| You've decided that going to the office five days a | | | | choose a first time provider if the job is quite small and |
| week is not for you. You also understand that working | | | | easy to do. Once you have established yourself as a |
| from home means you may often have to work in the | | | | good worker, through receiving favorable comments |
| evenings, sometimes late into the night, and, at first | | | | from your employer once the assignment has ended, |
| anyway, you may have to give up relaxing on public | | | | you can start going after the bigger fish. |
| holidays and weekends. | | | | Carefully read the job description. Can you really do |
| Knowing that it takes hard work, even bravery, to give | | | | everything required? Refer to the content in the job |
| up a secure job to begin working from home is a good | | | | description when writing your application letter. An |
| start, for without determination to succeed, rather stick | | | | employer isn't interested in "I can do this work. Please |
| with your day job. However, don't let the daunting | | | | visit my profile."Â An employer wants to see that |
| prospect of finding that first online freelance job put | | | | you understand the job description, and also that |
| you off trying to do it. If you go about it correctly, it | | | | you've read it and are not just leaving the same |
| won't be that difficult, and you'll soon be enjoying the | | | | message for all jobs you apply for. Be honest in your |
| advantages of doing freelance work, such as being | | | | application. Don't say you can do the work in seven |
| more available for your children, saving on the cost of | | | | days just to get the job, but knowing that it will |
| transport to work and back, and even watching a | | | | probably take you three weeks. Taking longer than |
| movie in the middle of the day if you feel like it and | | | | you should will result in a bad comment from the |
| your work is relatively up to date! | | | | employer at the end of the assignment, making it more |
| There are many websites that offer freelance | | | | difficult for you to find more work. Of course, not being |
| opportunities. Browse through a few of them before | | | | honest in an application can also result in the buyer not |
| deciding on which one suits you best. Many offer a | | | | paying you, and who can blame them if the work they |
| variety of categories and you are sure to find | | | | hired you to do is not being done exactly as they |
| something that suits you. It is best to start with joining | | | | requested? |
| just one, familiarizing yourself with it, and actually doing | | | | Be careful of bidding too low. A low bid seems like you |
| some work through it, before entertaining the thought | | | | are just desperate to get a job. This may be true, but |
| of joining more sites like it. As a freelancer, you don't | | | | a low bid may also indicate that you are not fully |
| want to disappoint the people who hire you by taking | | | | qualified to do the job perfectly. At the same time, for |
| too long to complete a particular job, or rushing through | | | | your first few job applications, don't bid too high. Keep |
| the assignment and delivering below standard work, | | | | this for when you have a better work history on your |
| just because you're busy running around the Internet | | | | profile. |
| looking for more opportunities. | | | | Check your grammar, punctuation and spelling. If you |
| You find a site that suits you, and you join, doing the | | | | write a really good application and it's very similar to |
| bare minimum to prepare your profile. You're so | | | | another application letter the buyer receives, the buyer |
| excited to have found a site that suits you that you | | | | will most likely choose the person who wrote the one |
| can't wait to start applying for jobs. A week later, after | | | | with the least errors in it. |
| applying for thirty jobs, you're in tears because you | | | | Don't apply for just one job and sit back and wait for a |
| don't yet have work. How could this happen? You | | | | response. Accept that there will be many jobs you |
| have good skills, you wrote about them when applying | | | | don't get. Don't waste time waiting to hear about one |
| for all the jobs you knew you could do, and your bids | | | | before applying for another. Apply for many. If you |
| were the lowest. Why doesn't anyone want to hire | | | | happen to be lucky enough to get four or five jobs at |
| you? You've already left your daytime job and this | | | | the same time, but know that you can manage only |
| was supposed to work! | | | | two of them in the time allocated, choose your favorite |
| Relax. Be patient. And start again. | | | | two, and apologize to the other buyers, being totally |
| Spend more time on creating the perfect profile | | | | honest, and as polite as possible. Honesty and good |
| before applying for even one job. Sometimes there | | | | manners are remembered, and the buyer may hire |
| are thousands of freelancers on a site and you need | | | | you at a later stage. |
| to make your profile stand out from the rest as much | | | | Don't always wait for an email from the site informing |
| as possible. View other profiles to get a better idea of | | | | you of the latest jobs available. Check the site |
| how yours should look. Even if it takes you as long as | | | | regularly for new posts. Sometimes many service |
| two weeks, get your profile up to scratch! | | | | providers will apply for a job and you want to be in the |
| Read through all the frequently asked questions on the | | | | first few on the list. If you were a buyer faced with |
| site, and totally familiarize yourself with the site, so that | | | | sifting through forty or more applications, it's most likely |
| when you apply for that first job, you can do so with | | | | you aren't going to go through them all. If you find |
| confidence, knowing that you're doing everything | | | | exactly what you're looking for in a service provider |
| correctly. | | | | within the first few on the list, you're not going to view |
| Then apply for jobs! Don't go for the highest paying | | | | the rest of the applications. |
| ones at first. Choose smaller jobs to gradually get you | | | | Stick to the rules of the site, be honest and polite, and |
| into the process. Employers are also more likely to | | | | always do your best work. Good luck! |