Over the past 15 years, the Internet has revolutionized the job market in almost every way. Gone are the days of finding a job by searching the newspaper for vacancies.

First came major job boards like Monster, then Craigslist, which almost replaced newspaper classifieds and enabled faster interaction between job seekers and employers.

next wave

A wave of outsourcing and freelance sites followed, such as E-lance and Guru, where freelancers and consultancies could post their profiles and respond to specific assignments.

The problem with these sites is that they are better suited to larger projects, and while they generally do a good job, barriers to entry can kill many opportunities and keep some job seekers and employers from completing the approval process.

Launch Micro Job Site

These sites are more accessible than other job sites and the process of posting profiles and jobs is faster and easier. These sites make it faster and easier for employers and job seekers looking for jobs to request specific jobs to post different tasks for them to complete.

These sites are a combination of outsourcing sites, classified sites, and e-commerce sites. Site members can post specific assignments without an extensive registration process and quickly and easily connect with potential employers to discuss the project.

In addition to simple postings, there is an option to include other tasks in the initial purchase after handling job security discussions on the site.

The first mainstream micro job site was Fiverr, but many others have since launched. These sites are changing the way jobs are marketed, making it easier for employers and internet marketers to complete the required tasks without hiring full-time staff or hiring expensive consulting firms.

I recently spoke to an experienced freelance web designer who had this to say about micro job sites. “Microjobs has dramatically changed our business model over the past year. We used to be heavily advertised on major outsourcing sites and spent hours closing vacancies with very low success rates. With Microjobs we have been able to list 10-15 that we can serve our customers at an affordable price, which has resulted in a significant increase in our turnover.”

In conclusion, micro-job sites are changing the way people do business on the Internet, and this one is here to stay.

Freelance Isn’t All Romance – Prerequisites For Success!

So what are the conditions for success as a freelancer? First, you need to realize that you will be dealing with several clients at once, some of which are more difficult than others. As a result, the life of a freelancer is demanding and you need effective skills such as leadership, mediation and negotiation skills to manage multiple clients. In addition, you must excel within tight deadlines while maintaining a “can-do” attitude towards projects. Don’t confuse a “can do” attitude with an attitude of accepting any job. Sometimes you have to turn down or give up certain jobs because the evil outweighs the good. So make a list and write down the pros and cons of each job to determine if it’s worth it.

Speaking of pros and cons, let’s see why anyone would want to make the effort to become a freelancer. While there are many benefits to being a freelancer, perhaps the biggest benefit is being your own boss. Never be assigned projects you don’t want again; working for a boss you don’t like; working with teammates you don’t trust or respect; worrying about people looking over your shoulder. Plus, you can enjoy the flexibility and freedom of freelancing as you can work from home. No more time and expense for commuting, no work clothes, shared work cubicles and boring conversations during work breaks. Plus, you’re constantly improving your skills because as a freelancer you wear as many hats as any entrepreneur.

Like everything in life, there is good and bad. Therefore, one should also understand the disadvantages of freelancing. For example, because you can work from home, being a freelancer is a very isolating job, and it’s easy to be home alone for hours or even days working on projects. While most communication is via email, phone calls, and faxes, make sure you occasionally leave the house to see other people.

As we all know, being your own boss can also be a nightmare for those who lack entrepreneurial spirit and talents, such as following up on projects, meeting deadlines, managing invoices and collecting payments, etc. Freelancing is also for many people nerve-wracking, because not only is it hard to predict profits, but it’s also hard to predict when payments will actually arrive, so this makes it a rather volatile career, especially if you’re just starting out with limited jobs.

With this in mind, freelancing is not for the faint of heart. So if you’re organized, can work under pressure, and enjoy a variety of tasks and projects, freelancing might be for you. Remember, unless you have the resources to hire someone else, you are solely responsible for all responsibilities associated with your freelancing.

So how can you increase your chances of success? As a successful freelance writer, I recommend the following:

Treat your freelancing like a business.
Read books and take lessons learned related to your freelancing.
Start working part-time before deciding if working full-time is worth it based on your data and results.
Accept projects that can help you build a customer base.
Find someone in your area who has had success in your field as a freelancer to be your mentor.
Identify your target audience and market your services using: website; online portfolio; ebooks; gifts; partnerships, business cards, the web, and social media such as LinkedIn, Fiverr, and Elance.
Ongoing efforts to find new customers: advertising and marketing efforts; referrals and referrals from contacts such as clients, family, friends, etc.
Ultimately, freelancing is serious business. Not only do you invest time and money, but you also develop high-quality marketing materials that reach your target audience. Before you decide to take the plunge, I highly recommend starting a part-time job to learn as much as you can while testing your marketing strategies. Once you have a few regular clients and a steady income, you can decide if it’s time to take the plunge and become a full-time freelancer.