| These days, you can find freelancers to perform | | | | They don't feel the need to cheat any hardworking |
| many different IT related jobs online. Writers, | | | | freelancers out of money for 'membership fees' or |
| programmers, proofreaders, and virtual assistants can | | | | any other fees. The coders don't mind paying that 15% |
| all be found online, and they are easily found through | | | | to Rentacoder because of the service that they are |
| the freelance job sites. IT Freelancers who know what | | | | getting. |
| they are doing never lack for work. | | | | On top of the fact that these greedy sites rip off the |
| There are very reliable sites for freelancers to find | | | | freelancers, they also lie to them often. It is hard for a |
| work online. One such site, Rentacoder, works to | | | | new freelancing site to get coders and buyers - |
| protect both the clients and the freelancers - called | | | | especially when sites like Rentacoder exist. But to |
| buyers and coders respectively. This is done through a | | | | attract freelancers, they often post fake jobs that |
| series of checks and balances, and Rentacoder does | | | | appear to pay well. A few other real buyers will also |
| not charge buyers or coders to be members of the | | | | post jobs, but the real attraction is those fake, well |
| site. Their money is made by taking a percentage of | | | | paying jobs. |
| the revenue for each job that is completed. | | | | The coder arrives at the site, and sees these jobs, and |
| This arrangement works out well for everyone. The | | | | decides to sign up and make some money. They go |
| buyers don't have to pay any additional fees to search | | | | through the sign up process, only to be presented with |
| for coders to complete their work. The coders are | | | | a form asking for their credit card information. They |
| protected because the buyer's funds are escrowed | | | | see that they have a monthly payment option or a |
| as soon as they accept the coders bid, and on top of | | | | yearly payment option. Many think they have made a |
| this, they do not pay a fee to be a member of the site. | | | | mistake and that they pushed the button for the |
| Rentacoder gets their money as soon as the funds | | | | software buyers. But it's no mistake. This site really |
| are released to the buyer. Everyone wins. | | | | expects you to pay for the privilege of working. |
| Unfortunately, there are also sites online that aren't | | | | They may not even ask for payment right away. You |
| really very good. They look like Rentacoder, and in | | | | go through the signup process, then get back to the |
| some ways, they operate the same as Rentacoder, | | | | page where the 'good' job was listed, click on the link |
| but when it comes down to it, there are some major | | | | and you then find out that this job is reserved for |
| differences - none of which benefit the coders in | | | | 'premium' members. They may call this a subscription |
| anyway. As a freelancer, it is important that you learn | | | | fee, a membership fee, or a registration fee. Whatever |
| to recognize these sites, and to walk away from them. | | | | they call it, it means that it is going to cost you money |
| Many individuals who have programming knowledge | | | | to bid on that job. |
| come across the Rentacoder website, and see quite a | | | | In many cases, the membership fee will be small, and |
| bit of potential. They look through it, and see how it | | | | when it is compared to the amount of money that you |
| operates, and then they decide that they can do the | | | | can make from that job that you've been trying to bid |
| same thing, but make more money from it. They | | | | on for the past hour, you decide that you will pay the |
| decide to get things set up, then charge the coders | | | | fee. Unfortunately, by the time that you get through the |
| fees to become members, or to get premium listings. | | | | process of entering your credit card information and |
| They may even have a free membership option, but | | | | paying your fee, the job will magically already be |
| save the best jobs for their premium (paying) | | | | awarded to another freelancer, or after a period of |
| members. The buyers may be charged fees as well. | | | | time it will be awarded to another freelancer. You can |
| They may be charged an overall fee to use the site to | | | | bet that it wasn't really awarded to anyone - but they |
| find freelancers, or they may be charged a fee for | | | | got the fee that you paid! |
| 'premium' membership, which will allow them to see | | | | Think about this. If one of these sites charges a |
| extended resumes, or the resumes of 'premium' | | | | membership fee of even $5.00 per month, and it has |
| freelancers. | | | | 500,000 freelancers who renew their membership |
| On top of these fees, these sites still take their cut of | | | | month after month in hopes of winning a job, they are |
| each job that is completed through the site. They may | | | | making 2,5 million dollars every single month - on |
| even charge additional fees for handling the payments | | | | membership fees alone. But, you won't know that, and |
| that go from the buyers to the freelancers. They | | | | you won't be able to figure it out. They will never tell |
| envision themselves making money hand over fist, | | | | you how many subscribers they have, or how many |
| from every possible direction. | | | | jobs are posted or completed through the site each |
| But this is a lose-lose situation. The freelancer loses by | | | | month. |
| having to pay membership fees, payment fees, and a | | | | Rentacoder, on the other hand, makes this information |
| fee for each job that they complete through the site. | | | | publicly available - even to non-members. You can see |
| The buyer loses by having to pay membership fees, | | | | how many coders are registered, how many buyers |
| and by not getting a large group of coders to choose | | | | are registered, how many jobs were posted, how |
| from. The greedy individual who had the idea for the | | | | many jobs were awarded, and how many jobs were |
| site to begin with loses as well when everyone figures | | | | completed through the Rentacoder website every |
| out what is going on and quits using the site - or when | | | | single month: |
| they find a site like Rentacoder that doesn't charge all | | | | Rentacoder never asks their coders, or buyers, to pay |
| of those fees. | | | | any type of membership or subscription fees. They |
| Sadly, what that greedy individual did not realize to | | | | just quietly take their percent - which coders happily |
| begin with is that sites like Rentacoder are already | | | | pay - every time a job is completed. So, with a site like |
| making money hand over fist due to the sheer volume | | | | Rentacoder, why would any self-respecting freelancer |
| of coders and buyers that use their services - simply | | | | want to use a site that takes their hard earned money |
| because they are not charging all of those additional | | | | for no reason? There is no reason to work with a site |
| fees. There are currently over 100,000 coders signed | | | | like that, when there is plenty of work to go around at |
| up with Rentacoder. Even if only 10% of those coders | | | | Rentacoder! |
| do one job per month, at minimum $3 per job, | | | | Copyright 2005 - Sergey I. |
| Rentacoder is making a minimum $30,000 per month. | | | | |