Once you created your account in oDesk as a contractor,worker or provider, you will have an option to choose between signing up as freelance or as an affiliate. What is the difference between the two? Freelance or affiliate, which one is better? What are the pro’s and con’s when you choose one over the other?
You must know the advantages and disadvantages between freelance and affiliate before you start your career in oDesk. Here are some helpful information that may serve as your basis:
Freelance
- Freelancers are those who work solo, they are their own boss.
- Freelancers are guided by their own principles; no one will tell them how long or when to start working, as long as they have an output on or before the deadline.
- Working solo, they are more specialized in a particular skill, so they can only apply or accept jobs which are best suited for their skills.
- If you are a freelancer, you are fully responsible of delivering the output to the employer, so regardless if you are sick, busy, or have other things to accomplish, you cannot just back out or quit because it can ruin your reputation.
Affiliate
- An affiliate is a team of individual workers which is composed of a manager and members or affiliates.
- Affiliates may be guided by certain rules to work effectively as a team. They may have a set of guidelines regarding working hours and work ethics.
- Affiliate is a team which comprises of members with different skills and capabilities that work hand-in-hand to come up with a successful project. Since they cover a wide range of skills, they also have a broader selection of job opportunities.
- Under affiliate program, in case you cannot do your assigned task, the manager can always assign it to other team members so that the output can be produced within the deadline.
Freelance or affiliate? Now that you already know the basics, it will be easier for you to figure out where you are more comfortable with. You should choose the type that best suits your schedule and availability. In the end, what matters most is the quality of your accomplished tasks and your attitude towards work which will help you become successful be it freelance or affiliate.
