Finding Freelance projects
Being a freelancer is a tough job for anyone. Whether you are a
writer or a web designer you know that the competition is fierce
and you must always be on the look out for more jobs when
working on one. This is part of the course when freelancing.
Most often there is no stability or guarantee when freelance is
involved. You are hired on a project basis and will be kicked to
the curb once the project is complete unless you happen to earn
another project right away which is rare to say the least.
To help fill the gap between those needing skilled labor and the
freelancers that provide the labor there are several web sites
that have sprung up. These sites allow employers to post
projects of a wide variety and then the freelancers can bid on
those projects. This has become an effective tool in maintaining
a steady flow of work for the freelancer, but there are several
downfalls to some of these sites.
For one thing, there is normally a fee that is charged for using
the service. How much and how often varies by site. Normally you
will pay a monthly membership fee as a freelancer wanting to bid
on projects. This fee can be as high as eighty dollars on some
sites, but the average is twenty. One should be careful when
working with a site like this as it will be much harder to turn
a profit when you consider the amount of money you have spent on
the monthly fees.
There are also sites that work on a commission basis. This works
by paying a percentage of the money that you earned from a
project to the site for successfully bidding and completing a
project. The commission charged is different with every site and
averages around 10%. This system of payment is a lot more
popular as the freelancer can simply add the commission amount
to their bid to ensure they are getting the amount they need to
complete the project.
The services offered by these sites are normally wonderful. A
project manager is a great tool for tracking the projects that
you have bid on and those that you have won. This ensures that
nothing gets swept under the rug and forgotten about thus
tarnishing your reputation.
Other sites offer safe payment resources. These payment options
are basically escrow accounts where the money is held until the
project is completed and approved. This works to provide
security for both parties. The employer does not release the
money until the project has been completed and approved. The
freelancer is guaranteed to get paid for all their hard work.
There are some sites that offer all of these services and remain
free for the freelance worker and the employer. They maintain
the site through advertising and do not charge a commission or a
monthly fee. This has become a very popular occurrence as
freelancers can earn more money without having to spend so much
in the process.