Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Consider this: Freelancers are expected to become the U.S. workforce majority in the near future. That means we can expect to see more and more freelancing job boards appear. That’s not to say we need them. Take a look at the Google search results for “freelance jobs.” You’ll find hundreds of websites that can connect you with prospective clients. The problem, however, is that not all job boards are created equal. Some are a bit suspicious, causing both freelancers and businesses to question their legitimacy. Others are meant only for seasoned veterans. There are also boards capable of finding work quickly for freelancers, but they won’t get paid very much. Consider it the “price of entry” to the freelance realm. These obstacles make finding freelance work more complicated than it has to be. That’s why I’ve put together a list of 18 freelance sites to help entrepreneurs find their next gig. Each of these sites is reputable and can be used by freelancers of all experience levels, empowering people to make the most of their skills in a shaky economy. 1. Toptal If you’re a freelancer designer, developer, financial expert, product manager or project manager, you can find hourly, part-time or full-time work at Toptal. The catch is that Toptal has a rigorous screening process, meaning typically only the top 3 percent of freelance talent that applies is accepted. This is better suited for talented freelancers who have some previous experience under their belt. However, if you’re accepted, you can be certain that you’ll receive competitive compensation. 2. Fiverr There are a couple of things that make Fiverr stand out from other leading freelance marketplaces. Users get to list the specific jobs where they excel. When I started podcasting, I hired someone on Fiverr to design my cover and another person to create the intro. When I had trouble getting the podcast listed on iTunes, I enlisted another expert to help solve the mystery. Secondly, because most gigs start at $5, this is a great place to launch your freelancing career. After you land some clients and build up your portfolio, you can start charging more for your services. 3. PeoplePerHour For more than a decade, PeoplePerHour has been helping freelancers land web-based projects. This site has areas like marketing, SEO and software engineering. What makes it so appealing is that it streamlines the process of signing up. Client communication, project management and payments are all handled in one dashboard. You can send 15 proposals to clients before having to sign up for the paid plan. However, you can still browse listings and get notified of new openings, even if you don’t sign up for the paid plan. 4. Upwork Upwork has been around in some form for years. Elance and oDesk were formed in 1999 and 2003, respectively, and merged to found Upwork. Today, Upwork is one of the largest freelance marketplaces in the world, hosting millions of freelancers in […]
Click here to view original web page at www.entrepreneur.com
