How to Choose Your Work

Depending on the freelance job site you frequent, wading through all the bids can easily turn into a full-time job. But as mentioned in the previous article, you can't devote all your time to this one task because it alone won't make you any money. Therefore, the key is to learn what to look for so you can complete this task quickly but efficiently.

Reviewing new projects

On your first day of bidding, look closely at the newly posted projects so you're familiar with the location of each project's pertinent information. Most often you'll be able to view a list with summary of the projects and the summary usually indicates the type of work needed (programming, copywriting, data entry, graphic design, voice over, etc.).

Some freelance job sites specialize in just one type of project such as Software Development or Voice Recording. Even if you join a specialized job site, you won't need to review every new project that comes along. Other sites allow buyers to post several different types of projects, and even then you'll find projects you aren't qualified for and likely won't bid on either. The point to be made is this: For one reason or another, you won't bid on every project you see.

How summary information helps you choose

More often than not, buyers have certain guidelines that must be followed in order to post a bid. They need to provide a project a title and a description and indicate the project type. Choosing the project type usually is a simple matter of ticking the right box from a list of predefined categories. Many buyers prefer to define the range (from low to high) they're willing to pay for the work and the timeframe within which they need the work completed.

By paying attention to a projects' summary information, you can usually determine rather quickly whether or not you're qualified to do the type of work requested. For example, if you come across a project in which the buyer seeks a Male voice with a Latin accent and you're female, placing a bid on this project will only waste everybody's time. Likewise if you're a die-hard Visual Basic programmer and you see a project that needs to be written using Delphi, you probably shouldn't bid.

The project summary then is a way to know at a glance whether or not it's worth your time to further research a project. Remember, during all the time you're reviewing bids you're not generating income so you want to complete this step as quickly as possible while still being thorough.

Deciding when to take a closer look

When you find a project that sounds like one you can handle (don't ever bid on projects you can't finish!), you'll click on the project link to view the project details. When done properly, the buyer should present a clear description of the project so that you and the other freelancers can put a fair bid.