Comments on: Up for Bid

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 20:13:25 +0000

Great question, Diana.

In general, I think it's always better to build your portfolio minus these job sites. That said, I had one long-term client from one of those sites. However, that's the exception, not the rule.

You sound like you need a primer in how to get up and going. Take a look over the posts on this site, and on All Freelance Writing and About Freelance Writing (both great resources). If you have more questions, I'm always here to help. Feel free to ask!

By: Diana

Diana — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 20:08:40 +0000

OK, so I'm stumbling on this via your "top posts of the year" post. Cheers for successful direction ;)

Question, if I may. Bear with me as I digress.

My freelance career started with Elance and I've seen the seriously crazy jobs/bids out there. In my naivety I even worked with a few of those clients that wanted the world for $5/post. As I move along in the business I'm noticing that some clients found via Elance are interested in something more (and paying the higher rates that go along with it), but they are few and far between. Is it possible to weed those out while using the site? Or are you better off simply building a portfolio/platform and then going after them yourself?

I'm skeptical, probably only because these bidding sites are almost all that I know (I've been working in freelance since 2009). I don't have my own site yet (gasp!) but my work's been all over the place. I'm ready to start earning what y'all claim to be earning and ditching the bidding site... but then my body panics. Does anyone know where I can find some balls to jump off this crowded train and chart my own course?

(That was more than one question... my apologies.)

By: Jenn Mattern

Jenn Mattern — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:13:48 +0000

Wendy — Elance is the one we went after for the spyware-like software with potential legal implications for some "clients" and providers. But they're not the only ones. Guru did it first. And I was informed by a rep with the company after our Elance piece that RentACoder offers buyers something similar now too.

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:23:10 +0000

Jessica, welcome. And I agree - there is a shortage. Anne Wayman over at About Freelance Writing does try, but it's not her full-time job.

Try Jenn Mattern's All Freelance Writing, Allena Tapia's About.com Freelance Writing, And Anne's site. It'll give you a start.

By: Jessica Mason

Jessica Mason — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:04:58 +0000

I really appreciate you telling it like it is. I am really new to the freelance writing world (as in one article published to date) and even I could tell after a month or so of messing around with them that bidding sites and content farms are a huge waste of time. I feel so much better now that I've stopped bothering and gone back to old-fashioned querying for jobs. Still, there seems to me to be a shortage of online resources for beginners who are really serious about writing. So far I like WM Freelance Writer's Connection and All Freelance Writing along with a few smaller blogs, such as yours.

By: becky

becky — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 05:18:00 +0000

I refused to finish signing up for ODesk once I saw the monitoring thing. I don't think so. Waiting for the IRS to come down on it as too close to employee relationship rather than freelance (one can hope, right?).

I signed up for Guru a long time ago, did a few editing jobs, but never found anything else that was reasonable. Still have my profile up, actually, but am not active. (Had a potential client contact me because of that profile, too, believe it or not.)

By: Ashley

Ashley — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:02:07 +0000

At least one university professor is suggesting Elance to students. A friend of mine was very excited to tell me about Elance as an opportunity for me. I kindly educated her as to the low pay and competition on these sites. I told her I'd never used them so I couldn't say first-hand that they were awful, but that I'd heard several strong opinions on the sites and have decided to stay away. As Valerie mentioned, I think working under those conditions would lead to quick burn out, and I want to enjoy this career, not miss working as a fulltime employee.

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:46:57 +0000

I suspect the riches will remain untold, Jake. ;)

Kathy and Wendy, I'd no sooner work for someone who looks over my shoulder than I'd work for someone who doesn't pay. Isn't that the most ridiculous behavior from a client? If they have time to monitor you, they have time to do the damn job themselves. And they should.

By: Irreverent Freelancer

Irreverent Freelancer — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:51:03 +0000

Wendy, it's not the site you're thinking of, but it has recently, from what I've been told anyway, instituted that same Big Brother webcam-watching functionality on hourly jobs.

By: Jake P

Jake P — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:39:20 +0000

Of course, Kiyosaki doesn't research or write his books either, so maybe there's method in their respective madnesses.

In any event, the bidding market remains one of many I'll gladly leave to those who enjoy hoarding the untold riches.