Freelancing - The Way Forward for Webmasters

If you're in the webmastering business, there's a good chance that you've been looking for a way forward that doesn't involve juggling multiple clients and jobs. What you need is the flexibility to be able to take on projects based on your availability and interest instead of time slots and paychecks. Freelancing is the answer to your prayers!

To start earning some additional income with minimal effort, simply sign up with one of these freelancing sites: 

Upwork 

Freelancer 

PeoplePerHour 

Guru.com

Bidvine.com 

Freelanced.com

You should also go to these sites and register in their job boards:

Upwork, Freelancer, Guru.com, Freelanced.com. Upwork is the newest kid on the block so it is a good idea to register in all of them just to see what's out there and get a feel for what job posters are looking for. If you have done freelance work before through places like oDesk, eLance or Fiverr, then you should also submit those previous jobs there too. The more places your profile is listed the better chances you'll have of finding gigs that fit your expertise and schedule.

Above and beyond the sites listed above, there are also a bunch of other websites that cater to the freelancing crowd as well. One that you should take a look at is oDesk. This is an online marketplace where employers post job ads and fees-paid freelancers post their resumes (i.e., gigs). Employers can apply to make sure they get a qualified candidate before posting jobs, so they have more control over the process and it saves them time and money in posting costs.

Most skills are taught on these sites to help employers make better hiring decisions. In return, freelancers get increased exposure and extra income. There's usually a free trial period where you can try it out for a few days to see if it fits in with your schedule and the type of work you want to do.

Once you've decided that freelancing is right for you, then it's time to start networking with other job-seekers so that when an employer posts a job you should have plenty of people willing to help out.

After all, more eyes mean more potential employers. And that means more competition and more opportunity for you!

All of the sites listed above have their own internal chat features to facilitate quicker responses. In addition, they also host various discussion boards and Q&A forums so you can learn even more about your chosen line of work.

In these sites, job ads are divided into different categories so it's easier for employers to get the right person for their needs. You should pay special attention to keywords that identify the project's budget, location (i.e., country), start date and level of difficulty/skill required. The more you know about the project, the better you can show your interest in it.

Job titles are usually precise, detailed descriptions of each job ad. So if you don't see a project that meets your needs, keep looking.

The first thing that you should do when responding to a job ad is to read over the requirements needed for the position. Then tailor your resume and cover letter specifically for that job. And remember to critique some of the other resumes and cover letters if you have time and feel like taking on more work!

Once you've submitted your application, then wait for an employer to give his/her verdict on your qualifications by posting a feedback comment or message from their hiring manager.

So you've finally landed a job through these sites. What next?

Happy freelancing!

- Freelancing for Dummies by R. Steven Martin [Amazon link]  - How to Find Jobs on Freelancer by Suman Ganesan [Amazon link]  - Blog about freelancing - The top 10 websites to find freelance jobs. - How To Become A Freelance Graphic Designer [Link no longer available] - About freelancing From The Inside by iFreelance Guest Blogger Alex Winner [Link no longer available]. - What is Freelancer? From A Professional's Perspective by iFreelance Guest Blogger James Maguire [Link no longer available]. - How To Become a Freelancer by iFreelance Guest Blogger Felix Fung [Link no longer available]. - Freelance Writing: A Complete Course [Link no longer available] - How the Internet has revolutionized the job market by Kevin Elzinga [Link no longer available]. - Top 5 tips on how to get jobs online: Interview with an online freelancer with Job-hunt.com. - That's Not a Career, It's an Ad by iFreelance Guest Blogger Dannielle Bird of Spare Time Talent Management.

- What is "Networking"? From The Inside by iFreelance Guest Blogger Alex Winner [Link no longer available]. - Step by Step Guide to Freelancing Success by iFreelance Guest Blogger Peter Dzutsev [Link no longer available]. - Freelance Writing: How Much Can You Make? Podcast from LearnVest.com.

- How to Find Jobs on UpWork with Mary Green [Link no longer available]. - What to Expect When You Find a Job Through Guru by Ben Edelman [Link no longer available].

- How to Get Freelance Writing Jobs Online: Interview with an online freelancer with Mythic Scribes. - 7 Tips for Finding and Keeping Freelance Jobs: Interview with iFreelance Marketing Director Alex Winner [Link no longer available]. - Freelancing 101: Tips and Strategies for Success through FreelanceWritingGigs.com.

- How to Become a Freelance Writer: Interview with iFreelance Writer Ashley Bishop [Link no longer available]. - Online freelancing: 20 tips to make money writing, designing, coding on DoNation.org. - Finding Freelance Jobs Online by Maria Murphy (From WebPreneur's Blog).

- How to Find Great Writer Jobs Online by iFreelance Guest Blogger James Maguire [Link no longer available]. - Interview with a Freelancer by iFreelance Guest Blogger Tara Whiteman [Link no longer available].

Conclusion:

It is quite easy to find several online job-seekers working at the same time. So you need to be very selective when picking up jobs and post your project details only once. Remember that you should only apply to a project if you are truly interested in it. Edit and proofread your resume and cover letters. There are many websites containing sample resumes, cover letters and portfolio samples so take a look through them to get an idea of what employers want from you before submitting your own work for review. If you're stuck with the process, then ask an online friend or a fellow freelancer how they found their first job using these sites.