the entire project today, why wait to do it tomorrow? Doing things early always alleviates stress and pressure, plus you get to do other projects or give yourself a day or two of rest before passing on the work to your clients for review.

5. Start. A blank sheet of paper, empty workspace where the creative process begins — most will find the starting point very intimidating, like making that first jump from the springboard or the first step towards the podium. It works the same way with work under a strict deadline, and the trick is to pick up your pen and start. Start drawing, start typing, no matter how large or small the project may be.

He who begun has half done. Dare to be wise; begin. — Horace

6. Prioritize the important tasks. Look at your task list and see which task or project phase is the most important. Mark them as “high priority” and aim to get them done first. You’ll realize that once the difficult and time-consuming tasks are done, you’ll be able to finish off the easier and smaller tasks quickly.

7. End. A project’s end is just as important as its beginning. Without a final decision to the creative process, you’ll find yourself revising and revising your work till there’s no time left to do so. Create a project roadmap or a plan of action to help you maintain focus and to tackle each phase of the project, one by one.  You’ll then be able to put all of the project pieces together successfully and on schedule.

When you think about it, managing deadlines simply boils down to knowing how to prioritize, focus, and push yourself to start. What good will organizers, email notifications, and post-its do when you’re prone to putting things off till the last minute? Begin and end each project wonderfully by setting reasonable deadlines, doing your best to produce quality work, and beating each and every one of those deadlines on time.

Let’s hear from you now.  What are the most common problems to managing and meeting your deadlines?  What internal or external factors are causing these problems? 

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product descriptions, website copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

The advent of the Internet has brought on the information age, where anything and everything can be found and transacted online. We can access information, enroll in schools, purchase airline tickets, connect with people, pay our bills, and do just about anything in this virtual world.

Business transactions can be done anywhere in the world, with just two requirements: a laptop and a strong Internet connection. Millions of people are now shifting their career directions towards online employment, and I’ve made that shift too.

If you have had previous work experience in the traditional offline working world, you will encounter more than a few changes as you slide into virtual reality. So, to help you navigate them, here’s compilation of the challenges of transitioning to an online job, as well as real solutions:

Challenge #1. Solitude

In the offline environment, I used to talk to clients, my boss, my colleagues, the janitor, the messenger, the security guards, and every other breathing being in the office. I now found myself alone with my laptop. It was just me, my laptop, and my dog. I needed human interaction. We mortals are social beings. Ever wonder why social networks are so popular?

How to overcome this challenge:

• Show up at team gatherings, parties, and get-togethers if possible. This promotes team building and camaraderie. It’s actually nice to be able to meet one’s colleagues face to face. It makes you realize that you are working with real, living human beings.
• Participate in official email threads and work-related group discussions. Gmail and Gchat are great communication tools, so take the time to acknowledge emails and chat messages. Let your teammates know you’re alive!
• Keep your work environment happy. Brighten up your room with furniture and color. Hang a constellation of our solar system on your ceiling. Decorate your wall with a million colored thumbtacks. Put a mirror in front of your work area, so you can see what you look like whenever you get acknowledged for a good job. Do whatever works for you. Bottom line: Be happy!
• During offline hours, go out and socialize. Take time to connect with your family and friends. Go up to a stranger and make a new friend. Your schedule is more than flexible, so you will be able to accommodate anyone and everyone.

Challenge #2. The Need for Self-Discipline and Time Management

In an online environment, we are responsible for managing our own time. There is no boss to yell at us if we arrive for work late in the morning. Along with this flexibility of time, I needed to discipline myself and manage my activities, so that I’d get my 40 hours in for the week.

How to overcome this challenge:

• Focus on your priorities. This is work. For many, this is their bread and butter. If you take care of your work, your work will take care of you.
• Make a daily work schedule along with break periods. This should give you more structure, and keep you from the pull of your bed’s gravity.
• Plan your work week ahead of time. Anticipate what is bound to happen. Experiment in order to come up with the perfect schedule. You will see that 40 hours per week is more than doable.

Challenge #3. ISP Problems and Interruptions

There are two things one needs in order to operate in an online job: a PC and a strong Internet connection. When my Internet connection would go crazy, I would go crazy as well. Our work is synonymous with our ISP, and we are responsible for our connections.

How to overcome this challenge:

• Back yourself up with a prepaid USB. This will be an important investment. Aside from being a backup, a prepaid USB will allow you to take your work with you as you choose.
• Run to the nearest wifi zone or coffee shop. This may be expensive; however, losing work hours will be a more expensive option.
• Consider switching internet service providers. If intermittent Internet connection is a chronic problem, you may want to seriously consider this.
• Pair up with an online work buddy. If you know a fellow freelancer in your area, call on him or her, and agree to help each other out when the other’s Internet connection bogs down.

Challenge #4. Is This a Real Job?

What is our basic definition of a job? According to Wikipedia, a job is a regular activity performed in exchange for payment. We report to work, and we get paid to do our work. So why didn’t an online job feel real to me? I reported to work, and I got paid to do my work. The fact is, an online job streamlines all of the overhead that comes with offline jobs. There is no office. We don’t have uniforms. There is no paperwork. However, if we go back to the definition of a job, an online job is as real as it gets.

How to overcome this challenge:

• Stick to the definition of a job. You do your work; you get paid. People will understand.
• Set up a proper work environment. Get yourself a work desk. Withdraw your earnings every two weeks. Dress up in proper work clothes. (Pajamas don’t exactly give one the feeling of being in a job.)

Challenge #5. Boredom

One of the difficulties I’ve had was to slow down my pace of activities. I became quite restless. I was used to the hustle and bustle of office work: filing, submitting papers to my boss, walking to the next floor to endorse a client to the proper department, and simply getting up and hovering over an officemate’s computer to get information I needed. I now found myself sitting in front of my laptop 24/7.

How to overcome this challenge:

• Vary your work schedule. The flexibility of our work hours allows you to arrange your work schedule according to what works best for you.
• Ask your team leader to give you other tasks to do. Chances are, they’ll be more than willing to have colleagues help burn down the backlog — ask your employer for more work.
• Pamper yourself at a salon or spa. Exercise. Grab a fruit shake. The instant boost will do wonders for you.
• Keep in mind that there are a lot of people out there who are looking for an opportunity to work online. Consider yourself lucky to be working at a job that allows you to work at home and be with your family, a job that gives you the flexibility of time so that you don’t have to get up at 4 a.m. to get to the office on time, a job that spares you from traffic and all other stresses. Count your blessings; boredom is one of them.

In conclusion, this transition is actually a very rewarding one. If you wish to discuss further the transition from offline to online work or the challenges you’re having, please let us know how you’re doing in the comments below.

Karel Nadela is the associate deputy director of the proofreading team at Thumbtack.com. She joined Thumbtack in 2011, and loves reviewing team members’ work and assisting the deputy director in tasks related to overall improvement in performance and camaraderie.

The number one reason why you need to carefully budget your freelance income is that it is often unpredictable. Depending on how you work and how many contracts you’re billing, your income could vary drastically from month to month.

Some freelancers would consider hiring an accountant to do this type of work, but you can budget your freelance income yourself by following these useful steps:

1. Define your projected monthly income.

The first step is to determine how much you are earning as a freelancer. Ask yourself, “How much have you earned and spent per month so far?”

One great way to do this if your income tends to be unpredictable, is to take your entire freelance income from the previous year and divide it by twelve. Only been freelancing six months? Add it up and divide by six. With the estimate in mind, you can now create a budget plan that will help you manage your income for the kinds of expenses and investments you will be making this year.

2. Open two bank accounts: business and personal.

As your freelance business grows, you’ll notice that a portion of your income is now spent on various business expenses, whether it is new equipment, software, office supplies, mobile phone bills, etc.

As such, it’s important to segregate your income by placing a portion into a business bank account and another portion into a personal bank account. Doing so will help you monitor how much money will go to business expenses and how much for personal spending.

To give you an idea of what a business expense is, here are common business expenses freelancers spend for:

• Equipment (e.g. computers, all-in-one printers, furniture)
• Software
• Office supplies
• Bills (e.g. electricity, water, internet service)
• Marketing expenses
• Training and career development (e.g. e-books, courses, seminars)

3. Give yourself a monthly salary.

So how do you effectively distribute your income between your business and personal accounts? One way to do this is giving yourself a monthly salary.

Get Rich Slowly founder J.D. Roth wrote an interesting article on the99percent.com regarding budgeting irregular income, and one of the tips he provided was giving yourself a monthly salary for the entire year. Roth had this to say:

“On a set date each month, write yourself a paycheck. Leave the rest of the money in your business account. At the end of each year, three things happen.

1. First, you reset your salary. Based on the previous year’s numbers, your income might increase — or it might decrease.
2. Next, you use the “extra” money you’ve been accumulating in your business account to pay taxes. I could write an entire article on budgeting for taxes with an irregular income, but for now let’s just note that it’s very important that you remember to account for them, especially if nobody else is withholding them from your paycheck.
3. Finally, if you have anything left after paying taxes, you pull this money out of the business account as personal income. It is, in essence, a year-end bonus. You can use it for whatever you see fit: debt reduction, long-term savings, a Mini Cooper.”

You don’t have to follow Roth’s advice to the letter, of course. You can revise the system in ways that are more suitable to you and your circumstances.

What’s important here is that you set aside money for your business expenses and taxes in your business account, while your “salary” is for personal expenses, long-term savings, leisure, and anything else that you’d like to buy or invest in.

4. Get thrifty. (You aren’t likely to regret it.)

Unless you’re earning top dollar consistently every month, you need to assure yourself that your freelance income will be able to support your freelance biz and your current lifestyle. If you’re struggling just to cover your monthly expenses, and you feel you’re spending more on leisure than in your business, you may need to cut your costs and set your priorities straight.

Make a list of all your personal and business expenses, then cross out items that are of less importance to you and your business. Are your monthly and yearly subscriptions worth it at this time? Do you think you can live without buying premium clothing, games, and other leisure items every week?

Once you have your final list of items to spend on, make sure that you don’t betray this list by buying or adding new, unnecessary items. Keep telling yourself to stick to your monthly budget, to wait and be patient, and to only buy when necessary.

5. Create an emergency fund.

We may have survived the recession, but that doesn’t assure us that nothing could affect the economy again. For all we know, the recession could hit us once more, so, to protect yourself, you need to have an emergency fund. This is money you will use for all sorts of emergencies in case your monthly income won’t be enough to fully pay for your expenses. It will help you keep your freelance biz afloat while you’re busy finding more work and more ways to sustain your monthly freelance income.

If you’d like to open a special bank account for your emergency fund, try to open one that offers a high interest rate. That way, your emergency savings will earn interest during the months when you don’t need to touch it.

Is budgeting your freelance income part of your business routine already? What budgeting tips can you share with the freelance community? Share them in the comments below.

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

Now and then in your adventures, a few bad apples may rear their heads. Fortunately other freelancers have gone before you. They’ve learned how to spot potential trouble in a job post, and now you can too. Here are some job post red flags you don’t want to miss.

Red flag #1: Hints of Illegal Activity

Watch out for job posts that involve illegal activities, such as buying pirated software, plagiarizing content, answering surveys falsely, providing personal information, etc.

You wouldn’t want to get yourself into trouble, especially if a lawsuit could be slapped your way. If you feel that the job post is just going to lead to malicious software, plagiarism, or a legal case, move on to the next post or flag the job post right where it hurts.

Red flag #2: Unreasonable Budgets

So you’re looking at a job post one day, and you noticed that the job requirements are pretty heavy.

The employer needs 100 500-word articles per month.  It’s going to be a long-term fixed price project, and he promises that there will always be a stable stream of work for the contractor hired.

As your eyes scan through the post, they spot the ultimate catch of the deal: The job poster won’t accept bids over a certain (terribly small) amount — an amount lower than you have ever agreed to before.

You have two choices at this point: 1) apply and potentially accept the job and work at that unfortunately low rate or 2) reject the unreasonable budget and move on to other sensible job posts.  If you ask me, I’d rather find jobs that require work of the same intensity, but that will compensate me well for it.

Red flag #3: Simply Inappropriate Posts

There are job posts out there which are simply inappropriate because they violate the policies of the job post host. On oDesk, it’s appropriate to flag the following:

• Job posts offering payments outside of oDesk
• Job posts asking for help with school work
• Job posts with profane language
• Job posts asking you to pay a “fee” of any kind

You can take a look at oDesk’s list of violations in the Job Postings Policy.

Red flag #4: Bad Employer Feedback

Every job post has a bit of background info on the employer hiring, such as the verified payment status, how much the employer has spent on oDesk, and most importantly the employer feedback ratings.

If the employer’s feedback isn’t very good, and feedback from past contractors that go along the lines of “This guy didn’t pay me for my work!” or “Very uncooperative, demanding, and does not treat his contractors well,” it may be best to stay away from this employer.

Red flag #5: A Non-Verified Payment Method

Be wary of employers who prod you to work, if their payment methods aren’t verified. On oDesk, without a verified payment method, an employer can’t pay you for your work no matter how impressed he is with your performance.

The best way to handle a situation like this is to remind the employer about it.  You can say something similar to:

“Thank you for hiring me to work on the project! I noticed though that your payment method hasn’t been verified yet.  Please understand that you won’t be able to pay me for my work if it isn’t verified by oDesk. I can prepare the materials needed for now, but will only start working as soon as your payment method has been verified.”

By making sure that your employer’s payment method is verified, you can rest assured that he will be able to pay you for your work once you start logging hours.

Keep an eye out for these red flags in job posts whenever you’re scouring the job boards for jobs to apply for. It will save you a lot of time and from a lot of stress and problems. Good luck!

Do you notice these or any other red flags when browsing for jobs? I’d love to hear your stories and experiences!

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product descriptions, website copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

We recently asked two contractors how they made oDesk their full-time career. Both came to remote work after recession-fueled layoffs and are now such busy full-timers that they routinely turn down new job offers.

Meet & Greet
Jill Jankoski, an administrative assistant from North Carolina, was laid off twice from jobs with real estate and construction companies that were hit hard by the recession.

Jill Jankoski

“I started thinking about working for myself, mostly because there was no other option,” says Jankoski, adding that she applied to more than 1,000 in-house local jobs before turning to online work. “I set up my profile on oDesk and got my first job. And now I’m having a ball. I love working through oDesk.”

Dennis Peacock was also laid off. A web developer in rural Wisconsin, he didn’t find a lot of local options. “As I already did freelance work and enjoyed the freedom it gave, when I came to oDesk I was looking at turning freelancing into a full-time career.”

Both succeeded at exactly that, maintaining a mix of steady clients, frequent return employers, and entirely new jobs. Having reliable, steady work is a big plus, Jankoski says.

“I have clients I do work for on a weekly basis that I know will be there indefinitely, so there are hours that the money is pretty much guaranteed for,” she says. “Also, I get invited to interview on a relatively regular basis at this point, so I take some of those and see where they go. On the flip side, I look for work I consider interesting that fits my skill set. If I’m not slammed with work from clients, with projects going continuously for a few weeks into the future or longer, I’m looking.”

No Magic Formula
To hear these two tell it, once you have begun to establish yourself on oDesk, the leap to the next level is less about luck or genius than it is about simple hard work, the patience to stick with it, and to act not just a worker, but as a business owner building a one-person company.

“I would say the biggest change between part-time and full-time work online is that you just have to stay motivated,” Peacock says. “Actually, I would say anyone who can succeed as a part-timer already has the skills to do full-time online work. Stepping up to full time is just a matter of putting in more applications to jobs.”

The Key Differentiator
We asked both contractors what singular quality they felt kept them both busy on a steady, sustainable basis, and they had similar answers.

“Be dedicated to your clients, “ Peacock says. “I cannot list how many times being really dedicated and helpful with a client lead to great reviews, and especially more work.”

“You can’t do the work half-heartedly,” Jankoski agrees, “because your work is your reputation, and if you’re not at the top of your game, it’ll come back to bite you.”

Early Efforts
Contractors still getting established in the virtual marketplace might find it hard to relate to a pair of contractors whose experience and high feedback ratings mean that employers approach them with jobs. But Peacock and Jankoski say they both got there the hard way — with pure persistence.

Dennis Peacock

“I had a pretty simple rule,” Peacock says. “If I didn’t have 15 out of my 20-slot application quota out there, I spent time looking through the jobs ’til I did. As long as you are pushing applications out to the best jobs to suit your ability, and making sure that your clients give feedback on completed projects, you will tend to find work fairly quickly.”

Sometimes you have to look for the overlooked opportunity, Jankoski notes. “When I first started, I used to look at jobs that had been posted for two or three weeks but they hadn’t hired anybody. There had to be a reason for that, and it gave me the idea that they hadn’t found the right person, so I would apply.”

Peacock specialized in quick-turnaround jobs in his early days. “I started bidding on things that I could turn out in a day or two and get the feedback. That really pushed me over the edge into successfully competing, and now I am getting invitations every week and working steadily.”

With more and more people turning to full-time online contracting, either out of necessity or as a lifestyle choice, it’s good to see that path to success isn’t hard to find — you’ve just got to have the persistence to walk it.

Have you made the jump to full-time contractor? How’d you do it? If you’re thinking about it, what’s holding you back?

Brian McDonough has been a writer and editor for more than 15 years, and has managed teams of in-house and freelance writers for newspapers, magazines,  corporate newsletters and web sites. He has been working with oDesk for three years and counting.

“All that really belongs to us is time; even he who has nothing else has that.”

Honestly, I don’t ever have enough time. Between phone calls, emails, blog work and all the myriad other tasks that demand attention, the 24 hours in my day rushes by far too quickly. And rarely do I get everything done that was scheduled for my waking hours. (Guess that’s part of the joys of modern life.)

But while the wonders of technology have conspired to make us busier, there’s also some very nifty tech resources that can help us reclaim some of that lost time. Here’s my list of time-saving tech tools that will help you finally have enough time in your day. Well, maybe not enough time. But they’ll at least help you get more time!

• RescueTime (Free): Think you might be wasting time but not sure where or how much? Then download RescueTime. RescueTime is an app for your computer that runs in the background and quietly records all your activity. While that sounds a little creepy, trust me. It’s here to help. At the end of the day, RescueTime will give you a report on how you’ve been using your online minutes. This type of report can be eye-opening when you see how much of your workday is wasted on non-productive activities.
• TweetDeck (Free): Yeah, the social media dashboard of this free program is a time-saver in and of itself, but that’s not why it’s on this list. Something I love about TweetDeck is the ability to preschedule tweets. I can spend 30 minutes planning the tweets for the week and then set them to publish at various times.  But TweetDeck isn’t limited to just Twitter. You can also use it to schedule Facebook status updates, Foursquare check-ins and LinkedIn posts.
• Blog Post Schedule Button: This isn’t a specific tool per se, but more of a tip. If your blog is an important part of your marketing/SEO efforts, then write and schedule posts in advance. Darren Rowse of ProBlogger spends 1 day each week writing meaty blog posts. He then schedules them to post throughout the week. This method accomplishes several things. First, it guarantees your blog will get regular updates — important for SEO purposes. Second, it keeps the rest of your week from getting sidetracked by blog maintenance.
• Dragon Dictation (Free): Typing is slow. Talking is fast. Dragon Dictation has released a great iPhone app that allows you to compose e-mails, texts, notes, tweets and even Facebook updates, all by speaking into your phone. No more messing around with tiny touchscreen keyboards. At the moment, the app is free, so now is the time to get it. Blackberry users have their own, slightly less featured app, Dragon for Email.
• ConnectedHQ ($9.99/month): Got a profusion of contacts scattered amongst various social media sources? ConnectedHQ will be your virtual Rolodex. This app pulls and consolidates your contacts from Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Outlook, Google, Mac Address Book and Evernote. It allows you to make notes on each contact, plus keep track of all communication that’s transpired with them. No more wondering which social media program stores that graphic artist’s contact info. It’s easily accessible with ConnectedHQ.
• NudgeMail (Free): Yes, I use a to-do list. Yes, I use Google Calendar. But it’s far too easy for me to forget to check those sources. Email is the only program I check consistently throughout the day. Enter NudgeMail. This little program allows you to email yourself reminders at specified times, or to email appointments to your Google calendar. Better yet, it can help you keep important emails from getting buried. Just send them to NudgeMail with a specified time for the service to send it back to you. The program is free, so give it a look!

Time is such an important resource that we need to do all we can to maximize it. What time-saving tools do you use? Share them in the comments section below.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses and non-profit organizations. Always in search of the next great business idea, she often wastes time blog hopping and following website link rabbit trails.

1. Have a professional email address. It doesn’t take a genius. Hotbabe50@hotties.org is not going to convey the right message to your remote coworkers. Use your actual name or business name or occupation — something simple, something people can remember.

2. Keep subject titles specific and concise. Don’t title your email “hello”, unless you really are just saying hello. Here are some examples of the right way:

• Subject: The Gambino Project Deadline
• Subject: Will be out of office May 1

3. Always greet. Granted, after you’ve been exchanging emails rapid-fire all morning with the same person, you can stop saying, “Good day to you!” each time. However, as a rule, always say a casual hello, greeting your coworker by name, before launching into business.

4. Get down to business. Keep it quick. If it’s taking you more than two or three paragraphs you should probably be doing it by phone. Emails are for sharing information quickly — not writing manifestos.

5. Watch your style. Caps are yelling — always. Don’t use them. Ditto for exclamation points. Unless they are following a positive statement, they should not be used.

6. Set up a signature. While you should always, always sign your name, you should also have an automatic signature set up that looks a little something like this:

Jane Contractor
Graphic Design & Custom Art
Phone: 555.555.5555

7. Know when an email is not appropriate. Just as in number four, there are times when email just won’t do. Quitting your job, offering constructive criticism, giving negative feedback or opening a difficult conversation are things best done by phone or Skype.

What rules of thumb do you follow in your remote work emailing? Tell us in the comments below.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

Rides at a theme park don’t last forever, no matter how much we like them, and neither can your vacation. Eventually, all good things must come to an end. Unfortunately, returning to work afterward may feel a bit like getting off that roller coaster — dizziness, inability to focus, and the hint of a stomachache may all occur on The First Day Back.

The beauty of returning from vacation, however, is that it’s a chance for a fresh start. Instead of dreading your post-vacation inbox and to-do lists, here are some tips to help you seize this opportunity to reset your job and take your productivity to a new level:

1. Tackle the Inbox. Whether you come home to dozens or hundreds, you are bound to be behind. Commit your first day to blitzing through your emails. Be ruthless when it comes to filing and clicking items into the trash. This is not the time to read that supposedly hilarious forward from your cousin — trash it or stick it in a “read when bored” folder. Stay on task and keep moving, giving tidy, professional responses to emails when necessary or adding items to your to-do list as needed.

2. Assess Your Priorities. Now that you have caught up on anything work-related that transpired while you were away, it’s time to figure out where you’re at currently. What projects are due? What questions do you have? Add these to your to-do list, but begin to shuffle things around to reflect the urgency and importance of what needs to be done now.

3. Identify Your Cringe-Triggers. When you look at your newly organized to-do list, which items make you wish you were still on vacation? Take some time to think about why you don’t like these tasks and whether or not it’s necessary for you to do them anymore. Can they be delegated, eliminated, or can you simply say no? Seriously consider the power you have to create love for your job by just eliminating the parts you hate.

4. Proactively Seek Change. Don’t allow yourself to slip into the patterns of procrastination that may have bogged you down pre-vacation. Now is the time for a much-needed reset, so put these changes as high on your to-do list as you can. If it means talking with your boss about shifting certain tasks to another employee, set the date for that talk now — not later.

5. Embrace Your Work. Maybe pre-vacation you felt the burnout of the daily grind. Hopefully time away reset your motivation levels, but if you’re still lacking enthusiasm it’s time to wrap your arms around those feelings. Try to remember what drew you to your job to begin with (even if it’s as basic as the money on payday). Set this motivation in front of you, on your computer wallpaper, or as a sticky note on your desk. Practice gratefulness for your job, your coworkers and your life, for whatever reasons you can.

We’ve all felt that tension of The First Day Back. Turn yours into an amazing fresh start and reset your job to kickstart a new work life.

Any advice for the first day back from vacation? Share yours or respond to these tips in the comments below.

Erica Benton brings nearly a decade of experience as a small business owner and freelancer to her position as the editor-in-chief of the oDesk Blog.

]]> https://www.odesk.com/blog/2011/09/how-to-reset-your-job-post-vacation/feed/ 2 https://www.odesk.com/blog/2011/09/using-gmail-for-your-business/ https://www.odesk.com/blog/2011/09/using-gmail-for-your-business/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:00:45 +0000 Julia http://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=17630 If you’re like many small business owners, Gmail is your email tool of choice. It’s cheap, easy and available everywhere. But do you know how to make the most of it? Here’s a collection of tips, tricks and tools to take your business Gmail account to the next level of efficiency.

Brand with Gmail

Your email address says a lot about you. Here’s how to protect your brand:

• Choose a professional name. When setting up your Gmail business account, choose your address carefully. Select a name that reflects favorably on your business and doesn’t make you sound like an amateur. Example: startrekfan2215@gmail.com sounds like a personal address and can cause potential customers to question your reliability. A better address for a Star Trek memorabilia store might be startrekcollectibles@gmail.com.
• Use your own domain. If you’re got a website with its own domain, then you can setup Gmail to send and receive emails using addresses from that domain. If you don’t have a business domain yet, you can buy one through Google for $10/year. One benefit of sending emails this way is that you’re advertising your website with each outbound message. For more info on how to set this up, read “Using Your Domain Based Email with Gmail” from Emagine Web Marketing.

Search with Gmail

Needing to find a certain email … sent four years ago? Never fear. Gmail has some great tools that will help you find what you need and find it fast.

• Start labeling. Instead of folders, Google has opted to endow Gmail with labels. Labels are different from folders in that you can assign multiple labels to a conversation. Try doing that with a folder. Also, a labeled email can reside anywhere, including in Sent or Drafts.  When you consistently label messages with the appropriate tags, you’ll consistently be able to sort through them quickly.
• Employ operators. Sometimes when I’m searching for a particular email, my query brings up way too many messages, most of them irrelevant to my search. That’s when it’s time to switch to the advanced search options. By using search operators, you’ll be able to hone in on the right message with just a few keystrokes. Here’s the list of these nifty search operators. Use them well and use them often.

Organize with Gmail

While email has many advantages over snail mail, it has one disadvantage. It’s delivered constantly. Without some help, you’ll become afflicted with inbox overload, a dreaded time-sucking disease. Here’s the prescription that will save your (email) life:

• Click the stars. By clicking the little star icon next to a message, you’re indicating that it is important and needs to be dealt with. Take that organization method up a notch by using “superstars” from Google Labs. The Superstars feature allows you to choose different icons for use next to your email messages. For organizational purposes, assign each icon a status meaning (i.e., purple question mark = “waiting for response” or red exclamation mark = “needs immediate attention”). This method will transform your inbox into a to-do list with just a few clicks of the mouse. For more on effectively using superstars, check out this “Gmail Stars” post from David Lano.
• Train your inbox. Priority Inbox is the semi-automated way to organize. Google uses an algorithm based on various factors to determine whether or not an email is important to you. If you’re using Priority Inbox, you’ll then see your inbox broken up into several different panes. The top pane is set to be the important stuff. The second pane shows emails you’ve starred. The third is creatively titled, “Everything Else” and that’s exactly what it contains.  You can help the process along by indicating (through a click on the “important” or “unimportant” buttons) whether or not a conversation truly is important to you. Gmail will learn from your actions and tag messages accordingly. Mashable has some good tips on better productivity using Priority Inbox.
• Filter it. If you’ve implemented the labeling system mentioned above, you can then employ an even more powerful tool set to whip your inbox into shape. Combine Gmail filters with the Multiple Inbox feature to  automatically sort incoming emails, assign them the correct label and put them in a separate inbox. While I like the Priority Inbox, it’s just an algorithm. Using filters, labels and superstars is a bit more work, but much more useful (to me) in the long term. For a good example of filter utilization, read this article at Switched.com.

Now it’s your turn. What do you think of Gmail as a small business communication tool? Share what you like (or what you don’t like) about Gmail in the comments section below.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small business owners and non-profit organizations. She especially enjoys covering stories about the intersection of technology and business. You can find her on Twitter at @JuliaCamenisch.

You’re ready to sweep the oDesk market off of its virtual feet with your valuable knowledge and skills!

… Now what?

Let’s take a walk, shall we?

Get to Know oDesk First

First things first, don’t just jump in and start applying to your heart’s content.  You’re up against 800,000 other contractors, some having been around since 2008 and with much more oDesk experience.  In other words, the competition’s going to be dead fierce.

As a newcomer, you must prepare. And the best way to prepare is to first understand how oDesk works.

Here are the first few pages to visit:

• The Contractor’s Map Through the World of oDesk
• The Learning Center: Contractor Video Tutorials (if you’re not fond of reading)
• Contractors 101: The oDesk Essentials (if you love to read)
• oDesk Team 3: The Contractor’s Manual

Your Profile: The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

Now that you’re familiar with how oDesk works, your next step is to turn your oDesk profile (yes, the yellow oDesk card with your photo in it) into the best thing employers have ever seen.

While I can’t promise that it will bring in jobs in a matter of days, a good profile will certainly keep your chances of finding and winning work on oDesk high.  Naomi N. offers helpful tips for newbies on how to improve one’s profile, so let’s take a look at some of her profile tips:

• Overview – It should introduce you to the client and establish your objective. It should answer the question, “Why you should hire me over the other guy?” If it doesn’t answer that question, it’s not a good overview.
• Hourly Rate - This rate should reflect the level and quality of work that you provide, and should be a fair reflection of a going rate for the field/category you are interested in. If you’re not sure what to set your rate at, look through other providers, or the oConomy pages, figure out how much you would be paid for the exact same job at an office, or do a search to see if you can find out what the average going rate is for that field.
• Take and Show Tests – Some clients won’t even look at you if you’re not oDesk-ready – so take that test! Beyond that, take any other test that will help show just how good you are at something. How is a client going to know that you’re the best web site designer if the only test you took was an English skills test and a telephone etiquette test?
• Build a Portfolio – A portfolio is a great way to display your work. If you build web sites, place some links in there to web sites that you’ve built. If you’re an artist, throw together some logos and interface designs. Writer? Post a link to your blog. Once it’s up, keep it updated.

The Quest for The First oDesk Job

You’ve learned all there is to know about oDesk and are equipped with an impressive profile. Excellent!

The next step will be the deciding factor of your career on oDesk.  It will open the gates to freelance opportunities, experience, and will pave the way to freelancing success.

Your next step is to find and win your first oDesk job.

There are heaps of advice all over the oDesk website to help you land your first oDesk gig, but all would depend on how you handle each and every application.  If you write personal cover letters that address the employer’s needs and requirements, if you provide relevant portfolio pieces, and if you can prove that you are a contractor he (or she) can rely on, I’m sure your future employer will want you to be a member of the team.

But, if you simply send generic cover letters that don’t make sense,  if you never respond to interview invitations (rare as they may be), and if you feel like quitting because no one’s giving you a chance … well, my friend, your actions will speak for themselves.

Before you head back to your desk, here’s 15 Tips for New Freelancers for a good dose of inspiration and a quote for encouragement:

“Everyone who got where he is has had to begin where he was.”

– Robert Louis Stevenson

How did you get your first job on oDesk? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product descriptions, website copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

That bit of depressing news doesn’t mean you shouldn’t create an app though. In fact, as the number of mobile users continues to skyrocket, more and more customers are going to be making use of apps and mobile websites. The potential for profit is out there — you’ve just got to take advantage of it. Here are four secrets of how to generate cash flow through mobile app development:

1. Make a Niche App

App development is such a hot field right now that that there are many variations of the same theme jockeying for attention. So before you create your own take on, say, the mobile camera lens, think long and hard about how your particular idea will differentiate itself from its multitude of competitors. While it might seem profitable to create simply a variation of an already successful product, the truth is that if people have found a product that works for them, they’re unlikely to change unless there’s a REALLY compelling reason.

But if you can a fill an empty niche? App buyers will be willing to pay for something that meets a need in an innovative, game changing way. So think outside the box. Take the time to scrutinize potential competitors to make sure you’re not just replicating what’s already been created.

As Joshua Condon at the Inc. Technology blog pointed out in his post on the dangers of creating broadly useful apps, “Selling a niche app that just one or two percent of platform users are willing to pay for can still make for a solid payday, and cuts down the likelihood the vendor will look to add the functionality into the next iteration of their OS.”

2. Design for Love

A great idea will only translate into profitability if it’s easy to use and provides a consistent user interface. In other words, the customer has to love not just the idea behind the app, they have to love the app experience itself.

GigaOm recently published an article about Color, a much-heralded product that generated large amounts of start-up funding but didn’t deliver in usefulness. The tech blog notes, “An app can’t just hope to profit by being at the intersection of a number of promising mobile trends. Developers still have to … remember that user experience, especially the one following first launch, is still the key to wide app adoption.”

How do you do this? First, conduct user tests early and often. Use real-world users as your guinea pigs instead of fellow developers. Focus on which parts of the UI confuse and/or mislead them. Second, use standard interface design. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to scroll bars, radial buttons, progress indicators, etc. Third, don’t make the user register as the first step. Many app users have little patience for anything that slows down their initial use of the product. Delay them too long, and they might give up for good.

For a more in-depth look at UI design issues, check out an excellent post on interface design mistakes from Jakob Nielsen at Alertbox.

3. Choose the Correct Revenue Model

There are lots of ways to make money with an app besides selling through one of the big app stores. Here are some of the options:

• Offer a free lite version and a paid full version
  This is a model that dates back to the days of shareware. (Anybody else remember those once ubiquitous programs?) Give your users a limited use version of the app for free, then offer a full version for a (reasonable) price. In order for this to work, you’ve got to have devoted users that love your product and can’t imagine life without it. Pre-sales user testing is integral to determining whether this will work for your business model. One great benefit of the “try before you buy” option is that it involves a low threshold of customer risk, thus making new users more likely to try you out than if they had to fork over $9.99 from the get-go.
• Use ads integrated into a free app
  Ads are moderately profitable. The level of revenue you can command through in-app advertising depends on how many times the program is downloaded and then how many times it’s used after download. If people use your app again and again, great! If they only use it once or twice, you’re in trouble. One way you can determine how well your free app is doing is by integrating analytics into the product and tracking the results for several weeks. You may discover that selling the app would be more profitable than trying to generate ad revenue.
• Have an app that drives people to your business
  Some apps generate revenue by allowing mobile customers to shop your online store from the comfort of their handheld phone. There’s an ease of use in apps that’s hard to duplicate through mobile sites alone. That’s why developing an app that makes shopping at your online store as easy as possible is an important revenue generator. People are beginning to abandon their desktops for smaller, lighter computers, especially tablets and smartphones. You must be prepared to reach out to this new wave of customers.
• And the de facto option: generate revenue through app store sales
  In order for this option to work, you’ve got to generate good buzz! More on that in the next section.

4. Spread the Word

No matter what type of revenue model you choose, your app will only start bringing in money when people begin using it. That’s why you’ve got to spread the word through  marketing. First, create a SEO page for the app that links to the download site. Second, send out press releases to app review sites (and if you need help drafting press releases, check out some of the PR specialists available for hire on oDesk). Let some high traffic bloggers review your app and provide them several copies to offer as giveaways to help generate buzz. Finally, follow mentions of your product in social media venues and respond to customers’ questions and feedback as quickly as possible. Remember, all the standard rules of word of mouth marketing apply — make use of them!

In truth, there’s no hard and fast guarantee that your app will be the next big hit. But if you don’t apply the above points, I can guarantee that your app will be a failure. Maximize your chances of success (and a good cash flow) by putting this post into practice. And maybe you’ll discover that money really does grow on virtual trees.

What have you learned about successful app development? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small business owners and non-profit organizations. She especially enjoys covering stories about the intersection of technology and business. You can find her on Twitter at @JuliaCamenisch.

These guys are the people who answer our questions, mediate disputes, and ensure that our user experience with oDesk is always 100% smooth and easy. Call them the oDesk Supermen, if you’d like.

Unfortunately, we users tend to forget that oDesk Customer Support is still a team of people, humans who can only go as far as answering tickets and handling live chat sessions everyday. A slight delay in response or a vague answer can spark a nasty remark or a day-long rant over at the forums, but I think we can be more constructive in our approach as customers.

Let’s help oDesk Customer Support help us. After interviewing members of oDesk Customer Service and Support, we’ve managed to get a clearer perspective of how the CS team works to better understand and help them resolve issues and problems on the site.

The most common issues reported to oDesk CS

So far the most common issues users report to CS include:

• Account/registration requests (closure and suspension)
• Payment inquiries (payment disputes, cancellation, returning funds to credit card, not receiving funds after withdrawal)
• Problems when hiring contractors (in the case of employers — apparently there are contractors who still scam employers and disappear out of sight)

The good news is that we users take full advantage of the resources oDesk’s customer support has already put out there for us. It seems 75% of the issues reported are unique cases, with only 25% already addressed in the oDesk Help Center – this means most of us are reading through common issues before hitting the panic button.

Some issues that need direct assistance from a CS representative

If you encounter a technical problem that can’t be solved through the oDesk Help Center, want to close your oDesk account permanently, or have issues regarding security (security answer resets, etc.), contact oDesk Customer Support. Period.

These are the kinds of user issues and requests that only the CS team can help you with. You’ll save more time and energy if you let them handle these types of problems.

Files/data users should provide when seeking help from oDesk Customer Support

To speed up the process of analyzing and processing reports and issues on oDesk, have these types of files or data on hand:

• Tech issues: Team logs, OS specifications, and browser information
• Work-related issues: information/proof/documentation that could assist oDesk CS in analyzing the problem (contract ID, transaction date and amount for payments, emails, messages, screenshots, etc.)

I personally encourage fellow oDesk users to save messages, IM archives, possible screenshots, and emails from the start of the contract up to the end. All these can act as proof of your claims just in case something goes wrong and you find yourself in a dispute with your client/contractor.

Factors to consider when reporting an issue to oDesk Customer Support

As much as the CS team would like to completely solve your problems on the site immediately, you have to consider certain factors.

For instance, the amount of time an issue will take to be resolved would depend on who’s available and in charge of handling it. Is your issue more likely to be handled by someone outside of the general CSS department? Did you report the problem during a holiday or on the weekend when some of the departments are not available?

Instead of stressing too much over the wait, just be patient and occupy yourself with work. If you really need to get in touch with a representative, you can use the Live Chat feature if it is available.

Tickets or Live Chat?

We’re given the choice to either use the ticketing system or the live chat when contacting oDesk CS. Although they’re both good communication lines, one can be more useful than the other depending on the issue at hand.

Tickets are best for:

• oDesk Team 3 issues in which logs must be submitted
• Request for a security Q&A reset
• Account closure
• Issues involving sensitive/private information

Live chat is best for:

• Guidance and best practices
• Level 1 tech support issues
• Problems with withdrawals

Tips from the oDesk Customer Support Team

If we expect oDesk Customer Support to provide the best help possible for all of our issues (and on a timely manner), what should we do to help them facilitate our requests quickly and successfully? Here are a few helpful and specific tips:

• Be aware of any system or network-wide issues. Check the ‘Alert’ area at the top of the Help Center homepage.
• Consult relevant Help Center articles for guidance before contacting CSS.
• Proactively provide information upfront that will be useful to CSS in resolving the issue.
• Summarize the ‘question’ (subject) of the issue as clearly as possible (while still being brief) when prompted to do so in ticket creation.
• Be as descriptive and clear as possible when explaining the issue in the ticket.
• Use the English language, if at all possible.
• Ensure that the severity selected clearly represents the urgency of your issue.
• Refrain from creating duplicate tickets.

As an oDesk user, what are your opinions and experiences with the oDesk Customer Service and Support team so far? What other tips and suggestions can you provide that could help facilitate problems and issues on the site better?

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

While both podcasts and blogs are powerful tools, simply throwing random “blah blah” into one of these media tools is no guarantee of success. You’ve got to have a plan to provide compelling and interesting content that keep your audience coming back for more. Take a look at the following examples to find ways to improve your blog and podcast content:

1. Divergent content rules.

In all honesty, the blogging world has gotten quite crowded of late. There’s a blog in almost every genre for almost every audience. That’s why you’ve got to set yourself apart. Take a look at blogs that are covering similar information. Then take a second look. How could you set your blog apart?

A great example of this type of innovative blog can be found at Footnoted.com. There are quite a few blogs covering the financial world, but Michelle Leder discovered a niche. She began exploring the financial and legal minutia contained in SEC filings, then blogged about her discoveries. Because her information was unique and timely, she was able to transition from a free information portal into a site that offered both free and paid content. For more info on how she did it, read this Inc.com story on how to build a blog based off your personal brand.

2. Don’t sell to people. Teach people.

Because one of the purposes of your podcast is business promotion, it’s easy to get caught up in selling. Unfortunately, few listeners will tune in regularly to an infomercial podcast. Instead, make your goal to teach people. By presenting useful, relevant information, you will position yourself as an expert. And when your audience is convinced of your credibility and knowledge, they’ll be more likely to buy from you.

As an example of this, check out Wine Library TV. Gary Vanyerchuk’s goal with his highly successful podcast series was to educate consumers about all things wine related. In doing so, he’s also boosted his own wine company, Wine Library. But brand promotion hasn’t come from constantly hawking his store. Instead, it’s come naturally from customers that view Gary as a trusted expert and so choose to buy from him.

3. Give your audience a say in the content.

So you’ve figured out your niche and are providing your audience the information they want to know. Now take your blog or podcast a step farther: incorporate your readers and listeners into the very fabric of the presentation.

The first example of this is a Wired Magazine contest held several years ago. One of their writers went into hiding, and readers were offered a cash reward if they could find him within 30 days. Did it work? Without a doubt. A whole community sprang up around the search, daily checking the Wired website, talking incessantly on Twitter and connecting with each other through Facebook.

While you may not want a squadron of bounty hunters on your tail, you can still involve your audience by making them a part of problem solving. Don’t just talk. Ask questions too. Then let them share their knowledge with you and the rest of your listeners.

The second example comes from the podcast produced by Greenfeet.com. The podcast producer, Valerie Reddemann, makes it a point to involve listeners by reading their letters and e-mails during the show, and even interviewing them on occasion. When your listeners help create your content, they’re automatically going to be invested in following you and in encouraging their friends and family to listen as well.

4. Have a guest, be a guest.

No matter how great your content is and how hard you work to engage your listeners, it’s still important to do some guerrilla marketing of your blog or podcast. One especially effective means of generating new traffic is through guest blogging.

Guest blogging works one of two ways. First, you can invite other bloggers or business owners to write a post for you and then include a link to their site as part of the deal. They’ll usually return the favor and point people to your site in order to read their post. Not only does this technique increase your blog traffic, but it also allows you to cover subjects on your blog that while not your specialty, are still of value to your audience.  If you’re looking for talented guest bloggers, check out some of our oDesk freelance writers.

Second, you can guest post on other blogs. This is a great way to build your blog’s reputation as it’s no longer just you promoting your work. It’s another blogger that recognizes the value of your content and wants to share it with his or her readers. That type of recognition give you a new authority with both your existing readership and with the traffic generated from the guest blog post.

Some blogs, such as Problogger, issue an open invitation for guest post submissions. For other blogs, you might have to pitch them on the idea. But if you can provide well-written, relevant content for their readership, they’re likely to be open to the suggestion. Here’s a great article on Problogger about how to successfully guest post. And as for examples, check out the stats on this post about the results of guest blogging.

By focusing on uniqueness, involving your audience, sharing useful information and networking with other bloggers and podcasters, you’re going to create a media source that works. Check out the examples listed above for a more in-depth look at each technique. Then share your own! What methods have you discovered for growing and maintaining your audience?

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small business owners and non-profit organizations. She especially enjoys covering stories about the intersection of technology and business. You can find her on Twitter at @JuliaCamenisch.

Hold on a minute, why would I want to quit a freelance gig that brings in income? That’s crazy!

Maybe, but there are scenarios where you, the freelancer, must decide if your current freelance gigs are worth your time and effort. For instance, you’ve just raised your rates and would rather work on projects billed at that rate, or your employer is becoming difficult to work with. You may also have upcoming plans that will force you to be away-from-keyboard for a long time. It can be any of these situations.

If you feel that it’s time to quit any of your freelance gigs, here’s how to do it professionally and gracefully:

• Think hard about your reasons to quit before making decisions. If you can honestly say that you still love working on your freelance gig, consider alternatives to quitting, such as asking your employer for a raise or arranging a conference call to discuss work issues.

• Call or email your employer to discuss leaving. Your employer deserves to know why you’ve decided to quit working on his project, so get your employer’s attention as soon as he’s available. You can inform him personally, over the phone, or by email — depending on your current situation. In the end, make sure that you and your employer agree to the specifics of your leaving arrangement (what work you will finish, what you will not, your last day of availability, etc.), be sure that there are no hard feelings, and explain why you need to quit. It’s not important that your employer affirms your decision, only that you are content with it.

• Finish what needs to be finishedand pass on any important documents or files to your employer before you leave. It is only right that you fulfill the remainder of your responsibilities as a freelancer, and hand over important files that your client will need to continue his project. Depending on the type of work that you do, you should return or submit any of the following:

• Copies of usernames and passwords to admin accounts
• Files (PHP, CSS stylesheets, etc) needed for the employer’s website
• Articles, website copy, blog posts, and other types of content already paid for
• Mock-ups and the final designs for the employer’s logos, images, etc.

• Sincerely thank your employer. Unless you’re quitting due to a serious dispute, don’t forget to thank her for the opportunity to work on her project. At the end of your message, you can say, “Thank you [insert client name] for your kind understanding. I hope you will find a new contractor as soon as possible, and I wish you all the best in your endeavors.” Whatever works for you, it’s always best to leave with no regrets or resentments.

• Don’t forget to ask for a recommendation, a.k.a. feedback, by making a kind and professional request to send you a letter or (even better for freelancers) leave feedback in your online portfolio, LinkedIn profile, etc., about what you had to offer them and how you performed. This shouldn’t be a problem, if your employer is not in disagreement with your decision to quit. (Get this recommendation now, not later, even if you already have another gig lined up.)

Have you ever quit a freelance gig before? How did it go? Was your employer understanding or difficult to deal with after you broke the news?

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

Although the latter is often viewed as “work for free,” many freelancers willingly do so because 1) it saves them from the wrath of being burned out, and 2) they love what they do and love dedicating time and energy to do work which brings them happiness.

Fulfilling work could be anything: from setting up fundraisers to offering to proofread your friend’s next book to building a website for your favorite nonprofit organization. All you have to do is identify what kind of work you’d be willing to set time aside for. Here are a few examples to inspire you to get up from your chair and do work that makes you happy:

A passion, an experience, and even a challenge can push you to do work that makes you happy, even though there is no monetary gain at the end of the day.

You can, of course, showcase your “soul” work as samples to interested clients, attracting projects that utilize your freelance skills or that you enjoy. But in the end, what matters is that you are truly happy with your weekly activities, whether they all involve a neat paycheck or not.

As a freelancer, do you take time off to do work that makes you happy? Is it a project in line with your freelance services, or is it just a project you contribute your time and dedication to? Share your stories in the comments below! I’d love to hear from you.

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product descriptions, website copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

Vikas B. asks: What is the most significant thing an employer looks for during hiring process?

We recently asked oDesk’s Whitney Priest, the manager of enterprise services, what she looks for during the hiring process, and here’s what she said:

“It’s as if there are three legs of a stool that need to be balanced:  1) availability, 2) price, and 3) track record. An employer has to balance these. We aren’t likely to find all three in a contractor. If someone has a really long track record on oDesk, they probably don’t have a lot of availability. Or an employer may find someone with a really long track record and excellent feedback, but might have to pay a little more than they want to for that person. On the other hand, a contractor with a good price and availability may not have a track record on oDesk yet. So there’s a little bit of risk for the employer on that one. We can rarely get all three qualities, so we may have to give a little on the third.”

Thanks, Whitney! (And thanks Vikas for asking!)

Keith G. asks:  What would make [an employer] eventually reject an application of a certain contractor?

I can tell you from experience there are a few obvious answers (zero qualifications, zero experience, bids that are outrageously high), but it’s the not-so-obvious answers I think you’re looking for. Certain things will cause you rejection at the application phase:

1. Not following the job post’s instructions. If the employer asked for work samples and you sent none, don’t expect great things. Pay attention to what the employer is asking for.
2. Not pointing out how your skills match their needs. If your cover letter does not indicate how your experience and qualifications will help meet the needs of the job post, you might as well kiss the interview phase goodbye.
3. Not showing professionalism. Not everyone expects perfect English, but they do expect professionalism. Don’t be impolite, but don’t beg for the job. Don’t be short, but don’t let your cover letter drag on forever either.

Other things will cause sure rejection by smart employers during the interview phase, and they include:

1. Not being prompt. Respond to emails quickly. Return phone calls quickly. Never be late for a Skype interview or conference call. Watch the clock.
2. Not being friendly. If there isn’t a smile in your voice (you can hear pleasantness over the phone, you know) and a personal nature to your exchanges (i.e., “have a great day”) you are likely to lose out to someone who seems nice to work with.
3. Not seeming interested. You might really want the job, but if you don’t ask questions and engage, you’ll lose out to someone with more enthusiasm. No need to fake it, but do know that if you aren’t interested in what the employer’s company does, you’ll probably lose out to someone who is.

Thanks Keith and Vikas for your participation! What would you like to know about how an employer thinks and makes decisions? Ask your questions in the comments below!

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

Suddenly, you’ve been hired and assigned a specific role within a remote or virtual team. This team is composed of other freelancers who work at their own schedules and who are in charge of other aspects of the client’s project. You realize that working in a remote team has its own unique challenges, and that it’s important that you are aware of who you are working with and what your responsibilities are as a member of the team.

But we know it’s not always easy to adjust to working in remote teams, let alone build rapport and trust with other virtual professionals, so we’ve listed 6 tips to help you build good team relationships and work smoothly with others in a remote team:

1. Respect your teammates.

Heed Confucius’ Golden Rule when working in remote teams. If you want your teammates to treat you with respect, trust, and openness, you must do the same when dealing with them. Think of them as classmates, thesis partners, or colleagues that you care for and respect wholeheartedly.

2. Familiarize yourself with how the team works.

Get to know the system the team is built on, learn the technologies used to collaborate, and find your spot within the circle. At this point, you should already note down when everyone logs in to work, the availability of those who you’re working closely with, and how to communicate work updates, issues, and other important updates with everyone in the team.

3. Be on time for meetings.

Meetings are an essential aspect of a team. It gives everyone a chance to know and discuss about important work issues, changes, and other necessary details related to the project and the team.

There are meetings when only a selected number of people are needed, and there are meetings where every single member is required to attend. If your presence is a must, don’t make it a habit to make a grand entrance every time your employer/project head calls for a meeting by logging in late. Do your best to always be on time, so that:

1. You’re fully aware and knowledgeable of the important details of the meeting.
2. You have enough time to listen and share your thoughts about what was discussed.
3. You don’t keep your fellow team members waiting.

4. Provide contact information in case of emergencies.

A family problem, a busted computer, or other similar situations may pull you from your workstations without notice, so you should have one more line of communication for the team to use.

Provide usable contact information, such as your mobile number, email address, or Skype ID, to both your employer and the members of the remote team in case you’re not around and they need to contact you regarding project issues and critical emergencies.

5. Complete and fulfill your assigned tasks and responsibilities.

Now that you’re a member of a remote team, your main goal is to complete all tasks assigned to you and to fulfill your responsibilities as the web developer/copywriter/QA/whatever freelance track you specialize in.

Your assigned work may be directly related to someone else’s, so it’s important that you finish off your own tasks for the project move forward. And if you constantly fulfill your duties, everyone will consider you as someone who does his job and is reliable at all times.

6. If there are problems or issues, bring them to the table.

It’s inevitable that there will be conflicts and misunderstanding between team members. For instance, one of your teammates may have experienced an issue coming from your end, even though you know that you’ve done everything correctly. In cases like these, nothing good would come out of hiding and grumbling behind people’s backs.

The best way to handle arguments and disagreements is to bring everything to the table. Listen to what your teammates have to say about the problem, then share your own concerns in a professional and calm manner. If the employer should be involved in the discussion, offer to gather everyone for an important meeting to clarify everything once and for all.

It takes time to adjust to a remote team, but with these 6 tips and a positive attitude towards working with others, you’ll see that being in a remote team of professionals can be fun, meaningful, and a great learning experience after all.

What other useful tips can you share to those who are new to working in a remote team? I look forward to reading your comments!

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

When it comes to saving money, the benefits of embracing remote workers are well documented. From savings on office space and infrastructure to maintaining productivity during inclement weather or natural disasters, remote work is an important tool. Here’s a roundup of current remote work technology and how you can effectively implement it to make the most of potential cost savings.

Project Management:

Remote work will save you money by allowing you to use skilled workers who often cost less than local hires. The key to keeping those cost savings is effective project management. You’ve got to be able to stay on top of what’s being accomplished in a systematic way. Here’s two tools to check out:

• TeamLab (Free): Open source and free! What’s not to like about this project management tool? The software’s developers initially created it for themselves, then found it so useful they decided to offer it for free to others. TeamLab allows you to create and schedule project milestones to keep your remote workers on track. It also includes a wiki, instant messaging and time tracking. Finally TeamLab is an online portal, so there’s no issues with installing software on team members’ computers.
• Project2Manage ($6.95/month): A bit like Google Docs, Project2Manage give you a one-stop repository for storing team files and creating documents. It also allows you to give your remote workers different levels of access to the said repositories. It includes the standard project management features, such as messaging, to-do lists and deadline reminders.

Money Saving Tip: Efficiency is key to savings. One way to make sure tasks are moving along as needed is to assign work in small chunks with short turn-around times. That way you’ll be able to stay on top of work accomplished, and if there IS a problem, you’ll discover it sooner.

Communication:

Remote collaboration on projects saves money by keeping productivity high. After all, you only pay your remote worker for the time actually worked —  not for interoffice chats and water cooler visits. But while social conversations are reduced, you still must make good communication channels a high priority. There’s always the usual software suspects, like Skype or Google Chat. But here’s a few others to consider as well:

• Campfire Now ($12/month): Campfire Now is a chat program designed with group collaboration in mind. According to the developers, the program is “network-agnostic,” meaning you don’t have to worry about everyone trying to find a common chat client to use. Campfire Now saves chat history, allows you to upload files and review them together, plus it offers an iPhone app for chatting on the go.
• TightVNC (Free): Got someone coding for you? Use TightVNC for remote software demonstrations. This program allows you to see and control the desktop of a remote computer, exactly as if you were there. Another option is Gbridge, a program  that allows you to not only share desktops, but also creates a secure VPN using Google’s gtalk protocol.

Money Saving Tip: Using online communication tools is significantly cheaper then conference calls when you’re working with freelancers from other countries. But while it might be tempting to rely solely on email and its ilk, making use of real-time communication tools is important. Why? Once again, it all comes back to efficiency. With real-time conversations, whether through chat functions or Skype calls, your team can get on the same page in a matter of minutes versus the hours and/or days that getting email responses can take.

On that same note, make sure your communication is effective. For more info, check out this past oDesk blog post on successful remote team communication.

Training:

Remote work saves money by allowing you to hire specialized skills just for the projects needed. You don’t have to keep a graphic designer on staff when you only need their talents a few times a year.

Assist your virtual staff in focusing on the job at hand by being upfront about your preferred work flows and organizational procedures. Don’t assume they’ll automatically pick up on those unspoken ideals. Take some time to train your remote staff with these tools:

• Vyew (Free): Vyew is a webinar tool, allowing you to make live presentations to your virtual staff and giving them the opportunity to ask questions and interact during the online “class.”
• Go2Webinar ($99/month): Another webinar tool, Go2Webinar costs a bit, but is useful if you want to create a slew of training material all at once, then make it available to your remote workers as needed.
• Dropbox (Free): While this isn’t exactly a training tool, Dropbox can be a great way to distribute policy and procedure documents to everyone who needs them. And when you update a document? Dropbox will automatically update the copy that each virtual worker has on his or her machine.
• MediaWiki (Free): Your remote employees aren’t the only ones who will be learning. Remember that you hired them for a purpose, and they can help train you in best practices and new technology as a part of the collaborative working process. A great way to capture this body of knowledge is through a wiki. You can set up a free wiki using MediaWiki, the software that powers the Wikipedia family of sites. For more info on effectively using wikis, check out the online O’Reilly guide to using a wiki.

Money Saving Tip: Before you begin hiring, prepare all your training materials. Even the best contract worker can only live up to the expectations they know about. It’s not their fault if your lack of instruction means multiple revisions, thus incurring extra costs for you.

Have you worked with virtual employees in the past? In the comments section below, share best practices that you’ve learned, as well as collaboration tools that made the job easier. Also, you can connect with other employers on our oDesk Facebook page to learn what’s worked for them.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small business owners and non-profit organizations. Remote work technology has allowed her to collaborate with fascinating people from a wide variety of locales. You can find her talking about technology and business on Twitter at @JuliaCamenisch.

Thankfully, it’s become less common. In fact, making presentations using web based software is now standard. And thanks to smartphones, those presentations can be viewed (or given) while on the go. No more being tethered to a desk chair! While some of that equipment still has to be occasionally toted along (just wait until they release the iPad with a built in projector!), these apps make the presentation process much simpler and more interactive.

iPhone/iPad Apps:

• Keynote ($9.99): Not just for your Mac desktop, the Keynote app allows you to work on presentations from your iPad or iPhone while on the go. And not only can you edit those presentations, but with the iPad dock connector, you can hook your iPad up to a VGA connection on a projector and show your slides in the boardroom. Beats hauling a MacBook around any day.
• Fuze Meeting HD (Free): Fuze Meeting is a conferencing based app that available for the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, and Android platforms. It allows you to give video and/or photo presentations via a browser-based interface. It integrates with various chat programs and allows you to use Dropbox to share files.  It’s even got a virtual red laser pointer you can use! How cool is that?
• Conference Pad ($4.99): You’ve got to be at the meeting location for this app, but it’s still pretty cool! Conference Pad allows you to display a presentation on up to fifteen iPads, iPhones, and iPod Touches using either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth for connectivity. Your iPad functions as the controller. The slight downer with this presentation app is that your slides must be in PDF format to work, plus you’ve got to buy a copy of the app for each device. Conference Pad also includes that cool red laser pointer feature, plus it allows you to roam around the conference room while talking. (That should keep everyone focused, right?)

Android Apps:

• Mighty Meeting (Free/Basic; $4.99/Pro): Mighty Meetings encourages you to ditch the laptop. Instead, using their free app, you can upload your presentations (including video) to the cloud, and then share them with other mobile meeting attendees. Presentation viewers don’t have to install their own copy of the app or sign-up for an account — they can view the presentation through either a direct email link or by entering the meeting ID on the company’s website. Attendees can communicate through the chat or voice functions. The free version is pretty limiting and you’ve only got a 14-day trial window in which to conduct meetings. But hey, since it’s initially free, it’s worth a try, right?
• Slide Rocket (Free/Lite; $24/Pro): Slide Rocket is a multi-functional tool, allowing you to not only share presentations but to create them as well. The slide creation aspect of the program has been compared to PowerPoint with a key difference being that it is web based instead of software based. You do have the option of importing PowerPoint slides, though that’s not always a successful process! This app could be especially useful when you’re collaborating on a presentation with coworkers in other locations.
• Join.Me (Free): This nifty app is all about screen sharing. Lots of it, in fact. You can demo a product, discuss a design or show off a presentation with up to 250 viewers. Plus, your viewers can get in on the action as you can choose to share control of your screen with them. The free version is amazingly functional, making me wonder how many people will opt to pay for the few extra bells and whistles that the pro version provides. And in case you’re worried about security, the meetings are sealed up with 256-bit encryption, so you should be pretty safe from uninvited hackers.

Do you have experience with any of these presentation apps? Or is there one I missed that blows the rest of the field away? Share your reviews below in the comment section.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small business owners and non-profit organizations. Now that she has a new Android phone, she’s excited about being able to ditch her laptop bag on occasion and still be able to interact with clients. You can find her on Twitter at @JuliaCamenisch.

1.  Complete and enhance your oDesk profile.

It could be that your profile isn’t really standing out among the twenty other applicants bidding for the same project. With so many contractor profiles to sift through, you can’t afford to be like everyone else.

Your first step therefore is to complete all of the necessary details of your oDesk profile.  Enhance it right after with an appealing overview, a clean and detailed resume, and your best portfolio samples.

2.  Take and pass skills tests with flying colors.

One of the best ways to prove yourself on oDesk is to pass two types of tests:

• The oDesk Readiness test, and
• Free skills tests that match your specializations

It’s not enough that you take and pass these skills tests though.  There are employers who are more attracted to shiny 10% and 20% badges, so do your best and aim for higher percentile rankings. (Psst: Hide test scores that aren’t that great. You aren’t required to display them.)

3.  Learn how oDesk really works.

The Help Center is the best place to go to for information on how oDesk really works.  Knowing how to log time, use the Work Diary, send messages, apply for jobs, and price yourself properly will help boost your chances of winning your first project.

How?  For the simple reason that you’re a self-starter who knows what you are doing.  Employers will see just how efficient and quick you are to learn, and that you won’t be a problem to work with. There won’t be any need to file disputes for incorrect logged hours, misuse of the Work Diary, and the like.

4.  Personalize and proofread every cover letter you send.

What could be more irritating and embarrassing than reading a generic cover letter full of spelling and grammar mistakes?  If your cover letters are simply generic templates with blanks to fill in, the employer will simply discard your application and move on to others who can communicate his goals and requirements better.

With that said, spend about 15-25 minutes reading the employer’s job post and noting down important details (answers to the employer’s questions, for instance) that you should address in your cover letter.  While writing, make sure that you either use your word processor’s spell and grammar checker to proofread your cover letter, or re-read and revise it yourself.  If English isn’t your first language, ask a friend or family member who’s more proficient to help you.

5.  Apply for jobs that you are confident, knowledgeable, and interested in.

One of the most effective ways to win your first oDesk project is to go for those that fit your skills set, your expertise, and your interests.  Imagine yourself applying for a job you had absolutely no experience for.  How would you answer your employer’s questions?  How will you understand the terminology being used?  Do you have the technology (e.g., software) needed to create the project?

Go for projects that make your eyes sparkle and your adrenalin pump.  If you feel your hands itching to apply to a job post and your brain churning ideas for how to create this employer’s project, don’t ever stop yourself from trying.

6.  Accept rejection and keep applying.

They say that a new oDesk contractor has to go through 60 rejected applications before winning his first project.  I’m not saying you have to count to 60 before you can earn your first job, but you should be ready to accept rejections of all kinds and to never give up. Keep applying to jobs that interest you and that you’re knowledgeable about. Who knows, your next application may turn out to be your first big break after all.

Bonus:  One of my favorite tactics is to keep an eye out for newly posted job posts.  Being one of the first 5-10 candidates to apply can increase your chances of winning the project, since the employer/hiring manager is pretty much awake and attentive when browsing through the first few applications.  Just make sure to follow points 1-6 first before sending off an application.

What was your experience like when you won your very first oDesk project?  Was it easy, so-so, or difficult?  Go ahead and share your stories in the comments!

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

Normally you might just upload screenshots and files and choose the right categories, but it’s possible to tweak your portfolio in ways that will really convince the employer to hire you as his contractor. Here are four excellent tips on how to make your portfolio work better for you:

1. Have a portfolio piece for each service you provide.

You’re a freelancer who specializes in Service A, B, and C. If you’re aiming for employers looking for these three services, showcase work where you used each of your specialties in particular.

For example, I’m a copywriter that loves working with product descriptions, blogging, and website copy. To show employers that these are the services I provide and that I’m good at, I upload three to five portfolio items that display my latest product copywriting, blogging projects, and website copywriting projects. Each one is categorized separately and has their own unique project description.

2. Write a well-written description for each portfolio piece.

Utilize the project description textbox by writing a brief but interesting story of how your project came to be. You can start by writing what your main task was, how you tackled the employer’s problem or met his requirements, and other important details about the project.

What’s important here is that it’s short and concise enough to tell the prospect what you did with this project, what skills you used, and how you successfully nailed the employer’s goals.  One or two short paragraphs should do the trick.

3. Update your portfolio with the latest screenshots and links.

A screenshot of your latest published article, website, or logo, plus a link to each, will certainly help keep your chances of winning freelance projects high. The employer can easily take a look at the screenshot to see what the project looks like, and then click on the link to see the actual work up close.

If you’ve made any changes to your old portfolio pieces, make sure to take and upload a new screenshot of it and that its URL is correct.

4. Delete or revamp old projects that don’t reflect your skills as a freelancer.

Chances are you have old projects in your portfolio that you’ve outgrown already. Now that you’ve honed and improved your skills, you wouldn’t want your future employers to see obsolete projects that don’t truly reflect how good you’ve become.

Your best bet would be to either revamp these old projects using your latest skills, or delete them all together. If you feel that these projects still matter to you, you can edit them by applying new techniques to make them look shiny and new again. Otherwise, just delete these projects and make room for new ones.

Here’s a bonus tip: Don’t settle. Every project you bring to the table comes with a hefty side dish of experience and growth, both of which will make you a more valuable professional in the market. This improvement is what you want your employers to see, so don’t ever hesitate to push out excellent work each and every time. As soon as your employer gives permission to use the finished project in your portfolio, upload the screenshot, paste the link, and point it out to the next employer in line.

Take a look at your portfolio right now. How is it doing? Is it bringing in new interview invitations, or does it need a fresh start? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

oDesk has a fantastic database that helps people who hire narrow down the list of choices, but even then, there are often so many people to choose from at different price points, that the description that candidates write about themselves and a picture often become the items that drive a hiring decision.

The following are five easy-to-fix mistakes that are keeping you from getting hired or making more money — and how to fix them:

Mistake #1. Not thinking of yourself as a product. Even though everyone on oDesk is in the service business, you have to think of yourself as a product.  Think of your picture and profile as the packaging, your description as the package design (or the copy that gets the potential customer excited about the product), and your skills and knowledge as the features and capabilities of the product.

When your potential clients are searching the database and results pop up, it’s like looking across of grocery shelf filled with boxes.  So your job is to describe and design yourself in a way that attracts exactly the kinds of jobs that you are best at and clients will hire you for again and again.

Mistake #2. An unprofessional picture. You must have a professional picture as part of your profile.  It doesn’t have to be professionally taken, but it should be a headshot, meaning that it’s taken above the shoulders.  Dress as you would going into an interview.  In so many ways, when a client sees your pictures, it’s as if you just walked through the office door.  So look your best and have a friendly smile.  oDesk isn’t Facebook, so avoid using overly casual pictures with silly clothes or hats.

Mistake #3. Your description is about your goals and not my needs. As a potential employer, I’m coming to oDesk with a specific project.  If a description starts with your objective to grow your business or the kind of client you are looking for, I pass this by because it doesn’t match what I’m looking for. The way to get chosen is to focus on the keywords that best describe the tasks or skills that your ideal client is looking for.  For example, if you are good at interviewing and doing market research on the phone, write that down because that is the task clients would be hiring you for. Your goal is to describe the talents and tasks that you love to do and that clients would want.

4. Your description is too conversational or just a list. Your description is the only face-to-face conversation you will have with a potential client. Don’t count on them calling you for an interview unless the description sounds like a professional introduction.  The best and most appealing descriptions are those that are friendly, a little conversational (not overly so), and loaded with tasks, capabilities, and talents.  Great descriptions are written in full sentences and say things like, “I’m great at writing keyword rich articles that sell.” Or “I can complete an hour-long transcription in two hours from the time you give it to me.”

5. Too many different skills and abilities in the description. While it’s possible that you have many skills, talents and abilities, it’s best to focus on the ones you love to do most or the ones where you perform the highest quality work.  Placing too many skills in an overview description won’t attract more customers, it will attract less.  When potential clients see too many skills, they won’t know which ones you do best. Focus on what you want to be known for.  You can list the others, but don’t describe or “sell” more than five unrelated skills — especially when these skills are different such as programming and copywriting.  If that is your talent than only focus on those two and don’t confuse people with more.

These are the five top areas that I look at in helping me choose a contractor.  If you look closely, you’ll see that so many of the mistakes come from treating the profiling forms as forms and not conversations with an employer. When you treat your profile as a conversation with a potential employer, more ideal employers will be drawn to you.

Ivana Taylor of DIYMarketers.com is the President and Chief Marketing Officer of Third Force, a strategic marketing firm that helps small to medium sized companies get and keep loyal, profitable customers regardless of price.  She is the author of popular marketing blog called Strategy Stew where she dishes out marketing how-tos for small business owners and in-house marketers.

But with the right productivity tools, you can manage and organize yourself without feeling stressed and lost under a large pile of work. In this post, let’s tackle five different types of productivity tools and how each can help you work more in less time.

1. Note-taking

Note-taking is important for freelancers because it helps gather and save important information that we may need in the future. With notes, you can write down instructions from your client, save log-in information, web clippings, and the like.

Most freelancers can already work with a notepad and pen, but if you’d like to create, save, and sync virtual notes, you can use note-taking apps like Evernote, Simplenote, and Springpad. The advantage is that you can share notes and collaborate with teammates easily, plus you won’t have to worry about losing an important note in the trash bin.

2. Task Management

A project is broken down into several tasks, and handling several tasks or to-dos all at once can be quite daunting for the average freelancer. That’s where task management comes in.

Creating handmade checklists or using a task management app can help you manage your everyday to-dos. You can use a feature-rich or minimal task management app to help you slowly complete projects. I suggest Teuxdeux, Remember the Milk, and Wunderlist.

3. Calendars/Schedulers

A calendar or scheduler helps by scheduling and organizing your important appointments, events, and meetings easily. It keeps you organized and makes sure you don’t forget next week’s Skype meeting through built-in notifications.

Traditionally, you’d have a planner or a wall calendar to mark important dates down. But for freelancers who use the computer everyday, you can use Google Calendar or your computer’s built-in calendar to schedule events and meetings with clients, teammates, etc.

4. Time Tracking

Time tracking is a kind of tool that tracks the amount of time spent on a particular activity. The oDesk Team application is a good example of a time tracker, since it records how many minutes are spent on a particular project and the description of that activity, and guarantees you payment for the time tracked in the application.

If you prefer to use a time tracker other than the oDesk Team, you can use a stopwatch or try out a purely time tracking app like Freckle and Klok. You can then use the data to see the average amount of time it takes for you to do a particular task. How you become more productive through time tracking depends on how you use the data — and may require some math skills!

5. Project Management

Project management is actually a collection of all these tools summed up into one interface. You can use project management apps to manage tasks, schedule activities, attach and share files, track time, and much more. Some of the more feature-packed apps even have CRM and invoicing built into the system.

Although these apps are a bit pricey (usually under paid plans), project management tools are great for businesses and big teams who need to work efficiently with others. If you belong to a remote team and manage so many people, emails, files, and activities, subscribing to a project management app can definitely make things easier for you.

With the right set of productivity tools that fit your needs as a freelancer, you can sustain your productivity levels, free up more time, and complete projects on target.

Keep in mind though that no matter how advanced or innovative the productivity tool may be, its effectiveness depends on how you do your work, how focused you are in getting things done, and how you use these tools to your advantage.

As a freelancer, what other productivity tool has helped you finish more work in less time (and under less stress)? Do you use an particular productivity app that you’d like to suggest or recommend to the community?

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

Here are some very innovative ways to find work via social media, some of which are already tried and tested by yours truly:

1. RSS FEEDS

Online job boards (including oDesk’s own job board) are usually equipped with their own RSS feed that you can subscribe to. This gives you the opportunity to receive daily feeds of the latest and most relevant jobs posted without having to visit the site(s) again and again.

You can subscribe to your favorite job board’s RSS feed to view the latest jobs posted. This gives you a bit of an edge because you can instantly click on the link and apply for the job immediately. And assuming that the employer just posted the job ad, he’d still be online to check your application out and (hopefully) accept you for an interview.

2. TWITTER

Regarded as one of the best tools to connect and interact, Twitter’s an excellent way to find and share news about job opportunities for freelancers. You can use Twitter to search for people looking for freelance talent, follow profiles that tweet career advice or quality job posts regularly, engage with people and companies you’d like to work with in the future, and share your own content.

If you’ve been tweeting good stuff, a client may even send you a direct message to hire you for a project.oDesk also has its own set of Twitter profiles dedicated to tweets about new job posts, including @salesmarketjobs, @writetransjobs, and @webdesignerjobs. If you don’t like the RSS format, you can follow these profiles to search for new job postings on the site.

3. LINKEDIN

LinkedIn’s a great place to connect with professionals and companies online. You can also join groups of specific interests and industries and even apply for jobs posted on the site.

One piece of advice that worked for me is to join LinkedIn groups that interest you or that are dedicated to professionals of a particular industry. This way, if a client needs a writer (and you belong to a LinkedIn group dedicated to the writing industry), he’d identify you as a potential writer to hire instantly.

4. FACEBOOK

By connecting with friends and building relationships, you can use Facebook to find projects and possible career opportunities. You can either contact friends who are currently hiring new talent or build relationships with those who are working at your favorite companies.

But don’t use Facebook to message people and ask for work if they aren’t looking for help. Build relationships on Facebook. By building relationships, you build trust in people. And with trust established, they’ll be more than willing to approach you for projects and partnerships that come up, as opposed to approaching someone they’ve never heard of before.

5. BLOGS

Blogs have evolved from simple journaling of one’s thoughts to a source of information. With blogs, you can comment on posts that interest you, publish your own content for an audience, and can even write articles for other blogs (a.k.a. guest posting).

The best thing about blogs is that they build communities who share the same interests, and members of these communities can be your next clients. If you’re writing or guest posting for a niche blog on web design, prospects who are looking for a web designer would want to check out your blog posts out and see if you’ve got the knowledge and the skills to help them with their projects.

At this point, you can see that building relationships and engaging in the exchange of valuable ideas and information in your field are crucial to finding work via social media. Keep these things in mind, and you might suddenly find yourself chatting with a client who saw you on his Twitter or LinkedIn networks.

What other tips (or social media tools) can you think of that have helped you find work? Go ahead and share them in the comments!

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

Here are some practical tips I’ve learned over the years that can help you take back your workdays:

1. Be realistic with yourself. I recently (perhaps as recently as yesterday?) had to come to terms with the fact that I’ve reached an age where I am creatively tapped out in the evenings. I can edit manuscripts until the sun comes up, but I can’t create new writing work after dinner. What about you? When was the last time you looked honestly at what you can accomplish in a day and what time of day you should be doing it?

2. Set work hours. We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: it doesn’t matter when they are, as long as you have them, keep them, and keep your employers informed about them.

3. Stop scheduling appointments during work hours. Just because you CAN have that dentist appointment in the middle of your usual workday, doesn’t mean you should. Live like the rest of the world: get your hair done, your tonsils checked, and your child’s cavity filled during hours that you don’t ordinarily work.

4. Don’t take calls that aren’t work related during work hours. Ever notice how a call from your mom leads to a call to your sister, which leads to a call to your counselor? (Me too.) Friends, this is the beauty of caller ID. Just don’t pick up unless it’s work related.

5. Keep a to-do list. Get organized so that when you are working you know what needs to get done. There are a variety of tech options for setting up daily or weekly tasks, or go the old-fashioned route with a pen and paper. The point is to keep careful track, so you can make the most of your working hours and stay on top of deadlines.

6. Got kids? Consider childcare. The ease of working from home with young children is somewhat of a myth. It takes great dedication and discipline to pull it off well. If you aren’t getting it right, rethink how you’re doing it. (Are you really a hands-on stay-at-home parent if you’re telling your child every five minutes to please just keep watching Elmo a little bit longer so Daddy can work?) Consider raising your rates so you can afford proper childcare — both you and your child deserve it.

7. Eliminate distractions. It seems so simple, and yet it can be one of the hardest things to do. Shut the door to the laundry room, so you don’t see the pile waiting there. Turn your back on the household mess. Turn off the television. Resist the urge to check your personal emails. (They’ll still be there later, I promise.) Focused time is productive time, and you’ll be surprised at how much better your work turns out when it has your undivided attention.

All in all, these things are easier said than done, but they are good steps that will take your workdays out of toxic sluggishness and back into productive mode.

What has your experience been with taking charge of your workdays? Share the lessons you’ve learned in the comments below.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine. She’s learning you can lose a productivity battle or two, and still hold out hope of winning the war for workdays. (And she was totally kidding about her mother … of course.)

Marketing, that indispensable tool in the business owner’s work box, is a double-edged sword. On one hand, effective marketing can cause your income to grow like gangbusters. But the reverse is true as well. An ill-conceived marketing plan can cause horrendous damage to your profits AND to your reputation.

One of the best ways to avoid marketing mistakes is by learning from others’ gaffes. And there’s been plenty of those! Here’s a few of the most memorable:

1. Faking Customer Demand
   The power of word of mouth marketing is beyond dispute. People are more influenced by a personal recommendation than they are by an advertisement. And that knowledge has caused some companies to attempt to create their own reality – a bit like Inception’s dream team, only with nightmare results. 

   Sony’s reality shifters thought they had the perfect plan to promote the new PSP: Create a “homemade” video of a teen asking his parents for a PSP. That was bad enough, but then the marketing crew started putting links to the video on forums, posing as this guy’s friend and acting as though the video was the real deal. Didn’t take long for the news to leak that the supposed filmmaker “Jeremy” was really a hire of an advertising agency.  The audience that Sony had hoped to attract responded with virulent disgust.

   Lesson: Be sincere and honest. Instead of creating fake fans, encourage your real fans to spread the word about your product or service.

2. Instigating Stupidity
   For Canadian beer company, Molson Brewer, “attending college” is merely a euphemism for “excess drinking”. At least that’s the message they sent students with a contest encouraging said collegiates to submit pictures showing “school spirit and sociability” (translation: “drunkest”) party pictures. The goal? To  track down the top party school. 

   Unfortunately, that type of reputation is not one that a college wants to put on its brochure. Parents also don’t appreciate having their children’s education sidetracked by too much alcohol. Molson halted the offending campaign after the complaints began to arrive. But it is this kind of corporate behavior that leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths and puts a company under scrutiny by consumer advocates.

   Lesson: Think about what message your promotion sends about your company, especially if you’re trying to be edgy or funny. And while controversy has its place, it can also tarnish your reputation.

3. Underestimating Response
   Sometimes bad marketing isn’t so much defined by the promotion itself as it is by the company’s inability to carry through on their promises. A perfect example of that is Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Oprah gaffe. 

   The store known for its fried chicken was trying to rebrand itself with a new offering: Unfried (otherwise known as grilled) chicken. To jumpstart awareness, they paid Oprah to promote the new menu item and to point people to a web coupon for a free grilled chicken meal. But somehow, the corporate office didn’t take into account how the demand for a free meal would affect franchisees.

   The customer response was so tremendous, local KFC stores couldn’t keep up. Soon, they began turning people away and refusing the coupons. The company’s inability to honor their own promotion made customers frustrated and upset – not the way you want a marketing endeavor to end up. It took KFC quite a while to rectify this mistake and even Oprah ended up having to apologize on behalf of the company.

   Lesson: With the popularity of sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial, even small businesses can seriously underestimate how popular a promotion might be. Make sure that you don’t promise more than you can deliver, and if need be, put a limit on special offers!

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small business owners and non-profit organizations. She especially enjoys covering stories about the intersection of technology and business.

No matter how good you are in your chosen profession, there’s always room to improve. In fact, there’s an imperative to improve. Styles, trends, technology –all are constantly evolving. You’ve got to keep pace with the change by embracing learning as part of your freelance career investment.

Most of us don’t have the extra money or time to invest in returning to college. Thanks to the Internet, you don’t necessarily have to. There are online educational resources for every freelance discipline and niche. Magazines, courses, ebooks, webinars, blogs — all are learning tools that will enable you to grow in your profession, or even branch out and learn something new.  Here’s a list of 45 Internet resources, arranged alphabetically by skill set, to help you take your freelance abilities to the next level.

This is by no means a comprehensive list. That’s why we need your help! If you’ve got a particular online resource for one of the above categories, share it in the comments section below. Let’s work together to make this educational resources post a useful tool for oDesk freelancers.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small business owners and non-profit organizations. She especially enjoys covering stories about the intersection of technology and business. You can find her on Twitter at @JuliaCamenisch.

How Trust Will Get You Hired

• First impressions are huge. Your earliest communications will create the basis of trust with your employer. Be smart, eager and on time. Reread your emails before you send them, and use a spell-checker or have a friend proofread for you, especially if you’re not communicating in your native language.
• Be honest about your skills. It’s painfully trendy to call yourself a “_____ Rockstar” these days, but don’t overpromise.  If you disappoint the employer when called to use one of your weaker “rockstar” skills, then you’ll never get a chance to demonstrate your real potential.
• Think big. Ask about the employer’s business case and business goals — for your assignment and beyond.  Employers trust someone who cares about the big picture, who understands their priorities and makes them her own.

How Trust Will Keep You Working

• Keep promises. Nothing’s more important than meeting deadlines, being available for communication on the agreed days and times, and delivering (at least) the quality you said you would.
• Document your processes. Most things can be done multiple ways, and letting the employer know why you thought path A was better than B helps them understand your intentions — and if the employer says he’d rather go with B, he’ll understand that you made a logical initial choice, rather than think you just screwed up.
• Save the employer money. Anything that brings your work in under budget — even if that means you billed a bit less time than expected — establishes your integrity and your respect for the employer’s resources.

How Trust Will Build Your Career

• Admit your mistakes and fix them. After you’ve turned in the work, if the employer isn’t happy, go above and beyond to secure his approval of your work.
• Follow up. Often you’ll deliver a piece of work and not hear back from the employer. You assume the employer is satisfied, but after a reasonable interval, check in with a quick email. Show that you’re concerned with client satisfaction, not just getting paid.

Every interaction you have with a current or potential employer affects his trust in you. You move that needle, for better or worse, every time. Remember that taking too long to respond to an email, or responding curtly, makes you seem less dependable. Bluffing through your skill set and delivering less than you promised, or blowing a deadline, makes you much less reliable. Being responsive, pleasant, and engaged, while meeting expectations, is your key to more and better work — who doesn’t want to work with people they know they can trust?

In the comments: What has experience taught you about building trust online?

Brian McDonough has been a writer and editor for more than 15 years, and has managed teams of in-house and freelance writers for newspapers, magazines and web sites. He has been working with oDesk for three years and counting. You can trust him.

Distraction, according to Dictionary.com, is anything that diverts or interrupts a person’s attention. In the freelancer’s case, there are plenty of online and offline distractions that could steal away his focus and interrupt his productivity.

Get rid of these distractions, and you’ll be able to get your projects done and beat your deadlines. Submit to these diversions, and you’ll find yourself procrastinating like crazy.

Let’s take a look at 5 major freelancer distractions to get rid of before going into freelancing mode:

1. Social media

No matter how good social media is for marketing and networking, it can take up much of your billable time. All the Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Foursquare, and blog feeds can leave you under a heap of content with not enough time to work on your projects anymore.

Solution: Close all desktop clients and tabs opened for social media, and focus on the tools and pages needed for work. You can close your browser even if you don’t need it for the project.

2. Emails

Checking emails frequently can be very distracting for your health, or in this case your freelancing business. Although it’s important to respond to emails as soon as possible, it becomes ineffective when you can’t get back to work because of the energy lost to reading and replying to each message in your inbox.

Solution: Your best move would be to close your inbox or quit using your email client. It’s the only way you can stop glancing at your inbox every single time. If this won’t work for you, at least disable notifications whenever a new email arrives.

3. Calls, SMS, and online chat

Phone calls, SMS notifications, and buzzes can be just as disruptive as receiving emails. These come with their own separate devices/apps and ringtones, all specifically designed to get you to answer them instantly.

Sure, it’s important to answer calls and text messages as it could be an urgent matter (or worse, an emergency), but in general you have to let Aunt Sally know that can’t talk about cousin Danny’s boat collection while in the middle of an important project.

Solution: Put your phone on silent mode and go ninja — uh, I mean invisible — during work hours. For Skype users, setting your status to “Busy” mutes calls and messages received from contacts. If you’re willing to pay a monthly fee, you can also set up voice mail to receive calls as messages, allowing to get work done first before responding.

4. Unexpected personal visits

A popular freelancing myth claims that freelancers have all the time in the world for everything.

Family and friends tend to think that just because you’re not working in a 9-5 setting means you’re accessible anytime of the day. They can call you or knock on your door anytime to make you do errands, go shopping with them, etc.

Solution: Don’t allow yourself to be the official errand boy (or girl) of your household. Remind family members and friends that you have set work hours and would like to be left undisturbed until everything is finished.

5. Boredom and feeling burnt out

Sometimes working too long can leave you feeling burnt out and bored out of your mind. This yearning for entertainment can cause you to set aside work and do something seemingly more interesting and enjoyable, such as playing games, checking your social networks, and the like.

Solution: Give yourself breaks in set intervals. The Pomodoro technique, for example, is a good way to implement this as it teaches you to work for just 25 minutes before taking a 5-minute break. This keeps you from feeling burnt out and doesn’t completely shake off your focus on work at the same time.

It’s not easy managing time and holding down distractions before they can completely divert your attention elsewhere, especially when those distractions are important emails or a family member in need of a favor. But with a bit of motivation and self-control on your part, you can manage these distractions and finish off all of your work before the end of the day.

How do you manage distractions before working on your freelance projects? What other tips can you think of that could help get rid of one (or all) of these distractions?

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

To give yourself a head start, here’s a 7-item contractor checklist to guide you and ensure that you have everything you need when applying for remote work:

1. A complete oDesk profile – a contractor should have completed his oDesk profile before applying for jobs. Your profile is the first thing employers will see when considering applicants for his project, so make sure it’s presentable, updated, and more or less responds to their needs. Ideally, you’re oDesk Ready, have an authentic portrait photo of yourself, and reviewed every section for spelling and grammar errors.



2. An updated portfolio – employers will want to see the quality and scope of your work, so it’s important that you fill up the portfolio with updated screenshots, detailed summaries, and links to actual work that you’ve done in the past. If you want to increase your chances of winning the project, you should have samples of work that fit the employer’s requirements.

3. A personalized cover letter – the cover letter is your key to winning the employer’s attention. It is in the cover letter where you will inform him three main things: 1) Who you are and what you do, 2) the problems he’s facing and why you are the person who can help him solve them, and 3) an invitation to contact you for an interview to discuss further. Personalize it the best that you can while maintaining a professional voice. Answer any questions the employer may ask or follow his initial instructions (except when he’s asking for spec work or cheap rates).

4. Communication tools – an email address and an instant messenger like Skype are important when finding work in and out of oDesk. You need an email address to receive emails from employers (it’s also a requirement for membership on the site), and you need VoIP tools like Skype to communicate with clients in real time. Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, and Windows Live Mail are some very good places to grab your own work email address, while Skype, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Chat, and Windows Live Messenger are popular choices for VoIP communication.



5. Payment methods – you can choose from a variety of methods to withdraw and receive your earnings. PayPal, Local Funds Transfer, Moneybookers, and wire transfer are internationally-accessible payment methods you can set up for your account. Each has its own unique fees and requirements depending on where you are located, so make sure to read the help pages for each option before signing up.

6. Note-taking tools – as contractors, it is our responsibility to note down an employer’s project requirements and instructions before doing anything. Doing so will enable us to ask questions or answer his own questions without making too many mistakes. You can jot down notes using your favorite pen and paper, or use built-in apps like Notepad, Microsoft OneNote (both Windows), TextEdit (Mac), and third party apps like Evernote, Springpad, and Google Docs. Just remember to take those notes down during your meetings and refer to them in your communication with the employer about the work.

7. Yourself – none of these would matter if you do not prepare yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally for online work. Employers are constantly looking for people who are interested in working with them, who are dedicated, and who have the right mindset to help them reach their goals. If you want to set yourself apart from the competition, you’ll have to show the employer that you are the best person for the job and that you have the interest, knowledge, confidence, and dedication to create a successful project for them.

What other items do you think should go into this list? Do you think you can do without one or two of these and still find good work online?

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

Word of mouth marketing occurs when an excited customer shares with their friends about a product or business that they love.  And the power of that one-on-one recommendation can’t be overstated. A study recently published in the American Marketing Association’s Journal of Marketing showed that customers referred by a friend generated more capital for a company and were 18% more likely to keep patronizing that same business than the non-referred customers.

So how can you encourage your customers to talk about you more? It all depends on the type of relationship you have with them. A casual customer should be approached differently than a fanatic brand advocate…kinda like how you’d treat your grandma differently than your hot new girlfriend. Here’s how to work with each stage of the customer/business relationship to make the most of the word of mouth marketing potential:

• Stage One: The “Acquaintance” Customer
  This is the most basic of relationships. The customer occasionally goes to your store and buys your product, but it’s rare. They’re satisfied but not excited. 
  • WOM Strategy – Provide Superior Service:
    Yeah, great service should be a no-brainer, but surprisingly, it can be easy to overlook the power of exceptional customer care. I was an infrequent, indifferent customer at the auto repair shop. Yet the store’s one act of honesty moved me to a new stage in the customer/business relationship spectrum. It also prompted enthusiastic referrals to any friends that needed their car fixed. If you can blow the acquaintance customer away with your great service, they’re likely to move to the next relationship level.
• Stage Two: The “Friend” Customer
  This is probably the stage where most of your regular customers reside. They like your product or service, but need a bit of prompting to become brand ambassadors. 
  • WOM Strategy: Help ‘em Spread the Word
    These kinds of customers need to be empowered to share. They’re not necessarily going to look for opportunities to talk about you unless it’s easy. So make it easy! 

    First, separate the satisfied from the indifferent. You can do this by asking for feedback when you send them an invoice or give them a receipt. (Note: you can use Survey Monkey, a free survey generator, to easily capture customer opinions.) Don’t make the survey too long or complicated. Remember, people will only complete the survey if it doesn’t inconvenience them.

    Second, identify which customers provided a positive response and send them an e-mail requesting a review on whatever review site suits your fancy (Yelp, Amazon, ResellerRatings.com, etc.). Make sure your e-mail includes a link to the preferred site. Again, the process should be as painless as possible for the customer.

    Third, give them something exciting to share. Provide these customers a special limited time deal…then allow them to pass on that deal to their friends and family. This gives them a specific buzzworthy item to share with others and provides an incentive for their friends to try you out. But please make the deal really good or this strategy won’t work. Remember, your goal is to get people excited.

• The “Fan” Customer
  This is the customer that really likes you. They wear your t-shirt and have your bumper sticker. Don’t let these fans go unnoticed. Keep them as excited customers by making them feel valued. 
  • WOM Strategy: Reward Their Loyalty.
    More than likely, this type of customer “likes” you on Facebook. Reward that loyalty by providing them a return benefit. Make your Facebook page a first stop for important announcements. Put sales codes or store specials on that page before posting them elsewhere.  And encourage their input by asking directed questions. For example, what’s a service they think you should offer? What type of innovative ways have they used your product? 

    Also, provide some fun ways for your fans to engage in word of mouth marketing. Let them submit videos and then post the best on your blog and Facebook page. Encourage them to share testimonials, then feature those stories with a link back to that customer’s blog. The more you allow these coveted customers to make your brand their own, the more likely they are to continue spreading the word about you every chance they get.

Like any relationship in life, you can’t expect more from someone than they’re able to give. So treat all your customers, whether acquaintances, friends or fans, with respect, encourage them to share and value their contributions. For an in-depth look at some great word-of-mouth marketing case studies, check out this list at the Word of Mouth Marketing Association website.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses owners and non-profit organizations. She especially enjoys covering stories about the intersection of technology and business..

The resume section is actually a valuable part of your profile because it contains information that supports your freelancing title. These include your skills, your employment and educational histories, certifications, and other experiences.

It may be a little daunting to fill this entire section up at first, but with a bit of effort and creativity on your part, you can spruce up your resume in such a way that employers would want to hire you on the spot. Here’s what you can do:

1. Update your resume in WYSIWYG.

The first step is to update all of your resume, from the outdated information to the obsolete HTML formatting. If you used HTML tags to edit your resume the first time, chances are oDesk has sent you this message already:

Since custom formatting is already removed from the system, you won’t be able to use HTML/CSS tags when writing your resume (or anywhere else in your profile). Delete as many tags as you can find and rewrite the content using WYSIWG. You can emphasize certain parts of your resume using 1-2 asterisks, spacing, and double quotation marks.

2. Add your best skills.

Skills that are at least 4.0 – 5.0 on your self-assessment are what you should be prioritizing in your resume.

This way, you’re telling the employer that you’re very proficient with these skills and that you can do an excellent job with projects that require them. It’s also a great way to specialize, allowing you to separate yourself from the large pool of freelancers in the oDesk marketplace.

Once you’re done adding them all, here’s the next step:

3. Write as if you’re talking to the employer.

Try to write descriptions as if you are pitching yourself and your skills to your employer. This lets him know that 1) You know what you’re doing, and 2) He can contact you if he needs a contractor with this particular skill.

Here’s an example of what I did when writing a description for “web copywriting”:

“Your website needs a content revamp to best reflect your company’s goals. You can hire me to create new content for your website or proofread/edit your existing pages to make them more presentable and relevant to your audience.”

4. Take certifications (or more if you only have a few).

Earning certifications and scoring high in them will add a lot of credibility to your resume and your profile as a whole. You’ll find many free tests to earn certifications from, but if you’re willing to pay for tests that are related to your field, that would be even better.

In addition to the free tests provided by oDesk, Brainbench offers both free and paid tests to members who’d like to acquire certifications online. You can sign up and take some of the free or paid tests that are related to your field of work.

5. Highlight awards and recognition.

As we go down further to the employment and educational sub-sections, this is your chance to put the spotlight on you.

Highlight as many related awards and recognitions in both your educational and employment histories. If you’re a Dean’s Lister, a Masters degree holder, got promoted three times by your recent employer, add them all in. Potentials employers will be very impressed with how much you’ve achieved in the past, and well enough hire you quickly for their open position.

The Résumé plays a vital role in any oDesk profile, mainly because it holds the most information about you and your profession. With that being said, give it the same love and attention as you would for the rest of your profile.

What other creative and effective ways can you improve and spice up your oDesk resume? Employers, do you usually take a look at your contractor’s resume before making the hire?

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

Esteban S. asks: “Is there a way to connect oDesk to a version control software like Git or SVN? How can I use these tools to make my team more productive?”

oDesk: Esteban, you are in luck. It just so happens that Codesion has partnered with oDesk to offer version control software to oDesk users free for one year. It’s easy for oDesk users to access. Simply click on Manage & Work from your home page at oDesk, then under “Team Tools” on the far right, you’ll see Subversion (SVN) listed. Click on it for a free download of SVN from Codesion. As for how version control can help, check out this post, which will explain more. Version control is an important asset when developing software, as it allows you to revert to the former code when you encounter a problem.

From an agency perspective, Nilesh asks: “We have a team of talented [remote workers] on oDesk … The [worker takes on] 4-5 tasks and makes his or her profile stronger, then suddenly has to leave the company. We hire [another worker] of the same caliber, … [with the] same skills but we have to make new profile and start from zero. We can’t use other’s profile even if he has the same [experience]. So what is the solution for this situation for a company?”

Nilesh, unfortunately, it would be dishonest to allow any worker to claim the profile of another — the hours worked, the experience, the skills tests scores, etc. It is oDesk’s policy that profiles must belong to individuals and the hours worked cannot be transfered to others. However, we can appreciate that losing a team member is an inconvenience for you, so we offer two solutions:

1. Make being part of your team more lucrative and beneficial than going it alone, so team members are less likely to leave. (Bonuses, ready access to work, or career guidance for team members are examples of great benefits for your team members.)
2. Rather than starting from scratch with someone new to oDesk when a remote worker leaves your online team, recruit an established oDesk user with a similar work history and skillset.

Again, just so we’re clear, you are doing the right thing by being honest. Profiles belong to individuals not teams, because (team or no team) it is individuals who get the work done.

Got a question for oDesk? Let us know! You just might get your question answered–and receive a free oDesk T-shirt, too!

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

Tom Rupsis, Granite Peak Systems

“In my mind, there are three things that differentiate great contractors,” says Tom Rupsis, an employer and IT consultant in Billings, Montana, who relies on oDesk programmers to help him deliver anything a client needs, quickly and affordably. “First, the best contractors have great communication skills. … The second thing is their ability to get me to the best solution. … The final thing that really stands out to me is a contractor who strives to know the business side of whatever we’re working on.”

If you put those three things together, you come up with a contractor who works to understand his client’s needs beyond merely completing the task at hand, and who puts that employer’s satisfaction first. NetSuite programmer Clemen Canaria says that sometimes means telling a client how to pay him less.

“If a task will need a skill that is not my forte, and I have only a little background on it, I tell the client that it may be best to have someone else do that specific task, as it would take less time and less money,” says Canaria, who is based in the Philippines. “It’s my way of earning my clients’ trust, thus earning a long-term working relationship with them.”

Top-Tier Communication

Bad communication can really take a toll on a remote collaboration. But Rupsis, whose Granite Peak Systems consultancy has employed experts from India, Bolivia and the Philippines, emphasizes that communication is much more than native-level language skills.

“I don’t mean that they have to speak perfect English. I mean that they keep me informed on their progress without me having to ask what’s going on,” he says. “The best contractors ask questions for clarification instead of making assumptions about what I need. And they document their work sufficiently that other contractors could take over if necessary.”

“Clients are very cautious about communication,” Canaria agrees. “I always follow up on them, making sure I give updates and prompt replies to their emails.”

Rupsis says that constant availability isn’t what he’s looking for; he counts on a contractor to manage his expectations, and then meet them. “If I know you do most of your work on the weekends,” he says, “then I won’t think about it during the week and will watch for updates over the weekend.”

An Eye for Innovation

Canaria says that once he has an understanding of his employer’s goals, he’s quick to offer better ways to either enhance the front-end experience or make back-end maintenance simpler.

Clemen Canaria, contractor

“I suggest solutions that I think would make their account setup better and more intuitive for their users,” he says.

Rupsis says this is exactly the approach he looks for.

“When I hire someone, I’m saying that I don’t have the skills necessary to do a job,” says Rupsis, who used oDesk contractors to create and market an online application for staff scheduling, Schedappy . “I need their technical guidance on the best way to implement the solution. The best contractors will say, ‘There are a couple different options here. You could do X, Y or Z. I recommend Y because…’”

The Holistic View

Rupsis says the contractors he turns to again and again think beyond the task to really understand the core need their work is meant to address.

“Just about every successful contractor I’ve hired has very quickly acquired that understanding of what we’re trying to do from a business perspective,” Rupsis says. “They started asking clarifying questions early on that showed a synthesis of the business process with the technical requirements.”

He says he spends a lot of time educating new contractors on the business model and processes involved, and says that deeper understanding of a client’s needs and his own expectations pays off.

“When they can take that background and apply it to whatever aspect of the project they’re working on,” he says, “then we end up with better solutions for our clients.”

And a Little Follow-Through

Canaria adds that a top-notch contractor excels from start to finish, and that means a final check-in.

“I make sure that they are happy with my work by following up or checking up on them once I submitted the output,” he says.

It’s that kind of holistic perspective and initiative that Canaria and Rupsis say makes for the best long-term work relationships.

If you’ve got thoughts on building successful long-term work relationships, please share them in the comments!

Brian McDonough has been a writer and editor for more than 15 years, and has managed teams of in-house and freelance writers for newspapers, magazines and web sites. He has been working with oDesk for three years and counting.

Last year Rochester University studied the impact of weekends on overall mental and physical wellbeing and their study participants consistently felt better on weekends. Said psychology professor Richard Ryan:

Here are some tips for creating space in your career for weekends and using them to refresh your energy and creativity:

1. Never PLAN on working over a weekend. This means when an employer gives you an assignment late in the day on Friday and asks for it to be turned in on Monday, you have to say, “No, but I can get it to you by end of day Tuesday.” Sure, there will be emergencies that require the occasional working weekend, but don’t plan it that way. Ever. Whenever you are given a deadline, evaluate it with realistic expectations. If necessary, ask the client to adjust the deadline, so you get your weekend — there’s no shame in it!

2. Conquer PROCRASTINATION once and for all. Okay, maybe you can’t conquer it once and for all, but you can certainly take it one day at a time and say, “Today is a work day, and I will not run errands. I will WORK.” Try it tomorrow (provided tomorrow is not the start of your weekend). This will drastically cut the amount of “emergency work weekends” you end up with.

3. PRIORITIZE your weekend. We’re all wired differently. Maybe for some the weekend needs to be about laying on the couch and doing laundry. For others distractions from the daily routine like a day trip into nature can be completely refreshing. Figure out what keeps YOUR stress level down and then prioritize your weekend activities accordingly, so that weekends consist of things that rejuvinate you.

4. PROTECT your days off. Don’t let a busy schedule take over your days off and don’t let busy people hijack your weekend. Your circle of friends and family may have certain expectations of how you’ll spend your weekends,  but you have to set boundaries. Your weekend is not meant to be a string of endless obligations.

5. UNPLUG your weekend. In a technological age where our contract work can be at our fingertips whether we’re sitting at a ball game or a wedding reception, we have to work harder at shutting off the smartphones and being present in the moment. Consider the benefits of not touching the Internet one entire day or sending phone calls to voicemail for most of your weekend. At first it may feel like an appendage is missing from your body, but when you discover what an unplugged day feels like, you may wonder why you never tried it before.

No more excuses: It’s good for you. It’s good for business. Take your weekend and make the most of it!

What has your experience been with days off? Share your perspective in the comments below.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

But I gained something valuable from each situation, and that’s experience.  To give you a good head start, let me share with you tips to help you get a hold of the idleness when a employer goes AWOL and, hopefully, resume your contract:

While keeping idle contracts active is perfectly fine, it’s no excuse not to maintain the communication between you and your employer.  Even though he suddenly disappeared and has not informed you of his reasons for leaving the work unfinished, it’s your job as the contractor to follow up and reach out to him before moving on.

Have you ever had an employer who went AWOL on you, especially during the critical stage of the project?  How did you handle the situation?  Feel free to share more tips and employer AWOL stories in the comments!

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

Why is that some freelancers have a few ultra-value clients and can turn low-value projects away, while others bid on everything and struggle to raise their rates? The answer is probably not what you think.

You probably don’t want 25 clients to pay you $10/month. That’s a nightmare to manage. Plus who wants to deal with low-value clients? It’s often better to get a few high-value clients. But to get them to pay, you have to treat them differently. Use any of these 5 techniques to double your freelance rates:

1) The Briefcase Technique

I’ve used the briefcase technique to earn thousands of dollars in salary and freelance negotiations. It works so well when you’re going into a client meeting where they are going to get to know you and you’re potentially going to work together.  They are going to ask you some questions, but you’ve already understood what their problems are how to solve them (see technique number 4).

The client says, “I’m curious, what’s your price” and you say, “Before we get to that let me show  you something I’ve put together”.  This is when you pull out a proposal document about things you’ve found in their business that you can improve and exactly how to do it.  To the business owner, it’s the most compelling menu they’ve ever received.  It’s a list of problems they already know about and you’ve identified them from the outside and they realize that you’re the person to solve them.

Right there you’ve closed the sale. (Watch it in action here: The Briefcase Technique.)

2) The Power Referrals Technique

Don’t expect someone to do it for you.  Reach out to them individually. Here’s a script to use with current or past clients to build a stack of referrals:

You: “Hi client, would you mind if I get a referral from you?”
Client: “Yeah, uh, I can probably do that.”
You: “No need to worry. If you prefer, I can write it up for you and then send it to you for your review. Or if you want to write something, feel free, but I’m happy to write it up.  Does that sound good?”
Client: “Sure, that would be great — email me a draft this week.”

You can’t afford to be shy about this — it will cost you money over time.  Most people don’t even think to go out of their way to just send you a referral.  It’s up to you to take care of it for them.

3) Higher-Value Technique

Move up the value chain by providing higher-value work. So, you work with an existing client.  They like what you’re doing.  You’re doing freelance work for them, and you’re making $20/hour.  Here’s what you say to start getting higher value work:

“You know what?  I’ve kind of got this under my belt.  I’ve noticed a couple of other areas that are areas that you could actually really improve, and I think I can help you.  Would you mind chatting about this later this week?”

Then send over a project proposal.  Because they already trust you, because you’ve got this halo effect, they’re going to give you more leeway to experiment into other areas of the business, and that is how you can progress from just writing copy, for example, to doing high-level sales strategy.

Here’s a phrase I use.  You can use this right now:  “Just to note, I’ve always wanted to get more involved in affiliate management, and I had a few ideas I think I could help you with.  Would you be interested in talking about them at our next meeting?” They are most likely going to say yes.  Why?

1. They trust you.
2. They want to keep you happy.
3. The client has a problem with affiliate management, and here you are, offering to solve it for them.  Of course they will talk to you about it.  If you’ve got a client, figure out what you can offer them to move from where you currently are into something even more valuable.

For example, one of the freelancers on my team started out doing simple tasks for me.  I noticed she was really good at communication and a variety of other skills so over time she started taking on more responsibility with different advertising projects we were working on.  Now I have all these new business challenges and I just throw them her way and I know that when I send her an assignment, it’s going to get done well.  She systematically went from entry-level work to taking on high value projects that earned her tens of thousands of dollars.

4) The Client’s Head Technique

Pay attention to your clients, and get inside their heads. It’s important that you understand that 80% of the work happens BEFORE you enter the room with your potential client.  You must understand their problems, understand what they value, and ask them about it.  I teach my students a technique called “ask without selling” where you ask your clients simple questions like:

“What are your three biggest business challenges?”
“What are the three metrics you measure?”
“What did you try in the past?  Why didn’t it work?”

Then tie your deliverables back to the answers they give you. For example, instead of pitching a potential client, “Hey, I’m a writer, hire me!” (what 99% of freelancers do) you would say, “I’m a writer, I understand your challenges are X, Y, Z, and I can help you solve X.  Here’s how … ”

If a potential client says, “I’m swamped.  Every day, I have to write something new.  Every day, I have to edit a video.  Every day, I have to respond to employee concerns.  In six months I want to have things under control so I can have more time with my family.”  Well, guess what?  What you’re doing right now on your note pad is you’re taking notes.  Then when you go to make your pitch you’re definitely going to say, “I know time management is important to you.  That’s why we can do one of two ways.  One, I can do a call with you once a week in your car, as you’re driving into work.  Or two, I can simply send you an updated spreadsheet of what I’ve been doing this week and any questions I have.  That way, you have more time with your family and you never have to worry about handling any of my concerns after 5:00 p.m.  I will do the work.  That’s why you’re hiring me.”

Can you see the difference?  It’s a key distinction between the freelancers that consistently work with high-value customers and those that are stuck getting paid low hourly rates.

5) Cautious Free Trial Technique

So many people worry about free vs. fee … Should you go with a lower rate?  There’s actually two ways to think about this.  Some clients are going to haggle your rate down, no matter what.  So, what should you do?  The first option is to stand firm on your rate, which you will do if you know that the client is very, very interested in working with you.  And that’s typically because they’ve gotten really excited, they’ve said yes a lot, and they are excited.  When you say, “No, I don’t discount my rate, if it’s out of your range, that’s OK, this probably isn’t for you,” smile.  You can actually hear the smile over the phone.  It really, really works.

Here’s how you might say it: “You know, it’s not ideal, but I’m willing to try a discounted rate of $35.00 for the first three weeks.  If I agree to that, I think you’ll agree it’s fair to write down some key results that we can work towards.  And after three weeks, assuming I do an extraordinary job, I’d like to discuss working at my standard rate.  Does that sound fair to you?”  These are ways that you can think about accepting a lower rate, as long as you set a date in the future where  you and the client are going to discuss it again.

To learn even more about my “tuner strategy” to scale up your freelance business, I’ve put together four in-depth freelancing case studies for you.  Get access here.

Have you found ways to increase your rates recently? Tell us about them in the comments below.

Ramit Sethi is the author of the New York Times best-seller, I Will Teach You To Be Rich. He is the founder of  iwillteachyoutoberich.com, a blog on personal finance and entrepreneurship where you can learn in-depth techniques on earning more money and automating your finances.

The Super-Notifier: Layla is an excellent designer who we’ve tapped from time to time to work on marketing materials. While we don’t work together every day, she is diligent about communicating her availability. She let me know from the very beginning what timezone she is in and her usual working hours, but she took communication to the next level by emailing me in advance every time she takes time off. This allows me to plan upcoming work for times I know she’ll be able to get it done, and removes my anxiety about making deadlines. She gets work assigned when she is available, and I don’t stress when she isn’t. Win-win!

Make it yours: Set up a list of employer email addresses and a reminder on your calendar to email the list with your upcoming availability at least 2 days before any scheduled offline time.

The Educator: Mike has been a freelance designer for a long time – which means he knows exactly what he needs from me to be successful. He runs down a checklist of items necessary to the project, and he never hesitates to let me know when I’ve become the bottleneck to his best work. Blunt? Yes, but totally effective in moving our projects forward on time and on budget.
Make it yours: You can take a similar approach with our Getting Started Checklist. Don’t be afraid to tell your employer, in clear, detailed language, what you need from them to complete work on deadline and to expectations.

The Self-Assigner: Josefina has been a go-getter from the get-go. A writer by trade, we began our work together almost a year ago. I gave her the key topics we cover and told her I wanted to hire her for a test assignment to see her skills in action. Rather than saying “yes” and waiting for an assigned topic, she responded with 3 potential topics she thought would be compelling. Since that first assignment, Josefina regularly pitches me awesome ideas for articles. She takes work off my plate by making it easy to give her assignments. She gets more work assigned, and I get well-written, on-topic articles. Another win-win scenario!
Make it yours: Consider what work you can suggest to your employer. If you’re a writer, suggest ideas for blog posts. A designer? Maybe its time to update the look of the company Twitter profile. Your skills can be applied in so many different ways, so make suggestions that align with your existing work and skillset. The easier you make it for an employer to assign you work, the more work you’ll be given!

The Big Picture Thinker: Bob is a long-term contractor who has worked on-and-off with our team longer than I have. His favorite questions in a meeting are: “What are we trying to accomplish with this? How does that relate to our larger goals?” He reminds me to communicate goals alongside assignments so he can use his expertise to our best advantage. He’s a writer, but more than that, he’s a creative partner who understands the goals of my department and our projects, and who helps ensure that our efforts will directly impact those goals. Can you say “successful working relationship”?
Make it yours: Ask about the project goals during the early stages, and consider how the work you’re doing impacts those goals. What ideas do you have that might push the project to better accomplish those goals? What can you do in your role to help ensure success? Share your thoughts with your employer to show you’re going above and beyond just the basics of your assignment.

The Right-Hand (Wo)man/Jack of All Trades: Over the past two years, Therese has made it clear that she can handle anything I throw her way. She takes on proofreading and editing assignments, selects images, researches articles and writes some of the most-viewed content on our site – and almost never says ‘no’ when work is offered. By thoughtfully tackling every piece of work I give her, on budget and on deadline, she’s earned my repeat business.
Like my Right-Hand (Wo)man, Jack can handle anything. He came to us on assignment for a specific purpose, but parlayed that one-time gig into an ongoing work relationship with us that spans help documentation, product reviews, community forum moderation, QA testing–you name it, he’s done it, which means I know I can trust him to take on anything I throw his way.
Make it yours: Try to say ‘yes’ to work from your employer whenever you can – you never know where the experience will take you! Be honest about your skills and your own confidence level in being able to accomplish any new tasks, but be willing and enthusiastic to take on any work that comes your way. Becoming that person on the team that can handle anything will make you indispensable.

What “bonus” attributes do you bring to the team? As an employer or coworker, what characteristics do you value in your team members?

Erica Benton brings nearly a decade of experience as a small business owner and freelancer to her position as the editor-in-chief of the oDesk Blog.

Ever feel like your desk (and your life) is buried in mounds of paper? Not only are those piles of documents organizational nightmares, they’re also potential money pits. The effort expended in trying to keep papers organized is zapping time that you could instead be using to get productive work done. Maybe it’s time to think about going paperless.

Establishing an (almost) paperless office is good for you. It’s also good for our planet. Save money AND become a green crusader by implementing the following 5 tips and their accompanying tools into your existing workflow. Green Nirvana awaits!

1. Create a Paperless Organizational Scheme:
   You can’t just start scanning documents willy nilly. You’ve got to first decide on a plan for keeping your digital files organized, searchable and properly archived. Otherwise, the paper headache on your desk will simply become the paperless headache on your desktop. Remember these rules: 
   1. Choose clear & understandable file names
   2. Make ample use of folders and subfolders
   3. Keep folder size limited. 20 files per folder is a good size.
   4. Use software that allows you to search not only file titles, but file content as well.

   Paperless Toolkit: Once you’ve decided on a organizing scheme, then use a PDF scanner (like Scansnap) and a document storage tool (such as Evernote) to implement it. For more information on this particular software/hardware combo, check out John Chow’s blog post, How to Create a Paperless Office.

2. Use Digital Contracts:
   Contracts are a vital necessity for every small business and freelancer. (For more info on contracts, check out this past oDesk post.) But trees no longer have to be chopped down to ensure you get paid. Thanks to the E-Sign Act (put in place by Congress in 2000), digital signatures are now considered just as binding as their ink and paper cousins.  

   Paperless Toolkit: For an e-signature to be worth its legal weight in kilobytes, there are certain requirements that must be met. Make use of Echosign or DocuSign to help ensure that your digital contracts meet those mandates. (And be sure to read up on the law! I’m not an attorney and this is not legal advice, so check out Nolo.com and/or talk to a competent attorney to make sure you’re truly covered.)

3. Send Faxes to E-mail:
   The fax machine can generate lots of unwanted, unnecessary paper. But you aren’t tied to this office relic. Instead, use a fax-to-email services to wipe out all this paper waste. These services will provide a phone number for incoming faxes, and will then send those documents straight to your e-mail inbox. And when you need to send faxes out, you simply send them by e-mail and they’ll arrive in the receiving company’s fax machine.  

   Paperless Toolkit: Both MaxEmail and eFax are established fax to e-mail providers, though as far as I can tell, only eFax has the option of obtaining a local fax number in 46 different countries.

4. Invoice Digitally: Don’t send out client invoices using the antiquated paper/snail mail combination. Instead, make use of email and digital invoices to keep those payments coming in. With today’s internet invoicing systems, clients can pay you using credit card, echecks and PayPal, allowing you to receive the money owed that much faster.
   Paperless Toolkit: Outright and Freshbooks provide customizable invoicing systems that can make even the smallest company feel big.
5. Make Use of Your Smartphone: Finally, don’t overlook the power of your smartphone in the quest to go paperless. There’s an array of apps available that allow you to take pictures of documents, such as receipts or business cards or even whiteboard presentations. You can then upload them to whatever cloud based storage system you’ve chosen, as well as e-mail them as pdfs.
   Paperless Toolkit: ScannerPro, Genius Scan and DocScanner are just some of what’s available for various flavors of smartphones. Many of these offer integration with Dropbox and/or Evernote. Of the three scanning apps listed here, Genius Scan is free.

This post only scratches the surface of what is available to take your office paperless. Some other important considerations include: creating a system that’s easy to use (otherwise you won’t be consistent and the paper will begin piling up again); choosing what format to store documents in (ie, as images or editable files); and what kind of backup system you have in place to ensure file safety (having everything in only one place is a big no-no!).

Have you eliminated paper, at least in part, from your work environment? If so, comment below to let me know what tools you use and what insights you’ve gained in effective digital organization.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses owners and non-profit organizations. She especially enjoys covering stories about the intersection of technology and business.

Here are 5 excellent tips to help you start a great working relationship with your employers:

1. Create a plan detailing what needs to be done to successfully complete the project. You can do this by asking the client for his requirements, objectives, and other related information needed for the project.  You can also present a checklist of items that details the specific needs of the employer.  To serve as your template, you can download the oDesk checklist for contractor success.

2. Clarify everything by asking questions. It is always better to ask ten questions and get the job done right, than spend 100 hours working on something that isn’t what was asked for.  Both your time and your client’s time are precious, so spend it wisely by making sure that everything is clear and understood before turning on your time tracker.

3. Be friendly, respectful, and enthusiastic! Although it’s important to act professionally, clients enjoy working with freelancers who show some enthusiasm, kindness, and genuine passion for what they do.  Don’t be too shy to smile or laugh during an interview — and always treat the client with kindness, understanding, and respect.  Trust me, it will return to you a hundredfold.

4. Always be honest with your client. No matter how tempting it is to fib even a little bit, the truth will always reveal itself.  Instead of trying to impress your client with lies or hiding fatal mistakes with excuses, tell the truth.  Your client will appreciate your honesty and apologies a whole lot more than your sad attempts at fooling him to believing that you’ve got everything under control.

5. Keep your promises, or in this case, your deadlines. The great thing about being a freelancer is being able to work under our own work schedules and wherever our hearts take us.  Keep in mind though that our projects are all under deadlines and it’s up to us to deliver high quality work on time.  If you’re given the opportunity to set a deadline, suggest a reasonable time frame for the project and check in regularly with work updates in case there are time or work issues that need to be addressed.

Building a successful relationship with your employer is possible if you have the determination and the right mindset to make it happen.  Even if you’re just starting out and looking for your first big break, you can set the right mood and foster comfortable and honest communication between you and your client with the help of these tips.

Do you have other tips to share in starting great working relationships with your clients?  If you’re a client, what other tips do you think freelancers should learn to build great working relationships with you? Tell us in the comments below.

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

No matter the temptation, here are seven things you should never ever say to your employer:

7. “I can’t make your deadline. Something came up for another employer that’s more important.” Now, we understand juggling other people’s deadlines is a reality of freelance work, but there is a way to finesses the matter and avoid offending with your words. Your employer must never feel that their deadlines are lower priority than someone else’s. Choose your words wisely to manage both your deadlines and your working relationships.

6. “Can you write me another check? I lost the first one.” If you have automatic payments set up, like on oDesk, this will never come up. But if you’re dealing with paper invoices and checks, things like a misplaced check happen sometimes. If you lose a check you’ll need to say something to your employer about it… but make sure to temper your request with an understanding of their payment cycle and patience for the time it will take them to reissue you payment.

5. “I love my line of work so much, I’d do it for free.” Errr, if that’s true, they’ll probably take you up on that at some point. Even if you adore what you do, saying you’d do it for free belittles the value of your work. Loving what you do means you are worth every penny because you’re passionate, but be sure to show your passion without hinting that you’d be willing to give away your work.

4. “I’m too hungover to work today.” Okay. It sounds far-fetched. But people really say such things when they get a bit too comfortable in their working relationships. Be careful when offering excuses–they will be used to measure your character and your ability to manage both your work and your personal life. Stay professional and don’t give your employer reason to think less of you.

3. “I’m thinking of moving into another line of work.” These types of statements are written in stone.While you may be kicking the tires on a career change, to an employer it sounds like you’re one foot out the door already. Employers put in this uncomfortable spot will likely replace you, thinking that it’s a better move than waiting around for you to replace them.

2. “Gotta go, my lawyer is on the other line. I’m suing my former employer.” There may be all kinds of legitimate reasons to sue a former employer, and you might have a very good one. But avoid having to tell your current employer these details or you might as well write “litigation risk” across your forehead. Those words don’t exactly spell out “trust me”.

And the number one thing you should never say to your employer …

1. “I’m in the bathroom right now.” Just because you may use your cellphone, your smartphone or your laptop in the lavatory, doesn’t mean your employer (or really anyone else) needs to know that you do. Please, don’t ever say these words — aloud, via text message or IM, or in email. These words are the definition of “too much information.”

Ever said something to your employer you regretted? Have a tale of misplaced words that we can all learn from? Tell us in the comments below!

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

From small business to the freelance portfolio to the aspiring teen pop star, video is an important component of a good marketing strategy. Without a doubt, websurfers like watching stuff online. According to a recent Cisco whitepaper, “Internet video…will account for 57 percent of all consumer Internet traffic in 2014.” And even more relevant for businesses, video has a strong potential to convert viewers into customers. A study from Internet video provider Treeopedia found that, “Visitors who watch product page videos convert [buy something] more than twice as often then those who don’t.” And while there aren’t any hard facts or figures to point to, some SEO experts believe that embedded video (if it’s done right) is a great tool to increase your site’s search engine rankings.

While web video is an important business tool, it’s not a silver bullet. You’ve got to implement it with care, making sure the videos posted fit your site, are embedded properly and follow a pre-determined marketing strategy. (Important note: you’ve also got to make sure you own the copyright to whatever you post! For more info on copyright laws, check out this past article from our blog.) Here’s some tips and tools for taking yourself from a text-only site to small business Hollywood:

Choose Your Genre: A creative and dynamic web commercial is a powerful marketing tool. But it’s not the only category of online video. There’s other, potentially more effective options for you to consider:

• Instructional/How-To: A quick way to position yourself as an expert to your customers is by offering instructional videos. Take a quick survey of your friends, neighbors and customers to find out what questions they have about your field of expertise. Then produce a short instructional video to answer their questions! A great example of a company using this technique to establish a loyal fan base is Gary Vaynerchuk’s WineTV. In an interview with Inc. Magazine, he pointed out that, “…with the show, my intent isn’t to sell our wine. It’s to educate people about wine. There’s a big difference…I have an audience that trusts me. It’s about building a global brand—not selling four more bottles of Pinot Grigio.”
• Podcasts: Are you a regular blogger? Do you enjoy talking to people? Do you have something to say? If so, consider adding a video podcast (aka, vodcast) to your company blog. This will give a face to your business, allow people to connect with you in a more personal way and as mentioned previously, possibly increase site rankings by increasing the time viewers spend on your blog.
• Live Event Streaming: Do you ever hold live events or conferences? Increase your audience by allowing online viewers to attend the event virtually. You can sell tickets ahead of time, then give a special access code to customers. If your content is evergreen, consider packaging the video, along with any related handouts or PowerPoint, as a product offering after the event. UStream offers ad-supported streaming at no cost or ad-free live streaming for $99/month.

Embed Your Production: Once you decide on what types of video content to offer, the next step (once it’s produced) is to make it a part of your site. YouTube is one of the most popular web video hosts, but some companies don’t like the “anything goes” feel of the site, as well as the fact they have little control over what other videos might be advertised alongside theirs. Here’s some other video hosting sites to consider:

• ecorpTV ($49/month for basic package): Banning all user generated or consumer posted content (ie, no Justin Bieber music video spoofs) is one of the key selling points to ecorpTV’s service. Also, you don’t have to worry that if your video goes viral, other companies will have ads placed on top if it. You’re in complete control of the content and all pre-roll or overlays surrounding it.
• Vzaar (Free trial; $49/month for basic package): Vzaar has been compared to BrightCove, but this hosting site only costs a fraction of that big business alternative. HD video, customizable player, analytics and various distribution tools are some of the features they offer. Unlike YouTube, Vzaar doesn’t cap video length, just video file size.
• Amazon Cloudfront (Based off usage; 1st 10 TB are .15 cents per month): If you don’t have a large video library and don’t have a large video hosting budget, then consider using Amazon Cloudfront as your content distribution service, alongside a standalone player such as JW Player. Warning – this approach is not for the faint of heart. It does require some technical savvy, but if you follow this excellent tutorial from Atomic Spin Weblog, you’ll be up and running in no time (fingers crossed!).

Optimize the Experience: A video is only as useful to your business as the viewers you can attract to watch it. Here’s some ways to draw them:

• SEO Tags: Keywords aren’t just for a static webpage. They’re also for web video. It’s important to tag your videos with keywords so that search engines can rank the pages on which they appear. For more information, check out this article on making video SEO friendly.
• Share Them: Get the word out about the videos you post. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – post links to the video on all of them! Also make sure your video player provides sharing options so that viewers can easily send a link to their friends. Shared media translates into watched media.

Have you incorporated video into your website? What were the results? And what about oDesk? What kinds of videos could we offer that would be useful to you? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses owners and non-profit organizations. She’s also spent lots of time trying to edit, upload and embed video, sometimes more successfully than others!

Mary B. asks: “Can you explain how to calculate Greenwich Mean Time? If so, this would be very helpful for working with overseas employers. It would make it easier for us to make appointments for Skype interviews and chat interviews, etc.”

oDesk: Understanding Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) can help you deal with clients in distant time zones and make international appointments and deadlines. But, you’re gonna end up having to do some basic math or geography to translate various locations to GMT. The good news is that there are a lot of helpful tools for doing this, so that you don’ t have to figure it all out in your head.

• Here is a map to help you discover someone’s distance from GMT — whether they are GMT +1, GMT -3, etc. — if you know which country they are in. (And, figure out your own country’s time distance from GMT, while you are at it.)
• Then, you can use this calculator to fix your appointment time. When you give the calculator the desired time in your local timezone and tell it what timezone the other person is in, it will come up with the correct time in the employer’s timezone.

Ahmad W. asks: “How can I win the confidence of buyers looking for candidates only from English-speaking countries? I am competent enough in my field to compete with anyone, and these jobs are highly paid.”

oDesk: This can be a challenge. If an employer states that they are looking for people from English-speaking countries, it is probably because they feel that a language barrier would be a detriment to the project. To overcome this, you’ve got to convince them that your talent is worth the risk, and that your English skills are on par with native English speakers.

Address the fact that you are not from a native English-speaking country up front in your cover letter, then explain why you think that this will not be a problem. Have you studied in America or England? Worked for a major English-speaking company in the past? Once you’ve addressed the language issue, you can spell out what skills you would bring to the position – technical expertise, design savvy, management experience, etc. Give the potential employer reason to consider your application alongside their top candidates, no matter where you are from.

Even if you have exceptional English skills, make sure that your online communication (your online profile and any correspondence) is without fault in spelling, grammar and punctuation. Concerned about presenting your English skills as top-notch? Consider having an English-savvy friend proofread your profile and correspondence, using a free online translation tool or hiring a translator online to review these for you. If the jobs you are pursuing pay well, and you have the skills to get the work done right, then this investment might be worth it in the long run.

Got a question for oDesk? Let us know! You just might get your question answered–and receive a free oDesk T-shirt, too!

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

Working as an elected official is the ultimate networking job. Nothing can be accomplished without at least some form of consensus, so the process of winning people over to your side is vital to success. One of America’s most famous presidents, John F. Kennedy, knew that networking was about far more than twisting arms – it was about extending AND maintaining his list of important contacts.

Throughout JFK’s first year as President, there were frequent clashes with an uncooperative Congress. But he didn‘t simply adopt an “us versus them” mentality. Instead, he worked at building relationships. Sending handwritten birthday cards to members of Congress, inviting them to small, informal gatherings and making many personal phone calls to reminisce about old times were just a few of the expert networking techniques he employed. So how can you do the same? Here’s some tips to help you take your business networking to the next level.

Network with Attitude

First point to keep in mind: networking is not about you making a sale! No matter how “subtly” you go about it, the majority of potential contacts will be turned off by that kind of self-serving attitude. If finding new customers is the only reason you network, then you’re missing out on the bigger picture.

Instead, adjust your attitude. Approach networking as a way to meet people who can give you useful advice, help you grow in your craft and even provide mentoring when needed. The flip side of this is that you also need to bring something to the table. Find ways to use your knowledge and contacts to benefit those whom you‘re connecting with.

A great piece of advice from Ivan Misner: “The true master networkers know that networking events are about moving through the relationship process and not just about closing deals. Visibility leads to credibility which, with time and effort, leads to profitability.” Becoming a trusted contact is the best way to insure future sales and referrals.

• Action Step: Next time you meet a new contact, take time to get to know them. Let the majority of the conversation focus on their work and interests. Afterwards, follow up with an e-mail that shows you were listening and provides some helpful info based on the initial conversation.

The World Wide Networking Web

Next, take your networking online. And no, I’m not talking about simply having a LinkedIn profile or Facebook business page. Conducting networking via the internet is about engaging with people. Find forums where other graphic artists hang out and join in the conversation. Look for blogs by potential vendors and start reading and commenting on them. Follow people on Twitter who are interested in and/or involved in your industry. Online you’ll find every possible group and even subgroups in your areas of interests – that’s where to start connecting.

Also make sure you have an internet “home” to point new contacts to. For online networking to succeed, people need to be able to connect with and get to know you. Whether your internet abode is a blog, your Twitter account or a LinkedIn page, take the time to check and update it on a regular basis! Don’t forget to keep it professional…while your close friends find that embarrassing photo funny, business contacts that see it might be turned off.

• Action Step: After you make a useful online contact, give them some free publicity. Interview them on your blog, tweet about their business or put a link to their blog on your website. This allows you to easily build the relationship and shows them the value of interacting with you.

Real World Networking

While online is a great way to begin meeting and connecting with people, don’t bypass the importance of offline connections. Whether it’s a facial expression, a tone of voice or even the bumper stickers on someone’s car – there’s so many subtleties of relationship building that don’t occur online. It’s much easier to develop a friendship when you have a face to see and a hand to shake.

How to go about it? First, join your local chamber of commerce and attend their meetings. You’ll be introduced to a wide range of business owners, and might stumble upon some partnership opportunities that you wouldn’t have otherwise thought of. Next, get involved in local industry groups or associations. This is a great way to build your own skills and learn more about who’s who in your field. Finally, have a booth at a fair or trade show where potential customers will attend. Spend time really listening to their needs instead of trying to sell them something. You’ll gain valuable insights that will refine and focus your product offering.

• Action Step: When you attend an offline networking event, go armed with a list of questions to ask other attendees. Whether it’s advice on complying with a local ordinance or insight into how colleagues have penetrated the market, seek to learn. Also have in mind information you can offer. Know a great vendor? Share their contact info. Are you an expert in real estate? Give advice on what parts of town are hot and what parts to avoid. People will remember those who helped them without trying to sell them something.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, networking doesn’t instantly grow your business. Instead, the process is about building relationships that will have long-term benefits, both for you and your contact. Approach it with this attitude and you’ll find yourself networking with the best of them! But watch out. If you’re really good at it, a future in politics just might await you…

How do you approach networking? What advice do you have for others who are new to the process? Share your insights in the comments section below.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses owners and non-profit organizations. She also runs a video production company in North Carolina.

As an interviewee, it’s therefore important to make the extra effort to connect and communicate in online interviews. Believe it or not, you can overcome some of the issues at hand with the aid of your own television! Yes, you’re not just wasting time or being a couch potato, you’re doing something important by watching your favorite shows: making yourself more employable!

No matter what your show-of-choice, here’s a guide to how your favorite television shows can help you become a better interview:

Crime Dramas

Crime dramas are all about deduction and investigation. To land a good job, you need to have the same detective skills and instincts. Why is the potential employer interested in hiring for this job? What is his real motive? How can I fit into this motive? Only when you understand your potential employer’s perspective can you tailor yourself to fit into his world. Shows like Crime Scene Investigation (or more commonly CSI) can help you hone those Sherlock Holmes-like skills.

How does this help you land a job? Elementary, my dear Watson, the key is the motive! And our potential employer will always leave a trail of evidence–in their job posting, in any messages they send prior to the interview… so keep your eyes open for the clues that will land you the job!

Talk Shows

If you’ve read anything about how to connect with people, you may already know that finding commonality is important in building communication bridges. This doesn’t necessarily mean finding common issues that you specifically discuss. It can often simply be indirect references you make or personality traits and mannerisms you exhibit. Small nuances can often be learned from — you guessed it — television.

Talk show hosts often exhibit communication traits that are highly appreciated. At the elementary level, for instance, who wouldn’t hire Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show? (Well, maybe Sarah Palin wouldn’t.) Nevertheless, the point still stands: most talk show hosts exhibit traits that are valued by employers. Certainly, Jon Stewart, in his 40s, can still speak college lingo. Oprah Winfrey, never a housewife, can still keep housewives glued to her show for hours on end. Watch how they connect with their audience to see how you might do the same with potential employers.

Interviews on the News

Another source of wisdom may be news show interviews, especially those where politicians (or others who are well-versed in the art of communication) are the subjects. They typically come prepared with a message, which is a great interview tactic. You can also learn how to smoothly slide past or even deflect questions that may not be to your advantage.  Sometimes even the very worst news can be transformed magically into a positive, as  this “news” spoof from The Onion proves. Now, you don’t want to sound slippery, but some smoothness in your delivery will highlight your social competence and communication skills. Remember, not only do employers need such skills, they may be vital in dealing with workplace politics that plague all workers.

Job Search Reality Television

Perhaps the most direct way to get interview tips from television is to watch reality televisions related to the job search sub-genre. There is now a wide variety of such shows in multiple fields, from The Apprentice (which judges business skills and lands the winner in a high-paid executive position) to America’s Next Model. Dream Job (for sportscasters), On the Lot (for filmmakers) and America’s Most Smartest Model are more among a long list of other such television shows.

By selecting your shows and perspective, the “idiot box” can become your very own employment and interview coach. A word of caution though: If “you are what you eat,” it may as well also be that “you are what you watch.” While some shows may help you get better at finding work, some other shows may function equally in the opposite direction. So, choose your TV coaches wisely!

Learned any career-making skills from one of your favorite shows lately? Let us know in the comments below!

Minhaj Hussain is a freelance tech writer, online worker and PhD student. He is new to oDesk. He has previously studied and worked in the US and has recently moved to South East Asia.

Here are some tips to make closing out one financial year and beginning another a little easier:

1. Buy an organizer — one that will fit in your purse, laptop bag or briefcase —  for your deductible receipts. For the self-employed worker, these receipts can include everything from buying your cholesterol medication to the cost of painting the home office to the coffee you drank at Starbucks during a Skype conference interview with a potential employer. Keep track of these expenses, by making sure these tiny slips of paper make it home with you. Something akin to a coupon organizer (sturdy envelope-like folders with several sections and plenty of room for stuffing in receipts) should serve you well, and is often much better than cramming them in your wallet.

2. Have a safe place for your deductible receipts once they get to your home office. If you can barely manage organization, get yourself a box — a big one, like a hat box — and drop all deductible receipts into it as the year goes by and that little organizer you carry around with you (see #1) fills up. If you are a little more aggressive in your need for order, I can recommend buying a small plastic (or leather, if you like things fancy) file box. Label pockets or file folders according to the type of expense and drop your receipts in accordingly as the year goes by. At the end of the year, you’ll be so glad you were this organized!

3. Keep track of clients, invoices, work-related bank transfers, and remittance check stubs in one folder or binder. After years of filing for a living in my past life as an office clerk, I came to detest the paper cuts and raw fingertips that come along with filing in traditional hanging file folders — not to mention the way the papers stick out and are so easily set into disarray. Since that time I have embraced the sheer beauty of an industrial-sized three-hole punch and a very big three-ring binder. You label the the binder, you punch holes into documents as needed, you fill the binder accordingly, and you put it neatly on your shelf next to similarly labeled and organized binders. It’s a thing to behold, for those of us who like organization. (Be sure you collect your client’s complete contact information, not just what they owe you — you might need it if they drop off the grid without paying you or without sending you your 1099-Misc.)

4. If you have a home office, keep mortgage or rent invoices along with all utilities and other expenses in another folder or binder. Again, I can’t recommend the three-ring binder approach enough. It is much harder to lose important documents when they are tethered neatly in this way, sitting on a shelf next to your self-employment records (see #3). If you have a home office, practically every expense related to your home is counted, deducted by the percentage of your home that is not your office, and then considered tax deductible. So don’t lose the receipt for the earthquake insurance. Don’t lose the invoice for the air conditioning repair. It all adds up, and you’ll want access to it come tax season.

Once you’ve got your receipts and self-employment paperwork in order, get guidance from a self-employment tax pro (like the tips provided online at JuneWalkerOnline.com).

What online resources do you use for self-employment tax advice in the US or in another country? Let us know in the comments below and if you are a US citizen, please check out the IRS.gov site for self-employment tax documents and articles.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine, and is not a tax lawyer or an accountant. While tips from your fellow-freelance workers can be helpful, always take your important tax questions to a trusted professional.

It pains me to tell you that I have also had to learn this lesson the hard way. You cannot make ends meet with a credit card forever. It will eventually catch up to you. Life has a way of throwing us curve balls we never expected. For me, these were been illness and job loss. Maybe for you it’s an expensive divorce or adding an aging parent to your household. Either way, we can’t predict what next year will hold, so living like there will be more money next year to cover the checks we are cashing today just isn’t smart. (I wish Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman weren’t right about this, but they definitely are.)

Here’s a very basic how-to guide to getting your finances in order, setting a budget, and begin living by your means today:

1. Write down a list of your assets and your debts. In the financial world you’ll hear the terms “unsecured” or “secured” debts often. Here’s what they mean: unsecured debts are basically credit card debts because you have nothing you can sell or give back to the bank to pay them off (in theory — but we all know what that iPad will go for on eBay, so don’t rule out selling it to pay your debts just yet). A secured debt is something like a house, a car or a boat — if you can’t make the payments, the bank can repossess the item and (if you are lucky) cancel the debt. Don’t forget any retirement funds you might have (though touching them should be a last resort) and any life insurance policies you might have (some policies can be “cashed out” if absolutely necessary).

2. Write down how much your debts are costing you every month. Really? Yes, really. And if you are really brave (and I encourage you to be) write down how much you are paying in interest and financial charges on these debts.

3. Now write down the exact month in the future that your debts (if you have them) will be paid off. This part hurts, I know. You’ll still be paying for that Toyota Scion XB in 2016? Sorry about that. Still paying for that of John Galliano newspaper print purse in the year 2018 — even more sorry. Now, if you — like many other people — have used your credit cards to pay doctor bills and buy groceries, I do feel your pain. But it is time to stop, if at all possible. (Don’t fret, keep reading.)

4. Write down the income you made over the last twelve months (total) and divide by twelve to get an average monthly income. Write this down. (Add in your spouse’s income or anyone else who contributes to the bills at your house.) And if you’ve never made a net profit and loss report, time to make one.

5. Write down every reasonable expense you can think of from utilities to groceries on a monthly basis. Write this all down. Insurance, taxes, gasoline, internet, everything necessary.

6. Stare at the paper for a really long time. Don’t skip this part.

7. Stare some more. (No, for serious. You have to look that piece of paper in the eye, feel all the pain it has to dole out, and be ready to move on.)

8. Based on this very basic information, establish how well you’ve been managing things. This is key information, because here’s the point in the budget where you realize whether or not you need to sell your car and get something cheaper. Can you afford to still get your hair dyed by a professional? Do you need to sell your house and rent something smaller? If you are coming up short every month, you may need some major changes. And if we’re talking about selling houses or cars or cashing out on a life insurance policy, consult a financial planner first. It will be worth the investment to get a professional opinion before making those kinds of hefty financial decisions.

9. Make changes to your lifestyle and set a budget you can live by. This daunting task will not be so overwhelming if you have done steps one through seven already. Right now you should know what you need to live on (sans credit card!). Now tack on a buffer for savings, vacations, car repairs, medical emergencies. (Some financial experts say 20% of your income should be set aside, but that may be shooting high if you are struggling like most of the world.)

10. Set aside any income that goes above the monthly average you have established to live on. You have adjusted your expenses to suit your income. (“Live like your wage,” as Dave Ramsey would say.) Now you must realize that your income can be widely different from month to month, as a freelancer. Set what your monthly income must be, and then plan to set aside the money that may come in any given month that goes over that amount, in order to cover yourself in the months where the income doesn’t meet the average. I know … a dinner out to celebrate finishing the huge project for the big client is much more fun. But this is smarter.

The key to staying on top of things is to update the information on this master list every month. If you, like me, would rather not think about what you owe, this will be hard.  Some banks have great online portfolio programs to help you manage this or there is always mint.com — which has proven to be very helpful to a lot of people. The idea is to know what you’re bringing in, what you owe, and where your money is going. Survival in any marketplace where your income can vary from month to month depends on careful monitoring of these details, so that you are never caught off guard. In fact, if you make monitoring your budget and variable income a weekly practice, you’ll know how short you’re coming up before it’s crunch time and may be able to make changes to your expenses before the end of the month (e.g., cancel the weekend at the beach, cancel dinner out, to help makeup for the shortfall).

Congratulations. If you have done all of these things then you, like me, may be on your way to financial freedom and more viable long-term success for yourself or your business! Tell us in the comments below how you have learned to live in financial health in this somewhat unpredictable market.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine. She’s no financial guru, but she has learned the wrong way to do things by doing things the wrong way. She wants to spare you the pain of those lessons!

1. Research. While you may not know the exact questions that will be asked during an interview, you can get an idea from the job posting, conversations with recruiters, or your own connections in the industry what the typical concerns are for the type of position you are aiming for, then shape your answers to fit accordingly. The more you know about the position and the company, the better you can present yourself as a solution for them. A little research can make the difference between a well-organized interview and, well, a hot mess.

2. Write the Script. Communications pros know that every press interview is an opportunity to get across certain key messages, and they use a written briefing document to prepare the spokesperson for the reporter’s questions. Likewise, a job interview is your chance to reinforce the points where you are the strongest, address any weaknesses on your own terms and set the stage for an offer. Create your own briefing document, basically a script outline of what you want to say, that speaks to your own key messages. Not sure what your messages are? Look at your resume — what skills did your previous positions require? What questions might an employer have about your work? Where do you want your career to go from here? What do you bring to the table that is valuable to the employer? Your key messages should all point to you being the right person for this job, and creating a script that reinforces those messages will help the employer believe it, too.

3. Dress It Up. You now have a basic outline of the topics you should cover in your interview responses. Take some time to craft an anecdote or pinpoint the metrics that can strengthen each point. Got a great example of your leadership skills? Jot the story down in a few lines, so you have it top-of-mind during the interview. Did site traffic double after your recent blog post? Get the exact numbers to showcase the impact you might have on your potential employer’s business. By supporting your key messages with anecdotes and data, you’re repeating and reinforcing your overarching message that you are the right person for this position.

4. Practice. Now, you’ve got a script that outlines a few key messages, supported by anecdotes and data that reinforce those messages. Most of the time, you don’t have the luxury of having the script in front of you during the actual interview (nor would you want to be perceived as “reading” your responses), so give yourself some time with the material. Practice telling your stories out loud. Repeat the data points multiple times. Ask a friend to grill you on the “hard” questions until you can answer them without breaking a sweat. Once you have your key messages and supporting points comfortably memorized, you should be ready to handle almost anything an interviewer throws at you.

5. Go Live. You’ve researched the position, prepared the script, and committed it to memory. But here’s where the fun begins: the interviewer doesn’t have your script. You may not have accurately pinpointed exactly what they wanted from this conversation, and the questions may come fast and furious and may be not at all what you expected. In the live interview, you’ve got to take those key messages and look for opportunities to weave them into the conversation you are actually having. Stay in the moment and respond to the questions that you are asked, while keeping one finger on the pulse of your script. Most of the time, you’ll find that the comments, anecdotes and metrics you’ve prepared fit nicely into the questions the interviewer is asking. Get those key messages across, and you’ll own the interview.

This isn’t to say that I haven’t had bad interviews. Believe me–I had one that was so awful (and frazzled me so badly) that afterwards I left my portfolio and resume copies on the roof of my car. I didn’t even notice until I drove away and got on the highway. (To anyone who ended up with copies of my resume wooshing past your windshield, I’m terribly sorry!) But, less than 48 hours later, the CEO called to offer me a job. When I asked him why he thought I was a good fit for the position, he repeated back to me 3 of the 4 key messages I had shared during the interview.

And the best part of having a successful interview? It puts you in the enviable position of choosing what jobs you want–and not the other way around.

So, what’s your go-to interview style? How do you best prepare? Do you think my 5 Steps would work for you?

Erica Benton brings nearly a decade of experience as a small business owner and freelancer to her position as the editor-in-chief of the oDesk Blog.

We wondered what Professor Langdon would make of today’s online job postings. Can’t you just see him — played by Tom Hanks, of course — circling the important words on the computer screen and underlining the phrases of the job post one might ordinarily overlook, all in an effort to bring out the truth and determine the next step? (The next step being either landing that job or clicking right past it because the good professor has decoded that it’s not a good fit for you.)

Here are some commonly seen characteristics of online job posts, and what we think Professor Langdon would discern from them:

CLUE: The job post offers no information about the company.
DECODED: The person who wrote the post may have a reason to hide who the company really is and what it is the company does. Maybe it’s a startup, and the company is still loosely defined. Maybe it’s a company so fabulous that if job hunters knew its name, the job poster would be flooded with applicants. Or perhaps the dealings of the company are — how do we put this? — a little less than legal. (Robert Langdon smells a sinister conspiracy!) But don’t be too quick to judge. If you’re interested in the job described and the pay, then by all means apply. Maybe the lack of info was a simple oversight. However, the first question you ask in the interview (should you  get one) is the company’s name and what it is they do.

CLUE: The job post emphasizes the need to hire immediately and get a super fast turnaround.
DECODED: If the employer seems demanding and unrealistic, she probably is — or maybe she just has incredibly low standards of quality. (Leonardo da Vinci would have had a hard time getting the Mona Lisa painted for an employer like this!) This person is in a rush, and if you aren’t also prepared to be in a rush, don’t even bother applying. If you think you can handle a fast turnaround, and want to do the work, then go for it. Just make sure the job post is realistic. A web redesign in 24 hours. Are you kidding? Ten 500-word articles in a day. Really? Are these jobs the sort of work you want to do, the sort of deadlines you’re comfortable with, or the sort of person you want to work for? Only you can make that decision.

CLUE: The job post contains a lot of grammatical and spelling errors.
DECODED: Whatever language the job post was written in (be it English, Spanish or any other “ish”), it’s probably not the first language of the job poster. Now, this isn’t automatically a bad thing. Maybe you’re the sort of pro who can get around language barriers. Or let’s say the language of the job post is not your first language either and it turns out you and the job poster actually have the same native tongue — boom! You probably just went to the top of the candidate list!  But be forewarned, if you and the employer speak two different first languages and are forced to communicate in one that is second to you both, you are engaging in quite a challenge. Don’t ignore the clues on this one, get to the bottom of the language issue right away, so you can make an informed decision about whether or not you want to proceed.

CLUE: The job post includes a very detailed list of qualifications.
DECODED: This job poster knows exactly what he wants in the freelancer he’ll hire, and if you don’t have these qualifications, it won’t be you. Here’s a situation that shouldn’t take a genius like Robert Langdon to decode. If you don’t meet the specific qualifications listed in the job post — especially the first three (according to Jerome Young’s Forbes piece) — you are probably wasting your time, as well as the employer’s time. Do yourself a favor and move along to the next job posting.

CLUE: The job post is very vague about the rate or amount the employer is willing to pay.
DECODED: This employer is hoping for a bargain. You might have a super budget-conscious employer on your hands, who is only going to pay as little as humanly possible. If you need quick work to expand your online profile, maybe you don’t care. But if you decide to pursue the job, be sure to make your desired rate clear from the beginning.

CLUE: The job post requests applicants to send in ultra-specific sample work.
DECODED: You’re probably getting scammed. The employer should never need to see anything other than work you’ve already been paid to do by someone else (work that is protected because it either belongs to you or the company you did it for). There’s nothing wrong with wanting to check out your online portfolio (and, yes, you should have one). However, if there is any hint that the poster wants you to turn in work for free (e.g., the poster “looking for a blogger” asks for sample articles on a specific topic), then run the other way like a sinister secret society is hot on your trail.

How about you? What clues have you learned to decipher from online blog posts? Let your fellow job hunters know in the comments below.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

1. User Information – Your user information includes your name, address, telephone number and email address. If you’ve recently moved to a new house, gotten married, acquired a new telephone number, or opened a new email account for work-related emails, make sure to type in all that new information into your account. You can do this in oDesk by hovering over your username at the upper right side of your oDesk home page and clicking on Account and Profile Settings.

2. 

   Overview – Your profile’s overview should not only highlight your strengths as a contractor but also project how eager you are to service your employers with the best of your skills.  Consider revising your overview by choosing words that best describes you as a professional. Then, focus on using more of the pronoun “you” by pointing out how your employer will benefit from hiring you, how he will get only quality and excellence from working with you, and how he will enjoy adding you to his team of contractors.

3. Resume – Did you recently graduate from university? Leave your full-time job? Learn new skills? Got a brand new certification? Your skills, educational background, employer history, and acquired certifications all fall under the Resume section of your profile, so if there are any changes to any of these items, you have to update. With regards to skills, you can add new ones, increase the skill levels of those that you’ve improved on, and add a short description to each so that your employers will know just what aspect of “Content Marketing” or “SEO” that you’re really good at.

4. 

   Portfolio – Since you started working as an oDesk contractor, you probably have completed newer and bigger projects that will add credibility to your profile. You can delete obsolete and irrelevant portfolio items while adding new ones that best reflect the kind of work that you love to do. Just remember to ask your employers for their permission to add their company website, logo or blog posts to your portfolio before doing so!

5. oDesk Tests – Your knowledge over your skills has probably improved tremendously over the years. Retake oDesk tests with the goal of getting into the top 10% – 20% in order to add plus points to your profile. If you have tests in your profile that are many months old already, you can retake those and see if you’ve significantly improved since the first time you took them.

Bonus:  English Skills – Have your English writing and speaking skills improved? How high were you able to score in the Basic English Skills test? If you feel that your English skills are much better than before, you can raise it to a 4 or 5 depending on your self-assessment (and the assessment of others). If — on the other hand — it still hasn’t improved, keep it at the level that best describes it and start studying and practicing both writing and speaking in English. You’ll be surprised how happy employers are when they see that a contractor knows how to communicate project details very well.

What other sections of your oDesk account do you think should be updated as well?  If you’ve already updated it, has it improved your chances of attracting new employers and more work? Share your experiences in the comments below!

Stephanie Gonzaga is a freelancer on oDesk who specializes in writing topnotch web content, such as product copy, articles, and blog posts for clients all over the globe. During her free time, she writes on her blog The Freelance Pinoy, a site dedicated to providing Filipino freelancers with tips, advice, and strategies to help them reach freelancing success.

After taking home several Oscars on Sunday night, including Best Picture, we thought the film deserved another look — through the eyes of a freelancer. After all, one of its main characters, based on real-life speech therapist Lionel Logue, has a storyline rich with all the pain and glory familiar to those immersed in the world of freelance work.

In the film, Logue — played brilliantly by Geoffrey Rush — is a failed stage actor turned elocution consultant who is hired to cure King George VI’s embarrassing speech impediment, just a short time before he takes the throne. What ensues is the compelling (and basically true) story of how Logue impacts England’s history, and here’s what every independent contractor can learn from him:

BOUNDARIES: Have them, but don’t make walls out of them. In the film, when George’s wife Elizabeth — Great Britain’s late “Queen Mum” — goes to meet and hire Logue, she is taken aback to find he has no receptionist to greet her. This is a plus and a minus for our independent elocution consultant Logue. You see, as he explains later, he has no receptionist because he likes to “keep it simple.” He knows that his success boils down to what happens between him and the person who hires him, so there’s no need to let fluff and formality build a wall between them.

This makes a lot of sense, and you and I would do well to not let things like voicemail and email auto-responders (which often fill the role of receptionists in our lives) get between us and our clients, building virtual walls around us that are easy to set up but are hard to tear down. Giving your employers/clients as much direct access to you as you can may be the best career move you ever make.

On the other hand, Logue’s business model — having no buffer between him and his clients– leads on this particular occasion to England’s future queen accidentally overhearing him use the bathroom. It was what we might call TMI (Too Much Information) for poor Elizabeth. So we’ll have to dock Logue a few points for disregarding his client’s need for some professional space from his private matters. Maybe Lionel shouldn’t have let a client overhear him use the lavatory, and maybe you and I shouldn’t let our clients/employers hear us going on and on about our love lives or personal habits. Have some boundaries, friends. (And, if you’re using the bathroom, let the call go to voicemail.)

CREDENTIALS: If you’ve got ’em, flaunt ’em. If you don’t, be clear about whatever it is you do have. It’s hardly a spoiler to tell you that the royals hire Logue under the misapprehension that he is a doctor of speech therapy, holding a proper education and license to work in his field. The reality is that he stumbled into speech therapy because his elocution gifts and natural insights allowed him to help shell-shocked World War I veterans overcome stammering and other speech impediments. He built a reputation so solid with this work that the president of England’s Speech Therapists Society recommended him to royalty.

Logue gets major points for building a life-altering career from his failed acting dream. We should all be so fortunate to discover the fine line between what we think we want and the reality our gifts can afford us. However, by allowing Elizabeth to continue in her assumption that he was an actual doctor, Logue jeopardized his entire career. The truth has a way of coming out.

Be clear with your clients and employers. Don’t allow false assumptions to be made about your degree, your license, or your credentials. On the other hand, flaunt whatever it is you have, whether natural ability, experience, or simple passion. Land the job with the truth about who you are and what you can do, so there are no minefields of lost trust to navigate down the road.

And there you have it. Valuable contract career advice from the year’s Best Picture. (And, by the way, if you want to see how Logue’s game with the truth played out, you’ll just have to see the movie.)

The story of Lionel Logue and the ultimate client (a king!) is inspiring on a lot of levels. If you found other nuggets of truth valuable for independent contractors after seeing the movie — whether from Logue or one of the other historical characters — share them in the comments below.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

What if you could cut your phone bill by 30 – 75% this year? Would it favorably impact your bottom line? If you’re thinking, “VOIP, right?” you are in good company. In-Stat forecasts that 79% of US businesses will adopt VOIP in the next two years, up from 42% in 2009.

But I’m not talking about Skype, Vonage or other well-known services. Instead, we’re veering off the beaten path to take a look at four of the innovative, but less trumpeted VOIP service options:

Google Voice (US Calls – Free; International Calls – varies by country): To use the service, you set up a new Google Voice number and then hand it out to contacts. Calls that come to your GV number will then be forwarded to your landline, mobile, Gizmo number, etc. One of the beauties of Google Voice is no longer having to use your cell or home number as your business line. Now you can give your personal number to friends and family and your Google Voice number to business contacts. Also, you can set this handy service to screen your calls for you. If there are certain clients or companies you don’t want to talk to immediately, set up GV to send the calls straight to voicemail.
TIP: Want to achieve the holy grail of free mobile calling? If your calling plan includes the preferred numbers feature (a list of three to ten numbers you can always call for free), then setup Google Voice as one of those numbers. Since GV allows you to make calls through them instead of the phone company, you can then call any number for free — no valuable minutes used.

• JaJah (US Calls – 3 cents/minute; International calls – varies, but averages 30 cents/minute): Want to call someone overseas, but don’t want to pay your phone carrier’s prices and don’t have a computer available for Skype service? Try Jajah. The service will allow you assign a local Jajah number to each of your international contacts. Then when you need to call them, simply dial that assigned number, and voila! International calls for up to 75% off of the going rate.
  TIP: If you’ve ever been tweeting and wished you could give another Twitter user a quick voice call, Jajah might have a solution for you. Using Jajah@Call allows Twitter users to make two minute phone calls to each other. Yeah, it’s not long, but neither is a tweet. Handy thing about this feature? According to the company, “All contact details will be kept private, so you can use JAJAH@call without giving your phone number away.” (The catch is that the other person must be a fellow Jajah member.)

• Obi110 (Price dependent on availability): Google Voice is a nifty product. But if you’re wanting to use a regular phone to make outbound calls, GV isn’t the easiest solution. Well, that all just changed with the introduction of the Obi110 from Obihai. This device is a VOIP adapter that integrates with Google Voice so that you can make and receive calls from your regular phone with a decent amount of ease (though as this tutorial shows, having a certain level of technical know-how is pretty useful).  For non-US residents, free calling to the US and Canada is possible by making a phone call to the VoIP/PSTN number from a list of pre-approved callers (identified via caller ID).
  TIP: The ObiApp (available for iPhone and Android) allows you to use 3G or WiFi to connect with your Obi110 device and make calls from it for free to other Obi110 endpoints anywhere in the world (as long as you’ve set them in your “Circle of Friends” setting). Here’s a great review of that service from cultofmac.com.

• RingCentral ($25/user for 4 users; less for more users): If you’re looking for a VOIP service that replicates the feel of traditional PBX systems, RingCentral might be the perfect solution. While its price tag is quite a bit higher than some of the other services mentioned here, the cost is much lower than that of a traditional office phone system. It’s completely virtual, so no hardware has to be hosted or installed in your office space.  Useful for integrating off-site team members, the homebound employee simply has to plug their VOIP handset into an Ethernet port and the phone will register with RingCentral and instantly be a part of your on-site phone system.
  TIP: RingCentral provides an “automated receptionist,” which allows callers to dial extensions or go straight to voicemail (very useful when you’re swamped with calls).

What “lesser known” VOIP services have you or are you using? How have you  maximized their features in order to save yourself some money? Join in the conversation by commenting below.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses owners and non-profit organizations. She also runs a video production company in North Carolina.

Dishonesty comes in many forms, so here’s a look at three temptations and how the truth — no matter how ugly — can get you the results you want and the income you need:

TEMPTATION #1: Exaggerating or lying in the interview process. We all sell ourselves in the best possible light during the hiring process, because we want the job. But if your self-promotion includes job titles and degrees you never actually earned, you’re crossing a line that can lead to serious career damage if the truth comes out. A 2009 study by the payroll company Automatic Data Processing (ADP) showed that there are discrepancies in job applicants’ work and eduction histories 46% of the time. So, while this type of untruth is certainly not uncommon, it’s also not without consequence.
GET FREE: Don’t ever lie about your education or work experience. When these lies are discovered — and smart employers will find them before or after the hire — trust is lost, which can lead to termination of your contract or even (in rare and worst-case scenarios) the legal ramifications of fraud. Adjectives on resumes and cover letters may be up for interpretation, but never fudge on the facts.

TEMPTATION #2: Fibbing to overcome mistakes or errors. This is done to save face after a screwup (and we all screw up now and then), but the problem is that made-up excuses usually come across as lame excuses — making the fibber look like both a flake and a liar. However, when contractors admit to mistakes (maybe before they are even noticed!), employers are likely to forgive quickly and see them as trustworthy — and being trustworthy ranks as a high value for employers.
GET FREE: Be the first to admit when you’ve blown it. One community college in Northern Virginia found that having strong “work ethics” (defined as trustworthiness,  honesty, respect, etc.) was the most valuable employee characteristic to 95% of the employers they surveyed. Look at your mistakes as an opportunity to prove your trustworthiness. Want bonus points? Come prepared to discuss what went wrong and potential ways to fix it quickly and at little to no cost for the employer. Being honest about the problem and presenting potential solutions showcase your respect for the employer and the work, and can help build your relationship with them stronger than ever before.

TEMPTATION #3: Taking advantage of the employer’s resources or money. Making a personal call on company time may be all but expected in a traditional work setting, where people may commonly use the company copy machine to make “lost dog” or “garage sale” posters. Contract workers, however, would be wise to stay completely above reproach in this area, because their careers depend on maintaining solid reputations and building unshakable trust with their employers.
GET FREE: Be loyal to your employers and mindful of your reputation. A single online accusation of dishonesty — such as, “He used my iStockphoto account for his personal blog” — can kill your career. Bad online feedback can be hard to live down. Think big picture, when this type of “innocent” temptation rears its head.

So, is honesty the best policy? We think so. Moral implications aside, lies usually lead to more lies, more stress, and more anxiety — not a great way to live or work.

What about you? Has honesty ever backfired in a working relationship? Have you ever been caught in a work-related lie? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine. One time — in a great effort towards personal honesty — she informed an employer that he overpaid her for an editing assignment. Turns out, he didn’t overpay her. She simply forgot her rate was higher for that particular category of editing. Err … that was really embarrassing. (But she still sleeps soundly at night.)

Think it couldn’t happen to you? Think again. Those of us who have the freedom to set our own hours and be our own boss can easily forget that all those perks also have a giant drawback: we’re responsible for everything–including data security. With no IT department for backup, things can get pretty ugly when your computer’s security is breached.

To help you avoid getting hacked, here’s a checklist of four ways to beef up your protection:

1.   Install a Guard. If you heed none of the other advice in this post, at least listen to this one: Install antivirus software and a firewall. It’s one of your first lines of defense against unsavory intrusion. The presence of malware continues to grow; I’ve run into it on supposedly reputable sites. On one occasion, a program downloaded without my knowledge and began wreaking havoc. A huge headache (as well as productivity loss) could have been avoided if I’d simply had working and updated AV software.

Choose a program that provides real-time monitoring of your system, such as Microsoft Security Essentials or Avast.  Another important safety measure is your firewall. A firewall blocks access by online intruders, including hackers and worms/viruses that are looking for an open computer. Windows XP and Vista both come with decent firewall software, so make sure it’s enabled. If you want something stronger, check out Outpost Firewall Pro or  Jetico Personal Firewall.  Just make sure to only install one AV program and one firewall. This is an area where safety doesn’t lie in numbers!

2.   Secure Your Wireless. Admit it. You know your neighbors use your unsecured wireless network occasionally.  But while they’re just friendly intruders, other uninvited guests might not be so harmless. With a bit of knowledge, a hacker can hijack an unsecured wireless connection and either dig deep into the host computer’s contents or use it to download illegal software, music, porn, etc. Don’t leave the door open for that kind of behavior! Instead, set up a strong password for your wireless router (don’t use the default one), enable WEP encryption and for an extra measure of protection, employ MAC filtering so that only authorized users can log on to your wireless network. For an in-depth discussion of good wireless security, read Brian Posey’s excellent series of articles on the subject.

3.   Beware the “Public.” See that friendly looking guy a few tables down from you at the coffee shop? He might be stealing your Facebook and LinkedIn credentials right under your nose. The public networks at many coffee shops and restaurants can be a perfect entry point for data thieves, which isn’t a big deal if you’re just reading articles. But if you’re logging into your email or oDesk account, you might want to take a few precautions. First, use HTTPS whenever possible in order to protect your password. Google Chrome provides the KBB SSL Enforcer add-on while Firefox has an extension you can install, HTTPS Everywhere.  Second, don’t enter credit card information while on a public network. Third, be paranoid about over-the-shoulder gawkers. There are actually people that will try to watch as you type your username/password combos.

4.   Watch the Mobile. Believe it or not, your smartphone is increasingly becoming a top target for hackers and data thieves. According to Cisco’s 2010 annual security report, cybercrooks are refocusing their efforts on mobile devices, especially those using iOS or Android. Keep yourself safer by answering yes to the following questions:

• Do you have a password setup on the phone, just in case you leave your Blackberry in a taxi?
• Do you avoid accessing unsavory or risky websites from your phone?
• Do you download only apps that are absolutely, without question trustworthy?
• Do you have antivirus/malware software on it?

There’s many more steps you could and should take to secure your smartphone or tablet. Read more about smartphone security at this post from tomsguide.com.

You may not have an IT department to help you with data security, but that doesn’t mean you need to be a sitting duck. It’s extra effort and time to take the above steps of action, but trust me on this one: one hacked account and you’ll know how worth it that extra time would have been.

Have you ever learned about the need to secure your network the hard way? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses owners and non-profit organizations. She also runs a video production company in North Carolina.

Here she answers three important questions nearly every remote worker has at some point:

“Should I offer to work for free so a company can try me out?”

Question: I am currently job hunting and a few days ago stumbled upon a position that was the perfect fit for my skill set, experience, and place. I have been job hunting for about a month now, and today thought of trying something new when following up since the vast majority of my follow ups illicit no response. I offered to come in and have the arrangement be a trial unpaid internship to familiarize myself with the operations of this organization and see if they like me. What are your thoughts on this approach? I’m thinking of using it more often, but wanted outside advice.

Alison’s Advice: Unless this is a nonprofit, it would be illegal for the employer to accept. With the exception of nonprofits, the Department of Labor requires that unpaid work be primarily for the benefit of the volunteer, not the employer. And if it’s not, they can reclassify you as an employee and require the employer to pay back wages for all the work you did.

However, even if this weren’t the case, I’d be skeptical of this approach because (1) it significantly undervalues your skills, which would signal desperation to a company, which in turn would signal that you weren’t the best candidate, and (2) it would be a lot of work for a company to train and acclimate you for a month without knowing the investment would pay off for them in a hire at the end of it.

“How long is too long for a cover letter?”

Question: How long is too long for a cover letter? I’ve done some hiring myself and I know that with stack and stacks of applicants, each bit of paper only gets so much time. I’m editing ruthlessly but it’s still about 600 words long. After graduating two and a half years ago and working for a restaurant in the meantime, I am still trying to get a job doing some kind of social research. I feel like my cover letter has a lot to accomplish– show why I want this job at this firm, show how my academic work and restaurant work make me a qualified candidate, and address that even though my work experience does not correspond perfectly to the announcement why I’d do an awesome job anyway. Is there an absolute cut-off where your eyes glaze over and you toss the whole thing in the trash?

Alison’s Advice: Keep it to one page. And don’t cheat by shrinking the font size to get there.

“Why do employers bother to interview if the job just dissolves in the end?”

Question: Why does an employer go through selecting and interviewing candidates if in the end the position ends up getting dissolved? I have interviewed for four positions in the last year and I felt very confident about my interviews at the end of each. After going through testing phases for some positions and interviews for others, I later received emails that said the company had terminated the position and they would not be hiring at that time. I understand that there are situations in this economy where a position may be dissolved in a company, but why go through the trouble of interviewing numerous folks and frankly, getting candidates’ hopes up?. I am just wondering how frequently this situation happens. As a job searcher, it makes me wonder if I just wasn’t the selected candidate and the company just took the easy way out of a rejection.

Alison’s Advice: Yes, this happens. Sometimes it’s because there’s new financial news, or a reorganization, or priorities shift, and sometimes it’s because of disorganization/lack of communication. I can almost guarantee you, however, that it’s not a lie to avoid having to reject you — rejecting people is a part of doing business, and while employer don’t enjoy rejections, they don’t tend to give them panic attacks either. (Besides, if they were squeamish about rejection, they’d use the far more common coward’s tactic of just never bothering to contact you again.)

How about you? Have you ever worked for free and regretted it? Wrote a short cover letter that got you the job or interviewed for a job that just disappeared? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Alison Green writes the popular Ask a Manager blog, where she dispenses advice on career, job search, and management issues. She’s also coauthor of Managing to Change the World: The Nonprofit Leader’s Guide to Getting Results and former chief of staff of a successful nonprofit organization, where she oversaw day-to-day staff management, hiring, firing and employee development.

Here are some tips that can get you thinking about your next career steps:

1. Set structured time aside to consider your next move. Those who are directly employed, especially in larger organization, have appraisals and formulated training programs.  It’s worth copying the nine-to-fivers and giving some structure to the whole process of thinking about your career. Put some time to give this real thought on your calendar — perhaps even one day a week over the course of a month — and pick a quiet time of year when you are not going to be swamped with work projects.

2. Consider where you want to be. It may have been the type of exercise you carried out when you originally decided to become a freelancer, but to figure out next steps you need to consider the place you want to be.  You may want better earnings but you also should also consider the non-financial benefits of any type of work.  Is it interesting?  Does it give you flexibility? What’s important to you and your family?

3. Find the gaps in your skill set. Are there any gaps in your set of skills? You may have already received some feedback from an employer which identified where you could improve.  There may be jobs that you wish you could bid for, but you’re missing particular experience or qualifications. Pinpoint these holes in your resume as opportunities to better yourself.

4. Focus in on your strengths. It’s always worth thinking about what you are good at, especially if you are not using your full potential in your current role.  A popular book Now, Discover Your Strengths, written by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton is a good starting point.

5. Talk to other people about your career. Discussing your career, particularly with peers in the same field can always stimulate ideas.  Of course talking to friends and family who know you well can also tease out what you really want to do with your work life.  For a different perspective, if you have a great working relationship, you may even want to discuss it with some of your employers.

6. Do your research. The time-consuming element of working out any potential career move, however small, is doing your research.  A Google search may well be your starting point but eventually you will probably need to focus in on a specialist source by contacting a professional association, reading relevant books or magazines, surfing subject-specific blogs and forums or visiting an educational institution that specializes in your field.

7. Consider all your options for improvement. Career development can take many shapes so it’s worth thinking about different types of options.  Here are few examples:

• Try an e-learning module
• Learn or improve a language
• Take a new oDesk test
• Enroll for a part-time course which fits around your work
• Go back to school and earn a new degree
• Keep on top of subjects through RSS feeds, Google alerts, reading forums regularly or subscribing to a magazine
• Set up a regular meeting with a colleague to discuss the latest developments in your industry and pool your knowledge!

It’s worth thinking about your career regularly and you may want to repeat the exercise at the same point next year, a little like an annual review.  It may also be worth doing mini-appraisals after each major project.  Remember, it is your career and it never hurts to keep moving!

What are the steps you carry out to consider improving your skills?  If you have any thoughts or tips let us know in the comments below!

Steve Bynghall is a freelance writer and consultant, specialising in collaboration, knowledge management and remote working issues. He is based in London, England.

The ability to network with colleagues around the world is exciting, but not without its challenges. Both cultural and language barriers can easily create misunderstanding and frustrations. While there’s not much in the way of iPhone apps to help you with the intricacies of cross-cultural communication (for some good reading on this topic, check out Cindy King’s international business blog), there are plenty of translation tools to help smooth the way.

Here’s a rundown of six of them:

●  Google Translate, Bing Translate & Yahoo Babelfish: All three of the major search engines have their own translation tools. Google’s can currently handle 57 major languages, plus provide an audio version of short texts. Bing offers translation for 35 languages as well as a similar audio feature. (Though I, personally, found Bing’s audio very hard to understand.) Handling only 13 languages, Yahoo’s Babelfish provides a straightforward interface but not many extra features. All three of the translators can either deal with chunks of text that you paste into a window, or can be used to translate a web page by entering its URL. The cost of all this translation work? Free.

●  Gmail: Another no-cost service from Google, Gmail provides automatic translation of e-mails as they arrive in your inbox. When you receive a message in one of Google’s 57 supported languages, Gmail puts a header at the top of the e-mail that says Translate Message. Click it, and the missive will be translated inline, nothing else needed.

●  Systran: If you need translation on a regular basis but aren’t always online, consider buying a translation software program like Systran. It’s offered in several versions, but most folks would find their needs met with either the Personal version ($69; instantly translates Word documents, web pages, emails and tweets) or the Office version ($149; can translate Word, OpenOffice documents, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook emails, TXT and RTF files). While the software isn’t perfect, it has been routinely used by large companies and municipalities for their basic translation needs.

●  Twieee: Interested in reading tweets in other languages? Then check out Twieee (yes, three E’s). Twieee provides translation into 57 different languages, using Google’s translator. You start by choosing the language you want to read. Than, once you log in to their homepage with your Twitter credentials, all incoming tweets display in the original language with the option to translate it into your chosen language.

●  Jibbigo: For those who need speech translation, the Jibbigo app is a very handy tool. Available for the iPhone, iPad and Android, Jibbigo allows you to talk into the phone in one of nine supported languages and it will “speak” back in your chosen language. This app isn’t cheap ($24.99 per language pair), but it’s great at what it does. For a more in depth review, check out this article by a journalist who used it while traveling in Japan.

●  Hire Someone: Machine-only translation isn’t perfect and can have severe trouble with certain language pairs. If you want to guarantee that your tweet, e-mail or document is correctly translated into the target language, then check out some of oDesk’s more than 15,000 translation contractors. Hiring your own personal translator can enable you to get closer to that dream of real-time (and accurate) communication in multiple languages! 

This list is by no means exhaustive, but the information above should give you a start in finding some useful translation tools for your next project. The world is at your doorstep; time to start communicating! If you’ve tried these tools, let us know what you think of them in the comments below!

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses owners and non-profit organizations. She also runs a video production company in North Carolina.

Sometimes career advice is lurking just around the most unlikely corner. For example, we recently discovered that Paris Hilton had a few things to say about online freelancing and contract work.

With nearly 3.5 million Twitter followers, Paris’ morsels of wisdom are obviously in demand. Here’s our take on some of her most notable quoteables:

PARIS SAYS: “Trust me, people act differently toward you when you’ve got jewelry on your head.”

What It Means: You might be thinking having “jewelry on your head” means wearing a tiara. However, in this case having “jewelry on your head” is, we’re pretty certain, just a fancy socialite euphemism for “looking professional.” If your online profile/portfolio picture makes you look professional, then online contacts will treat you like a professional. (Trust us.)

PARIS SAYS: “You can see all these girls leaving a party at the end of the night and they look terrible … This is a huge mistake. People remember how you look when you leave as much as they remember how you look when you arrived.”

What It Means: Paris is trying to tell you that “how you look” (i.e., your job performance and your professional behavior) at the end of a contract should be as important to you as how you looked when you were trying to land the job in the first place — look good on your way in and on your way out. Contract employers will remember how you performed the tasks more than how you presented in the interview, and your feedback will be based on performance throughout. (If you’ve already blown it, take this advice.)

PARIS SAYS: “I only want friends who are there for me like I’m there for them. Otherwise, it’s too painful.”

What It Means: Paris wouldn’t waste her time with employers who aren’t just as professional and courteous as she is. Otherwise, it’s too painful. Dump that client! (Or, as we suggest, try to give them constructive feedback – perhaps some guidance on the best ways to work with you will change how they do business for the better.)

PARIS SAYS: “The best thing about owning your own nightclub is that everything’s free and you can tell the DJ to play whatever you want.”

What It Means: We’re fairly sure that “owning your own nightclub” is Paris-speak for having your own business. (Fancy socialite euphemisms strike again!) Because the best thing about contract work is that you work for yourself. Your business belongs to you. And just like Paris asking that DJ to play her favorite song, you can ask your employers to pay you whatever you want. (Within reason, of course. And, PS, nothing is free.)

PARIS SAYS: “I’m an actress, a brand, a business woman. I’m all kinds of stuff.”

What It Means: Paris wants you to think of yourself as a real professional. A brand. A business person. You are the whole package! Believe in your abilities and be your own PR team, because — just like Paris — you are all kinds of stuff! (And here are the ways to communicate that to potential employers.)

And there you have it: Great freelancing advice from Paris Hilton. Whose unlikely advice has impacted your life? What was the best career advice you’ve received? Let us know in the comments!

Quotes taken from Confessions of an Heiress (Fireside).

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine, and — like Paris — she is all kinds of stuff.

Here are eight reasons why it’s important to improve your skills:

1. You’re the driver!

It’s worth remembering you are your own mentor, HR department and boss.  Nobody else is going to be looking after your contractor career development except you, so you need to be the instigator of change. Rather than resting on your laurels, make sure you are moving forward to ensure you don’t get stuck in a rut.

2. Win new work.

One of the main reasons for adding to your skill set is to be able to win new types of work, which may be more interesting or lucrative. It may be as simple as completing one of the oDesk skill tests in order to seal the deal, or you may want to branch out into something completely new–which involves retraining and new education courses.

3. Increase your hourly rate.

Job satisfaction is important, but so is getting paid. If that summer vacation still looks out of reach, you may need to invest in some training or certifications to ensure you end up with a better rate of pay.

4. Play catch-up and stay knowledgeable.

Many professions require you to keep on top of new developments, which can move very fast.  So if there is a new software release, or a dynamic new design trend, you may need to have that knowledge under your belt so you’re better equipped to compete on your next job interview.

5. Stand out from the crowd by combining skills.

Over the next few years the world of contract work is undoubtedly going to get more competitive. You many need something extra to really stand out. Sometimes unusual combinations of skills can result in you having a unique selling point. Are you a programmer who also knows about accessibility? Are you a graphic designer who can also write great copy? Merge your talent and your passions to find creative combinations that make you more marketable.

6. Highlight your talent.

If you know that you have a talent — such as writing — but it is rather unproven, and you don’t have enough experience in that area to get hired, then having a formal qualification may help you get your toe in the door on relevant projects.

7. Impress employers by demonstrating your character.

Employers love self-improvement.  They greatly respect individuals who are moving forward and developing themselves, and if you can demonstrate this — particularly at the interview stage — then they are likely to consider you the type of person they would want to work with.

8. Reap the personal rewards

The most important part of learning a new skill or undergoing training is the sense of achievement you will feel when you move forward.  Moreover, the whole process of learning is rewarding and interesting, and you can gain insights into your own capabilities and character. You may also meet friends and valuable business contacts on the way. You really can’t lose when educating yourself, improving your skill set and advancing your own contract career.

Are there any other reasons why it’s important to improve your career?  Have you had positive experiences from training or learning new skills?  Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Steve Bynghall is a freelance writer and consultant, specialising in collaboration, knowledge management and remote working issues. He is based in London, England.

A recent study at Rice University showed that in letters of recommendation, words and phrases that communicate communal value and abilities (e.g., helpful, kind, agreeable, takes direction well) were percieved as less impressive than words and phrases that communicate more independent characteristics (e.g., assertive, ambitious, influential, initiator of tasks). Unfortunately, the study also found that the communal characteristics described in these letters of recommendation were generally associated with females, while the more favored independent characteristics (what the researchers called “agentic” adjectives) were usually attributed to males — exposing evidence that gender bias in hiring is still a problem.

So, what does this study show independent contractors and others trying to market themselves online? That the way we describe ourselves — and the ways that others describe us – matters. (Especially if you are a female and are, if what Rice University’s study shows is true, already at a disadvantage to your male counterparts.)

Here’s what you can do about it:

1. Choose your words wisely. While your field will certainly dictate the language you use to describe yourself, remember that when it comes to nouns, adjectives, and phrases about your characteristics, you should choose your keywords carefully and stick with words that convey strength and your independent, successful nature.

Just a few of the good nouns, adjectives, and phrases to use in your portfolio that leave a strong and positive impression are …

• leader (communicates strength)
• initiative (communicates motivation)
• skilled (communicates expertise)
• achieved (communicates results)
• expert (communicates that you are uniquely gifted)
• assertive (communicates that you have drive)
• outstanding (communicates that you are valued)

And a few of the nouns, adjectives, and phrases you might want to avoid because some employers see them as keywords that may actually have a negative vibe are …

• potential (may communicate you haven’t achieved success or your best yet)
• helpful (may communicate that you are a follower and not a leader)
• quick learner (may communicate that you have a lot to learn)
• kind (may communicate that you are not a strong person)
• growing (may communicate that you are inexperienced)

Note: Karen Burns over at Working Girl recently wrote an article on the topic of resume keywords, and she encourages resume writers to stear clear of adjectives and adverbs as much as possible in favor of strong nouns and verbs. Take a look!

2. Suggest ways for others to describe you. That’s right. When it comes to letters of recommendation or online feedback, it can’t hurt to tell your employer how you’d like to be described and what sort of keywords they might want to use. Be polite, ask nicely, and never ask an employer to lie. You are merely suggesting what areas are helpful for others who are looking to hire you.

Simply say something like …

“When you leave online feedback about the work I’ve done for you [or write this letter of recommendation for me], it would be great if you could use keywords and language that emphasize my work skills over my personality, as I’ve found that this is an effective way to communicate my worth in my field. Please use words that communicate strength and energy, if you feel they apply to me and the work I’ve done for you.”

Words matter! Use the comments below to tell us about the keywords you avoid (or try to emphasize) in your online profile.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

The answer is yes. Yes, take that risk. But how and when to offer such feedback is a little more tricky. Here are a few things we’ve learned:

1. Timing Is Everything. Much like in a personal relationship, how and when you bring up the things that bother you can make all the difference in how the bothersome issues are received.

• DO offer feedback when things are going smoothly. You are actually more likely to get some solutions to the frustrating problems of your working relationship, when you aren’t in the midst of that frustrating situation. Don’t be afraid to give negative feedback during positive interactions — it’s probably the best time.

2.  Simplicity Is Best. Avoid details unless you are asked specifically for them. When it comes to negative feedback, less is usually more.

• DON’T overstate the problem.  Choose your words of advice or negative feedback carefully. Be to the point. Edit your email carefully or write down what you will say, if you are saying it over the phone. Use simple, brief terms and keep things to just a few sentences. If the employer cares to get more details, they will ask you for them.

3. Focus on Your Role. When communicating potentially harsh negative feedback, it’s better to focus on your own work process, rather than the employer’s.

• DON’T try to solve the employer’s problems. Just communicate your own, and avoid using any accusatory language that will put the employer on the defensive.

Wrong Way: You don’t give me enough time to do the work, and your directions aren’t specific enough. Right Way: I tend to work better when I’m given a little more time to process the work. I also would love to have more specific directions.

4. Positivity. You have to mix in a little positive feedback if you want to communicate your desire to hang onto the job in the long term.

• DO express what you love about the job. No need to gush, just state the truth. If it’s a job you value, say so. Tell the employer why you like working with the company — they’ll like hearing it.

We know offering potentially negative feedback to an ongoing employer may feel a little bit like biting the hand that feeds you. However, you have to think of your own best interests. If the way an employer handles things is proving to be a real issue for you — having a negative impact on your work/life balance or your work performance – take the initiative to speak up.

Have you ever expressed negative feedback to an ongoing contract employer? Let us know how it went and what you learned from the experience in the comments below. 

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

Here are some questions to ask yourself before you jump into a co-working situation:

1. Can you simply work from home? Unless your proposed co-working model involves access to expensive work necessities (such as a copy machine) that you need and wouldn’t otherwise have, you might save yourself a whole lot of money by simply creating a proper and defined work environment at home.

2. Can you afford the cost of co-working? Whether you’re renting a cubical or sharing an office suite, there’s cost involved that will directly cut into what you take to the bank. On the other hand, if having an office space away from home improves productivity, then it may very well pay for itself.

3. Can you handle the environment? If you can, spend some time observing or even working in the office space before signing anything. Any shared space can have a huge impact on your work productivity. Are phones ringing constantly? Are conversations loud? Are printers and other machines contributing to the noise and will it affect your work?

4. Can you handle the “co-workers”? Co-working means, ultimately, cooperating with others — even if it’s limited to remembering to turn the lights off at the end of the day to keep your shared electric bill down. If you’ve been an independent contractor for a long time, cooperating with others and working in the same room as others may take some getting used to. Office politics and gossip may be back in your life and need to be managed accordingly.

Ultimately co-working can be a brilliant solution for a lot of independent contractors who either thrive on the energy of “co-workers” and a more traditional office setting or simply cannot work from home for one reason or another. But never jump into a co-working situation without careful thought to every benefit and risk.

Are you co-working or have you tried co-working in the past? We want to hear from you. Share your insights with our readers in the comments below.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine. She works from home, because the commute is a dream come true.

Here are our top tips to make those international calls go a little more smoothly:

1. Suggest Skype
Before you’re about to make an international call it’s always worth asking the question: Can we use Skype? Of course, to most contractors Skype is the eighth wonder of the world – especially as a Skype-to-Skype call has no associated cost. Skype truly puts the “free” into freelancing.

You may know all about Skype, but it is just possible that your employer may not. It could be a great way to start off your working relationship to introduce them to it. If a Skype-to-Skype call is not possible, then you can also call a telephone directly from it, although it may not be the cheapest option available for you.

2. Be Sure You’re Getting the Best International Rate
If you are not able to connect online, then you will have to start thinking about cost. International calling can be extremely expensive, and as the contractor you could reasonably expect your employer to pay for this or to initiate the call. It is definitely worth discussing this issue with them to ensure there is no ambiguity.

But if you are making the calls, it is worth doing your homework. There seem to be a zillion providers promising the best international rates, and it can be difficult knowing where to start. First, see if your own current provider has specific packages — particularly to numbers you may dial again and again — and then compare the packages to others. Look into specialist providers, for example JAJAH, who can offer heftily discounted international calls if both numbers are registered with them, although this is not available in all countries.

3. Know How to Track Down an International Number
Hopefully you will have the telephone number you need to dial at hand, but if you scribbled it down in a rush (is that a 6 or a 9?) and need to double check, there are a plethora of searchable directories out there. An excellent starting point is Numberway, which has extensive international coverage with handy country-specific listings of searchable commercial and residential telephone directories.

4. Do You Have the Right Country Code?
You may have the number, but the formatting of exactly what to dial for an international connection can be confusing. A very useful resource is Country Calling Codes which allows you to pick your home country and the country you are calling. Then it tells you exactly what to dial. It is completely idiot proof. The site can also be useful for when you are travelling and need to phone home.

5. Double Check the Difference Between Your Time Zones
Arranged to have a Skype call at 2:00 p.m.? Make sure you’ve both got the right time by checking out World Time Zones. You can search by country and city.

6. Remember Your Telephone Etiquette
Finally it is worth reminding yourself of some of the rules of telephoning employers, especially if it is early in your working relationship. Happy dialling!

Discovered a great resource for international calling? Let us know in the comments below.

Steve Bynghall is a freelance writer and consultant, specialising in collaboration, knowledge management and remote working issues. He is based in London, England.

While actual rates vary widely from field to field (and from location to location), there are four very basic steps you can take to calculate your rate today:

1. Find your competition. One of the best ways to find actual contractors in your field is to perform a search using the same phrases an employer might use to find you. For example: software development contractor, freelance writer, contract web designer, etc. Vary the wording and do multiple searches. On oDesk, you can start by finding your specialty here and reading through various contractor profiles.

3. Narrow the competition based on experience and education. If you have any degree — even if it’s not in your field — you can charge a little more than if you have none at all. (Maybe even as much as 20% more than someone without a degree.) However, with most fields of contract work, experience is the key and can be shown in years or in the sheer number of projects completed. If you have less than a year of experience in your field or less than a year of experience as a contractor, you should expect to start out in the lower end of rates.

4. Narrow the competition to your part of the world. Now that you have a global perspective on rates, begin to focus on the going rates of those who live in your general area — your city, your country, or (at the very least) your continent. A web designer located in New York City is likely to set a higher rate than one in Delhi, India. From a U.S.-based employers’ perspective, the NYC contractor will already have an understanding of U.S. business practices, culture, and communication that a contractor located elsewhere may not. The more you can prove an understanding of your prospective employers’ needs and expectations throughout your profile and application, the less geography matters in calculating your rate–but newer contractors need to incorporate the influence of location in setting a reasonable rate to start from.

5. Calculate a comparable rate and measure it against your budget. Estimate a rate that is fair according to your research regarding career field, education, experience and location. Then do the math to see if this rate will allow you to meet your financial obligations, including the expenses of being your own boss — like paying for your own health insurance, maintaining your computer, and giving yourself opportunities for ongoing education and career growth.

If the rate pays the bills, then congratulations, you are off to a great start. Set your rate accordingly and prove your worth to those who hire you.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON SETTING RATES:

If you can’t live on the fair rate you calculated, then you may need to make some bold decisions. You can set a rate that pays the bills and hope employers choose to hire you at that “inflated” rate. (If they don’t, a new career path or simply a reduction in living expenses may be in order.) Just remember that when you overcharge, you risk receiving negative feedback that may affect your ability to land the next job. People expect to get what they pay for, and if you are not worth what you are charging, employers will eventually stop hiring you.

If you are new to contract work, start cheap and increase steadily. Many professionals who make the switch from traditional to contract work balk at lowering their income initially, but it’s only a temporary dip to build your reputation. If you are having trouble landing contract work at your desired rate, offer to work for a discount (20 – 50% less), but always with two caveats:

1. It is for a short-term “let me proove my worth to you” assignment.
2. Make it clear you will charge a higher and more appropriate rate next time the employer hires you.

If you are a career contractor, give yourself a regular raise. Every year that you work as a contractor in your field makes you more valuable. Increase your rate by 1 - 5% each year, according to how much experience you gained in the year, new work responsibilities you’ve taken on, and how much the general cost of living increased in your part of the world.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

Get your PC ready for another year with this list of 5 easy ways to clean out, speed up and refresh your computer so that it will begin 2011 in peak condition:

1. Cleanin’ House: Begin with a clean sweep. To start the tune-up process, you need to dig through the closets and cupboards of your PC and get rid of unnecessary file clutter. Those temporary files can be from previously crashed programs, cached Internet data, Recycle Bin files and old System Restore points. A great way to take care of them is by using the Disk Cleanup utility on your Windows system. The program walks you through the cleanup process using an easy to understand wizard. You can find it under Accessories > System Tools.

2. Organize: Once you’ve cleaned out the clutter, it’s time to organize your hard drive. Over time, your computer files becomes scattered in various pieces throughout your hard drive, slowing your PC down. Defragmentation is the solution to the disarray! Another included Windows utility, Disk Defragmenter, is the program for the job! Located under Accessories > System Tools in the Start menu, plan to run it on a regular basis to keep your system in good, organized shape.

3. Update Your Drivers & Programs: Programmers aren’t perfect. The first incarnation of most hardware drivers and pieces of software contains bugs and/or security holes. That’s why it’s important to keep your main system apps current. Here are the key programs to update:

• Windows: Microsoft includes a Windows Update utility to keep your OS safe from hackers and pesky bugs. Configure this program to automatically download and update the system as new patches become available. To find out how to do it for your Windows version, check out this Microsoft support document.
• Hardware Drivers: Many computer manufacturers include a system update utility designed to keep your drivers on the latest version. Set it to run automatically.
• Antivirus Software:If you’ve ever been shut down by a virus, you know how important it is to keep your antivirus program updated. Check to see if you’ve got the latest version downloaded. Also set the software to do automatic scans of your system. Malware knows how to sneak in, so stay protected!

4. Ramp Up the Speed: For Windows 7 and Vista users, Microsoft included a handy little utility called ReadyBoost. The program makes use of USB thumb drives or SD cards to add needed memory space. If you’ve already souped up your computer’s memory (think 4-8 GB of RAM), you probably won’t need this program. But if you’re using a netbook, an older PC or simply haven’t invested much in RAM, ReadyBoost could be extremely helpful. Here’s how to use it:

• When you plug in your USB drive or SD card, a screen should pop-up, giving you the option to “Speed up my system using Windows’ ReadyBoost.”
• If the window never appears, navigate to Computer, right-click on the flash memory card or USB drive and select Properties.
• Once in the properties section, click on the ReadyBoost tab and check the box that enables drive usage.
• You’re set! Windows will begin to shuffle memory data onto the card. Depending on how slow your computer was before, you could see anything from a mild to a dramatic improvement. The larger the USB or SD card (up to 4 GB), the more memory Windows will have to work with.

5. Speed Up Start Up: Waiting for a computer to boot can be painfully slow for many computer users. One reason? Software manufacturers like to add their programs to an automatic start up list. This works for a few programs, but the more that are included on that list, the slower your start up becomes. Many of these programs probably don’t need to be there. Limit these unwanted interlopers by opening Windows Defender and choosing Software Explorer under the Tools option. Defender will let you see the programs that start up automatically. Choose the ones that are unneeded and select “Remove.” Voila! You’ve just made your boot up process faster.

Have more suggestions for easy ways to keep your computer tuned up? Share them with us in the comment section below.

Julia Camenisch is a freelance writer and editor for a wide range of clients, including national magazines, small businesses owners and non-profit organizations. She also runs a video production company in North Carolina.

A year of contract work is ending and another is about to begin. It’s the perfect time to think in detail about what you are doing and how you are doing it.

Ask yourself the following six questions, and write down your answers. These are designed to help you think through what you want from your contract work career. (We’ve even provided sample answers to help you out!) The key is to stay specific and stick with short, one-sentence or one-word answers.

1. How would you like your contracting career to be different at the end of 2011? (I’d like to add photoshop skills to my resume.)

2. How would you like to be perceived by your employers? (I want to be known as the SEO expert with the best writing skills around.)

3. What can you improve in your daily work routine? (It’s time to start keeping set office hours and keeping a calendar of deadlines.)

4. What did you do really well in 2010? (I negotiated a rate increase with two employers.)

5. What do you like about your contracting career? (I love being able to give myself a raise!)

6. What is important to you in life? (It’s really important to me to spend time with my dad.)

So, you’ve answered these six questions about your work life, now what? Go back over your answers several times. Then try to summarize the things you’ve discovered about your year and about what you want – in just two or three sentences. Together, these sentences make up your mission statement for 2011.

For example, using the sample answers we gave above, our mission statement might look something like this:

In 2011, I will begin to keep office hours and will do whatever it takes to meet deadlines. I’ll negotiate a rate increase with at least two more employers based on the value I give them as an SEO and writing expert. I will take an online photoshop course in order to add this skill to my resume, and I will increase my overall sense of fulfillment by doing the thing I realize is most important to me in 2011: spending more time with my father.

How was your 2010 and how will you change things up for 2011? Let us know how your own mission statement shaped up in the comments below.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

It turned out to be pretty easy (but time consuming) to identify the rejects.  A hiring manager has very little time to spend on each email, and anything that indicated that the applicant didn’t read the ad closely, didn’t follow instructions in responding (my personal test:  ”no attachments!”), or did anything to waste my time (lame formatting, strange stories in the cover letter) made for a quick rejection.

The best part of the often-grueling hiring process was that it gave me tremendous insight into how to not end up in the reject pile on my next application. For their instructive value, here are the highlights from that pile:

Things I will not do next time I send out my resume:

1. I will not attach my resume if the ad says “no attachments.” (I will especially not attach a slow-to-open .pdf file.)
2. I will not address it to “To Whom It May Concern,” “Dear Sir or Madam” or “Hiring Executive” if the name of the person I’m sending it to is right there in the ad.
3. I will not have a nine-page resume.  Especially one covering less than a decade of work history.  (If I do have a nine-page resume, I will not think it necessary to note in my cover letter that I am “detail oriented.”)
4. I will not use the word “passion” in my cover letter.  The sentence “I have a passion for content management” is either ludicrous hyperbole or … well, let’s just hope it’s hyperbole.
5. I will avoid saying “I was drawn to your ad,” as though it is not my general need to pay rent, but some sort of cosmic destiny or love-at-first-sight magic.
6. I will not put a cover letter on top of my cover letter that’s on top of my resume.
7. I will not send my resume if I’m far out of town and will be out of town for three or more weeks, and thus unavailable for interview.
8. I will not have my return address be something like koala-tiara@genericmail.com. (Unless the job I am applying for is “Unicorn Princess.”)
9. When my resume does not get me a response, and the same ad is posted again a week or two later, I will not send the exact same resume and cover letter.  (Because that would be dumb.)
10. I will not say that I’ve just graduated college, but my degree is useless, and I’m now embarking on a process of successive failures necessary to find out what I really want to do with my life.  Actual quote: “I do not expect to find that ideal job right off the bat. I understand that to have success, there will be some failure along the way. I just hope to walk through the right doors at some point in my life.” (Oddly enough, we did not elect to become that dreamy young man’s next failure.)

What really surprised me about the process was that, despite the flood of resumes, no one jumped out as the ideal candidate.  The people who didn’t even make it to the interview phase didn’t lose out because some perfect worker dropped from the heavens.  Many of those rejected would’ve had a shot if the presentation of their cover letters and resumes hadn’t undermined their chances.

I found that somewhat encouraging, because I can’t transform my work experience or education overnight, but a thoughtful approach to how I present them can yield quick and dramatic results.  A few tips about writing a good cover letter, and one more effort at keeping the resume short, compelling and well-formatted can go a long, long way.

If you’ve learned the hard way that your cover letter and resume were turning off potential employers, tell us about it in the comments below. What will you never do in a job application again?

Brian McDonough has been a writer and editor for more than 15 years, and has managed teams of in-house and freelance writers for newspapers, magazines and web sites.

Is the feedback right? Look at the rating and, especially, the employer’s comment. Sometimes negative feedback is warranted, and if you really didn’t meet the standard — your own and the employer’s — you’ve got to face up to it:

• Apologize. Contact the employer and express sincere regret, and explain that you take his or her feedback very seriously.
• Fix it. Ask whether you can make things right. Consider offering a partial refund, if you’re really at fault, or offer to re-do the piece of work they had issue with. Ask if these efforts would entice the employer to then adjust the feedback comments to indicate that you’d made extra good-faith efforts to fix the issue.
• Focus. Going forward, make sure that you’re applying to jobs that really fit your skills, and make sure you understand what’s required when you start (maybe develop a “getting started” checklist).

Is the feedback wrong? If you feel the feedback doesn’t accurately reflect your performance, start by contacting the employer. In professional, conciliatory tones, say that you’re very sorry he or she is displeased, and ask to discuss it.

• Ask for a change. If, after hearing your side of the story, the employer agrees that his feedback was too harsh, ask him to modify it. This change would be solely at the employer’s discretion, and requires you to use your best relationship-building and communication skills to make sure you are both walking away feeling positive about the outcome.
• Leave feedback. You can represent your perspective in the feedback you leave. Remember that you don’t want future employers to see you as defensive or whiny when discussing previous work. A valid response to feedback that unfairly says you did a bad job might be: “Employer was unclear on job parameters, slow in communication. Lesson learned: I need to ask for more initial communication on expectations and deliverables next time.” Make sure your feedback is accurate — if the employer disputes your feedback (with records of your communication, for example), you can end up worse off than when you started.
• Dispute the feedback. oDesk rarely removes feedback — battles of opinion are difficult to referee. However, if the feedback is provably untrue (i.e. – you have written emails from the employer asking you to do exactly what their feedback is complaining about), or violates the feedback rules, you can dispute the matter through Customer Service.
• Hide it. You can hide the comment associated with the feedback. Trouble is, future employers can see that you’ve hidden the comment, and that looks suspicious — they’re liable to imagine something worse than the actual comment.

Now what? Once you’ve dealt with your unhappy employer and analyzed any shortcomings on your part, you still have to land your next job. Here are three ways to move forward:

• Learn the lesson. If you messed up … don’t do that again. If you feel the fault was with the employer, look for ways to prevent such incidents in the future, such as warning signs in job posts, or by insisting on very clear communication about expectations.
• Cash in on good will. If you have a long-term contract in progress, ask that employer for a review and feedback. The employer will need to close your current contract, give you feedback, then rehire you to your position. If you’ve got a good ongoing relationship, this shouldn’t be difficult–and gives you the opportunity to reinforce your existing relationships.
• Bounce back quickly. While long-term jobs are the best way to build your online work career on oDesk, look for a series of quick jobs that can quickly produce several high-quality feedback scores, to counterbalance that one bad rating.
• Own it, explain it. In some cases, you may wish to address the negative score, either in your profile overview or in your cover letters. Remember that employers are suspicious of defensiveness and excuses. Don’t go with: “A crazy past employer sabotaged me!” when staying professional will serve you better. Something along the lines of “You may see that I had a particular case of negative feedback. I hope that won’t discourage you from interviewing me — I’d be happy to explain the incident and how I’m making sure such a situation doesn’t happen again.” Maybe your overview mentions your pride in managing deadlines. If that’s what got you into trouble on the one bad job, try saying: “I also strive to manage my workload to avoid blowing deadlines — a lesson I learned quite well in my one case of low feedback.”

Feedback — the ability to build your reputation as a remote contractor — is a key part of what makes the oDesk platform work, but one bad review need not be a career-breaking disaster. If you face it head-on, look at where you made mistakes and how you can honestly present yourself moving forward, it can be just one small dip on a long, successful career path.

Have you ever made a comeback from bad feedback? Tell us how you recovered from it in the comments below.

Brian McDonough has been a writer and editor for more than 15 years, and has managed teams of in-house and freelance writers for newspapers, magazines and web sites.

At the close of the year, most remote contractors can become distracted by the trappings of one holiday or another — whether it’s Ashura, Hanukkah, Advent, Las Posadas, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Kwanzaa, or another set of observances. You might be fasting, or making ginger snap cookies, or lighting candles, or buying gifts and attending religious ceremonies (and we haven’t even factored in the school holidays of our darling children), but if you throw in flu season and some out-of-town relatives you could have full-on chaos around your home office right now.

So, how do you stay on top of your freelance and contracting work at a time like this? One thing most of us have learned is that communication and at least a little bit of careful planning are key:

1. Take an actual holiday from work. Decide now which days you will take off of work and let all your employers know in writing. You need some boundaries. Especially this time of year. (Just don’t forget to communicate them!)

2. Plan ahead. Going somewhere and need to work while you are there? Make sure you’ll have Internet access now, not when you get there (hotels with free wifi and airports with wifi). If school holidays give you childcare nightmares, arrange what you need now … don’t put it off, or you’re likely to end up in a bind. Think ahead, plan ahead.

2. Broadcast your hours. Put any “holiday hours” on your email signature and on your voicemail outgoing message. Keeping set work hours may be more important this month than any other time of year.

3. Be organized. Keep track of your tasks and look at them daily. (This goes for work and for personal tasks, if you want to keep a handle on all the holiday-related comings and goings!) Get yourself organized now – there’s still time!

4. Communicate. Stay in touch with your employers. They are under stress as well. If you are past deadline, text them, call them — go out of your way this time of year to keep them in the loop, especially if a crisis comes up.

5. Send out some holiday cheer. Consider sending a holiday greeting to current and past employers. It’s courteous, friendly, and it may just get you some extra contract work in the New Year by reminding past employers just how wonderful you are!

Lastly, don’t forget that whatever it is you are celebrating only comes once a year. Make time for it! Make time for your family and friends and for traditions you treasure. But do skip the stuff that brings you undue stress. Hate baking? Buy the cookies for that holiday party! Hate the frenzied shopping at stores? Buy gift cards or shop online. By remembering each day that you are a person, a family member, a friend and a professional contractor (in that order!) and by taking time to nurture each aspect of who you are, you might just stand a chance of surviving this chaotic time of year!

How do you handle the holidays and a contracting career? Let us know in the comments!

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine. She sees the twinkling lights of Christmas and loses all short-term memory capability for the month of December — making daily to-do lists a must!

	@oDesk (Owner: oDesk): Well, of course we are on our own list. Besides that, our Twitter feed keeps contractors up to date on the latest tips, trends and must-read blog posts.  If you aren’t following us yet, you should be! Why follow? We get you the latest info on making the most of your remote work life! (And we’re humble, too!)
	@TechCrunch (Owner: TechCrunch): The tech news titan TechCrunch is worth your time if you, like most remote workers, rely on the latest technology. Why follow? TechCrunch gives you the latest from Silicon Valley, with a healthy dose of notable opinions thrown in.
	@FreelanceHelp (Owner: Freelance Advice): For “bite-sized” freelance advice, these people have a small but growing voice. Why follow? It’s great to follow someone everyone else follows, but every once in a while, don’t you want a fresh tweet no one in your life has already retweeted? (Yet.)
	@FreelanceSw (Owner: FreelanceSwitch): Yes, if you’ve been a remote worker a while, you probably aleady know them and their arsenal of helpful articles on freelancing. Why follow? Because you’ll benefit from their tips, whether they are about work or about coffee.
	@LifehackOrg (Owner: Stepcase Lifehack): These people will help you be a better person and a better worker. Why follow? In addition to their work/life balance advice, their tweets will inspire you to rethink your usual routines.
	@WebWorkerDaily (Owner: WebWorkerDaily): Their specialty is helping those of us (specifically remote workers) who use the Internet for work. Why follow? It’s tech advice/web advice geared specifically for people just like you.
	@zen_habits (Owner: Leo Babuata): The zen master wants to make your life more simple, one change at a time. Why follow?: He’s a selfmade success and he’s a minimalist. Call it the zen, but there’s something about him that will make you want to listen to his advice.
	@CopyBlogger (Owner: Brian Clark of CopyBlogger): Brian is the guru of all things online copywriting and marketing (SEO, etc.) Why follow? A lot of remote workers deal with blogs and websites, if that’s you, you should be studying what Brian has to say. (We do!)
	@GTDGuy (Owner: David Allen): He’s the author of 50 Productivity Principles. Why follow? He’s made this productivity thing his mantra. The man lives and breathes methods of productivity, and sometimes he feels a little like the therapist every remote worker needs. (We’re just sayin’!)
	@FreelanceMentor (Owner: FreelanceMentor): If you are a creative remote contractor, they’ve got news, tips and resources. Why follow? They offer a variety of links throughout the day that creative freelancers will find helpful. It’s like following ten Twitterers in one.
	@RossDawson (Owner: Ross Dawson): He is a futurist, a strategy advisor and he’s one smart guy. Why follow? If you’re thinking about your freelancing career more than a week down the road, you should pay attention to Ross. His finger is on the pulse of what’s next.
	@FreelanceFolder (Owner: Freelance Folder): They are a community for freelancers and remote workers of all types. Why follow? Their blog is an incredible resource, and the tweets will keep you up on what’s hot in their community.
	@Mashable (Owner: Pete Cashmore of Mashable): If you need to stay on top of social media and tech news, you should already be on top of Mashable’s tweets. Why follow? More than two million people probably aren’t wrong. Seriously, if you aren’t following @Mashable already, maybe you don’t have a pulse.
	@ProBlogger (Owner: Darren Rowse of ProBlogger): He blogs about tweeting and tweets about blogging. (He said it, not us.) Why follow? If you are in social media, you should listen to Darren. He actually listens back to half of the more than 100,000 who listen to him — talk about being social!
	@WorkShifting (Owner: WorkShifting): Their motto is: Anywhere is my office. You’ve gotta love that. Why follow? They have a focus you can benefit from: rethinking how we accomplish work. Work faster, smarter, and with more balance. (And from anywhere!)
	@FreelancersU (Owner: Freelancers Union): They are on your side and provide safety nets and security for contractors. Why follow? Well, if you are in the union, you should already be following. But even if you aren’t, they are a lot of fun. Consider their recent tweet about invoices that cry when past due.
	@Angee (Owner: Angela Booth): Angela is a leading voice in the world of freelance writing. Why follow? She’s not just about writing well, she’s about making money, which is refreshing in a twitterverse of news and silliness. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
	@VWadhwa (Owner: Vivek Wadhwa): He’s a genius, a BusinessWeek columnist and a TechCrunch contributor to boot. Why follow? If you are a tech contractor, he’s got the pulse you need to be part of. He has a global perspective on work and tech development.
	@LucianoP (Owner: Luciano Passuello of Litemind): He wants you to be a better problem-solver. He wants you to work efficiently. (What’s not to love?) Why follow? He’s all about productivity, but he’s also about being a better human. If you tire of work-related tweets, you’ll like his balance of inspiration, advice and life commentary.
	@FutureWorkforce (Owner: Kate Lister): Kate’s the queen of telecommuting — and making it lucrative. Why follow? She sticks to business and she has her eye on the future. If you want to stay ahead of the game in remote work trends, pay attention to Kate.

Want to follow these folks easily? Check out our Twitter list.

Whose tweets get you all a-twitter? Let us know in the comments or @odesk on Twitter!

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine. She once sent a tweet. If she ever does it again, she’ll let you know.

ODESK CONTRACTORS This subgroup of oDesk on LinkedIn, is specifically for active oDesk contractors who want to network and gain valuable insights and information about freelancing/contracting from other oDesk users. (Of course we’re on our own list!)

CONSULTANTS NETWORK With nearly 150,000 members, this general freelancing and consultant group claims to be the largest of its kind on LinkedIn. It’s worth a look, regardless of your field. (Owned by Larry Zeenny and related to FEACO.)

OUTSOURCING & OFFSHORING Dr. Dan Bhide owns this group, which has tripled in size since we last checked in on them. Nearly 10,000 members exchange ideas on everything from call centers to contract manufacturing and BPO. To check them out, find their website here.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS ALLIANCE Strategic workforce consultant Dave Rice recently started this group to empower remote contractors with information, opportunities and resources, and we recommend you take a look. (Related website here.)

WORK@HOME COMMUNITY This smaller group is for those who want to share advice and tips from working out of a home office, whether they are self-employed or not, and is owned by Robert Singletary. (Here is their related site.)

FREELANCE FOR MONEY This LinkedIn group (see their website here), is small, but the advice is good and the concepts for finding clients are solid. Founder Chris Green, is an online media expert, working out of the UK.

FREELANCERS.NET FORUM This forum for participants and fans of Freelancers.net is a great place to see job listings and get advice on your work. Though Freelancers.net is UK-based, it is quickly expanding it’s borders around the globe.

LINK-EDS & WRITERS This group has more than doubled in size over the last year (over 17,000 members now), and is for anyone who works with words. The group has five subgroups and is owned by Phil Taylor.

THE FREELANCE WRITERS CONNECTION Freelance writer Lora Freeman Williams owns this group, which has close to 4,000 members focused on furthering their independent contracting careers as freelance writers.

FREELANCE WRITERS INC. This group is open to all, and focuses on writing for various Internet publications like Demand Studios, Associated Content, eHow, etc. Network and gather SEO tips in this growing group owned by freelance writer Robin McDaniel.

DESIGNERS TALK Since we last caught up with Designers Talk, the group has grown exponentially, more than tripling in size (currently over 23,000 members). It’s an open group owned by Nick Carter and has a forum for design and development professionals.

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS PROFESSIONAL GROUP A grouping of over 15,000, the GDPG has ten subgroups according to region and welcomes all LinkedIn professionals with skills in design, desktop publisher, production art, etc., listed on their profile. (Owned by Valerie Guerrero.)

LINKED .NET USERS GROUP (LIDNUG) Run by Inbar Gazit, what is now known as LIDNUG is home to nearly 40,000 designers and developers using or interested in Microsoft NET. (This is the social network formerly known as C# Professionals Group.)

.NET DEVELOPERS Noah Coad’s group has tripled in size over the last year, now boasting 38,000 members who are interested in C#, VB NET, ASP NET, LINQ, etc. (See the related web site here.)

TECHNOLOGY OUTSOURCING This networking group of 22,000, has three subgroups: Open Networkers & LION of Tech, Social Media Marketing, and Web Design. It’s a networking group run by TechAhead cofounder Saurabh Singh.

INBOUND MARKETERS (FORMERLY PRO MARKETERS GROUP) SEO, social media and other online marketing techniques dominate the discussions of this group, which is now over 50,000 strong. Owned by Dharmesh Shah of Inbound Marketing.

E-MARKETING ASSOC. NETWORK This group continues to dominate, with more than 285,000 members currently. Owned by Robert Fleming and E-Marketing Assoc., they’ve even got their own annual conference.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING Over 110,000 members (and 20 subgroups) make up this social media marketing group, owned by Michael Crosson. The group is strict about keeping things productive and collaborative, rather than a tool for self-promoters.

MARKETING & PR INNOVATORS This group is all about best practices and buzz-worthy innovations. It’s owned by Gerald “Solutionman” Haman and has more than doubled since we last checked in. Now it boasts 113,00 members and 9 subgroups. (Check out their related site.)

THOSEINMEDIA This group of media-savvy contracted and non-contracted employees seeks to bring together people with ideas, advice and knowledge about media marketing – i.e., ThoseInMedia. Currently there are nearly 80,000 members in this group owned byBrent Willen.

Let Us Know: Have we missed your favorite LinkedIn group for contract workers? Add your thoughts — or corrections — in the comments below.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

Here are some basic phone manners you need to master whether talking one-on-one with your employer or engaging in a conference call:

1. Eliminate distractions. Do whatever you can to quiet your surroundings. This may mean turning down your radio or it may mean locking yourself in the bathroom.

2. Greet your employer and identify yourself. Yes, your employer’s caller ID may have already told him it’s you calling, but you still need to say: “Hi, Employer. This is Contractor X. How are you?” If you are answering your own phone, start by saying: “Hi, this is Contractor X.”

3. Don’t talk over others. Be mindful — especially on conference calls — of not interrupting. Practice patience. Focus on politeness. If you start to talk at the same time, always offer to let the other person go first. Listen more than you talk.

4. Keep it clean. Most contractors barely know their employers, so it’s important to observe respectful boundaries: don’t swear, don’t gossip, keep it clean. (Besides, a lot of people record calls, you know — would you really want some things repeated?) 

5. Practice reflective listening. This skill is especially important during one-on-one calls with your employer. When you’ve been given a directive (“Here’s what I need you to do…”) follow it up by confirming what you’ve just heard (“So, you’d like me to…”). Echo instructions. Echo deadlines.

6. Know when to cut the small talk. Engaging in a little chit chat can be good for your rapport with your employer, but know when it’s time to get down to business. Listen for cues. On a conference call, follow your employer’s lead. If she is being chatty that’s great, feel free to engage. But do so carefully: no long stories, heavy opinions, or tangents.

7. Don’t put your employer on hold. If you can, avoid ever putting your employer on hold. In fact, when something important does come up — like your son injuring himself while you are on the phone — don’t say: “Can you hold while I check on my son?” Instead say: “I’m sorry, a little emergency just came up here. Can we reschedule or can I call you back once I get things sorted out?”

8. Don’t talk to others while you are on the phone. This is pretty much the same as putting your employer on hold … only worse. Again, if a crisis comes up, then get off the call quickly, rather than trying to juggle the call at a bad moment. (Your employer doesn’t want to listen to you tell your roommate how to get red wine out of the carpet.)

9. Keep calls brief. While you may not be able to control the length of every call, we encourage you to not linger after the necessary information has been communicated. If you are the one who made the call, it’s great to close with: “Well, I’ll let you get back to work now. Thanks for your time.”

10. End with assurances. When closing down a call, reaffirm or re-communicate the next time you’ll be talking or touching base. For example: “I’ll email you those files, and just to verify, our next call is two weeks from today at two, right?” It’s a great way to end on a positive note.

Tell us: Have you ever lost a client over a phone call? What aspects of phone manners have you had to learn the hard way?

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine. Sometimes she does have to tell her kids to be quiet when she’s on an important call.

On the other end of the spectrum are the contractors who understand that what happens during conference calls can make or break freelance careers. These contractors take time to prepare for scheduled calls with their employers.

Here’s how you can prepare for your next conference call:

1. Clear your schedule and prepare your work space. Do whatever you can to be sitting in a quiet room when it’s time for the call. If this means moving your computer to a different area or moving your schedule around a little, make it happen. Don’t be shopping or running errands during the call. Be in your work space with your computer, a paper, pen, your calendar and 100% of your attention available.

2. Review the agenda for the call. If your employer sends an agenda, take the time to read it and do whatever it takes to be ready to discuss any issues intelligently. This may mean doing a little research in order to have ideas or answers ready. (And write them down, don’t expect to pull them from memory at the right moment.)

3. Prepare a status report of all your current projects. Your employer may or may not ask for this, but be ready to give it. Know what’s due, when and whether or not you can make the deadlines. If you have questions that have come up about your assignments, ask your employer if there is time (after the agenda items have been covered) to discuss them.

4. Open your files. Open up the documents you expect to be working from and then minimize them, as needed — just don’t close them up again until after the call. This will save you a lot of time on the call–searching for documents, opening files, etc.

5. Practice any live demonstrations you intend to do. If you are going to be walking your employer through a staging site, software you’ve created, a Power Point presentation or anything else that will require some finesse and timing on your end, give yourself a dress rehearsal. Is the program working properly? Do you actually know how to use it? Will you be able to complete the presentation in the time allotted?

Remember that whether your call or Skype session is five minutes or fifty, the impression you make will stick — likely with more weight than a dozen emails — so be sure that the image you are projecting is one of intelligence, professional courtesy and enthusiasm.

Tell us: Have you had any embarrassing conference calls as an independent contractor? What steps do you take now to avoid painful incidents and maintain professionalism during your calls?

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine. She once tried to handle a conference call while driving. That was stupid, and she’ll never do it again.

WHEN to Ask:

Ask when you discover an employer you enjoy working with. Don’t let those good working relationships slip through your fingers. When you find an employer that you like working for, don’t be shy about asking to continue.

Ask toward the end of a job, but not at the very end of the job. Don’t wait until you’ve turned in a project or completed a short-term gig to ask for more work (though you are better late than never). Find that sweet spot, toward the end of the gig, when you’ve established a good relationship, but aren’t yet out of work.

HOW to Ask:

Ask for specific work, don’t just ask for “more.” There isn’t anything wrong with: “Keep me in mind if you think of anything.” However, it’s too easy for the employer to say “thanks and goodbye” in response. Good journalists are taught to keep a conversation going by never asking yes/no questions. By asking open-ended questions, journalists are better equipped to keep the interview conversation going. The same is true when a contractor is asking for more work. By suggesting an idea for another project, you are more likely to get feedback you can use to keep the conversation/relationship going.

Ask after gathering the knowledge to intelligently suggest a project that benefits the employer. This may take some work, but it’s worth it. Have you been blogging for someone? Suggest more blog posts that could increase their traffic. Have you been working on software? Make suggestions of helpful additions to what you’ve already done. Get knowledgeable and get creative. Could they steal your ideas and go with another contractor? Sure. That’s a risk you take. But chances are, if you’ve had a good rapport, they’ll stick with you — you are already trained, in place and ready to work.

Ask by suggesting your ideas over the phone or Skype. Conversation allows you an opportunity to answer questions about your suggestions – if necessary — and it reminds your employer you are pleasant to work with. It’s too easy to skim an email and ignore it. Remember how a good journalist uses conversation to keep the interview going! Think of your working relationships like this: Conversations will keep them going.

Once a job is over, keep an eye on the company for a while. It’s completely within the realm of professionalism for you to contact them one or two more times over the next several months with your ideas. After you’ve been told “no thanks” two or three times — or if you notice they are using your ideas but not you — then move along.

Tell us: Have you had success asking for more work? How did you go about it?

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

Beyond not making business reading a mild form of torture, Stratten has also produced a book that may be of particular interest to readers trying to develop a small business, or to solo contractors trying to raise their profile in the marketplace.  The book is more valuable to the business executive, but many freelance artists and techies might be able to pick up a few tricks.

The September release is divided into short chapters.  This makes it easy to skip the ones that don’t interest you, and easy to go back and find the material you’ll use again and again.  He launches with a discussion of marketing in general (“Why do we market to people the way we hate to be marketed to?”) that leads to a philosophy of social marketing.  “Your goal always needs to be engagement; business will result,” he writes.  “Every contact matters.”

This could be the usual cheerleading pablum, but the more specific sections provide a good range of cases and lessons.  A quick sample:

• He discusses how to focus your first foray into social media, and how to deal with inevitable (and highly public) mistakes.
• He details how a maker of coffee machines launched a Twitter campaign around a new product release, and developed measurable metrics of success, based on its share of the conversation about coffee.
• Specific tips for local businesses using Twitter are matched with the concrete example of some restaurants that “get it” — and some that don’t.
• Tips on writing blog posts and web articles will help businessfolk who aren’t professional writers—and maybe a few who are. (Best point: understanding your reader’s core pains and desires.)
• Web design:  Don’t give potential customers too many choices, and focus your site on them, not on you.

The book is not perfect, which will be a relief to the million other social marketing experts out there trying to spin a blog into a book deal:  There’s still a little room at the top!

For the solo contractor, particularly one working overseas and perhaps in a field that’s harder to promote socially, such as software development, there’s less of value in this book.  Of course, those folks aren’t Stratten’s target audience.  Still, for the business leader, there are also some uncovered areas.  Stratten doesn’t address global distances.  Say a company that makes a cool business software tool is based in Germany but has its biggest potential audience in the United States and other English-speaking countries?  And what about other major global languages, like Spanish, Arabic, Hindi?  There seems to opportunity for further discussion on broadening Stratten’s approach for a globally connected working world.

Bottom line?  If you’re looking to understand  business applications of Web 2.0, from site design to the latest tricks to maximize Facebook and Twitter, this book is a good crash course that will help you plan your first forays, whether you launch them yourself or hire a contractor to help.  If you’re a freelancer, you might not want to purchase the hardcover, but flip through it next time you’re in a bookstore, and maybe keep up with Stratten’s blog.  Who knows, this social media stuff might take off someday…

Brian McDonough has been a writer and editor for more than 15 years, and has managed teams of in-house and freelance writers for newspapers, magazines and web sites.

Why setting routine work hours for yourself can be the best thing you ever do as a contractor:

Here’s how to set and keep those scheduled working hours:

1. Customize. Set hours that are realistic and fit your individual lifestyle. If your work hours need to be built around your children and their schedules, so be it.

2. Communicate. Put your work hours in your email signature and on your outgoing voicemail message. Make sure new employers are aware of your working hours, and that you let all employers know when vacations or other interruptions to your usual routine will change your work schedule.

3. Accommodate. Be flexible for your employers. If you work at odd times (e.g., night) or are in a drastically different time zone from your client, we advise you to have specific times during traditional work hours that you are at least available for your employer’s calls, otherwise communication may get difficult.

4. Enforce. Protect your work hours from well-meaning neighbors, family and life in general. For example, don’t let doctor appointments and errands creep into work hours. Likewise, don’t allow your work time to shift outside scheduled hours — and into your personal time with family and friends.

5. Utilize. Keep your work hours. Don’t get into the habit of ignoring them or you will fall behind — and both your work and your personal life will suffer.

Don’t think of setting work hours as putting limits on your freedom. Think of it as a step toward concentrated creativity and productivity in your working hours and mental and emotional freedom in your non-working time.

Do you prefer to have regular work hours or do you play each day by ear? Let us know why you’ve chosen the work style you have and how it’s going for you in the comments below.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine. She loves routine. It’s hard to manage as a mom and a contractor working from home, but is convinced it’s the best way to go.

Communicate Your Work Schedule. Let a new employer know your typical work week right away. Set the expectations up front, so the employer doesn’t assume unrealistic ones. If you never work in the afternoons, say that up front: “I am unavailable between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. each day.” Having a somewhat regular schedule is important for your own productivity (more on that in a future post), but it also helps your client know when he can expect to reach you, hear back from you, and get results from you. Answer work calls during these working hours, but it’s a good work/life balance practice to let work calls go to voicemail during your off hours. This teaches your employer how you work: You are available during working hours. You are unavailable in your personal time. Be sure your client knows your time zone and general location as well — you don’t want to be getting work calls at 3:00 a.m.!

Why the employer needs to know – Here’s the deal: You are working for that person/business, if you are under contract. It’s good for the employer to know your general work routine. Imagine a dry cleaner in your town with unpredictable hours. You love their work, but you never know when you’ll be able to swing by and drop off or pick up, because they don’t have any sort of consistency to their schedule. It makes even the simplest task (picking up or dropping off dry cleaning) a huge headache. Share your schedule to set expectations and ease the interactions between you and your employer.

Communicate Your Work Technology. This is where the topic swings into more of a gray area, but it’s a good practice to be up front about a few things regarding your technology use. Does your employer need to know that your PC is five years old? No. But let her know what programs you use to accomplish your tasks. Are you available on Skype when you’re working? Say so. When it comes to your cellphone technology, the employer doesn’t need details on your carrier or plan, but you may want to mention whether or not he or she can expect you to be able to transfer data when you’re on the road. And do you use texting on your cell? Say so — especially if it’s a great way to get your attention quickly in a crisis or in case of an emergency during your personal time.

Why the employer needs to know – You don’t want to work hard in a certain program and then send the employer a file he doesn’t have the corresponding technology to open. You also don’t want him to be sending you text messages if you don’t pay for text service on your cell phone — reading them will cost you. You also need the employer to have realistic expectations of your availability when you drop a line like “but you can reach me on my cell.” Does that mean the employer can reach you and you can still accomplish tasks online? Or does that simply mean you can talk? Being clear about your technology use eases the communication between you and your employer, and helps set the groundwork for a great working relationship.

For some contractors, these more transparent work practices may be an adjustment or may require a new way of looking at what it is we do. However, transparency and honesty build trust, a requirement for establishing long-term working relationships. Such transparency is also valuable for you and your employer in times of crisis.

Tell us: How much about your work schedule and technology do you communicate to your clients and how do you feel about it?

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine. She does most of her work in the morning on weekdays and usually uses the PC her husband “built” in her home office, because the huge screen rocks. Her cell phone, however, is no fun at all, and one day perhaps she’ll have one that will allow her to access emails while on the go.

Sooner or later most contract workers realizes it’s difficult to maintain a long-term freelance career without a defined workspace of his own. Sure there are exceptions to the rule, and there are times when every contractor benefits from a change of scenery — a coffee shop, a library, etc. – however, the most productive space for most will have the elements of an actual office. In fact, 85% of those who responded to our recent survey work from a dedicated home office.

So, whether you choose to rent a cubicle, share workspace or create a space at home that’s all your own, here’s what we recommend you invest in:

1. A room you can control. Whether it’s music you need or total silence, you have to be able to create that ideal environment to be at your most productive. Having a place where you can shut the door and shut out the world is often the key to controlling your focus at work. If you don’t have a room at your disposal, consider converting a walk-in closet or part of a garage. Get innovative with what you have to create the space you need.

2. Proper lighting. For most of us, at least the tiniest bit of a window and some natural sunlight would be a bonus, but more important than that is lighting that will not contribute to headaches and eye strain. The lighting needs of a graphic designer, working with colors and photographs, may be different than the lighting needs of a writer who is typing black words on a white background all day. Know what you need and light your space appropriately.

3. An organized work area. Cluttered doesn’t function as well as clean. It just doesn’t. Those with cluttered and messy desks may spend an average of an hour and a half a day just looking for things. It adds up. Stay organized so you can enjoy your space.

3. A comfortable chair. If you are working eight-hour days, there’s a chance you are spending more time in that chair than your own bed — shouldn’t it be comfortable? Note that comfort  may not equal stylish, but your whole body will thank you. Don’t underestimate the importance of a good chair.

4. A designated work computer. Depending on what you do, this may also include a printer or scanner. The point is that you need one in your office space, so you don’t have to share with everyone else in the house. You can’t be waiting in line behind your junior-high-age child to print a document when you are on the clock.  Get the technology you need. It’s worth the investment (and it can be a tax write-off).

5. A functional desk. Small is cute, but it’s rarely functional. You need space to collect ideas, store any non-digital records, and conduct your day-to-day business. Get this space to spread out in whatever shape or form you can. It doesn’t have to be fancy or even new. Older wooden desks often hold up better than new, cheaper versions — think of it as an eco-friendly choice in home office design.

6. A few pieces of inspiration. It might be a picture of your child or it might be a poem, but whatever it is that puts light in your eyes, place it in your workspace. In those moments of  boredom or frustration, it can be the little things — like a comic strip from the newspaper or a bobble-head character from The Office — that give you a few sparks of relief, laughter and motivation to complete the tasks at hand.

Tell us about your workspace. Have you seen increased productivity by having a defined one to call your own?

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

FIVE WAYS TO REMOTE WORK SUCCESS

1. TALK to your clients. Without regular voice contact with your employers, you can gradually lose that personal connection that can keep communication solid and the work flow steady. Given Skype and other voice-over-Internet options, you don’t even have to pick up your cell phone to talk and the expense stays minimal. What’s more, you can get face time via the Internet too. Take advantage of it. If regular conversations aren’t happening naturally in the course of work, take the initiative to schedule them.

2. Set your own HOURS. And keep them. While being a remote worker gives you the freedom to make your own hours, it’s not always the best idea to make them up as you go. Having a routine and sticking to it is  key to productivity and vital to maintaining consistent contact with your employer or team. In fact, having your basic “office” hours on your voicemail and your email signature can be a huge help to the people who depend on you.

3. ELIMINATE distractions. Career contractors have to maintain a level of self-discipline that doesn’t come naturally to all of us. If the television, your cell phone, your neighbors, or anything else is distracting to your work, it has to be controlled. Take charge of your work environment during your office hours and eliminate the distractions. Having a designated space in your home — a home office — does seem to be the best choice for most contractors. Close the door to anything and anyone that does not contribute to your productivity.

4. Have a COMFORTABLE place to work. We might not all agree on the best and most productive place to work, but being comfortable while you are working  should be at the top of your priorities. If working from the couch gives you a painful kink in your neck, it needs to stop. Work in an environment that feeds your senses in ways that make you productive. If you aren’t physically comfortable while you work, it will eventually catch up with you. Your work will suffer and so will you. It’s worth a monetary investment to get comfortable. Your chair, the height of your screen and keyboard, lighting, etc., will all affect your personal comfort.

5. Pursue excellence in your CRAFT. If you aren’t passionately connected to your specialty, you may find it hard to pursue success as a contractor. Subscribe to a trade publication, attend conventions, or simply keep up on trends in your field through the blogs and newsletters. But always stay on the cutting edge of knowledge and progress in your chosen career field. If you aren’t emotionally invested in doing a fantastic job for your employers it will become obvious to them rather quickly. Long-term success requires your long-term passion for excellence.

These five basic truths were the same in 2006, the year that oDesk Team member John D. first wrote about them. Read his take on remote work success here.

Tamara Rice is one of several freelance writers on the oDesk Blog team. She joined the oDesk marketplace in 2009, after more than six years on staff at an award-winning national magazine.

In looking at the table below, there are two columns: one with the skill or technology, the second with the Fill Ratio, which shows the competition for job postings – a low percentage in this column indicates great job opportunities with less competition, and a higher percentage score indicates that jobs requiring those skills get filled at or above the usual rate. Anything not on this list is getting filled at a higher rate, which indicates high competition for the skill or technology.

iPhone and iOS developers are recently experiencing the lowest fill rate – which means competition for jobs with this skill is fairly low. As we predicted, with the widespread adoption of the iPad and recent announcements about expaned the iPhone onto the Verizon network, the field is growing, as the number of positions requiring iPhone and iOS programming skills are rapidly climbing.

Google App Engine skills are growing in demand – they make their debut on the list a 40% fill rate. C++ developers, the previous leaders in our opportunity rankings, have fallen down the list, but a comparison of the fill rates over time show that these jobs are getting filled at a much higher rate than last year (41.97% vs. 17%).

While WordPress seems to rule the roost, perception-wise, folks with WordPress skills may want to expand into Typepad, since a 40% fill rate shows more opportunities there.

Accounting jobs make their first appearance on the opportunity scale, joining Transcription positions in enjoying a combined average fill rate of 42.35%.

In general, the range of fill rates this year is much higher than last year (30-42% vs. 17-30%). The competition for work is much stiffer than it was a few short months ago, but that does not mean the opportunities are any less available! Seek out education in high-demand skills that align with your experience for the maximum impact on your career.

This information derived from the thousands of jobs posted on oDesk every day. More information can be found on the skills and languages above, as well as many other desirable skills, on the oDesk oConomy.

Erica Benton brings nearly a decade of experience as a small business owner and freelancer to her position as the editor-in-chief of the oDesk Blog.