Platform For Work From Home Opportunities
We understand that many of you are trying to get freelance work from home jobs for the first time.
Unfortunately, you may have lost your job recently due to COVID-19. Or maybe you had been thinking about entering the gig economy to supplement your income, and now you have the time to explore this option.
Whether you are unemployed or simply have a lot of time to kill, there are many different ways to enter the freelance marketplace.
You could reach out to companies that you already know. Working with your professional connections or through LinkedIn is a great way to start.
If you have a few professional connections, you may find the need to begin researching the best freelancing sites.
Today we would like to share some of those sites with you. While we have spent a lot of time on this website sharing Upwork skills that you need to succeed in that online freelance marketplace, we realize that there are other options available.
Here are some alternatives to Upwork that you may consider using to launch your freelancing career.
Toptal
Toptal markets themselves as the place to go to get quality freelance talent. In fact, the website says that they only hire 3% of the applicants that apply to work through their site.
The leadership of Toptal only hires freelancers with particular skills. They look for software developers, designers, finance experts, product managers, or project managers.
If you are highly skilled with a lot of experience, Toptal may be the perfect place for you to begin life as a freelancer.
Workhoppers
Maybe you don’t need to work from home. Perhaps you are willing to complete jobs within your community. If so, Workhoppers may be the site for you.
Workhoppers will help you find freelance, contract, part-time, temporary, remote, gig, or casual jobs. While some of the positions will allow you to work from home, others may require that you work on-site.
As someone willing to work, you create a profile that details your skills and location. The site’s algorithm matches you with the perfect job. Unlike Upwork, freelancers working through Workhoppers do not bid for jobs.
Freelancer
Freelancer is similar in design to Upwork. You create a profile, detailing your skills and availability. Once you have a profile, you can begin bidding on jobs that interest you. The hiring manager can look at your reviews from previous customers and see your success ratings. Based on your reviews, your profile, and your bid, the hiring manager will hire you to complete projects.
Freelancer differs from Upwork in that anyone can apply for jobs. There is no vetting process. While this may appeal to people with little experience, it can be frustrating as well. You may find that other freelancers are constantly underbidding you.
Upwork, on the other hand, supposedly limits the number of profiles that they allow on their platform. For example, if Upwork’s algorithm says that they have an abundance of freelance copywriters, they may not allow new writers to join their freelance team.
Fiverr
The name Fiverr was meant to appeal to business owners and individuals who wanted to hire someone to complete a quick job for a “fiver.” For example, someone who needs a quick cover designed for an online book may hire a graphic artist from the other side of the world to create a quick design for less than $20.
Fiverr also has a different setup than Upwork. Instead of posting a job and having freelancers bid on it, a person needing to have a job done looks at an individual’s profile and asks them to complete a project.
Additional advice for a beginning freelancer
Whether you choose to work with Freelancer, Upwork, or Fiverr, know that it may take time before you land your first gig. Freelancing can be highly competitive, and businesses and individuals may be wary of hiring beginners. You may have to complete jobs for less than you would like just to get a few positive reviews.
While Upwork does a decent job removing questionable clients from their job listings, other sites may not be so careful. You may encounter individuals asking you to write fake reviews, term papers, or other pieces of questionable content. These individuals prey on beginners. Don’t go against your moral standards in an attempt to work as a freelancer. It is important that you feel good about the work you complete.
Other clients may immediately want to begin working “off-platform” to avoid paying extra fees. If you are working through Upwork, this is against their terms and conditions, and the administrators may remove your profile as a result of such behavior.
Once you have completed a few projects, let us know which freelance website you prefer.
This article was originally posted at Freelancing buzz.
