Overtime work has evolved, in the past; work was considered work when you get out of the house to go do some errands. However, nowadays, work can be done in the comfort of home. That’s freelancing and there are many platforms that offer online jobs. Freelancer jobs are not limiting because you can still manage to do your normal work daytime and then do the online work later on. Being a freelancer enables you to “Be your own boss”, this is because;
- You choose the work you want to do,
- The client you want to work with,
- The hours that you are willing to work,
- Use your talent and skills,
- Choose the kind of platform you want,
- The payment you want.
Well, being a freelancer is not that demanding, the hustle comes in bidding or applying for specific jobs. For design jobs, it is very essential to have an outstanding portfolio that showcases your work. For writing jobs, it is essential to have samples of work for previous articles, you have written.
Clients normally get different kinds of applications; it is important to perfect your art so as to be at the top of the list. Just like all other types of jobs, your skills will determine the success of all your applications to projects.
Here are some of the platforms;
1) Upwork
Upwork was formed by the merging of oDesk and Elance. It just requires you to sign up, create your profile, and showcase your skills. It is a platform for both long-term and short-term projects for both experts and beginners in different fields. In Upwork, you get to choose your pay per hour and the number of hours to work per day. However, it also depends on the contracts that you apply for and the agreement made between the freelancer and the client.
Approximately, Upwork has over 10 million freelancers and 4 million clients. Skills mostly looked for and not limited to are; writing, marketing, sales, web and mobile development, design, video editing, proofreading, photo editing, architectural work, article editing, translations, consultations, accountancy, redesigning and maintenance of established platforms, and much more. As the Boss, you can choose either to accept or decline a job offer from a client.
2) Toptal
Toptal is a freelance network of software engineers, designers, and developers from over 100 countries in the world. Most projects are technical and thus the company chooses from many people to remain within the top 3% in different categories. Their choice depends on the freelancer’s personality, English-speaking capability, technical knowledge, and skill. If accepted, you get to join the community. Toptal lets you decide if you want to work hourly, part-time, or full-time and your rates. Toptal works with top companies and is thus advantageous for freelancers.
3) Fiverr
In Fiverr, you sign up and create a profile to mention your skills, experience, and portfolio/website which is optional and desired rate. It is different, in the sense that instead of companies posting their projects for freelancers, freelancers create gigs based on what they are best at. This exposes the services, freelancers offer to over tens of thousands of business owners. Fiverr offers plenty of options; writing, graphic design, web design/development, singing, video editing, cover design, content marketing, songwriting, SEO optimization, photo editing, and much more
4) Freelancer
Freelancer is a platform that offers many people opportunities to get jobs and also be able to participate in contests with other freelancers to prove their skills. In this way, many freelancers get to show their abilities and improve their chances of getting clients. You can either choose hourly work, contract work, part-time work, full-term work, and contests. As a freelancer, you get to choose jobs that match your skills and expertise.
In addition, you can subscribe to get updates on jobs that match your skills straight into your email. Companies post their new projects and select freelance candidate based on their bids. The different fields range from, web development, article writing, web & graphic designs, logo & poster designs, video editing, consultancy, business card designs, programming, copywriting, Marketing- Content marketing, Email marketing, Proofreading & editing, and much more opportunities. It is a competitive platform as clients tend to post a project with a monetary prize and freelancers bid on the projects with their submissions.
5) Craigslist
Craigslist is a great source of freelance jobs, even if most people see it as just a marketplace for trading items in their neighborhood. The platform is diverse and not like all the other platforms, in Craigslist you can easily browse and get job postings that match your expertise. Being like a job board, interested candidates get to send their cover letters and examples of previous experience. The only limitation is that when searching for work, you have to consider the area of operation. On the brighter side, there are no charges during application.
6) Smashing Jobs
Smashing jobs are mostly found on the smashing magazine website; which is a platform where most technology, programming, creative, content writers, and web & graphic designers acquire knowledge to improve their skills. It is a job portal for freelancers where they can browse through the offers to get one that suits their expertise.
7) Guru
Guru is an amazing platform that allows a freelancer to showcase their previous work, both outside the platform and inside the platform. There is a special feature that informs you about job postings that match your skills daily to ensure you don’t miss out.
It displays an individual portfolio that includes reviews, past jobs, feedback from clients, and earnings for the clients in order to evaluate if a certain freelancer is suited for a certain project. Moreover, it also displays full details of the companies and clients; how long they have been there, the amount they have spent on the platform, and other essential details.
Guru is very diverse and is compatible with many professions including; web industry, finance, management, architecture, designers, writers, architecture, legal, and much more.
8) DesignCrowd
DesignCrowd is a unique platform where employers post a project with a full description with the deadline and interested designers submit their designs and receive feedback. The best design is chosen by the client; it serves as a contest in which as a freelancer, you have to work extra hard to stand out from the rest. It can be said to be more of a crowdsourcing marketplace rather than a freelancing platform. If you are a talented designer, it is a great platform to try out.
9) 99 Designs
As its name suggests, it is a platform for designers where they get to compete in contests and get feedback on their designs. It increases the experience of designers and is a great way for designers to improve their talents and for exposure. There are many different design categories to choose from; Logo design, business card designs, banner designs, graphic designs, advertising, packaging, illustration, animations, books & magazine designs, cover designs, web design, and much more. The platform has approximately 1 million members and has paid out more than $ 100 million.
Clients crowdsource their projects, set a budget, and give instructions on what they need. After a week or so the client chooses the best design and the designer gets paid as stated. The advantage of participating in the contest is that; even if you don’t win in the contest, it helps build your personal portfolio.
10) People per Hour
People per Hour is a great platform for professionals in the web industry; designers, engineers, developers, and SEO specialists. As the name suggests, it is for people looking for hourly job openings. There are many fields involved, such as web design, web development, copywriting, writing, marketing, video, SEO, and much more. After setting up an account and editing your profile, you can browse through the job offers to get a job that suits your expertise and either decide to make a proposal or ask for clarification.
Moreover, the clients can also browse through freelancers’ accounts; check their reviews, skills, and experience, and get in touch. The site has a feature WorkStream that organizes payment, communication, and management in one place. Notifications of jobs that match your skills can also be sent straight into your inbox and you can send up to 15 proposals before signing up for any premium plan.
11) Freelance Writing Gigs
It is a platform meant for writers, bloggers, publishers, or a combination. It mostly focuses on writing talent, writing of all sorts, and not limiting. The various fields include; technical writing, recipes, photography, lifestyle, creative writing, health care, and other topics. There might be a limitation of location, but still not that much. If you are a talented/professional writer, what are you waiting for? Try it out.
12) Freelance Writing
This freelancer platform is a site that provides useful resources for writers such as articles and tutorials. There are job postings that you can apply for or perhaps join writing contests and try your luck to win.
13) Croogster
The company is based in India, but is developing in the U.S and U.K markets. Croogster is a platform where people who want to hire individuals can browse through and get qualified people to hire. Services include; writing, designing, app development, marketing, web development, and more. Interested individuals looking for work can list what they do, how much they desire, and the duration of delivery of the service. The clients can then browse through the services and purchase service through a CTA button “Buy button” just like in online stores. In addition, the clients can also post the service they desire for applications to come through.
14)iFreelance
It is a platform suited for professionals in the web industry such as designers, developers, coders, editors, writers, photographers, data entry specialists, marketers, sales professionals and much more. There is no fee that is charged to companies or freelancers. Thus, there is no amount that is cut from the amount a freelancer earns from online work. In addition, there are millions of smaller-scale projects to choose from.
15) Evanto Studio
Evanto studio is a recognized platform that offers an opportunity for developers and creators of many fields to find freelance gigs worldwide. You can apply and once accepted, you can name your service with a full description and price for the specific service. It is reliable and ensures that you get the best.
Continuation of Online Freelancer Platforms
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