If you are just starting as a freelancer, you probably don’t have a decent portfolio or reviews and feedback from past clients. For that reason, it’s of crucial importance you complete your profile – it is what your potential clients will see before deciding whether to contact you or not.
To help newbie freelancers work around the lack of reviews and feedback, freelance websites have made available skill tests. oDesk and Elance have these skill tests for free, some other websites also have the tests but a freelance consultant can take one or more of them for a certain fee.
Nonetheless, skill tests are a very good way for you to showcase your skills without a proven track record, you know – ‘in theory’ 😉
You often ask me if the English skill test is needed
The answer is “it depends”. There are many and different English skill tests – vocabulary, UK vs US spelling, English sentence structure, editing (Chicago or other style), creative writing, technical writing, blogging, etc.
If you make your living writing content – well, yes, obviously English skill tests are kind of mandatory. Clients on freelance websites more often (if not always) prefer writers who have passed the required tests with flying colors instead of freelancers who have barely passed or did not pass the skill test.
If need be, check out my post about how clients see your freelance application and how it matters if you’ve passed a certain test or not (if it’s a requirement).
For every other non-content writer profession though English skill tests are a bit redundant. A single test demonstrating your Basic English skills would be enough for the client to know that you do know English enough so that there’s no language barrier between you two.
You also ask me if it would help if you took professional skill tests
My experience is with marketing related skill tests on oDesk and Elance as well as content writing. They were all of high quality and show the freelancer’s knowledge of the subject to a good extend. At times they were too theoretical and a person without practical experience could still do well but all in all – the skill tests were good.
I would recommend taking as many professional skill tests as possible, especially if you are just starting. Skill tests results are one of the factors potential clients weigh in when deciding on interviewing someone (or not). Having said this – no skill test is mandatory but let’s put it like this:
If you have taken some skill tests with good score, it could drastically increase your chances of landing your first freelance gig 😉
How to take skill tests
As I said earlier, my experience is with oDesk and Elance skill tests only. On both sites the tests are available for free.
Sometimes I find the tests too theoretical but I believe this is something to be fixed by the platform as a result of continuous feedback from fellow freelancers.
Before you get started with each test, you can what its syllabus is. Once you click the Start button, the system generates your test and you have a certain time to complete it. Usually, the overall time is 40 minutes and you have between 30 seconds and 1.5 minute to answer each question. The time for different questions is different, depending on how complex they are.
There is a minimum score you need to have to pass the test. If you fail the test or don’t like your score, you can make the test result private. You can retake the same test in 1 month.
Another question you ask me about skill tests is when to take them
I’d recommend taking 3 or 4 skill tests in your niche of expertise before you even start bidding on projects. After that you can take as many tests as you want and like – there are no limits.
If you apply to a project and the client requires a specific test – don’t just ignore the requirement. Don’t say you’ll take the test later. Don’t think of different scenarios when you would need or won’t need to take the test. Just take it.
If the client has put that test as a requirement, probably that it was of his filters to short list candidates out of tens or even hundreds of job applicants. And if you have not taken that test, the client would more likely ignore your application and not read your cover letter than giving you a chance to “take the test later”.
Ok, so now what – should I or should I not take skill tests and what? 😀
To sum it up in a few lines:
- Taking the Basic English skills test is recommended but not mandatory.
- If you are a freelance content writer, you should definitely take as many relevant English skill tests as possible
- If you are another type of freelancer (not content writer), it is recommended you take the skill tests which are for your niche of expertise.
Skill tests are of crucial importance when building your freelance profile and applying to projects, especially if you are just starting as a freelancer. The more tests you take, the better.
Don’t rush into taking all tests there are though. The score you pass the test with is also very important. The higher the score, the better the impression you’d make 😉 if you earn a badge of top 10 or top 20 percentile of all freelancers who have taken the test, it will visually differentiate you from the rest of the freelancers who apply for the same job. 😉
If you don’t yet have a freelance profile and you are eager to get started with the skill tests, here are a couple of posts to help you choose – oDesk review and Elance review. Remember – the tests on both sites are available for free (as long as you are registered and logged in).
Hello; I followed you here from the bloggers helping bloggers group. I have no aspirations of being a free lance writer, but if I were; I can tell that your suggestions and other posts would be critical reading to me. I would be happy to hear your opinion of my blog writing style and of one of my posts. I wish you and the other free lancers the best of luck as it is a tough profession. Thanks and take care, max
Thanks for your comment and feedback, Maxwell! I sure hope my posts are useful and helping newbie freelancers. As to your writing style – i am heading over to your blog now – will leave a comment or two if/where i can add value! 😉
I have thought about it but have yet to take action. Because I am dyslexic, I shutter at the thought of a skill test… LOL. I do try hard to deliver a good product but I’m not sure I an ready for the freelance stuff. Thoughts?
Thanks for your comment, Susan! I didn’t know you are dyslexic – it gotta be tough with the tests then, as all of them have a timer ticking. You should be quick indeed – in both reading and figuring out what the answer is…
As to you saying you are not sure if you are ready to be a freelancer – what do you mean? What’s stopping you? What are your concerns? Maybe i could blog about it and address your fears hands-on. I would love to learn more and help!
I had no idea that skill tests were available for free lance editors! That is valuable information for a writer/author like me who is actively seeking editorial help…from developmental to copy…yet not sure how to evaluate editors. Because today, it seems most anyone can call themselves and editor and charge for services. Believe me, this is a big conundrum for writers today. It’s valuable to know that there is a metric available.
Thanks for your comment, Jacqueline! I am glad i could help. There are many and different tests – even English sentence structure; which could be tough if you are a non-native – but can tell you as a client if the non-native writer has decent English – if you are hiring them for ghost writing.
Just for reference – you know my English level by now from my blog (i am writing it LOL) – i scored in the 90th percentile of the sentence structure test and at 60th percentile at the editing test… bottom line – the tests are somewhat accurate!
Great info! I’m a freelance designer and if I would have known about this when I was first starting out, it would have been quite helpful lol. Thanks!!
thanks for stopping by, Neosha! Thanks for the feedback, too! I hope some of my more advanced freelance tips could be helpful to you 😉
I recently signed up with Elance. I did not know they had free skills test that you can take. I will be checking those out very soon.
Thanks for stopping by, Jason! Glad i could be helpful! If you didn’t know about the skill tests, maybe you are missing out on other cool features the site has – check our my review of Elance – hope it helps and good luck!
Having been on content mill sites a couple of times in the past, I agree only that the skill tests MIGHT worth the time to sign up for a few minutes. And that’s only IF you don’t already know your strengths or niche.
You can take the same kinds of tests through your unemployment office, usually on-line, and end up with an even better idea what you can do than these skill tests.
And, you’ll realize that you don’t have to race anyone to the bottom of the pay hill for worse than slave’s wages.
“The one submitting the lowest bid gets it.” Excuse me?
$1 for a 250 word (or 300, 400 or more) article? Nope.
$5 for a 25 page “mini” report? (Since when is 25 pages a “mini” anything?)
I don’t think so! Not for me, thanks.
Thanks for your comment, Kendra! And while your comment is 100% correct, it seems to me it was intended for another article – as it doesn’t have much to do with the post you are commenting on LOL – let me elaborate.
Firstly, oDesk and Elance or other similar sites are NOT content mill sites in any way. There are good clients AND good freelancers on them who know what they are worth and stand by their principles.
Secondly, the post is about taking skill tests by newbie freelancers to make up for the lack of feedback on the sites and NOT to find out what they are good at (they should already know).
Taking skill tests have nothing to do with reducing your pay rate – to the contrary. If not else, you can lack feedback but show your skill test results (if the clients insist on it) to stand by your rates and not letting your clients bend your arms for money.
I take your comment pretty personally as the whole blog (well, the freelance tips section) advocates for well paid freelance work and your comment implies otherwise.
I blog to help freelancers become successful freelancers – not underbidding their colleagues…
Hope you can check in details this and other posts on my blog and find something useful for yourself in it. If not – well, I tried 😀
I’ve only done freelance writing for Demand Media and that was in the specialized area of nutrition for which they actually require a university degree and writing samples. That said, I believe your information is very useful to someone starting out as a freelancer for sites that offer skill tests. Several years ago I took some skill tests via Elance and scored quite high in the area of fiction writing although I have never been a writer of fiction. These tests can offer the freelancer an opportunity to check their skill level in several different areas just for the fun of it, and may give a writer ideas of branching into different content areas and/or genres of writing.
Thanks for stopping by!
True that – newbie freelancers should take tests if they want to develop good profiles on freelance sites. And true that – if you know you are a good writer, you can find your true calling by trying different writing styles (and taking different writing tests 😉 )
On a side note – can i ask you to comment using your name and not some… ah, what is this – is it website name, or a keyword? It’s nice to see people in the comment sections. I like your pic – and i would love to learn your name 😀
Email me if it’s your gravatar is playing tricks – i can help you setting it up (or maybe i should blog about it :D)
Great post Diana and great advice. I think that knowing people passed the skills test would put me at ease. I find it challenging enough to feel comfortable putting projects into the hands of people I do not know and will probably never meet without adding the additional stress of wondering about language skills. If freelancers can take the tests at no cost, it seems like a small price to pay to put potential clients at ease.
Thanks for your comment, Debra! I am sure the readers who are freelancers would agree your insights from client’s perspective are invaluable – thanks for adding to the conversation 😀
I have yet to take any skill tests. I can see how they can be useful, but personally would much rather put stock in a writing portfolio. Nonetheless, I’ll be checked some of what you mentioned here out.
Thanks for your comment, Jeri! In your case, it for sure is better to stock up your portfolio… But hey, if you are not sourcing for clients on freelance sites, you wouldn’t need the skill tests either, i think. 😀
Diana-The skill tests I think are extremely important. When I was searching for freelancers I would judge who I wanted to contact based on the tests and the scores. Great advice.
Thanks for your comment, Arleen – and for reconfirming the importance of the tests to the client.
When i am looking for freelancers to hire (for clients, or to help me with something) I sometimes find myself in the situation of judging character through the skill tests. If i asked in the job post for a certain test and the freelancer didn’t acknowledge or even worse – ignored my request, well – that speaks something about their personality and attitude, right?
This is very helpful for writers who do not yet have a portfolio and are just breaking into freelancing. I did not know about the skills’ tests. I think (hope) that my test taking days are over. I told my husband some years ago that I’d be willing to move with him anywhere—-as long as I would not have to take another Bar Exam.
Thanks for your comment, Suzanne! I think you really deserve a tests-free environment 😉
And by the way, the tests are not only for writers, there are skill tests in many (all, really) areas. I for instance am not a freelance writer, i am a marketer – so i know how many marketing tests there are out there; including inbound. But there are also design, programming, finance, i wouldn’t be surprised if there is law as well – not sure how that will work though as US law is one thing, UK is another, EU third, and this is not the whole world either LOL
I’ve never taken a skills test. I began my career as a business reporter and moved on to public relations writing. My first job after the newspaper was as a house organ editor and I was required to interview someone in the company and then sit down and write the story. To me, that’s a more reliable test of a writer’s skills.
Right, it is a better real-life test indeed. Clients don’t always give you that chance though – that’s when “theoretical” skill tests come to the rescue – when newbie freelancers are in that vicious circle when clients want experience but no one gives projects to newbies so that they actually gain that experience which clients require in the first place. LOL – thanks for stopping by, Jeannette and sharing your insights and experience!
Being a teacher teaching in a secondary school does my ambition to be a freelancer look over flying? If not then what should I do for the start- taking test or else, if you would kindly suggest?
Hi Hasedul! What tests should you take depends very much on what you want to do as a freelancer… Do you want to be a freelance teacher online? What do you teach? Or do you want to be something else – e.g. researcher in a special field, or communicator, or behavior analyst and a marketer (sort of) for products targeted at parents for their children, etc.
These days you can do pretty much everything online so you probably can be a freelancer. But tell me what you want to do as a freelancer and i will help you figure out the tests you need to take, if you decide to get started on freelance job boards.
Skill test on elance are very tough, i tried to pass single exam C# many times but i don’t know why it fail me every time.
Well this problem is solved by “KickExam” ,
i got each and every question with correct answer at this website.
From the tests i have taken, they are pretty accurate when it comes to showing the skills and knowledge of the person, taking the test. I am against test cheating the way you suggest, Ahmad – you are actually not doing a favor to yourself as a professional.
OK, you will google the questions and you will get the answers online and you will pass the test, but you will not be better at actually doing your job. So what happens when you get the job thanks to your tests results but then fail to do your job because you cheated on the test and didn’t actually master the skills?
Thanks, your post really put me in a right state of mind to consider freelance for non content writers. I sure would take the test and see how i handle stuff. Thanks all the same
You’re welcome, Anafa – what is your line of business?
~Diana