oDesk XVII

[jazzygelable]

My financial account just got suspended and I have pending earnings worth P12k+. It is my fault din so I just wanna share for the benefit of the others here.

This is what happened. Six months ago, I got contracted to be the tech writer of a company. My client started a contract for $100 to try me out. They liked my work so we had another 4 contracts of the same amount so bale naging repeat client ko na sila. For the sixth contract, my client told me she'd like to pay tru paypal. Since I trusted that client naman because they pay me on time, I accepted. I know I'm at fault din since I should have insisted on getting paid via odesk for the 6th-8th contract.

Nagtataka lang ako kasi it's been three months since my last communication with that client and just a while ago I got the message na, "We’re writing to let you know that your account has been suspended as you have been flagged for offering/accepting to be paid outside of oDesk, which is considered disintermediation and is against our Payments policy"

I've sorted this problem with live support already and they told me they'll be reinstating my account since this is my first offense daw. I just have to sign a document with a promise that I'll never do that again.

[Harper]

Sis Hanna1, if you are paid by number of active posts, lugi ka jan ha.  Walang care si client sa quality ng websites, as long mka-post ng advertisement, spamming na yun. 

Ganito na lang sis, wag ka mag-post sa mga body building websites and forums, hanap ka ng forums na about: how to make money online,  paano mag-advertise online and blogs teaching how to make money online, affiliate programs, advertisements -- isip ka na lang ng iba pa.  Dun ka mag-post and comment ng customized message, ex. sagutin mo yung poster before you, then i-offer mo yung program niyo.  It would be better if you can site advantages ng AP na prinopromote nyo, before posting your link.
At least in line pa din ang comment mo sa topic.

One way to avoid being banned is to check the previous posts kung nakakalagay ba sila ng links, kapag wala, pwede na wala lang talagang nag-post ng link, moderated ang website or automatic na banned ang nagp-post ng links. 

And avoid the phrase 'make money online'

[Harper]

Thanks for sharing sis jazzygelable!  Dati ko kasing client for 2+ years, outside Odesk kami nagw-work, grabe nakakatakot naman yan.

Paano nalaman ng Odesk na nagkaroon kayo ng transaction ni client through Paypal?

[izabelle]

My financial account just got suspended and I have pending earnings worth P12k+. It is my fault din so I just wanna share for the benefit of the others here.

This is what happened. Six months ago, I got contracted to be the tech writer of a company. My client started a contract for $100 to try me out. They liked my work so we had another 4 contracts of the same amount so bale naging repeat client ko na sila. For the sixth contract, my client told me she'd like to pay tru paypal. Since I trusted that client naman because they pay me on time, I accepted. I know I'm at fault din since I should have insisted on getting paid via odesk for the 6th-8th contract.

Nagtataka lang ako kasi it's been three months since my last communication with that client and just a while ago I got the message na, "We’re writing to let you know that your account has been suspended as you have been flagged for offering/accepting to be paid outside of oDesk, which is considered disintermediation and is against our Payments policy"

Paano nalaman ng Odesk? sinabi ng dating client mo?

[jazzygelable]

^that's what i don't know. kasi i've already contacted my client and wala naman daw siyang sinasabeng ganon. we are in good terms naman so i see no reason kung baket niya ako irereport since magkakaproblem din siya if ever.

my guess is that may nagsumbong na colleague ko. baka hindi sila nagkaintindihan ng isa sa mga new hired niya so nagreport sa odesk. si Odesk naman inassume na lahat ng past contractors nung client ko eh ganun.

in my case, di naman ako makapagrefute kasi nga totoo naman na tumanggap ako via paypal. pero in my defense naman, it's not as if nilabas namen sa odesk from the very beginning yung trabaho.

[seTHer]

^sa odesk message center ba kayo nag uusap sis ni client? recently may nabasa kasi akong ganun, dun nalaman ni odesk yung set up at na suspend yung account nya.

[jazzygelable]

medyo matagal na yung contract na yun but im sure sa skype inoffer yung via paypal na payments. baka napansin ng odesk na maliit earnings ko as compared before? medyo far fetch naman yun kasi we have the prerogative to do projects on the pace that we want.

[freelancer_babe]

Mahirap nga ang sitwasyon na yan sis. Sa kwento mo parang nasuspend ka na lang nang walang mabigat na proof na talagang gusto mo outside oDesk.

Parang di naman tama na magsuspend na lang sila dahil may nagsumbong lang at walang patunay pa sa sumbong na yun.

Lesson learned: Huwag lang sa odesk umasa ng 100% earnings, lalo na kung yun lang talaga ang ikinabubuhay ng pamilya. 

[jazzygelable]

yes medyo unfair nga although i accept na im at fault din. buti na lang im not fulltime sa odesk. i have an office job kaya lang yung sweldo ko enough lang sa expenses ko. i decided to sideline sa odesk para may maipon naman ako so savings ko yung mga earnings ko sa site.

ngayon, they just reinstated my account so agad agad akong nagwithdraw kahet wala pa talaga akong balak. mahirap na at baka di ko na talaga makuha. 

[saskia]

I just want to share an Odesk milestone for me. I've been working drom Odesk for a little over 2 years now and been working with an Australian client for 2 years na din. Last year they mentioned that they want to invite me over to show me their warehouses and to train me hands on. I have little hope that it will happen, not because i don't believe in their offer but because i don't think my visa will be granted. It was supposed to be 3rd quarter of last year but our schedules wouldn't match so it was moved and set to 1st quarter of this year. 

They send me certified true copies of their company documents and send the visa fee and other expenses via Odesk (plane ticket, accommodations, meals and visa processing fee shouldered by them). I lodged my visa application wednesday last week and today i received the news. Visa granted! For someone like me, who doesn't have hefty bank statements, no properties owned and never been out of the country, i know it's a long shot. But thankfully, they grant me one.

Since i am working full time in Odesk, what i provided them are certified true copy of my certificate of earnings (from odesk), list of my contracts in Odesk (2012-present/both current and ended), detailed earnings by client (especially the one from my Australian client) and history of payments (transaction history from 2012-present).

May this inspire others that freelancing (specifically in Odesk) can also be as exciting as when you have a regular job. It may not be for everyone but i know a lot of successful odesk stories. I should know, because when i was just starting in odesk, those successful and inspiring stories also inspired me and made me decide to give odesk a shot.

Sharing blessing dusts to all! God bless!

[ikaela]

^Inspiring stories like yours are the highlight of these oDesk threads. Congratulations saskia!

[saskia]

^ thank you ikaela. I just want to help others who might also receive  invitations from their clients to visit their offices. I remembered last year, i asked on the old thread stories of freelancers that got invited for a business trip ooc but i wasn't able to find any. So now, i want to share that it's possible (of course, i'm talking based on my experience na full time odesk, no properties owned, no fat bank accounts and never been out of the country).

[lanshop2010]

@saskia, thank your for your inspiring story. I remember reading here a story of one particular oDesk contractor who claimed she was eventually hired by her client. According to her post, she was offered a job directly and was about to leave for that country. I just don't know what happened after that.

But there are many scams with regards to such kind of offers. My brother was working for a Canadian client and the client offered him job to be hired officially as part of their company as a graphic designer. My brother got excited but I was doubtful. When his oDesk hours were used up, he was not given any more time and was asked to work more since he was told there was a deadline in bringing up the web site and his work papers were being processed already. Several days had gone by but still no papers. When he followed up the matter and his doubts begin to mount, he received several emails form supposed to be different company officers to be patient and wait for the papers. A person claiming to be Filipino and said to be living already in Canada even contacted him to allay his fears.

After several days of free work, which was the risk my brother accepted if the offer turns out be false or scam, my brother and his wife realized it was a scam to make him work for free. My brother did had doubts in the beginning and he risked several days of working without pay just in case the offer was true. My brother did earn from this client at high rates previously, that's why he had hopes that the offer is real.

That's a lesson we learned. If the client is sincere, he will not ask you to work for free, that would be unprofessional. The best policy is to stop working as soon as the hours given in oDesk runs out. Be careful of their lines  such as follows:
1. regular work if you do good
2. offer to work outside odesk (if you agree to this, always do this verbally via skype, never type anything in skype or via odesk messaging that can be captured electronically)
3. offer to be hired officially (like what they did to my brother)

I noticed some clients play on our desires for regular work, higher pay, dream of working overseas, for them to exploit us or give us false hopes so they can get a good output from us.

I don't mind giving good output, but I do mind being played. Ingat lang po sa inyo.

[lanshop2010]

@saskia, if you don't mind, may I know what is the nature of your work in oDesk? You seemed to have done a very good job for them and they are very impressed to make all that trouble to invite and train you. My brother and I are looking for job skills in oDesk that we want to concentrate on to learn and where competition is less but the pay rate is high.

[lanshop2010]

@jazzygelable, dati nasuspend din financial account ko. Dahil yung isa kong naging client, na involve sa fraud. Nagsuspetsa yung oDesk na pati mga naging contractor nya involved kaya nadamay ako. Lahat daw kami chineck. Nagpadala ako ng mga proof na panay nga followup ko sa payment at ang tagal magbayad at tianggihan ko na yung mga offers pagktapos noon. Mga screen shot yun ng conversation namin sa skype at mga messages na dumaan sa odesk messaging platform.

Ang kutob ko baka may isang contractor yung client mo na nahuli kaya lahat ng contractors pinagsuspetsahan.

[lanshop2010]

I read with interest all the posts here with regards to taxation. I also did google search this matter and have read the blog articles about taxation when freelancing.

I had the opportunity of putting up micro businesses in the past with all the required legal permits and BIR registrations. The businesses were single proprietary types and the regular paper work requirements were no walk in the park for me. I did hire an accountant retainer just to keep up with the proper way of doing things.

What I read about taxation on freelancing perplexed me. Many suggested a route similar to practicing licensed professionals like doctors, lawyers, consultant engineers, accountants, etc.. From my limited know how, these types of practicing professionals need to issue receipts to their clients. But many don't if you experienced transacting with them. Their BIR registration is similar to businesses with regards to the paper requirement involved. It involves having official receipts and book of accounts and regular document filing. It is quite different when you are an employee.

For me, freelancing on the other hand is more like your local carpenters, plumbers, jeepney drives, bus drivers, shuttle operations, etc., who work only when there are jobs available. The only difference I see is the perception that online freelancers earn more or are more prestigious, which of course may not really be the case.

If you ask different officer of the days in the BIR, you'll get different answers. I was told by my previous accountant that some BIR employees give the wrong information because the topic of taxation is so wide that not everyone of them will know the correct guide to follow on every given case. This is actually what I experienced with the BIR when I tried officially closing my non operating business. It took me a while to find the right information and requirements to correctly close it in their records.

I still want to consult further this matter with practicing accountants on what the correct registration should be for online freelancers. Somehow I suspect it shouldn't be the same as those for licensed professionals. Many online freelancers are really workers and not licensed professionals.

[lanshop2010]

For those inquiring how much you can earn in oDesk, the answer actually depends on your skill set and how much are you willing to raise your per hour rate in the long run and how much are you willing to spend your time in oDesk and in improving your skills.

For example.
1. My friend started at $1/hr, when the contract finished after several months, her total income was around P30,000. She worked only when there is a  job and she did this as a part time job and a test if we can earn from oDesk.
2. I did some technical writing at $3/article and made around P5,000 after a few contracts but I stopped to concentrate on my internet cafe. I also realized that I got to get into more technical skills to earn better. Writing seems to be not that enjoyable for me if I need to study first what I need to write. And those writing contracts all required me study about their subject which took a lot of time that I think is not worth the pay.
3. My brother started in typing jobs and article writing at $1 to $3 as a part time gig. He then shifted to being a graphic designer with little idea about it and know nothing in photoshop. After 1 year, his average monthly income for the past year was P40,000 to P50,000 and he now knows how to use photoshop and illustrator quite well. He just use the training materials we downloaded and those in youtube. He did this full time after his small business went bust and he had to find a source of income fast. He tried oDesk full time. That is applying for jobs and studying everyday.

He experienced being invited by odesk to an event, cheated several times by clients, had emotional ups and downs when there are many contracts and when a long term contract ended and when he can't be hired, and he was also recognized by odesk as being in the top 10 earner.

4. My brother met one web developer/programmer who is earning greater than P100,000 a month. But that guy had been working in odesk for several years now and his hourly rate is above $20 per hr and has jobs also outside odesk. This guy was able to buy a house and lot and a car thru his earnings in odesk.

5. My brother just heard about a husband and wife graphic designer team that is a friend of his barkada that are also full time odesk contractors and also were able to buy a house and lot and a car thru working in odesk.

I guess that's the range I think those new to oDesk want to hear. The reward in working in oDesk can be big but be ready for hard work, continuous study and the emotional roller coaster when dealing with clients. Good luck!

[saskia]

^ hi sis, for thia aussie client, they are a company that offer blinds, security and screen installations all across oz. i started with processing orders. Basically encoding them in the system and scheduling installations. Then i started monitoring installation phasing too, then now i'm also the one sending the quotes to the clients (inquiring stage orior to ordering).

[freelancer_babe]

I just want to share an Odesk milestone for me. I've been working drom Odesk for a little over 2 years now and been working with an Australian client for 2 years na din. Last year they mentioned that they want to invite me over to show me their warehouses and to train me hands on...

finally! natuloy ka na rin. I remember having replied to this.

I suspect that you applied for a business visa instead of the tourist one. Yun nga ba sis?

Swerte mo sis. Very rare ang tulad mo na naiinvite overseas to see how the operations are (OK, actually ikaw pa lang ang narinig ko na nainvite overseas). Most clients in odesk hire people at the other side of the work for the sake of cutting labor costs. It's also common to see clients who visit the country even just once to actually meet their freelancers in person. Baligtad nangyari sa iyo.

Alagaan mo mabuti client mo. Baka matulad ka rin ng sinasabi ni lanshop na may nakuha abroad to work.

4. My brother met one web developer/programmer who is earning greater than P100,000 a month. But that guy had been working in odesk for several years now and his hourly rate is above $20 per hr and has jobs also outside odesk. This guy was able to buy a house and lot and a car thru his earnings in odesk.

Yup, yan sana ang gusto kong pasukin. Hardcore programming talaga. The rates of experienced ones really exceed $20/hr. If programming skills is quite rare/hot, it is even possible to earn P200k per month (Android programmers now earn roughly $5000/month in freelancing nowadays).

However, P100k+ a month is also a rate that is also given to 5+ years experienced programmers working in private firms in Manila (I've been checking Jobstreet, JobsDB, etc). Difference is, the ones working in the offices/telecommuting are (probably) paying taxes and enjoying other benefits, company-paid trainings, medical, health, SSS, etc., while the one working in the house - pwedeng makalusot sa taxation and even choose not to maintain any medical, health, SSS and other benefits while (maybe) enjoying work-life balance. (That makes $20/hr already a bit on the low side for freelancers who are into web development/programming).

(If P100k+ is offered to programmers working in Manila offices, imagine the wages these programmers can get if they choose to work overseas.)

I tried, but it is difficult to break into this without a very good portfolio to show and a good working experience to boot. Mas nahirapan akong magprove ng portfolio because you have to know more than the basics. Unlike those in graphic design, one sample takes time to build - weeks or months - and that's just one sample. Unlike in the offices, you are not paid for the time to get trained for a new programming skill (unless you get very lucky with a client).

But of course, there are those who are able to break in without much experience or even a portfolio to show!

I also found some programmer-freelancers who jump between freelancing to office then back to freelancing - I think because of the same experience as that of mine that they also have to build experience with a new programming language until the time they are able to build a portfolio and deeper experience with the skill, quit their jobs and go freelancing once again.

[freelancer_babe]

@jazzygelable, lanshop:

All the more that we have to find alternative ways of earning income in addition to odesk. Mula nang nagpalit ang odesk ng management, very risky na ang mga financial accounts. Ang bilis nilang magsuspend. At dahil lang sa nagkataon na may problema sa isang client! 

If not have fulltime job, then probably an offline business, or another online business, or even work for another freelance site. oDesk is still great in meeting clients, pero yun lang I don't strongly recommend to newcomers in having that site as your sole source of income.