RentACoder is one of the most popular sites on the net for freelancing seekers. Actually, I started working in RAC - AKA: RentACoder - since May, 2006. Till now, I completed nearly 12 projects with different scales. However, I see many Egyptian coders are facing problem specially in the starting phase. Some related to strategy in getting a new bid and some is not related to the Coders skills itself, it's related to their way in getting a deal.
In your starting phase, always remember that you haven't anything to encourage buyers to choose you for their projects. You haven't created any projects neither been rated yet. So, my advise is to apply in many projects with a relative low cost. Don't think when you apply to a project that you will get it. It's not always guaranteed. In my starting phase in RAC, I applied for nearly 24 projects and finally get only one! The buyer needs a coder who can trust to complete the work. His trust comes - in most of the cases - from the coders rate and previous projects. But actually you haven't got that yet.
In choosing your project, try to read carefully the requirements and any attached documents with the bid request. This will help you to identify if you can do the job or not. Don't bid for thing you can't do. Bid only for projects you think you can do or even you will be able to do.
Another point here, make your bids reasonable. Fixing bugs, for example, is not like building enterprise project. Consider your bids well and put in your mind that many buyers considers many other things other than the financial cost. Buyers not always choose the lower bid!
After you finished your first project, put in your consideration the next cost of your project. For example, if your first project was $100 cost, your next one shouldn't be less than that. Try to invest your experience.
During the development, try always to know your buyer characteristics. Some buyers need daily reports about your work, other not. Formulate your behavior depending on the buyers characteristics. This sure will affect your rating and your client satisfaction.
Try to gain the buyer loyalty. Buyers tends to use coders who gives them the best service. Try to build a good relationships with your buyers. This sometimes needs you to be more flexible in your dealing.
Now you have collected a reasonable amount of money, and you need to get the cash. RentACoder gives you 3 choices for the payment. Two of them are suitable for Egyptian coders. The first one (the cheapest) is receiving a check by mail with the specified money. The problem here is that the check is issued from "Bank of America", which has no branches here in Egypt. You will have to go to your international bank to transfer the fund to your bank account. This will take nearly 30 days.
The other choice (the expensive one) is to get the money through Western Union. This is a money transfer company which have many branches in the world and in Egypt as well. RentACoder will send you the money to Western Union, and you get paid from any Western Union branch here in Egypt. Western Union takes a percentage from the money transferred. But the good news here is that you got the money (in dollars) within the same day (or next day maximum) of sending.
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In the last December 2007, this blog hosted a quick survey to measure the different aspects of the software employers inside Egypt. I am glad to announce that there is another independent initiative showing up these days. Hewitt - a provider of HR outsourcing and consulting services - launches the Best Employers in Middle East 2009 study. The study aims to honor the leading organizations of Middle East as outstanding places to work. Hewitt conducts its Best Employer research in a number of markets, including Eastern Europe, Canada, Latin America and Asia. This survey is designed to be the largest employee research project ever undertaken in Middle East. Hewitt invites all the employers in the Middle East to participate in this survey. The survey will show how effective is your organization and wither it provides a workplace that engages the intellectual and emotional commitment of your employees or not. The study will provide a level of confidentiality so that the names of all participating organizations will be strictly confidential at all points of time. The exception will be those organizations that will be honored as a Hewitt Best Employer in Middle East.
