Finding the Right Job for You

By now I assume that you have already completed building your profile. Its time that you start searching for jobs. There are basically two (2) categories of jobs being posted by the employers, the hourly and fixed-price jobs. The hourly jobs are tasks where contractors are being paid per hour of work. Contractors are guaranteed to be paid since the salary enters the contractors account as the hours pass by. But the employer has the prerogative to end the contract once they have learned that you are not doing the task assigned to you. The fixed-price jobs are the ones which does not count the number of hours a contractor spends in doing the task but rather the quality of the output. Unlike the hourly jobs, fixed-price jobs does not guarantee payment since it is the prerogative of the employer to pay you or not. For beginners, I suggest that you search for hourly jobs first to avoid being taken advantage of. If in any case you were not paid for unaccepted reasons, you can always report this on oDesk Contact Support.

For newbies on oDesk, I also suggest that you start at a low bid. Try making your rate $1/hour. I know its a big blow toy our pride, but those with no experience in oDesk with high hourly rates will have less than 5% chance to be hired.

Below is the list of available jobs needed/posted on oDesk:

WEB DEVELOPMENT

• Web Design
• Web Programming
• Ecommerce
• UI Design
• Website QA
• Website Project Management
• Other-Web Development

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

• Desktop Applications
• Game Development
• Scripts and Utilities
• Software Plug-ins
• Mobile Apps
• Application Interface Design
• Software Project Management
• Software QA
• VOIP
• Other-Software Development

NETWORKING AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS

• Network Administration
• DBA-Database Administration
• Server Administration
• ERP/CRM Implementation
• Other/Networking and Information Systems

WRITING AND TRANSLATION

• Technical Writing
• Website Content
• Blog and Article Writing
• Copywriting
• Translation
• Creative Writing
• Other-Writing and Translation

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

• Data Entry
• Personal Assistant
• Web Research
• Email Response Handling
• Transcription
• Other-Administrative Support

DESIGN AND MULTIMEDIA

• Graphic Design
• Logo Design
• Illustration
• Print Design
• 3D Modeling and CAD
• Audio Production
• Video Production
• Voice Talent
• Animation
• Presentations
• Engineering and Technical Design
• Other-Design and Multimedia

CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Customer Service and Support
• Technical Support
• Phone Support
• Order Processing
• Other-Customer Service

SALES AND MARKETING

• Advertising
• Email Marketing
• SEO-Search Engine Optimization
• SEM-Search Engine Marketing
• SMM-Social Media Marketing
• PR-Public Relations
• Telemarketing and Telesales
• Business Plans and Marketing Strategy
• Market Research and Surveys
• Sales and Lead Generation
• Other-Sales and Marketing

BUSINESS SERVICES

• Accounting
• Bookkeeping
• HR/Payroll
• Financial Services and Planning
• Payment Processing
• Legal
• Project Management
• Business Consulting
• Recruiting
• Statistical Analysis
• Other-Business Services

Jobs are posted on these categories as employers wish them to be. When you search for jobs, you will see a figure next to the job showing the number of posted jobs on this category.

You can search for particular jobs through the search engines provided. It will then display results based on the keyword you entered. Jobs are displayed by 10's.

You will see a preview of the job description. The red text shows the type of job needed (hourly or fixed price). The "Est. Budget" is the proposed payment amount. Beside it is the date the job was posted. Then next to it displays whether the employer is already interviewing applicants (You don't have to worry if so. Sometimes, employers interview all applicants first before hiring anyone). On the far left, if the job is already filled or closed by the poster, the text "Closed" will appear, while the text "Cancelled" appears if oDesk employees deem the post as a scam or if the employer did not follow oDesk rules. The image next to "Employer" shows the status of the employer: whether he has verified his payment method, a new job poster, or the amount he has paid (the image turns green as he pays his employees). The "stars" correspond to the average feedback the employer received from his employees. The "Skills" shows the specific skills required by the employer. The "Qualifications" show specific requirements like oDesk experience (no. of hours worked on oDesk), average feedback received by contractor from previous employers, self-english assessment,etc. Click on the Job Title (blue-colored) for more details.

On the right portion of the window you will see filter selections avaialable (Image on the left). You have the chance to select specifications like the no. of hours needed per week, no. of months for the job, job type, etc. Thus, the results will only show what you specifically wanted.

This is how it will look like. The Job Description details the task. You will also see when the job is needed to be finished. You can also have an overview of the employer's track records. Click on the "Apply to this Job" button to apply.

This is your "Application Form". This is where you put your proposed hourly rate, your cover letter (click on the blue link to see sample cover letter), and attachable documents required by the employer. Click on the checkbox and click "Apply to this Job. And now you have made your first job application. You will receive a notice or a message in your inbox if you're accepted on the job or if the employer seeks to have an interview with you.

*On fixed-price jobs, you'll input your proposed salary instead of hourly rate.