How to Launch an Elance Career, Essay Example

So you are ready to quit the nine to five grind and kick your boss to the curb. You have some skills and figure you can earn a living working from home, freelancing on the internet, or “elancing”. First off, congratulations! All you need now are motivation and contacts. There are many possibilities for elance career success. The site, www.elance.com, offers bid-for-project jobs in a wide variety of fields, including administrative support, writing and editing, design and multimedia, legal, and finance.

On sites like elance.com, www.ifreelance.com, and www.oDesk.com, earnings potential is anywhere from a few thousand for part-time freelancers to as much as $70,000 or more a year. Browse the elance.com providers section to get an idea of earnings potential in your particular field. For the inexperienced freelancer, $10,000 the first year is average.

After gaining some experience in the freelancing world, the potential for income growth is limited only by lack of effort. Build your own website and advertise it on your elance site profiles. You will begin to build a client base beyond what you gain from elance.com. Marketing your freelance business on the internet through social networking profiles and blogs are an easy and free way to get yourself noticed and build your elance career. And remember, your effort is paramount to your success. Make a schedule and stick to it. Create a resume specifically for your freelance career, highlighting relevant experience. Also, check out the going rates in your field, so you don’t under or over charge on jobs. And remember, enjoy yourself. This is your business!