Table of contents
Table of contents
Unfortunately, clients don’t tend to wander in off the street if you’re a freelancer (although that might be a good thing security-wise). It does mean you’ll need to find freelance work though, which is when freelancing platforms can prove useful. In this article we’ll explain how job sites work, particularly if you’re in the process of becoming a freelancer for the first time.
Freelancing platforms are websites which make it easier for clients and freelancers to find each other. Freelancers can create profiles describing their skills, and pitch for jobs posted by clients. They’re very accessible, so you may find a much larger market of people looking to outsource work. You could even end up freelancing abroad!
It’s a delicate balance though, because applying can almost be too easy at times. Users can click to apply for hundreds of different projects if they want to, just by registering their interest and including a link to their profile. Some sites don’t require any sort of tailored message, so posting a job request can get a bit spammy.
This, along with the fact that there are lots of freelancers all in the same place, makes these job boards highly competitive.
If you’re offering your freelance skills for a very particular niche, you’re likely to find freelancing websites dedicated solely to that. These can be useful because prospective clients will probably have a reasonable understanding of what they’re after from you, and how your specific services can help.
Dealing exclusively with very focused freelance job boards can restrict your exposure though. Businesses are looking for freelancers because they’re the ones with the knowledge and skills, which might mean they’re not sure how to go about finding the right freelancer for the job they need doing. This is where bigger sites such as PeoplePerHour are useful, because they’re much more inclusive of different skills and industries.
Just like any job application, your pitch and profile needs to stand out. The problem is that lots of people trying to be unique have a tendency to all sound the same. You know how everyone’s CV says something about being a good team player as well as being a good independent worker? Freelancer job sites are no different.
The difference is that unlike most job sites, pitching for freelance work usually means your looking to provide an ad hoc service, not join a team. The client wants to know:
Unfortunately, we live in a world where not everyone is genuine on freelance job sites. You may encounter scammers who want to get out of paying for work.
There are some precautions you can take:
Plenty of suppliers have strict payment terms when dealing with new clients, so being a freelancer doesn’t have to mean being any different.
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