The 1st of our weekly interviews.

Morning all,

It's been a while, but since we last spoke I have been lucky enough to pick the brains of 5 oDeskers. Today we'll speak with Rebecca Haden, a successful copywriter and SEO expert.

So without further ado lets find out what Rebecca has to say about her oDesk & freelancing experience.

Name: Rebecca Haden

Age: much older than everyone else in this business

Location: Fayetteville, AR, a very beautiful university town in the Ozarks.

When did you first begin working as a freelance writer?

I’ve done some freelance writing on the side for decades; I went full time in 2008.

How did you discover oDesk?

I got a job announcement in an email from Indeed.com for which I felt highly qualified. It was through oDesk, so I signed up there in order to apply for it.

When was that?

September 2008

So how long did it take you to get your first job on oDesk?

I got that first job – so one day, I guess.

Tell us about your first project.

I blogged for that client for a couple of years. I enjoyed it; I’d do a dozen posts at a time every month or so. Very simple and pleasant.

Did you ever doubt your calling? 

I love what I do. It’s the perfect job for me.

Has telecommuting changed your life?

I earn more than I did as a salaried worker, I don’t have to drive as much, I see my family more, I get to work barefoot. On the other hand, I sleep less, weigh more, and don’t get to go to office parties.

Are you a full time freelancer?

Yes. Actually, it would be more accurate by now to say that I own a business. I have a number of contract workers.

What did you do before you started a freelancing career? 

I taught college. Then, when I had a bunch of babies, I managed a teacher’s store (less travel). That’s where I learned SEO – the owners wanted their online store to make money the way the physical ones did.

Do you think oDesk has changed since you joined? 

No. I like the improvements at the website, but my experience has only changed because of me. That is, I now am too busy to work much at oDesk, and I only take jobs by invitation, so I’m not there much.
 

Do you find the community forums on oDesk a helpful outlet? 

At first, it was useful to me. People like Doreen and some of the others gave me good advice and the discussions were useful. I don’t think it’s very useful for experienced people.

Tell us about a positive experience you have had on oDesk or any other freelance market site.

I’ve never been to any other freelance market sites. I’ve worked with a wonderful group of people at oDesk, and really enjoy the chance to talk with people in other parts of the world. Almost all the experiences I’ve had there, as a contractor and as a buyer, have been excellent.

Have you had any negative experiences? If so how have you dealt with it?

Early on, I applied for a job that looked like a writing job but was one of those horrible gray hat article mill things. I suffered through it and learned to avoid those.

Have you any advice for newcomers?

Set a reasonable rate, apply only for things you’re really qualified for, and constantly improve your skills.

Good advice here guys, take heed! 
 

What do you do in your spare time? I sing in choirs, hang out with family and friends, hike, read. Ordinary stuff.  
 

What is your ultimate dream?

Hmm... my kids tell me I have wimpy goals, and I guess that’s true. There are aspects of my current experience that I might like to upgrade a bit (more travel, a proper desk instead of a hand me down student desk, stuff like that), but I’m really very happy.

Where do you see your career in 5 years?

I currently employ my oldest daughter full time and my younger one quarter time. I’d like to have both my girls working with me full time, and then I won’t have to do anything except the fun stuff. LOL. Otherwise, I intend to continue growing the business as I have been. Hmm. oDesk isn’t in there at all, is it? I hire graphics people there, though, and with continued growth I hope to do more. oDesk will probably continue to bring me occasional surprising and fun clients.

As a freelancer who works from home, how do you separate work from home life?

Badly :)

Do you have set hours you work every day or do you chop and change like me ?

I work most of the time. I keep trying to set a schedule, but I’m not very good at that. I’m still working on it, though.

How’s business?

Quite good. I remember when I first started I was worried. In fact, I wanted a web engineer I work with to hire me. He wanted me to do contract work for him. I told him I wasn’t; temperamentally suited to freelance work, I had tuition to pay for my kids, I needed security. He assured me that he had all the work he could do, all the time. He turned work down. I found that unbelievable, but it’s true for me, too.

I meet people who are unsuccessful freelancing with Internet design and content, but I think that anyone who is skillful and willing to work hard can have all the work they need.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

I like the way oDesk safeguards both contractors and buyers. In my experience, it’s easy to spend a morning applying for things and be set with work for the month without time-consuming interviews and meetings. And then we get paid, for sure. Freelancers so often have to work so hard to collect the money we earn, oDesk gives us the stability of a steady paycheck. I don’t see a lot of appreciation of that in the forum, but it makes me feel secure. 

On a lighter note :
 

Favourite colour: green   

Lucky number: I don’t believe in luck; I’m a very sceptical person. On the other hand, I win things surprisingly frequently, so I guess I’m lucky without believing in it.   

Star sign: Pisces, but see above   

Something to make us smile: Hmm. Well, this may be just for you, but I’ll tell you that I like to think about my distant clients and colleagues in their far-off countries, and I know I probably imagine it all wrong. I’m thinking of you, right now, in your stone cottage with thatched roof, drinking very strong tea while something marvellous bakes in the oven and people hang around singing ballads and playing penny whistles and stuff. I like to imagine my Australian clients with kangaroos bounding along outside their windows. Probably all of us are hanging out with the computer in much the same way, but I like to think it’s all picturesquely global.

I love it :)     

What would you do if you won the lottery? I never buy tickets (see above), but I guess if I did I’d invest lavishly in my business and give a good deal of the money away.      

Tell us a joke: ?! Okay. A mushroom walks into a bar. “I’m sorry,” says the bartender, “we don’t serve your kind here.”

“Oh, come on,” says the mushroom, “I’m a fungi!” (This only works if you pronounce it as “fun guy.”)

:) 

 

I'd like to sincerely thank Rebecca for taking the time to answer my questions and appreciate the honest answers she has shared with us. Her own experiences, I'm sure, will serve as an inspiration to many and her positive attitude is something we should all aspire to.

Thanks Rebecca, you're a star!! :)

Visit Rebecca through her website at www.rebeccahaden.com where you will see how her professionalism, strong work ethics and talent come into play.

Until tomorrow..........  (gotta stop saying that)