| There are two main reasons I would recommend a | | | | very low, both in the quality of projects, as well as |
| freelance site to my clients. Before I get into that | | | | ensuring fair and equal practices between buyer and |
| though, let me talk a little bit about what a freelance | | | | provider. |
| site is and what some of the better ones out there | | | | From my experience as a buyer, (I am also a provider) |
| are. | | | | it is extremely common to hire people that promise "I |
| According to Wikipedia, "a freelancer is a | | | | can do it" and have them disappear off the face of |
| self-employed person like an independent contractor | | | | the earth. Also, you can only provide feedback to |
| who follows after a profession without establishing a | | | | those providers that sent you an invoice. If they up and |
| long-term commitment to any one employer." Now you | | | | quit, you have no recourse to forewarn other buyers |
| might say, what the heck does that mean. In simple | | | | of that provider's shortcomings. |
| terms, it means that a virtual assistant (or writer, or | | | | * iFreelanceiFreelance is an easy and effective |
| graphic designer, etc.) goes into business for him- or | | | | method for businesses to connect with talented |
| herself. | | | | freelance professionals globally. By outsourcing through |
| There are many areas in which a person can set | | | | iFreelance, businesses can potentially have their |
| themselves up in business as a freelancer -- areas like | | | | projects completed in about half the time at minimal |
| website development and programming, administrative | | | | cost.iFreelance has options for both buyers and |
| services, writing and translation, sales and marketing, | | | | providers, just like Elance and Guru. For buyers, it's a |
| and multiple other categories. Within each of these | | | | simple matter to post a project or search for a |
| categories, there might be specific niches that you can | | | | potential provider. There is no fee for buyers; the only |
| establish your business in, depending on your skills and | | | | cost to buyers are for the pay you give out to the |
| determination. | | | | providers that work for you. |
| Okay, so that's all well and good, right? How does a | | | | In reviewing their site, it appears that most of the |
| freelancer find a buyer, or how does a buyer find a | | | | projects are not current other than in the |
| service provider? If a person does a search through | | | | Writing-Editing-Translation category. |
| their favorite Internet search engine under the term | | | | So let's go back to my original premise as to why a |
| "freelance marketplace," one will find a wide variety of | | | | virtual assistant should recommend a freelance site to |
| freelance marketplaces out there where freelancers | | | | one of their clients. In my case, there are two |
| and buyers can meet, get to know each other, and | | | | categories that I would want to do this: |
| work together. There are several good ones out there | | | | 1. There are clients of mine that may have a service |
| like Guru, Elance, iFreelance, and more, depending on | | | | that is not currently in my repertoire of skills. For |
| what you are specializing in. | | | | example, I offer virtual assistance services - things like |
| Let's take a look at these three briefly. | | | | data entry, customer service, transcription, article |
| * Elance | | | | writing, article submission, things of that nature. I don't |
| Elance has been around since 1998 when it was | | | | do graphics, I don't do photography or videography, I |
| founded. Privately held and headquartered in Mountain | | | | don't do anything having to do with legal matters -- you |
| View, California, this company had a vision that has | | | | get the picture, right? In other words, if one of my |
| allowed it to become the most widely used application | | | | clients needs me to come up with a logo, for example, |
| for Services and Contractor Management. | | | | I'm going to recommend that they go to a freelance |
| According to their website, more than 200,000 | | | | site where they can go to find a service provider that |
| employees are using Elance in all facets of finding, | | | | does that type of thing. |
| buying, managing and paying external services and | | | | 2. There are new prospective virtual assistants out |
| contractors from more than 2,000 suppliers across | | | | there that need to acquire clientele and may want to |
| 50+ services categories. | | | | test the waters to see if becoming a freelancer is |
| While Elance has a high minimum bid requirement of | | | | going to appeal to their sense of adventure and be a |
| $50 for providers, as well as multiple fees, the overall | | | | good fit. When my partner and I first started out, we |
| quality of the projects is much better. You, as a buyer, | | | | were compelled to go into freelancing because I had |
| get people that overall want to please. As a service | | | | been laid off and she had retired. We needed a way |
| provider, you have an opportunity to enhance your | | | | to supplement our income. Not everyone is going to |
| reputation and build long-standing relationships with | | | | take to freelancing. Becoming a member of a |
| multiple employers. | | | | freelance site can be an excellent way to be |
| * Guru | | | | introduced to it, build skills, and gain feedback. |
| Guru provides businesses with the capability of finding | | | | With the economy being what it is right now and so |
| virtual outsource help they need from a variety of | | | | many people being out of work, a virtual assistant has |
| talented freelancers worldwide. Guru is very similar to | | | | to do everything they can to keep the clients they |
| Elance in that it caters to both businesses and service | | | | have. This is a good time to recommend freelance |
| providers. Guru makes its money through the service | | | | marketplaces to clients and individuals that want to get |
| providers through fees. Using the Guru SafePay | | | | into freelancing. That is why I think it only makes sense |
| system, employers are guaranteed 100% satisfaction | | | | that a virtual assistant not only can but should |
| with their project results. | | | | recommend freelance sites to anyone that listens -- |
| While Guru's guiding principle is "to provide businesses | | | | but especially to clients looking for something to be |
| with the most efficient platform to connect and | | | | done that I can't do or to new people wanting to get |
| perform transactions with freelance professionals | | | | into the field of freelancing. |
| locally, nationally, and globally," Guru's standards are | | | | |