Comments on: FWJ Investigates Freelance Bidding Sites

By: stacie

stacie — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:09:17 +0000

When I first started freelancing/moonlighting on the side of my regular job, I used Guru exclusively and was apparently one of the lucky ones. Out of the 20 or so clients I worked with over the course of 18 months, they all paid and none of them tried to barter me down.

Now, that said, I also couldn’t charge what I am able to now, so that may have had something to do with it.

I have read postings on a few other lists I belong to that say they make a significant amount of their income from Elance and they all say the same thing – it takes lots of time and patience.

Anyway, that’s my two cents. Neither good nor bad I guess, but I’ll be curious to see what the outcome is of your little test Deb.

By: anjeeta

anjeeta — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:03:34 +0000

Deb, I have been using two bid sites quite regularly now and have been really lucky with my clients and gigs. Some have even turned into long term steady monthly assignments but like everything else you have to filter out the duds. In fact the community on ifreelance.com is quite tight and we roundly denounce any low paying gigs that are posted. The funny thing is that people who bid really low on these gigs are not all based overseas but many are based in the USA itself. This is what we cant understand how can they afford to work for pennies??

By: chris

chris — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:38:05 +0000

Yikes, I’ve never heard of cyberstalking from psycho clients! I think I’ll stick to the old fashioned way of getting jobs by hitting the pavement.

By: Jeanne

Jeanne — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:17:36 +0000

I have tried several sites. On one site, I was able to win several small projects. On another, I had someone ask for samples and a highly detailed proposal. He then picked someone else (I could track his activities only) who gave him a cut rate price, gave him my proposal, and I have watched my ideas being implemented on his site without making a dime on it. Tread very, very carefully on the bidding sites.

I’ve also posted help wanted ads and I could write forever about the nut cases that RESPOND to posts. People who submit proposals filled with grammar, spelling and typographical errors; a guy who stalked me through phone and email for weeks after I refused his bid (his emails got weirder and weirder until he stopped) and a whole bunch of other unprofessional behavior. I’ve had people ignore the criteria I listed in my ads; call me names because I didn’t pick them; and you name it, I’ve seen it.

Bid sites. Is that the sound of a can opener I hear? ‘Cause I think a can of worms just popped open…

By: Cheril Vernon

Cheril Vernon — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:30:10 +0000

Do you read my mind? I was actually thinking about asking about these kinds of sites. I haven’t tried them but I did sign up for Elance a while back.

By: Benjamin Hunting

Benjamin Hunting — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:41:39 +0000

Like Carmen, I too derive a healthy portion of my income from clients sourced through Elance. Deb, I would caution you that in order to truly evaluate a bidding site, it could take you upwards of 6 months before you have a steady stream of well-paying work. Understanding how to craft bids that will make people want to hire you, understanding which projects are actually worth bidding on, these things can take a while to master. It can also take a while to develop enough of a reputation to be trusted by clients on X site. Credentials outside of the site, like the ones you possess, will help immensely in that regard, however.

Most of the reviews of Elance, GAF and Guru that I read at best represent a few weeks of experience – and frustration.

I currently spend around an hour a day looking for work from Elance and other web sources.

By: chris

chris — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:21:49 +0000

I’ve thought about pay-per-click sites and have done my research and am definately not doing it. I’ve read article after article by people who have tried it. Most writers get paid pennies, if at all. Recently, Writer’s Weekly did a story on Examiner.com: http://writersweekly.com/this_weeks_article/000497_01262003.html also, there’s a discussion on Facebook on Elance at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/topic.php?uid=9787230737&topic=9701&ref=mf

Writers beware!

By: Carmen

Carmen — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:45:00 +0000

When I first got started it was awful–4 hours a day almost. Once I got a reputation? I quickly filter my criteria, check it like I’d check my email about three times a day, put in the bids that I want and move on. So when you first start the return is awful and when you get going very good it’s just fine.

By: Heidi

Heidi — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:17:44 +0000

I’m going to have to disagree with what Carmen says about the sample articles. One of my best and most consistent clients picked me for the job because I was one of the only people to do the sample article. I got another client filling out a sample thing on their website.
I was hired by a copywriting company, and I had to do a sample before I could start working. I’m working for another media company that actually pays for people to do a sample article.
Basically, what I’m trying to say is that it can pay to do sample articles, as long as the requirements aren’t too outlandish. It is hard to weed out the scams… Craigslist should be more carefully moderated. I try to flag every thing I find that is shady, but there’s just no limit to it all!
Good luck with bidding sites Deb; I have yet to be brave enough to try.

By: Uncle Ron

Uncle Ron — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:06:10 +0000

Carmen,

Out of curiosity, how much time do you spend looking for work and otherwise marketing yourself on bidding sites? In other words, how good is the return on time invested?

Thanks!

By: Carmen

Carmen — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:42:51 +0000

I get a few clients here and there off Craigslist, but I’ve been making a full time living for 6 months on these sites. You can always set the bar on Elance to not even show you jobs budgeted for less than $500. For the most part I avoid articles as they are rarely good gigs, but Ebook, Web Copy, and Copywriting gigs have proven to be excellent. There’s a few pitfalls you should watch out for–don’t ever write a “sample article” for example as it’s often a scam–but for the most part I’ve found my clients fair, loyal, and outstanding. I’ve had a very positive experience, and I expect to continue having a very positive experience.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 14:52:38 +0000

I’ve been a part of two major bidding sites. With the first, I did get one job, but the client abruptly canceled the job. I did get paid, okay no-negotiation wages. With the other site, I was accepted to a job at my price, but the client went silent. No job. No money. Very disappointing. I’ve also applied for a virtual assistant position. The owner turned out to be a real flake who told me “I don’t care if they don’t like it” when referring to WordPress CMS designs we were doing for clients. In the end, she refused to pay. I’m out $500 in wages from a nut case.

You just have to be careful. I’ve read the sites described as a flea market: there are a few treasures out there, but you just have to keep looking for them.