Assignments are the lifeblood of your freelancing career. This is true whether you are a brand new freelancer, a seasoned freelancer and applies regardless of what platform you are using to obtain freelance work. Once you have landed an assignment, there is far more involved than completing the work successfully and getting paid. Each assignment provides an opportunity to (a) ask for more work and (b) ask for referrals. These are crucial. However, before you get to that stage, there are some things that must be done to make sure the assignment is completed successfully.
Communication: Make sure that you have contact information for your client. At a minimum, you should have an email address and if possible a Skype (or other instant messenger) identification. When questions arise about an assignment, make sure that you communicate immediately with the client. In addition, if for any reason you find that you are running behind on the assignment, contact the client immediately.
Professional presentation – When you submit work to the client, make sure that it is perfect when it is returned. Not only should you double check all spelling and grammar but format is important as well. Don’t send work that looks like it was done by an amateur. Always find out from the client if they have any specific formats they would like the work returned in (some prefer Word while others may want the work in Notepad of another generic text editors).
Keep notes for later – Generally speaking it is a good idea to keep a file of a particular clients preferences. This will help you avoid having to ask the same questions if you are working for that client later. Open up a Google account and create a file for each client that you complete work for. Not only can you store all of the work for that client, you can create a simple file of notes that can help you work smarter the next time.
When the job is complete
When an assignment is complete there are several things that should be done immediately:
- Ask for feedback – Ask the client immediately if the work is acceptable. If it is not acceptable, take whatever steps are necessary to make the corrections.
- Don’t drop out of sight! – Just because an assignment has been turned in does not mean that it will not need modification. Before you drop off the radar, make sure that the client is satisfied with the work that has been done. Be available for at least 48 hours after an assignment has been submitted to make sure there are no changes.
- Successful completion – If the client has indicated they are satisfied with the work, ask them about ending the assignment. This is especially true if you are a new contractor or you have been inactive for a period of time. What your goal should be is to build up your feedback. Even if the client potentially has additional work for you, it is a good idea to ask them to open a new task for you. For fixed rate jobs, make sure you do not end the assignment since the client has to pay for the task before they end it.
- Ask for feedback – Ask the client to leave feedback for the job at oDesk. This portion of each job shows up in your profile and if you are a new contractor, it will help you build credibility. Remember to leave feedback as well since the client feedback will not show until you do (or for two weeks if you do not).
- Ask for referrals – Never hesitate to ask a client for a referral. Oftentimes, oDesk clients are connected to other oDesk clients who may also need help with work that you can complete. This can help you build a stronger client base.
The process of successfully completing assignments at oDesk is not much different than completing any other assigned task. Make sure you do your work well, make sure it is turned in on time and make sure that you keep lines of communication open. Success as a freelancer depends on all of these tasks whether you are using oDesk or not.
About Doreen Martel
Well-rounded freelance writer who contributes to various blogs, paid to write sites and revenue sharing sites. Doreen is legally blind and has worked at home for more than 10 years. She uses the lessons learned from this experience to enhance her writing and share information with others.
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