So you have a great idea for a business, but know you’re going to need to hire a few extra hands to transform that idea into something real. Freelancers are great for this. You pay them on a job-by-job basis, much easier than hiring a full-time employee when you don’t need one.
Maybe you have already thought of this, but haven’t taken any action to make it happen yet. If you have been meaning to search for a freelancer to help you get your business moving forward, but have been putting it off, it may be because you aren’t quite sure where to look. There are a lot of websites out there that will let you post jobs. Which ones will give you the results you need?
Here are four great websites that will make it fast and easy for you to find freelancers to perform any kind of job you need done.
1. Guru
The hardest part about finding freelancers online is figuring out whether or not they are actually capable of completing your job before you hire them. Without going through a long interview process with test projects galore, how do you know you’re getting what you pay for, in a good way?
Guru is a little different than many of the freelancing websites you may have come across in the past. Freelancers, or ‘gurus,’ can still apply for any job you post, but you can also search for freelancers based on the particular skill sets you need in order to complete your project.
Freelancers create profiles that list their skills and qualifications but can also showcase previous work they have completed. This way you can look through their portfolios and determine whether or not they might be right for your job before you ever correspond with them formally.
Guru already includes a wide variety of job postings, everything from writing to engineering to marketing, design and more. Pretty much any job you are hoping to fill, Guru can help you find the right person.
2. Freelancer
Sometimes new projects spring up out of nowhere, and you need to find someone to get the job done – today. When it comes to finding and hiring remote freelancers to complete work for you in no time at all, Freelancer is one of the best places to post your assignment and begin your search.
This platform works similarly to other freelancing sites, but a bit more streamlined. You start getting offers immediately after posting your job, and directly from that list you are able to select the freelancer you believe is a best fit for the job. Jobs can be set at an hourly or fixed price rate, and it is easy to set parameters in terms of scheduling and the skills freelancers need to have in order to apply for your jobs.
A unique feature of Freelancer compared to other sites is its mobile app, which makes instant communication with your freelancers even quicker and more convenient than doing everything from your desktop.
3. Craigslist
Craigslist isn’t just for apartment hunting and auctioning off personal items, though there’s plenty of room for that. The site also has a job board that will allow you to post freelance jobs either based on your location or remotely.
Potential freelancers can search available jobs by category, everything from accounting to design to software and real estate. Those interested simply reach out to you via the contact information you provide. It is a quick way to get your job listing out there and available to those both in your area and outside of it.
4. Upwork
Upwork makes it easy for freelancers to find your jobs once you post them. All you need to do is tag your assignment with the appropriate categories and freelancers can search by their specialty. Your profile allows freelancers to see how much money you have spent on freelancers in the past, as well as feedback ratings from those who have completed projects for you previously.
The unique feature bringing this site to the top of the freelance job posting game is that it gives you the chance to ‘interview’ potential freelancers, so you can learn more about their interests and qualifications without having to go just by their profile and project portfolios.
When searching for freelancers, the sites listed above make posting jobs and accepting freelancers easy and safe. Your money never goes to a freelancer until you give the green light. In many cases, you pay the service, and they hold the money until you release it once you are completely satisfied with your freelancer’s work.
There is always work to be done, but there are plenty of freelancers out there who are willing to help you get it done. Whether you are looking for something simple, you want full control or you prefer the opportunity to get to know potential freelancers before hiring them, these sites contain features that align perfectly with your needs.