Comments on: How To Win Jobs On Freelance Job Bidding Sites

By: Best Practices » Blog Archive » Should You Use Job Boards To Grow Your Freelance Business?

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:14:27 +0000

[…] morning I looked in my RSS reader and saw there is an article at FreelanceSwitch on getting the winning bid on a freelance job auction. When I stopped to think about it, I realized that niche job boards have started showing up more […]

By: My First Article on Freelance Switch | Lea Woodward

My First Article on Freelance Switch | Lea Woodward — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:54:45 +0000

[…] That’s right…my first painfully crafted article is now up on FSW and entitled “How To Win Jobs On Freelance Job Bidding Sites“. […]

By: Breakfast in Grenada… | Lea Woodward

Breakfast in Grenada… | Lea Woodward — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:53:23 +0000

[…] On Freelance Switch there was “How To Win Jobs On Freelance Job Bidding Sites” […]

By: Potential LIP Business: Creative Designer | Location Independent Living | Live and Work From Anywhere You Choose

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:31:19 +0000

[…] Another option is to use freelance job bidding sites like Elance, Guru, or Get-A-Freelancer or check out the job boards on freelancing sites. There’s a lot of debate amongst more experienced designers on the merits of these sites but they can be a good starting point if you’re new in the industry. I recently wrote an article for Freelance Switch on how to win jobs on these sites. […]

By: Should You Use Job Boards To Grow Your Freelance Business?

Should You Use Job Boards To Grow Your Freelance Business? — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:11:20 +0000

By: Rita Lewis

Rita Lewis — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 16:57:09 +0000

Lea, thank you for your detailed review of how to bid on such sites as Guru, Sologig, etc. I have tried and tried to do the quality vs. quantity thing because preparation of proposals is very time consuming but necessary. The end result is that the guy wins the web design job with a bid of $250.

I finally wanted to find out how a designer can actually create a 10-page web site or storefront for $250 by writing one of the winners. The gentleman was really nice and told me a very upsetting but interesting thing: outsourcing is the secret. The low ball bidders are sometimes coming from countries where five guys can support themselves on $50 and use a front person in the US who gets a small percentage of the bid. There is no way my $1500 bid was going to win. I also didn’t like the idea of the commodification of web design.

The site with the most use of outsourcing is Joomlancers, which is disappointing because a great Joomla!-based site is difficult to create without much testing and time-consuming coding.

So, I decided that word-of-mouth is the best way to get work. But thank you for the article and congratulations to all the folks who actually could win on bidding sites.

By: Freelance Friday Linky Love

Freelance Friday Linky Love — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:38:39 +0000

[…] advice from FreelanceSwitch on How To Win Jobs On Freelance Job Bidding Sites while Freelance Parent discusses Becoming a Specialized Freelancer and Defining Your […]

By: Andres Buzzio

Andres Buzzio — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:49:45 +0000

I think even to spend money in these sites or loose 15% like in RAC is better
to try sites like this…

Your Freelance is a marketplace where Business Companies post their projects
and find hundreds of Freelancers. It’s very easy to use and the most important thing: It’s free!

have a look:

http://www.yourfreelance.co.uk

By: Mark Abucayon

Mark Abucayon — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 05:57:01 +0000

wow this really helps, In fact I made a hard copy of this one, for me to read this even Im away of my computer this is very very helpful wow, tHnks- FWs you did a great job for this one. I love coming back in this site. so informative and etc. Nice one

By: Jamie Tucker

Jamie Tucker — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:30:22 +0000

I’ve looked through a few of those websites. I was mainly filled with disgust. I was especially leery when I read from some of the clients, that they don’t consider bids, unless accompanied with a rough draft. My first reaction that they are probably phishing for conceptual ideas. The experience from Solida confirms my assumption at least in one case.
My advice would be to have them agree to a Nondisclosure Agreement, stating that any roughs are confidential and may not be used for any other purpose. If they won’t agree to it, then they obviously have poor intentions for your work.
I got the idea when I was flipping through my Graphic Artist Guild Pricing and Ethical Guidlines Handbook. I think a lot of people selling their work on those websites would benefit from taking their heads out their arses and reading that book.