I'm interested in learning more about this site and how much you make weeky/monthly from it. I've already signed up with them, but find the site a bit confusing. Can someone please explain how to use it?
If you are hiring out your services, you just fill in a resume, take the tests, and then you search it everyday to find jobs that you may be able to do. Is there something specific you have questions about? I have been both an employer and an employee on Odesk.
The resume is the problem for me anywhere I'd apply really. I've been a SAHM for about 22 years. Thats a big space left open there on previous jobs. I'm afraid most places won't hire be because of this...online or at a B&M. So for Odesk you absolutely need to send in a resume? This may be why I signed up with them about a month ago, but then saw I needed a resume and thought, "That's that. They'll never hire me now." But I'd love to at least try, especially after reading what another poster here makes with them in one month. Do you have any advice on what I should put down on my resume for all the years I stayed home with my kids?
I understand your concerns, I was a stay at home mom for 5 years. When I decided to find a job, a friend suggested listed full time mom just like I would list any other job I had in the past. Raising a child/children requires a lot of hard work. You could say that you have scheduled and handle all the finances for your family over the last 22 years. Also, if you've ever volunteered during this time you could list that as well on your resume.
Thank you, Jovan. What a great suggestion. You know, as hard and rewarding raising kids is, I still feel that most people don't consider it a job. Even though of all the jobs I've had in the past, it was the most difficult. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. Now that my girls are adults and can take care of themselves, it's time for me to go back to contributing to the family financially. I do small jobs online like surveys, Mturk, forum posting, focus groups and such, but I hardly make more than $300 a month that way. One woman here said she makes between $350 to $450 each week on Odesk. Now, that is what I'm talking about! I wouldn't expect to make that much right off the bat, but it's a goal I'm shooting for. I will definitely use you suggestion for being a SAHM on my resume. Thanks again!
Odesk employers hire people with skills and experience. Although I haven't been hired throught oDesk I believe they consider looking at the profile of a freelancer with good skills and rates. I've read a tips lately that to get started with odesk is that you might want to provide services for the cheapest rate for awhile and then wait till you get good rates and maybe raise your rates later.
I wouldn't mind starting out with lower pay if there was a good chance it would increase in the near future. I guess the only way to find out if Odesk would hire me is to take the plunge, send in my resume, take the test and hope for the best. Thank you all for your advice so far.
Well the pay depends on the job details and the contractor and varies greatly. I think you get 15 applications to start out with, I'm not sure for how long those last or if you have to pay for more or what. I actually signed up with Odesk about a year ago and gave up very quickly after I basically wasted my time applying but never getting accepted. Then a couple of weeks ago I learned about a job lead through one of my favorite blogs, applied and was accepted in a few days. I guess you just have to keep going back to check on leads until you finally get hired.
Hi! I have been with oDesk now for a couple of months and have found a lot of success with it so far. I will be honest in saying that I do not have a full resume on the site. I am still in college, so I do not have much to show in the way of degree or even schooling at this point. As far as my "in real life" jobs go, I've only ever had one. It wasn't that very impressive. I suggest that you start with looking at article writing jobs, data entry, forum posting, etc type of jobs. You can and will get lucky with some clients. One client found me and started me off at $5.50/hr to proofread e-mails/papers/etc. He liked my work, and bumped my pay up to $10.00/hr. Freelancing isn't for everyone, and neither are freelancing sites like oDesk. However, if you really work hard at it, you can find some success. If a college student can do it, then I am sure a SAHM can do it as well! Good luck.
It does take some time to fill out all the profile information on oDesk, but I think you should pursue it. I originally went to oDesk because my niece told me about a job she found there. She was making $15/hr working about 30 hours per week. I did not hear from that place, but I did hear from another place several weeks after I had applied. It's not much money for the hours I put in, but I'm hoping if they give me a great rating it will help in the future. To be honest I've only applied for a couple of jobs at oDesk because I have some independent projects I'm working on also. I think most people probably apply more than I do. I would think of keywords that you think potential employers would use as they search for employees because I think that is what they look for on their end. SAHM's do all kinds of things. Did you do you own taxes? Did you do any volunteer work? Did you do any tutoring with your kids? Are you a whiz at doing research online? Once you tally up everything you did, pick out the keywords and make sure you add those to your profile on oDesk. Give it some time and see what happens. Good luck. I know how tough the job market is...
Thank you all so much! You've given me some great advice. These last couple of weeks I've been a little busy taking care of my father who recently had hip replacement surgery. He's getting around better now, so tomorrow I will set aside some time to concentrate on working on a resume and sending it to Odesk. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Goodluck sandooch! Hope you get more clients and more than enough earnings. Also look out for those scammers that pretend to be an employer, take time to look at their feedbacks
I don't use ODesk myself but members of a writing group I participate in do use it and have varying levels of success. I think you get out of it, what you put in and how much you earn depends on experience and how much time you have to dedicate to potential clients. I do know that many people are offering their services for very little, you have to look past this, know your worth and stick to your normal fees. This will usually attract the better clients and the better money.
I can make $1,200 a month or more on oDesk. You have to look for the right jobs, that are paying the right amount. The more you work, the more you make. A lot of the time, they will offer training as well, if you seem like a good fit for the job.
