Target Your Contractor

Now we get into the meat of the issue. You know to get a clear picture of what elements you need covered in your project, and you understand which categories and skill subsets you have to choose from.

Searching for contractors within a specific category and the even narrower skill set will distill the quantity down to those who emphasize what you’re looking for. But then what? Under the category of Design and Multimedia, and within the subset skill of Graphic, you still have more than 52,000 contractors to choose from. Not something you might want to sit down and scroll through in an afternoon. But you can reduce this amount of prospects yet further.

Keywords

By using keywords, you’re able to refine your search to a specific skill or a combination of them. Just like when you’re searching for something on Google or another search engine, you type in the keyword or phrase that applies in the search box at the top of the page. With keywords you can narrow your focus to those top contractors with the skill sets you’re looking for.

CYBER SNAGS

When using keywords to search for your contractors, remember to keep them simple and precise. Don’t say “website with music and videos.” Rather, type in just the basic words, “website music video.” Try it and see the difference.

Individuals vs. Companies

You can filter for this differentiation through the Elance system. On the top-left side of your Contractor Search page, you’ll find a menu titled Narrow Results. The very first item is the choice between filtering for Individuals or Companies. If you click on Individuals, you can then choose from those who are Independent or those who are Company Members.

Some clients want to work with individual contractors only. They believe they will get more attention and personal detail. Other clients like the benefits that come when working with a diverse array of people.

The key is to add this information into your total assessment. There is no fixed rule for what works best, but it’s always better to be aware of your choices. Will you get lost in the whirl of a large company? Will you miss out on creative opportunities with a niche marketer? It depends on your project, and on your personality.

Specialists vs. Generalists

Some contractors promote narrow fields of expertise; others strive to cover many possible needs in the same general category. Let’s say you want a professional resume built. Elance is the perfect place to come shop for freelancers to do just this.

Type in your keyword, Resume. Up comes a selection of over 12,000 contractors with resume in their profile keyword list. Here you’ll see on the first page alone you have the choice between specialists and generalists.

For example, a contractor called Advanced Resume Writing has nearly made a sweet $20,000 this year. With a more thorough search of her profile, you’ll see that resume writing is, indeed, the only service she offers. Consider this in your search of contractors. Remember, later in this chapter I’ll show you how to invite specific contractors to your job posting.

BEST PRACTICES

When choosing between contractors with narrower or wider focuses, remember to consider work experience. A contractor with a single specific service may have extensive experience in other related areas. So she’s not lacking in a robust knowledge of the field, she’s instead designing her business to specialize, that is, she’s using niche marketing.

Other contractors in this same search, however, provide a wider array of services. Consider First Rate Consulting, which claims, “Expert Resume Writer/Career Development Specialist/Human Resources Professional.” In the world of helping a client advance in his or her career, this contractor is much more of a generalist.

Either of these freelancers might write you a great, job-winning resume. But it’s important to add these additional factors into your overall search results. It comes right back to focus, this time not just your own but the contractor’s, too.