Freelance work in the USA: where to look and how to start

Freelancing gives a great many people the freedom they want in how they work. But that independence carries responsibility too, because you have to keep yourself loaded with enough work to cover the basics. To be confident that a client meets your requirements and will hold up their end, it matters where you look. In this article we have gathered the most popular and most reliable places to find freelance work in the USA — but first, let's work out who freelancing suits and where to begin.

Who freelancing suits, and how to start

Freelancing is not a universal answer, but it suits people who value independence and flexibility. If you are well organised, can plan your own time and are ready to keep teaching yourself, freelancing may be an ideal fit. It suits specialists who want to run several projects at once, experiment with new directions and stay free of an office routine.

To build a freelance career, a few principles matter:

1. Keep developing. Technology and services change fast, so regular study, courses and new tools are the foundation of success.
2. A strong portfolio. A good portfolio and positive reviews from clients help you stand out. Do not be afraid to start with small projects and build experience gradually.
3. A personal brand. Build your own site, keep your professional social profiles active and take part in specialist forums. That raises your visibility and the trust prospective clients place in you.
4. Networking. Building connections with colleagues and clients is an important part of a successful career. Recommendations from satisfied clients and involvement in professional communities lead to new projects.
5. Financial literacy. Plan your budget and account for taxes and other costs, so that freelancing becomes a stable source of income.

Where to find freelance work

Upwork is one of the largest international platforms, with thousands of commissions posted daily across programming, design, copywriting, marketing and more. You will find both short and long projects here.

Advantages:

• A large choice of work and the chance to work with clients in different countries
• A flexible rate system and the ability to raise your income as your rating grows

Drawbacks:

• Stiff competition, which can push prices down
• Platform commission, which reduces your net income

Freelancer.com is another popular platform with projects across a wide range of fields. It often runs competitive projects where several candidates compete for a commission, which pushes the quality of the work up.

Advantages:

• The chance to enter competitions, which lets you show creativity and professionalism
• A variety of categories for specialists of every kind

Drawbacks:

• Proposals need careful preparation to stand out among a great many competitors
• Commission can be high, particularly for beginners

Fiverr has an unusual model in which services, known as gigs, are sold at a fixed price starting from $5. Clients choose based on ratings, reviews and examples of your work.

Advantages:

• A profile is simple to create and you can start quickly
• You can define your own service packages and promote them through the ratings system

Drawbacks:

• Low starting prices, which can limit your income unless you build a client base and raise your rates
• The profile needs constant updating to keep the rating high

Toptal is an exclusive platform for highly qualified specialists, with selection by demanding tests and interviews. Only the top 3 per cent of candidates work here, which guarantees the quality of the projects and the pay.

Advantages:

• High pay and work with large international clients
• A serious approach to quality and constant room for professional growth

Drawbacks:

• Strict selection, which puts the platform out of reach for beginners
• High requirements for experience and skill, which can put off people early in their careers

FlexJobs specialises in remote and freelance work, and vets every vacancy carefully. You will find commissions here with a guarantee of honesty and safety, which matters particularly if you are just starting out.

Advantages:

• No fraudulent listings, thanks to careful vetting
• A large choice of projects for specialists at every level of experience

Drawbacks:

• Paid access to the fuller functionality, which can be an obstacle for beginners on a limited budget
• A less lively flow of commissions than on the international giants

Tech is one of the most popular fields to freelance in. Many people wrongly assume that tech work is inherently flexible, but it is not. That is why a great many specialists go freelance so as to set comfortable boundaries themselves. What matters is choosing a tech profession that lets you work in different arrangements. At PASV we train future tech specialists in UX/UI design, full-stack and front-end development and QA — all of which can be done freelance. Our team will talk you through the prospects of any direction in a consultation, including how well it suits freelancing. Do not put off the chance to live and work the way you want to.