So you’ve launched a business of one. You go, girl! Even if you haven’t totally transitioned from full-time to freelance work just yet, now’s the time to figure out how to be productive when you’re working from home. We mean really productive. Because, especially when you’re first getting started as a freelancer, it takes a lot of hustle to get your name out there. But luckily, we know a few tricks (ahem, websites) that take some of the hard work out of finding freelancing gigs.
9 Best Websites for Freelancers
1. Guru: Either list your services or send a proposal to one of the 2 million small businesses that use the platform. Its LinkedIn and Facebook integrations help freelancers set up their profiles very quickly. Projects on the site tend to have clear deliverables, like designing a website or developing a brand’s social media strategy, however, some are hourly gigs.
2. Freelancer: The well-known freelance site grants you access to projects, both on an international scale and right in your own community. Because the assignments tend to be a bit smaller, it’s a great network for filling out your portfolio with a range of work.
3. Remote: No need to browse through listings on this site. Once you create a profile, the network will email you when new projects match your skills. Unlike other professional networks, there aren’t as many projects listed, but the search filters make it easy to browse assignments outside of your industry.
4. UpWork: There are thousands of jobs listed for each industry, which means, as a lazy girl, you can afford to be pickier with the assignments you bid for. We like this one because you can refine the projects based on how much time you have. Looking for some quick cash? This is the place for you.
5. Zerys: Their whole thing is helping writers build relationships with businesses so that they can ultimately gain access to steady work. Love it! Instead of selecting the types of projects you want, this service, designed for writers, asks for subjects of expertise like healthy eating, business or fashion. And it lets you get real specific. Setting up the profile is pretty intense — it can take up to 40 minutes — but after you’re finished, you can kick back and wait for companies to reach out with assignments.
6. TopTal: Companies like J.P. Morgan, Airbnb and Artsy use the site to find designers and web developers for their online platforms. The pay rate is pretty good, but they’re quite selective. Before getting started, it’s a good idea to have a strong portfolio, because the TopTal team does all the matching.
7. Contently: The platform caters to business’ content marketing needs, matching Fortune 500 companies to established freelance writers and designers. The process is very collaborative and often they’ll ask creatives to produce videos, styled infographics or corporate white papers together. Even if you’re not choosing to list your services on Contently, create a portfolio page on the freelancer section of the site. It stylishly collects articles or published designs and estimates your overall shares and likes online.
8. Muck Rack: Organize published articles and highlight your areas of expertise on this unique portfolio website. It’s less about claiming work and more about directing PR and marketing people in the right direction so you don’t get irrelevant pitches. The site is helpful if you already have relationships with big media groups (think Mashable, Fast Company and the New York Times) and you want to be contacted about story leads.
9. LinkedIn ProFinder: The platform is ideal if you’ve got a well-developed portfolio. Because it’s fully integrated with LinkedIn, potential clients can see how you’re connected to their network. It’s a huge plus if you’ve got great experience under your belt, but for newbies in the field, a weak portfolio can definitely hinder your chances at landing projects. The site features freelancers that offer a wide range of skills, including coaching, business consulting and legal services.
Do you have great tips for landing freelance assignments? Tell us about it @BritandCo!
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