Legit Jobs Online

The Internet is akin to the open ocean during the time of Magellan, wrought with dangers and opportunities. Opportunities of being able to work from the comfort of your home and reap the rewards solely from your efforts. Dangers, because some of the opportunities presented to you to earn online may not always come out as expected.

Although there are a lot of sites that offer legitimate jobs, the one I’m more comfortable to recommend is odesk. Primarily because of the escrow and monitoring system that it provides, wherein the provider (you) will always be paid for the valid time spent on the job even if it wasn’t finished due to an unforseen circumstance.

How it works:

Buyers post job requirements on Odesk and you as a provider can apply for a job. If the buyer shortlists you, you will then be contacted for an interview. Interviews usually happen via Yahoo Messenger.

The site became public around May 2006 and initially offered contractual work on a per hourly charge, recently though they have started allowing charging on a per project basis. What makes them unique is that they offer a monitoring program that both client and the provider installs. This provides a legitimate way of measuring billable working hours. The program basically logs the number of hours that you have worked on that project and a long with a screen capture of your desktop will be the basis for your hours on the project.

After you sign up, you will usually be asked to take a familiarization test in Odesk to ensure that you are knowledgeable in using the software provided by the site. This is good preparation also so that you won’t end up embarrassing yourself in front of the client with your inexperience with the system.

Usual Jobs Found at Odesk:

The jobs found initially at Odesk catered to IT field (programming, administration, web etc) but recently there has been a burst of job requirements non IT related that did well to open up the market to other skill sets. Listed below are some of the work found at the site. We’ve left out though those jobs that could be considered “unethical” in nature.

1. Web Developer - probably one of the most popular jobs in the site. Based on the title you will be tasked to develop web sites for the client.
2. Web Designer - A common misconception is that a web developer is the same as a designer. Developers work on the backend code of a site while designers are artists who work on the look and aesthetics of the site. Creating themes and skinning a site is another popular task of designers. A new sub job I’ve seen being posted in the site is the converting of Photoshop PSD files to CSS/HTML.
3. Application Developer - programmer creating applications to be run on a clients PC.
4. System or Database Administrator - basically managing a server or database online. This could mean patching or optimising.
5. Software tester - the job needs the patience to check for bugs and test whether a particular software is behaving as it should.
6. Virtual Assistant - basically what an assistant usually does with the difference being not physically in front of your boss. The good news is that you never have to fear being asked by your boss to make coffee.
7. Data Encoder - If you can type fast then this could be the job for you. Basically encoding some data sent to you. I will be honest in saying that this job doesn’t entirely pay high.
8. Article writer - If you have a good command of English and are gifted with eloquence you could earn a living writing articles
9. Transcription - basically listening to an audio file and writing down what you heard.
10. Inbound or Outbound Service Rep- Same as a regular call center agent, except you will be working from home.
11. Online Researcher - have a knack for being resourceful in looking for data on the Internet via a search engine?, then try to apply for some research jobs.
12. Online Tutor - not quite something I see usually at Odesk, but I’ve seen people looking for tutors on the site.
13. Program Manager - this job usually entails managing people and carrying a project from start to finish. Usually by defining the project requirements, setting schedules and budgets.
14. Illustrator/Designer - I’ve seen requirements for banners, t-shirt designs, company logo’s and other artistic tasks being asked from Illustrators and Designers. You will usually need good command of Photoshop or Corel.
15. SEO or Search Engine Optimisation - If you know how search engines work and how to use that to drive search engine traffic to your clients site then this job will suit you just fine. It could usually mean having to create backlinks, audit a site for it’s SEO score, researching keywords then formatting articles with those keywords
16. Translator - I’ve started seeing these posts recently, so if you know how to speak a foreign language (aside from English), you could get work translating stuff.

What you’ll need to get started:

• A reliable computer - doesn’t have to be top of the line just that it shouldn’t be dastardly slow either.
• Broadband Internet Connection - This is a must. Broadband connection can be had nowadays at P1000/month. There are other innovative ways one can conjure to save on the cost of broadband by means of sharing a connection.
• Knowledge in using communication tools - the most of common of which are yahoo messenger and skype.
• Payment Facility - The popular means to get paid on Odesk is via Paypal, Moneybookers, or Odesk’s own debit card. The problem with money bookers though is that you will need to wait till your account reaches $1000 before you can withdraw it to a local account via wire transfer. Paypal however can now transfer money to Philippine bank accounts. How to setup a Paypal account can be found here.
• Depending on the job you might also need a reliable headset with microphone.

Useful tips to begin with:

1. I will be honest in saying that you will need a good command of English in order to appeal to clients.
2. Try to spend some time getting familiar with the tools you will be using that are indirectly related to the task. Such as Yahoo Messenger and the Odesk software, so that when its the real deal you won’t be caught fumbling with the ball
3. Take some Odesk exams found on the site. This builds up your credibility in the site. If you fail, don’t worry, just wait a month’s time then you will be allowed to retake the test. But be sure to study and prepare for it though as a failed exam will still leave a mark on your profile. If you are programmer, try to get certified on the language you are using, that helps a great deal too.
4. Read thoroughly the help section of the site to familiarize yourself with the policies and procedures before applying for a job posted by a buyer
5. Read up on the forums, there is a wealth of information found n the forums of odesk. The forums is also a good way to gain contacts. Networking there could land you a job via a “forum friend” recommending you to a buyer.
6. Give a good job always, remember you aren’t just representing yourself but rather your entire country. A bad experience from you could mean that the buyer will be hesitant to hire somebody from your country.
7. Value your reputation always. Aside from money the other currency that is valuable is your reputation. Try to aim for a good feedback from the buyer by doing a good job.
8. Don’t expect to land a big job and a big salary right away given the tough competition. When starting out, try to aim for a good feedback from a low paying job so that you can build your reputation.
9. Be relentless, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try try again! Rome wasn’t built on a day and the road to success has always been littered with numerable failures.

Please remember that this article is just an overview of Odesk, so take care to read up on the benefits and use of Odesk at the site itself. After reading this, all we can say is Good Luck and Happy Hunting.