I thought that the site Freelancer, was not real. But it is. And I got my first freelance project on this site and was paid---in dollars! Freelancer was used to be called “Get a Freelancer, now they shortened it to just Freelancer. This is a site where you get to bid projects and get paid. Employers will post a project on the site along with the budget they have. Providers from different countries shall then bid on the project. Usually bidders range from as high as $1000 to as low as $30 dollars, depending on the rate of the employer.
I filled up my profile and chose categories that suited me. There are many categories available, from Web Design, Article writing, translations, I.T, and a lot more. I began searching for projects that is related with writing, which is my skill. My eye caught on the project that’s about storyboard writing. Hmmm, seems to me that it’s my forte. I looked at some of the other bidders’ rate, which the highest was $200 and the lowest was $30. So I gave it a try and bid $160.00. Just the right amount I thought. I left a message on the employer’s inbox and introduced myself and told the employer that I was interested on the project. The next day, I got a message from my Freelancer’s inbox. Viola! It’s from that employer that I applied. He gave me a test, more like a sample concept for me to write. I read the concept and started working on it. I submitted the script the same day, and waited for the result. I got another message again from him and told me that the script was interesting and then I’ll be put in their list along with the other applicants. He will contact me again soon, the message said. A week has passed but no message. And another week, but still none. I thought that maybe I didn’t get the project. Two days later, I didn’t open my internet, since I was busy at work. But when I opened my internet at home, and checked on the Freelancer site and inbox, wow, there were like I think 5 messages from the Storyboard project that said I was awarded the project. The last message was if I didn’t I accepted the project within 12 hours the project will be given to someone else. I looked at the time sent and 12 hours have not yet passed. So I immediately clicked on the “accept” button. Whew! That was close! I almost didn’t get the project if I hadn’t opened my inbox. So after a few hours, the employer gave me the project and the concept of what I’m going to write. It took me two days to finish the script and storyboard. The client was impressed with my work and paid me $160 through Freelancer. The client gave me a rating of perfect 10 and a very nice feedback. I was really very happy. A Filipino got the project out of many other foreigners who applied for the project. Hope I will do better again next time. Now, how was the money released or sent to me? That will be in my next story to tell.
