In an economy characterized by the era of COVID, many people have looked to freelancing as an alternative or supplementary form of employment to find work and gain extra income. If you’re new to this form of employment, it’s basically a job in which one works for themselves, and seeks out contracts from companies and other organizations.

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With this type of employment alternative, there are many potential benefits and drawbacks. The main advantages to conducting freelance work is the control and freedom you have from being self-employed. From setting your work hours, gaining higher schedule flexibility, determining the clients you do business for, and the pay rate you are willing to receive, there are quite a few good reasons to get started.

At the same time, there are some disadvantages worth considering as well. The main aspects to consider here are the responsibilities that come with being your own boss, such as submitting invoices, filing taxes, securing health insurance, filing taxes, and allocating the necessary tools and software to complete your projects. These would typically all be coordinated outside of your work tasks if you were employed with an organization. Additionally, it is important to consider that the amount of contracts and work you receive can vary depending on the month.

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With these considerations in mind, one of the most pertinent questions to answer when considering freelancing, is where can one find work? Well you are in the right place! Here are the top 10 sites to check out for freelance work in 2021:

Upwork 🔗

Stating themselves as a “Remote work leader for over 20 years”, Upwork is a freelancing site with millions of jobs posted annually, providing companies with 5,000 different types of skills in over 70 categories of work through the remote workers contracted. If you are interested in this form of employment, Upwork is the bread and butter for those looking to get started freelancing. Whether your skills lie in marketing and business, design, IT, or another type of field, this site is a launchpad for you to snag the contract that is right for you.

guru 🔗

Streamlined with four simple steps to get started, guru is a site for freelancers that allows you to join the community, set up a profile with your skills and experience, find contracts and set your payment terms, add other members to your project, and get paid. Similar to Upwork, here you can also browse through a range of categories to find the contract that is right for you. With 800,000 employers worldwide and over a million paid transactions, don’t hesitate to check this site out for your next gig.

Toptal 🔗

Branding themselves as a freelance site that takes in only the best of the best (i.e. the top 3%) freelancers out there, the main draw to finding work here is the rigorous screening and vetting process for registering as an available freelancer. By applying to be a freelancer with Toptal, candidates are reviewed for their language, personality, and skill set, and then conduct a one to one interview with an expert in the field, followed by test projects to show off their abilities. The main benefit to applying here and following through with this process, is that companies will trust you for your ability to get the job done.

peopleperhour 🔗

Similar to Toptal, with peopleperhour, as a freelancer you can apply and then get screened for your potential. Utilizing AI algorithms, freelancers are then matched with potential contracts that work for them, in addition to the ability to search and find contracts within the site. The invoicing for projects is also built into the website which is an added bonus to make your workflow easier.

Freelancer 🔗

Another common platform used by remote workers is Freelancer. Guided by a four step process, available freelancers develop their profile with skills and experience, search for jobs that match their skills, write bids for the contract, and then start working. Similar to sites like Upwork and guru, here you can browse the available jobs in a variety of working languages.

99designs 🔗

As a site tailored to helping companies and organizations find candidates to create their projects, 99designs is a site dedicated to freelance designers in a variety of industries and trades. Similar to other platforms out there, designers here create their profiles, showcasing their portfolio and skills, and then match with potential projects relevant to your characteristics. Additionally, freelance designers also have the opportunity to submit work to competitions to win contests as well. The only downside to this site are the middleman fees they charge when getting started and finding work.

LinkedIn 🔗

Often overlooked as a potential site for freelancers, LinkedIn is a must for any individual in any field. Here you can build up your profile to showcase your past work, expertise, and skills, and then search for potential full-time and freelance job opportunities by simply searching in the available jobs.

Behance 🔗

As a site tailored to creators in a variety of design and illustration industries, Behance is a place where freelance designers and creatives can showcase their work and gain exposure, all the while building up contacts that will expand your network.

It’s also worth noting, if you have a Behance page, be sure to check out the jobs section to land a creative freelance project as well. Here you’ll be able to find 1,000+ contracts that could fit your skills and portfolio.

YunoJuno 🔗

Tailored towards creative and tech freelancers, YunoJuno is a UK based freelance platform dedicated to changing the relationship between innovative companies and freelance individuals. Similar to other freelance platforms out there in the market, YunoJuno allows freelancers to develop their own profile, apply for contracts that are right for them, and get paid within a 14 day timeline. This is a great opportunity for freelancers based specifically in the UK, a bit more niche than other platforms that exist.

Fiverr 🔗

With contract assignment every four seconds, and over 50 million transactions ranging from $5 to $10,000, Fiverr is one of the top freelance platforms to check out when looking for freelance work. Considered on the site as a “seller”, you simply create your profile similar to other sites, within a category that is most relevant to your skills. From there, all you need to do is search for the positions that are best suited for you.