Chapter
8
Tips for Beginning Contractors
In This Chapter
• Getting your first project
• Quality versus price
• Learning to leverage your unique experiences and talents
• Common pitfalls to avoid
• The problem with underbidding
• Getting positive feedback
One of the questions I get asked most often about Elance is, “How do new freelancers get started?” If you don’t have any ratings and feedback, what does the prospective client have to go on? Some new contractors are joining the Elance community because they’ve been laid off or downsized. Others want to supplement the family income with a side job. And some have a dream or passion they want to pursue.
All of these are not only viable reasons to become a contractor, but have been the motivations behind other successful freelancers. Everyone was new once on Elance. No one came here with ratings and feedback ready to go. Whatever your situation, if you work smart and learn, you can make it work in the virtual work world.
In this chapter, I’ll cover tips and strategies from those who’ve succeeded, myself included. I’ll build you a path through the cloud jungle, which if you follow will put you one great big step ahead of those who haven’t read this book.