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What Are You Celebrating This Weekend?

Elance_Alex — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:46:42 -0700

Scorching weather, the smell of charcoal burning on BBQ grills, and the booming explosions of fireworks can only mean one thing: Summer is officially in full swing, and with that comes the Fourth of July, a day where Americans nationwide will be celebrating our nation’s 233rd birthday and independence as a sovereign nation.

But our nation’s birthday isn’t the only cause for celebration on the fourth – it’s the idea behind independence that has professionals worldwide celebrating.

Providers, here’s some food for thought: In the U.S. job market today, roughly 42 million workers are independent contractors, part-time or temporary staffers, and/or are self employed, and with over 300 million people alive in the states, that means almost one out of every eight Americans holds one of the aforementioned titles. If you’re a freelancer, contractor, consultant, or anything in between, this means you!

The shift to online work as a professional job becomes more apparent with each day that passes. As communication and internet technologies continue to become faster, more stable, and more ubiquitous in society (and as the economy continues to prove that it’s not the most stable of entities), one can only expect the 42 million to grow at a brisk pace. And when you consider the advancements in online work tools, maybe the word “brisk” will be too much of an understatement.

How To Find And Invite The Best Providers

Elance_Alex — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:49:40 -0700

Whether you’re a seasoned employer here on Elance or a fresh face posting a job for the first time, one of the most crucial parts (possibly the most crucial) of conducting online work is selecting the expert provider that fits your job best. Everyone has their different methods when perusing through the tens of thousands of providers on Elance, but if you’re feeling a little lost, this guide will help you find and invite the provider you need for your next project.

Before We Proceed…

If you’re relatively new to Elance and haven’t gotten much hiring under your belt, be sure to familiarize yourself with our post, “How To Review A Provider Profile”. This guide covers the most important factors you should consider when reviewing and selecting a provider, including skills information, feedback, portfolio, keywords, and summary. Properly vetting your providers during the selection process will ensure you get the highest quality work and help you immensely when you’re conducting work online. Now, on with the show!

Job Posted And Ready To Rock

Once you’ve posted your job, you’ll probably see an influx of proposals from providers surfing through listings that include yours along with the thousands of other job posts on Elance. That's all fine and dandy, but it isn’t a bad idea to do a little surfing yourself – search is your friend, and it’s the first step in finding THE provider that fits your needs. Let’s say I have a killer idea for a new iPhone application, and I need an expert right now that will take the utmost care with my top-secret project. Simply type in “iPhone Application” in the search engine, and you’ll get a ton of providers delivered to you instantly:

As of right now, the term “iPhone Application” yields a whopping 914 professionals. You and I both know that you don’t have time to look through each and every one of the 914 profiles, so we need to cut this list down to size. By using a variety of filtering tools available on Elance, you can easily whittle down a big number of providers to a more manageable size.

Without Further Adieu, The Palm Mojo Development Skill Test

Elance_Alex — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:13:36 -0700

Beating sales expectations with 300,000 units sold to date, Palm’s strong Pre-release looks to have initially won the hearts of techies and web developers nationwide. But if you think the dust has settled, think again – we’re only in the quiet before the storm.

The pool of developers is expected to increase quickly with the upcoming public release of the highly-anticipated Software Development Kit, and the second it's out in the wild, we want you to prove to the world that when it comes to the Palm Pre and WebOS, you are the expert. We’re the only place around that's got the Palm Mojo Development Skill Test, so brush up on your HTML 5, JavaScript, and CSS, and show that you’re one of the first skilled experts that can handle their Mojo.

Itching to get your hands on the SDK? Palm has expanded access to the Mojo SDK — head on over to Palm's developer site and apply now.

Links:
Elance - Palm Mojo Development Skill Test
Elance - Battle Royale: iPhone, Pre, Android, BlackBerry, And Windows Mobile
Palm - Palm Developer Network

Want To Be Part Of Something? Join An Elance Group

Elance_Mike — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:30:55 -0700

Saying you’re a professional provider at such-and-such technology is one thing. Differentiating yourself as an affiliated expert provider in an officially branded group is another — a totally different animal, to be more precise. With the introduction of Elance Groups, the latter is now a reality.

Here’s the rundown: Nearly a dozen companies at launch with many more on their way have worked with us to organize sub-communities on Elance where qualifying providers gain membership to a branded 'group' and enjoy the benefits of recognition. Each group has its own membership requirement, which can vary from passing a specific Elance Skill Test (e.g. Microsoft Office Access) to providing proof of a 3rd party credential (e.g. PayPal Certified Developers).

Here’s an example: Say you’re a graphic designer very well-versed in Photoshop. Your skills are sharp, and you decide you want to join the Adobe Photoshop Experts group, which in this case requires passing Elance's Adobe Photoshop CS4 Skill Test. You pass, join the group, and next thing you know, you have a shiny new badge on your provider profile page for all to see.

Let’s check the flipside of the equation: As an employer, one of the features of groups is that you’ll be able to instantly recognize providers who have made the effort to demonstrate their specific skills, making it easier than ever to find somoene with the skills you are looking for.

Check out the groups directory in the new 'Browse' section, where it's easier than ever to shop for talent that you need. Got an idea for a new group? Drop us a note at groups (at) elance.com.

Elance Online Work Index: The Need For Killer Content

Elance_Alex — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:23:27 -0700

One of the larger overarching trends we’ve noticed since the inception of the Elance Online Work Index several months ago was the steadily rising increase in the need for written content in a number of forms.

The data speaks for itself. Article Writing has moved up three out of the past four months all the way to the number two spot, while Web Content has maintained a footing in the top 10 for the past four months. Online Writing, Content Writing, Copywriting, and Academic Writing have hung around in the top 50 for the past four months as well.

But why the sudden gold rush for high-quality written content? As someone who obviously spends a lot of time stringing a few words together in an online fashion, I can break down the sudden thirst for internet content in three main points:

1. Community Building: Having a noticeable presence online is almost as important as having a noticeable presence in the real world. Publishing online content in the form of blogs, newsletters, and more gives your customers, patrons, and readers a humanizing perspective of your business and also provides a channel for you to build a relationship with current and prospective customers. Online content also offers something for your client base to discuss with each other, creating a buzz that can reach even farthest corners of the web.