Need some opinion and advise

[Stefan K]

Hello I am quite new, recently joined odesk and still try to figure how to do things here. I am trying to improve my profile and make it easier to understand. I finished odesk tests and apply for jobs almost everyday for weeks. I got questions for freelancers and client alike to improve my profile and knowledge. Why it seem difficult to get a good client? Up until now my applications are rejected and I am wondering why. Do you think my profile is not good? Please give some opinion. I understand that client need review and look at star rating, but how can I get review and stars if I don't get hired yet? Looking at my profile as a client, why would you decide to hire me or not to hire me? How to decide bidding amount in a job application that lack of job information? For example data entry application asking for clean and precise work with no information on how many data will be or minimum hours per day. Another example translation application asking to work on some pages with no information on font, line spacing, font size, page type, margin, regular translation, and specialized translation (business/medical/computer technology/gaming). How do you think about the payment rate I ask in my profile? I am quite curious about the payment rate here, I don't know that translating service for 5500+ words can be as cheap as 11$, or maybe it is normal here? In that case is it okay if the service result lacking in quality? Overall what do you think I should do to get good client? Thanks Evan

[Ryan B]

Welcome to oDesk. At first look, I noticed you dont have any portfolio items. Hide those tests result of yours that are below average. You'll get there, in time. It will take time to build your profile but just continue what youre doing. Maybe try to land small projects that are easy to complete. Youre goal for now is to get ratings. Patience, hard work, keep motivated. God bless.

[Stephen B]

"I don't know that translating service for 5500+ words can be as cheap as 11$, or maybe it is normal here? In that case is it okay if the service result lacking in quality?" There are jobs for every price range on here, and the quality is usually directly proportional to the rate paid. Of course it's OK that the result is lacking in quality - they get what they're paying for. BUT, if you're asking, would it be OK for you to take on a job like that and do it quickly and of low quality - the answer is NO. You're starting out on oDesk and your main priority should be to deliver the absolute best quality possible. By all means keep your price lower than you would like for a while until you build up a reputation, but don't start so low that you'll never rise up again. The place here is often likened to a pond, with the biggest fish feeding up near the top. You can start a bit below the surface and rise to the top in time; but if you start off in the mud at the bottom, you'll never rise out of the mud - so don't go there.

[Stefan K]

Thank you for your kind reply and good advise, God bless you and your work my friends I will really took these things into consideration

[Gillian Michele N]

Hi Stefan, You'll get there. You only joined 22 days ago and so it'll take a while to build your profile and gain more experience. Keep taking tests that are relevant to your skills and hide any tests without high scores. Keep re-taking the tests until you achieve a high score and then display it. Where is your employment history? I'm sure that clients would be interested to know where you've previously worked and the duties you carried out. This will give them an idea of what you can offer. Build a portfolio. Do you have any examples of your original work? i.e any documents that you've translated etc I hope this helps. I wish you the best. Gillian

[Stefan K]

Hi Michele Thanks for the encouragement For employment history, I worked as game designer at Iplay design (indonesian small game design company) but the problem is I can't remember the time I worked there and I don't even know if the company still exist right now. Next I work as english tutor for children but I don't work on a company as I am self employed, I don't know what to fill in the company box. Last I work for a person (not a company) to research customer complaint via online newspaper this work including data entry, data research using ms excel, and data interpretation using ms word but again this is not a company and I can't put any company name in the company box. I will try to build better profile with your advise though thanks a lot I really appreciate it.

[Gillian Michele N]

Hi Stefan, I think that the employment history would strengthen your profile, you definitely should mention it. Even if the company doesn't exist any more, the fact is that you previously worked there. If you can't remember the exact dates that you worked there, you might have to leave that blank. Do you not even remember the year that you worked there? Where it asks for a company name, write 'self employed' instead. A lot of people have worked in self employed roles outside of oDesk. It's not a problem.

[Stefan K]

Hi Michele Thanks for the advise, some of my work was like more than 5 years ago and odesk require me to fill in the month which I hardly remember. Anyway I will try to remember it. A question please, how do you fill the role if you are self employed?

[Gillian Michele N]

Where you'd usually write the company name, you write 'self employed' instead.