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oDesk Interview Answers from Real Freelancers
We asked each freelancer participant in the case study for interview answers to a set of good questions for virtual assistants. Look around to get a glimpse into the lives of VA’s from all around the world!
Case Studies:
Kareeza
Age: 23
Muntinlupa, Philippines
Shailesh
Age: 30
Pune,
India
Maria B
Age: 25
Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
The interview questions
To get the background about these persons, we asked them for:
- their name
- how old they are
- and where they are from
Because it is interesting to see why different freelancers have been inspired to do online jobs, we asked for their story.
- How they came to work as a freelancer?
- Why the specifically choose the outsourcing website oDesk.
- And if they have used other freelancing websites and why?
To illustrate how tough or easy it is to get a job on oDesk, we asked:
- “How long did it take you to get the first assignment on oDesk and how you struggled during that period?”
Next, we wanted clear answers about money questions:
- What’s a good hourly rate?
- What’s a bad hourly rate?
- What sort of work you are willing to do at this specific hourly rate?
- What hourly rate is so low that it represents abuse?
- Did you think it was possible to earn money online and what changed your mind?
Then, we asked a few more personal questions:
- What motivates you as a freelancer?
- What gives you the extra motivation?
- How do you handle criticism?
Our oDesk interview answers would not have been completed if we didn’t get a few success stories and unusual experiences from them.
Also, it was interesting to hear about their personal outlook on
- What the most challenging thing is that can happen to a freelancer?
- Do they see there their future is very bright?
In general, most freelancers do not work for a very high numbers of employers at the same time. Still, we asked for the high score out of curiosity.
Then, we insisted that the oDesk workers explained in their interview answers exactly how they did it to
- be successful with getting jobs,
- being discovered with the cover letter
- and winning the online interview.
We also asked for extensive information about their cost of living for their respective countries.
- How much they could earn at a normal job?
- How did their friends and family react to them doing freelancing jobs?
Getting all sorts of different interview answers from oDesk freelancers resulted in interesting outlooks on how working online on oDesk really functions.
Why You Need An Email Marketing Assistant To Be A Successful Online Entrepreneur
Do you know that your subscriber list is your most valuable asset in your online business? Having an email marketing assistant help you
- build the list
- get more leads and subscribers
- and analyze the statistics and data from your subscribers
speeds up your success with your online business at least ten times.
What if you are not an expert on email marketing? How are you going to explain things to your virtual assistant?
I was in the exact situation. Luckily, the best email marketing system, Aweber, comes equipped with LOTS of training materials, videos and discussions. It’s simple to send your virtual assistant to the Aweber interface, and give him some time to figure things out.
Since the first month with Aweber is almost free (1$), you have enough time to train your email marketing assistant before spending lots of money for nothing.
Simplify your email marketing efforts
The goal is that you can send your virtual assistant a simple form of the newsletter content
- an email
- a word document shared via Dropbox
- a simple voice recording that he has to transcribe first – this is the fastest method, but it requires your proof reading
and he can format, fine-tune and set it up in your email marketing system.
He can
- set up links,
- include images
- even split test messages,
- or set up blog newsletters and more for you.
The best of both worlds
- Free time to manage your online business.
- An effective email marketing strategy set up by your virtual assistant in a fraction of the time it would have taken yourself.
What about analytics?
If you have a big subscriber list already, you probably know that you are sitting on a big amount of valuable data and statistics. But who has the time?
Luckily, if you have entrusted your marketing assistant with it, he can dig into the data, dice and splice it and give you valuable suggestions:
Your subscribers jump off the wagon after the 10th email? Perhaps there is something wrong with its content.
Free up your time and stay productive.
What does an email marketing assistant cost you?
Good question. What is your free time worth to you?
An administrative assistant that is not yet trained with email marketing can be found for 1-2$/hour on Odesk. You’ll need some initial time to train him, using Aweber’s training tools.
Then, he can do transcription and formatting of your email content which you have to deliver to him.
Depending on how many newsletters you set up, you’ll pay him on an as-needed basis.
Easy, right?
If you instruct your email marketing assistant efficiently, your return of investment will be huge.
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