oDesk XVII

[ikaela]

^I get the cheapest, 80%-20% co-pay pa. Halos wala naman kasi nagkakasakit sa amin -- for peace of mind lang if something catastrophic happens. So about 11K for my husband and I (we're in our 30s). It's about 2K+ for our infant child. Then plan is the Select Standard ward, which provides 500K per illness per lifetime coverage (meron per year instead of per lifetime, per syempre, mas mahal). Yung website ng Blue Cross, they have a calculator for computing the premium for the plan you want.

[heavensent]

^for me and my daughter sana, full payment ba siya?

[ikaela]

^Full payment syempre subject to their terms. Check out the brochures na lang on their website, sis, dun sa download part.

[heavensent]

^direct ba sa site if mag avail ako or may agent pa?

[virt_train]

Hello mga sis...kumusta na kayo...ang tagal ko na pala wala sa gt ah...nice to be back

[Harper]

Sis Ikaela, planning to get one too.  Candidate na ako for tonsillectomy, in case I avail their plan this month, pwede ko na kaya yan magamit kaagad?

[freelancer_babe]

Hi to all,

been using odesk since 2008 pero napansin ko ngayon, actually last year pa sobrang hirap na makakuha ng new client.. I dont know if ako lang ba dahil hindi ako 100% focused sa Odesk ngayon.

Same here sis.

Unahan na sa projects, at least sa skillset ko.

Dati rati yung mga projects na nakapost pa days earlier, may possibility na mahire ka.

Ngayon yung mga projects na kakapost pa lang, wala pang 1 hour more than 50 applicants na.

Kung nasa top 20 applicants ka, may possibility na mainterview ka.

[izabelle]

^ oo sis pansin ko nga din e.. iniisip ko nga, baka lang hindi kasi ako naka focused ng 100% ngayon sa odesk dahil i have full time work, pero hindi din e mahirap lang talaga kumuha ng client ngayon.

[ikaela]

For those asking about Blue Cross, naku, better you ask the company directly. They can offer you the sure answers that I can't, and, also, baka ma-off-topic na tayo. To contact them pala, just use the email form on their website. The person who replied to me was someone based closer to my home address. So parang siya na rin ang naging agent ko.

[freelancer_babe]

^ oo sis pansin ko nga din e.. iniisip ko nga, baka lang hindi kasi ako naka focused ng 100% ngayon sa odesk dahil i have full time work, pero hindi din e mahirap lang talaga kumuha ng client ngayon.

^^ Iba na ang clients ngayon. Lahat ng nakausap ko gusto ng fast reply. Fast hire, fast reply, fast results. Pabor nga lang ito sa mga nagfu-fulltime sa freelancing.

Ganun ko na nakuha ang mga bagong projects ngayon. Napansin ko kasi, pag nasa interview status ka na, inaaward nila sa kung sino ang mauuna at makulit magreply.

[wandergirl1980]

Hi to all,

been using odesk since 2008 pero napansin ko ngayon, actually last year pa sobrang hirap na makakuha ng new client.. I dont know if ako lang ba dahil hindi ako 100% focused sa Odesk ngayon.

I agree sis. Since last year hirap na din ako makakuha ng stable na clients sa Odesk. Although marami pa rin naman work, marami din ang ka-kumpetensya. I do writing and I hate it kapag ang tanong agad ng client is how many articles can you write in an hour or how long can you finish a 500-word article. Para kasing nawawala na rin yung novelty ng writing kapag minamadali eh to think hindi naman laging andyan ang ideas or free-flowing ang creativity mo. Nakakainis pero I think that's the way it is now. I'm just grateful maganda ang pasok ng 2014 sa akin as far as workflow is concerned

[Harper]

Thanks sis Ikaela, and sorry kung na OT na

[aryhanie]

Hi to all,

been using odesk since 2008 pero napansin ko ngayon, actually last year pa sobrang hirap na makakuha ng new client.. I dont know if ako lang ba dahil hindi ako 100% focused sa Odesk ngayon.

Hi Sis, bago lang ako dito... Been working on oDesk din since 2011, eto kasi nagpa'graduate saken, 20k/mo for my first 2 jobs na magkasabay, 4 lang kasi sub ko nun at wala ng pag'asa makatapos... anyways, sa ngayon, pahirapan na nga, may mga indians/bangladeshi/pakistani na kasi na about .10-.50/hr ang rate.. pero may pinoy namang manager, ini'hire nya ako last dec for a test, pero may pinapasok pala syang mga friends na walang experience at new pa, thoughts ko lang, eh need kasi ng client nya ng quality, feeling down na lang ako sa kanya kasi professionalism pa naman nasa overview nya..

[freelancer_babe]

Mukhang nagpi-pickup na rin ang mga freelance projects. 5 interviews na ako, 2 doon mga invites lang. Di na ako nakakapag-apply for about 3 to 4 days na.

Pero yun lang nakakadisappoint, kasi yung iba nag-a-undercut ng rate. May nag-interview sa akin kahapon gusto pa sa fixed price nya na mababa ang pay (easy task naman ang pagawa at long term raw). May low-paying gig (low lang ng konti sa usual rate ko) na nahire ako noong start ng January - either ipataas ko ang rate or quit ako.

Anyone experiencing the same?

[wandergirl1980]

I've had my share of clients na nag-u-undercut ng rate, actually marami-rami din sila. Ang rule ko kasi, kung wala akong experience sa ipinagagawa sa akin at promising ang position (long-term at continuous work) willing ako mag-baba ng rate pero as much as possible not lower that $4.50/hr. Since I mostly do content writing, I've encountered many clients na makikipag-negotiate and I'm ok to negotiate my hourly rate (for writing) hanggang $6/hr. And upfront sinasabi ko na na I am not the type of writer na magp-produce ng 8-10 articles in a day, kung ganun ang gusto nila they are free to look for another contractor. Kahit super easy task pa yan, I don't think it's fair na mag-propose ng super baba na rate lalo na kung matagal-tagal ka na sa Odesk, kasi you've earned a place already. Yes it's getting more competitive pero yun nga din it's a matter of conviction.

[wandergirl1980]

Anyway, vent out na rin ako ng konti. I have this female Australia client na gusto ko ng bitawan. I work for her as virtual assistant, though most of my tasks involve writing pa rin (articles, web page copy, sales letter, etc.). I've been with her for nearly two months na and lately napapansin ko lahat ng ginagawa kong writing job ine-edit nya ng 90% then ipapa-re-write nya sa akin using her own wordings.   After I'd do what she wants she'd send me back the write up and say it's still not conveying the message she wants. In the first place, parang sya na rin ang gumawa nun kasi kinakatay nya ng bonggang-bongga yung mga ginagawa ko. Her website targets small business owners na wala pang website at hesitant makisabay sa technology. She wants the wordings "short & simply stupid" and I always have that in mind each time I'd write a copy, article, or sales letter. Still di pa rin daw nakukuha yung gusto nya. It's frustrating. I could perhaps easily accept her opinions if I was writing nonsense or not following her instructions. But when you feel you're adhering to her demands naman and it's still not enough parang it's a losing battle and we're both wasting our time. I'm considering about letting her go na especially given her last email. Any thoughts mga sis?

[freelancer_babe]

^ Sayang sana early on nakapag quit ka na sa female aussie client mo. Because you can return the money para wala ka nang negative feedback risk. Since you are two months into working for her, I'm sure masakit sa loob ang full refund - she can either ask for it or you are willing to give that refund in exchange for no feedback at all, as if you never got hired in that project.

Anyhow, the way I see it I think you'll quit sooner or later as she is difficult to work with. If she gives you negative feedback bawi ka na lang sa mga future clients. Be prepared to answer in a positive way during interviews, why you have that negative feedback. Some clients (usually mga barat ones... LOL) ask about that.

Charge to experience sis. I've been there. Pili ka ng clients na mababait next time or quit early on habang konti lang ang work that you can still afford a full refund.

[Harper]

Look for a new employer, a high-paying or stable one, before quitting your job with Australian client.  At least at this point, wala ka pang feedback from her.  You can still refund her the money para ma-erase ang negative feedback, in case she gives you one kahit months or years na have passed.  Syempre medyo malulugi ka at first, but a good profile will open to more job opportunities - think of it as an investment.

[yanchee]

Hi mga sis. Ask ko lang kung meron dito sa atin nagpay ng tax?  if yes pahelp naman kung paano gawa? Thanks in advance

[friendlyneighbor]

It's been a while na rin na di ako nakabisita dito. Sa sobrang hirap makakuha ng matinong client,  nahihirapan akong magdecide kung igigive up ko yung isang job ko. Nag 90 hours na kasi ako mga sis, si 1st client ko, secured long term job talaga sya, 2 years na ako sa kanya,  50 hours ako dito dahil only agent nila. My 2nd client, data entry, flexible time, mabait si client, mas malaki rate ko dito compared to my 1st client, malaki magbigay ng bonus but not sure kung hanggang kelan. Ang usapan namin before ang project in only for 3 months but still ongoing pa rin at mag 1 year na ako sa kanya. Kaya ngayon, ngarag na ngarag. Pero worth it naman kasi  laki naman ng sahod.