If you’re just starting out as a freelancer, all the ins and outs of those online job marketplace Web sites like Guru, Virtual Vocations, and Elance can seem tricky, like a foreign language that seems almost familiar but not quite familiar enough for you to consider yourself fluent. I’ve used them all, and each has its benefits and drawbacks, but for the freelancer who’s just starting out, they can be an invaluable way to gain experience, client contacts, and business savvy. Read on for a few tricks to navigating the online membership job site marketplace.

WHO are you?

Most of my membership site experience is with Guru, but all the sites have some of the same components, one of the most important being your profile. They want your resume, your experience, your samples, and blurbs about your business and writing methods and philosophies. This is the introduction that potential clients have to you and your work, so be sure that your information is current and your samples are relevant and show off your strengths. Your profile is where you can set term specifics such as your hourly or per word rates, so be as thorough as possible. It’s also smart to really look at the upgrade options and different levels of membership available so you don’t waste money on a bunch of bells and whistles you may not need.

WHAT do you want to do?

It’s not as simple as deciding what type of writing you want to do, or even what category you want to search through. The best thing about these sites is that they provide you with an instant list of employers who want your services, and the worst part is that there are a whole bunch of other freelancers willing to do the job at pennies to your dollar. Don’t do just any project simply because you can if the employer is offering $1 an article or asking you to do something you find unethical. Have a clear idea of your lines and boundaries and bid accordingly. Also, while you’re looking and bidding, take full advantage of the site’s Feedback feature—every site has one, and it can give you an idea of whether or not this is a client you want by seeing what other professionals have said about them AND what they’ve said about the freelancers they’ve hired.

WHY should an employer hire you?

Your profile is important, but the deal breaker—literally—is your bid. It’s OK to have some of your information set as a template, such as set rates or a small blurb about your business, but every bid should be tailored to the job at hand. If there are questions, answer them honestly—don’t promise things you know you can’t do just to land a job because you’ll just look worse when you hand in shoddy work or miss a deadline. Address the potential employer’s needs and offer suggestions. Tell them what you can do for them and how you and you alone can give them the finished product they need. Also, keep an eye on your details—no typos, no grammar or spelling mistakes, and if the Project Description tells you to mention the word “rosebush” in your bid or to attach specific examples, make sure and follow those directions.

In the end, most freelancers have used sites like Elance or Guru to wrangle up clients, and if you know what you’re walking into, you’ll be bidding your way to success in no time.