The Freelancers Field Guide to Contract Work

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What is Outsourcing?
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Outsourcing is a great way to earn extra money or even a full time living. When a company outsources its work this means they are looking for people outside the company (you) to complete jobs for them on a contract or short term basis. Most freelance work can be found on freelance marketplaces across the internet. For a list of freelance websites search Google, or some of the freelance directories available.

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Getting Started
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The first thing that you should do is compile your past work history into a portfolio. Many freelance websites allow you to post your work online. The other option is to open a free hosting account and place your work into an online demonstration of your ability. Include references, past work, testimonials and anything else that highlights your talents. One thing this should not be is in resume format. The internet changes a lot rules for hiring employees and freelancing is changes them even more. Here you will find that experience and ability weigh more heavily in a hiring decision then education or status.

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Getting Hired Today
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The easiest way to find contract or freelance work is to visit one of the many freelance marketplaces available on the internet. A majority of the websites are divided into two sections, one for Freelancers (you) and the other for Project Managers (people looking to hire you). The first thing you need to do is register as a freelancer. Once registered be sure to upload a profile and details of your most recent work.

It is important to remember that work on the internet (especially when you are new) is built on trust. The best thing you can do to increase your chances of getting your bid selected is to put detailed information in your profile.

The basic setup for a freelance website is that the Project Manager will post the project and you as the Freelancer have the opportunity to place your bid for the work. A bid includes the time it will take you to complete, the price for the job and a short description.

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Placing the Bid
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Your bid should be a complete summary of the required work. It should be detailed, accurate and relevant to the project. This is why the biggest mistake you can make is placing a bid which contains: