Case Study - Jeff Wichman

Jeff Wichman is a graduate student who is also building a successful career as a contractor on oDesk. He heard about oDesk in the Fall of 2007, while he was still working toward his bachelor's degree, and he decided to check it out for himself.

"I've gained valuable experience that goes beyond my 'work skills'."

– Jeff Wichman, AASU '08 / oDesk Provider

How oDesk Helped:

Jeff signed up for oDesk but he didn't jump right in and start applying for jobs. Instead, he made a conscious decision to take some time to get familiar with the marketplace and work on building an impressive profile that would make him stand out from the competition. He took advantage of oDesk's free tests and certifications and worked on building up his portfolio before finally putting himself out there and applying for jobs. His patience and diligence paid off — it only took him a couple of weeks to land his first job and he's been working ever since.

While Jeff originally focused on Web Design jobs, he credits oDesk with giving him the freedom and flexibility to branch out and use other skills he has developed including programming, database design, graphic design, audio/video editing and animation. Additionally, by gaining experience, a client base and excellent feedback, he has been able to steadily increase his hourly rate from $10 an hour (which he mentions is "still more than most of the employment opportunities available to a busy college student") to nearly double that on his current jobs. That's a pretty impressive pay raise in just over a year.

Perhaps most important though, are the other skills that Jeff feels he has gained through his work on oDesk. As he puts it, "I've gained valuable experience that goes beyond my 'work skills'; project management, dealing with clients, how to sell myself, negotiation, professional etiquette and communication, time and money management... the list goes on. Even after having recently graduated from college, I've developed skills on oDesk that some people only acquire after years of employment and moving up the ranks until finally being in a position of management."

When asked what advice he would give to a student or recent graduate who is considering freelance work, Jeff says, "Freelancing is a great way to get that much-needed experience in whatever line of work you are pursuing, but it's also a great opportunity to learn project management, self-management, and valuable communication skills."