peopleperhour.com - anyone use this? Help me with my first bid pls

[betabaker]

peopleperhour.com is a website where freelancers can bid for work - it's not always the lowest bid that wins but the best. Often the employers offering the work are freelance themselves or at least self-employed.
Any feedback for me? Any advice on a winning bid - style, format, CV-based?

Hi

As a freelancer who has posted jobs I'd say:

• Talior your message - I know this sounds obvious, but you should see some of the cut and paste jobs I have seen.
• Try to bring relevant experience into the bid at the top. As a job poster faced with 35 bids for a data collection job, I went with somebody who mentioned understanding the market I was looking for.
• Don't assume that the job poster will click through to your profile, so make sure you have a taliored statement about who you are which uses powerful phrases (eg I reached Director level, or I was awarded x - if there are things you can spin like that).
• Reassure about your availibity to do the job - some have a really quick turnaround.

As a freelancer who has won jobs I'd say:

• Include a photo on your profile - it makes you seem more human.
• Search your competition to see what comes in a search, learn from their profiles as to what to include on yours. Occassionally job posters will search and invite people to bid, so you need to make your profile strong and searchable.
• Your bidding "strategy" needs to relect your needs.

• If you are looking for anything for the money, then I'd sugget getting in there quick (I think you can receive an email message each time a relevant job is posted) and bidding under the budget. That isn't to say that all job posters choose somebody quickly, but I wonder if they do stop looking after the 30th application has come in etc. I noticed that a successful "competitor" to me, always gets in there first asking a clarification question and then is one of the first to submit a bid.
• If you are looking to build experience and testimonials, then maybe bid low in order to build up ratings on the site and testimonials to use elsewhere (on your website/LinkedIn profile).
• If you are using it as a "top up" for work elsewhere, then I'd be choosy about what you bid for (because a taliored message takes time) - is it paying enough money for the time it will take and do you have relevant enough experience to have a fair chance?

If you are selected I'd use the PPH email system to communicate with people you haven't worked for before (just incase they are looking to scam you) and always push for feedback - if you think it will be good - once the job is done as that helps with winning other work as you are "tried and tested".

PPH doesn't pay as well as "RL" I find, but it is a good way to earn some quick money and build experience.

I have also tried freelancer.co.uk, odesk.com and elancer.com and I prefer PPH and it pays the most out of all of them.

HTH

Good luck!
WS

wow, thanks so much for taking the time to write that - really helpful advice. Will get on with my bid straight away. Quick money is what I need!

Really useful - plan to start using this to bid for work. Thanks ws

I strongly advise you to not use peopleperhour, I've been very recently scammed by them directly, not users of their website, but directly peopleperhour.com. You can read my full story here peopleperhourscam.blogspot.com/2013/08/pph-blocked-my-account-with-my-money.html

I agree with pbradley, don't use PPH. I prefer SEOClerks (you can bid on jobs here or trade them here) and sometimes use Gigbucks (can't bid but can list).

Yes I agree. Steer clear and try Elance,