Archive for the "Cover letters" category

I was on the oDesk forums recently and came across a comment from a new provider who was worried by the ratio of working to registered providers. She couldn’t find the page, which was probably the main oConomy page here which currently shows 248 providers working and 95,545 registered int the system.  I admit that [...]

When I worked in a Call Center I had a supervisor who always used to talk about the importance of “Being in Integrity.” I didn’t always agree with his English, but it’s hard to fault the sentiment. If you’re a long-term reader of the blog, and I hope you are, some of this may sound [...]

One thing I’ve noticed with a lot of new freelancers is that they don’t quite know how to close a deal effectively. They know how to apply for a job, but anyone can do that. They can get an interview, but a lot of people do that. There’s only one person who will get the [...]

You probably can’t help but notice that we’re now selling an eBook.  It’s right there on the front page and even in the upper right corner of the page where you’re reading this.  Before I go any further I should mention that while I did not write the eBook I did edit it. Anyway, I’m [...]

Clean the wax out of your ears! Yes, I said, “Upload feature.” Like any busy yuppie–wait, I live in the suburbs. I guess that makes me a y’suppie. Anyway, like other y’suppies, I like to unwind. One of the things I do to unwind is to find a nice, quiet spot outside to sit and [...]

When I go on oDesk I often look at other providers’ profiles. It not only helps me get a better picture of the competition, but also lets me see where my profile can be improved. One thing I can’t help but notice is that almost every provider rates their English skills at 5/5; I don’t [...]

So, I was leaping from rooftop to rooftop with my trusty ninja-sword at my side, and I noticed a fellow ninja was already covered in blood from his last kill. Naturally, since it was only 12am and we had only been under the cover of darkness (the only time ninjas work) for a short amount [...]

You just got an interview for a position. If it’s your first interview, you’re probably bouncing off of the walls with excitement. If not, you realize that getting an interview is not a guarantee that you have the job. So, what do you do when you have an interview? First off, you’ll receive an E-Mail [...]

One thing buyers like to see is that providers have a good knowledge of whichever language the buyer requires for communication and/or the project at hand. If the provider doesn’t know the necessary language well enough, then the project’s details will be misunderstood. Most of the time, the language they want is English, and for [...]

Recently, I was working with another freelancing service, and I’d just signed up. Therefore, I had no credentials and a rather pathetic profile, so I had to depend on my cover letter to do the talking for me as well as some negotiation skills with the buyer. Normally, when people think about negotiation, they think [...]