Yes, I admit it, even now, I am sitting here in my cloud pj’s writing this post…and at the same time, I am bidding on ework… I love that we can now add “e” to the front of everything internet related…it is everywhere… edating, ecommerce, ehouse cleaning…ok, maybe that’s just fantasy… But the reality is, more and more of us are using our virtual office (ie comfy living room chair) to earn a living.
There are a variety of ways to find ework; message boards like www.craigslist.com, niche related websites like www.freelancewritinggigs.com and online newspaper classifieds (www.oregonlive.com). One of my latest finds is eLance…catchy, huh? It is a great concept…and makes a lot of sense in some ways…maybe not as much in others.
eLance is a website where people in need of services in find qualified professionals. Here’s what they have to say for themselves…
“Elance is a place where businesses connect with professionals to get work done now.
With the largest network of rated and certified business professionals, Elance facilitates the entire work process from hiring to collaboration to payment.
Businesses use Elance to achieve more by finding great people and getting work done in a new way, and talented professionals find meaningful work that fits their lifestyle.
Corporate Information
Founded in 1999, Elance was established to help small businesses easily and efficiently hire freelance talent. Today, Elance is the leading online workplace. Elance is privately-held and headquartered in Mountain View, California.”
And there you have it…The site has thousands of listings. A good resource for contract work…very thorough in its collection of information from service providers. They also have a well-thought out system that allows for funds to be held in escrow, after a bid has been made and accepted, which protects both parties. They also have built in project management software and mediation services, should that be necessary.
On the downside, the site is not necessarily intuitive in its use…it takes a bit of finagling to find information. The provider information is very thorough, but it does take quite a long time to fill out all of the necessary information. Do not plan to skip right through this…it is a process…go get another cup of coffee…
Still, it is free…and in my book, that makes it a no brainer…give it a try and let me know what you think…
