Elance: A Beginner's Guide

If you are reading this guide, you probably already know that Elance is one of the many membership-based freelance sites that enable freelancers to showcase their business. On Elance, "Sellers", or service providers, bid on projects, get rated through feedback from "Buyers," and are faced with unlimited amounts of success.

Based on your level of membership, you can bid on a certain number of projects every month. And while you may not be a beginner at writing, you are new to Elance, which puts you on equal footing with every other newbie when vying for success.

Consider Elance just like any other job. It is always the hardest to get the first one. After that, you have experience, credentials, and references to rely on when looking for a new job.

The First Decision for an Elance Beginner

As a newly-established provider, there is one question you must answer: should your first project(s) be to make a lot of money or to gain positive feedback?

The answer is simple. You want to take a couple of small projects that will allow you to build positive feedback. You may or may not make a good amount of money, but regardless there are other benefits. Not only will potential buyers look at your feedback and ratings, but they will also factor in how many projects you have completed. A 5.0 for three projects looks more impressive that a 5.0 for one project.

Still, the inexperienced has to start somewhere. On the subject of feedback, though, it is important to note that more expensive projects hold more weight than less expensive ones. Therefore, a 5.0 on a $300 project will help you more than a 5.0 on a $50 project. The same also applies for poor feedback, which means that a 3.0 on a $300 project will hurt you more tan you think. Your success is largely dependent on your feedback.

Secondly, You Should Build Your Portfolio

Now that you have decided to build your positive feedback before you build your bank account, you should create your portfolio. Your portfolio is your resume. While it is true that you lack experience through Elance, your portfolio will allow you to showcase your talent to others.

Your Elance portfolio should display any type of work, whether it is writing, video, or even programming, that gives the best impression of your work. Not only will prospective buyers check it out once you have bid on their projects, but some buyers will scope out providers before they list their project. If they like what they see, they will invite you to bid on their projects. That alone is a success. Now, you will have the upper hand over others who bid on that project.

Next, Bid on as Many Projects as Possible

Obviously, there is power in numbers. The more projects that you bid on, the higher your rate of success will be, even in you are a beginner. The great thing about sites like Elance is that there are more than enough projects for everyone, provided they do good work.

Once you have bid on, and been selected for, several project, you can decide which ones you want to accept. As with any "prospective employer," you should also take the time to review their feedback before accepting the project. If they show poor feedback or a poor payment history, there is a chance you will not get paid. Don't waste your time.

Lastly, Know Your Limits on Elance

Elance can be addicting, as can the idea of financial success. There will be months when there are not as many projects, and therefore not as much money. These months will make it harder for you to turn down projects on months when projects are abundant and you can hardly keep up.

But, you should keep your online reputation in mind. Whether you are a new provider or not, you should not accept more projects than you can realistically handle. If you do, you risk your long-term success, your feedback rating, and your ability to win bids on future projects.

Instead, take the time to figure out how long each type of project, i.e. web content, newsletters, e-books, etc., will take you and subtract that amount of time from you free time. It is better to allow too much time for projects than not enough.

Now that you know the basic steps to success with Elance projects, you are ready to get started. Even a beginner can find success as long as they lance is not a quick fix, nor is it easy money. But, if you are serious about your freelance work success will find you through Elance and its fair system of projects and feedback ratios.