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A Freelancer’s List of Job Opportunities

Nav
6 min readNov 7, 2022

Why do we need to search and apply for jobs when it should be possible to have algorithms that would find jobs for us automatically, based on skills, interest, experience and workload? Until that becomes a reality (or if you prefer cold emails), I’d like to share a list of opportunities I compiled while taking a break from work and finding The Real Cure for Eye Strain. People need to unite to create a better support system for people who had to quit their jobs due to eye strain. This list of freelancing platforms hopes to help a little. However, more practical measures are required in terms of legislation and company policies, to create healthy work environments.

IMPORTANT: The lists below were obtained from internet searches, and are not fully vetted, so please use commonsense and due caution when accessing them. They are ordered randomly.

If you’d like to add to the list or mention which ones are reliable, easy to use, pay well and treat freelancers well, please mention it in the comments so that it’d help others. There are many more such websites. Do search more on the internet and share the good ones in the comments.

General (has various types of jobs)

For software programmers

Teaching

Attribution: Some were listed here. There are many more you can search for on the internet.

Virtual assistants

Website/User Testing

Attribution: I found these here. More here.

For writers

Attribution: Some of these I found here.

Some magazines apparently pay $2000 per article.

Transcriptions

For interview engineers

The sad part of many of these platforms, is that they do not pay well. Many take a 70% commission, when they should actually take no more than 10% or definitely not more than 30%. For example, one charged clients $25 per interview, and offered interviewers less than $9.

Bug bounties

An internet search for “bug bounty programs” will show more. Be aware of ethics and legalities.

Business/management/marketing

For artists

Attribution: From here and here.

Why share this list?

While you may worry that sharing the list increases competition, it actually helps keep these platforms running. So in the event of mass-layoffs, you will be able to find freelance gigs and stay afloat. Hopefully (wishful thinking), it’d also encourage employers to treat employees better. This list needs to be kept up-to-date too.

More Jobs

Travel while working online

Note that some countries offer a digital nomad visa. Be well prepared before taking the plunge. Be careful if planning to stay with strangers.

If you’d like to say “thank you”, please do so by mentioning what you know about job options and health here: https://forms.gle/gGTzrWUdRCbD2hVd9. To share info with others about the websites listed, or to share your job-search story, please use the comment section below.

Areas where freelance platforms need to improve

  • Finding jobs: You shouldn’t make freelancers have to spend an eternity applying or bidding for gigs. Especially when other freelancers can undercut. Create algorithms that can find good matches between employers and freelancers. Asking freelancers to pay first for being able to apply for jobs is also a poor move (though some such sites seem to do reasonably well with this model). Some platforms force freelancers to put up gigs and do it if the client applies (sometimes, without understanding what the gig is about). Freelancers should be allowed to talk to the client, understand the requirements and then decide if they want to proceed.
  • Commissions: Sure, it’s fair for a platform to charge 10% as a commission. If you are employing people to manage the freelance gigs, you can even charge 20% or 25% as a commission. If you are playing a very active role in bringing clients to the freelancers, even 30% is ok. However, there are platforms charging much higher commissions, and that’s just exploitation. Don’t say “free market”. You can even provide commissions to freelancers who bring in new clients for you. Pay them a tiny percentage for every project that the client pays for.
  • Payment modes: Instant payments on completion of a job or milestone is good. Delaying payments or delaying it until it reaches a threshold, is exploitation. It also helps provide payment modes that provide the most value at the least possible extra commission for the transaction. Paying freelancers lesser, citing “lack of experience” is also exploitation. The better way is to first offer them lower paying jobs to allow them to prove themselves. But pay the proper amount for every job.
  • Arbitration: Both the employers and freelancers need to have the assurance that in case of disputes about the quality of work or payment issues, there will be a capable person who will assess the issue and suggest solutions. Learn how to fire your client.
  • Auto-everything: From contracts, to background verification and invoices, everything can and needs to be automated.
  • Feedback: Encourage clients to provide freelancers with feedback on what they liked and where they could improve.
  • Pointless tests: Some platforms expect freelancers to complete pointless tests to prove their skill. These are an incredible waste of time. The better way is to connect them with a lower paying client and inform the client that it’s a person new to the platform. With time, the freelancer and the client will gain confidence in each other. Providing opportunities to recover from failure and build confidence, goes a long way.
  • Reputation: It’s not just the freelancer’s reputation you need to show on the platform. You should have the spine to show even the client’s reputation, so that they don’t exploit freelancers.
Freelance
Gig Economy
Freelancers
Software Development
Remote Work

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Nav

Written by Nav

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An eye strain veteran who learnt from a decade of experience

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