Many people are skeptical about finding a legitimate freelance job online. There are many reasons for this skepticism, but the biggest one is that it seems too good to be true. The idea that you can work from home and make money in your underwear sounds great, but it also sounds like a scam.
The truth is that there are many legitimate freelance jobs available online. You just need to know where to look and what to avoid. Millions of people make money freelancing, and if you want to join them, you need to know how to get started.
If you’re looking for a job, why not consider freelancing? Freelancing gives you the freedom to work on your own schedule, choose jobs that fit your lifestyle, and make money doing what you love. However, it also opens you up to fraudulent employers and scammers who want to take advantage of desperate job seekers.
So how do you find legitimate freelance work? Here are tips to help you avoid scams and find the right employer.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Conduct thorough research on potential clients and companies before accepting freelance gigs. |
| Use reputable freelancing platforms with verified clients and positive reviews. |
| Network with professionals in your industry and join relevant online communities to discover new opportunities. |
| Be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true and trust your instincts. |
| Protect yourself from scams by setting clear project terms, using secure payment methods, and maintaining open communication. |
Reputable Job Boards
Use reputable job boards and websites. Try Indeed or Upwork. These sites have good reputations and offer a lot of information about the companies that post jobs.
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Take Your Time Responding To Jobs
Scammers want you to respond quickly so they can take advantage of you. If you take your time and carefully read the job description, it’s easier for you to spot red flags.
Be Wary Of Overpaying
Some scammers will “overpay” you, then ask for the difference back. Some try to get around this by giving the extra payment in cash or gift cards. Don’t fall for it!
Don’t Send Money Or Gift Cards As Payment
Scammers ask for money or gift cards as payment because it’s untraceable and there is no way for them to get in trouble for it.
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Avoid Offers That Sound Too Good To Be True
Most people looking to hire freelancers will go through dozens of profiles before deciding who they want to hire, so you need to make yours stand out. Consider using a professional headshot and filling your profile with specific examples of your past work, such as samples of your writing or graphic design.
Know What You Want
Are you looking for full-time or part-time work? Do you want to take on a handful of long-term projects or many smaller ones? Consider what skills or experience you want to gain. Once you’ve decided, start looking for companies that offer the kind of work and experience you’re looking for. For example, if you’re looking for writing assignments, consider reaching out to marketing companies in your area about potential opportunities or search online
Check The Company Out Online
When applying for a freelance job, be sure to check out the company online first. This is important so that you make sure they are legitimate and they are who they say they are. A great place to start is by checking out their website. If they have a website, chances are they’re legitimate.
Look At Their Reviews
A good way to learn more about a company is by checking out its reviews online. If you’re thinking about working for an online company, do a search on them and see what others have said about them in reviews. If there aren’t many reviews on the company, this might be a red flag that there’s something fishy going on with them.
Freelance Marketplaces
These are marketplaces where freelancers can bid on projects that are posted by clients. You can bid on projects that fit your skills, submit proposals, and compete against other freelancers. You must be careful when bidding on projects because they don’t offer any protection for the freelancer if a client doesn’t pay or has you sign over rights to an idea or product.
Avoid Sites That Promise Access To Jobs Or “Secret Lists” Of Jobs
Many of these sites are designed to take your money right off the bat by charging fees just to join and then offering nothing in return, but even those that are free often do not offer any value. They may point you toward low-paying gigs or ones that require no skills at all (and usually provide little compensation). They don’t have any special access that anyone else doesn’t have. You can find these gigs yourself on sites like Craigslist, Indeed, and others — all free of charge.
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Read The Job Description Carefully
Make sure it’s clear what you’ll be doing and how much you’ll be paid. If there’s any ambiguity about how much you’ll be paid or if there are any “additional charges” or “fees” involved, ask about them before taking the job. Ideally, your employer will be forthcoming with details about what your job entails and how much it pays upfront — if not, that should raise a red flag.
Networking Is Your Friend
One of the best ways to find freelance work is by using your network of friends, family, past colleagues, and acquaintances to help you find work. If you’re just starting out as a freelancer, chances are that you have plenty of people in your life who have contacts that could help. Ask them directly if they know any companies interested in hiring freelancers. You may be surprised at how many people have a contact who needs assistance with a project or two.
Seek Out Search Engines
Some of the biggest search engines have special sections that include freelance jobs. By searching these sections, you can find links to hundreds of opportunities across the country. Some are national or international companies, while others are local businesses looking for writers or designers to help them out with a single project.
Here’s A List Of Some Search Engines With Freelance Job Sections
Google: Google has two separate pages for freelance jobs — one for the U.S., and one for international jobs. In both cases, just type “freelance” into the Google search box and you’ll be directed to appropriate jobs listings.
Check The Payment Method
Most legitimate freelance sites will pay through PayPal or another service such as Payoneer or TransferWise, which allow users to transfer money between bank accounts quickly and easily. Some sites will only pay by check, which is fine if you don’t mind waiting a few weeks for the check to clear. However, if they ask you to pay them anything other than by PayPal or another service, be very careful; it may be a scam.
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Investigate The Job Offer
Once you find a company that seems like it may be legitimate, investigate the job offer itself. Determine if this is really something you want to do, and ask yourself why they’re offering such a great opportunity for someone who doesn’t have experience or training in this area. If someone is giving away money for free, chances are good that there’s a catch involved somewhere along the way (and it could be a big one).
Be Cautious About Unsolicited Offers And Never Pay Up Front
Scammers will often look for ways to target victims directly through social media and email. If you get an offer that seems too good to be true, it probably is. Some might even offer you work with no interview or application process needed and ask that you pay a “registration fee” first. These are usually bogus job offers that are either phishing attempts or outright scams designed to get money from unsuspecting victims who fall for it.
Look For Specific Language
The first step in identifying a legitimate freelance job is to look for signs that the position is low-quality or potentially fraudulent.
For example, here are some red flags that should make you question whether a freelance job is legitimate:
It Has Vague Language
The job description doesn’t clearly describe what’s expected of you or the project scope.
It Uses High-Pressure Tactics
The employer promises that this is your “last chance” or makes other threats if you don’t agree right away.
It Has Grammatical Errors And/Or Uses Poor Grammar
If an employer isn’t willing to take care of basic grammar and spelling errors in their job listing, they may not care about your work either.
You’re Asked To Provide Personal Information
A legitimate employer won’t ask for your address, Social Security number, banking information, driver’s license number, or other personal information until after you’ve been
The Job Should Be Realistic
You may not be able to snag a high-paying, full-time job as a freelance writer if you have no experience, but any job that sounds too good to be true probably is. Don’t believe anyone who tells you that you can make hundreds of dollars an hour doing simple data entry or something similar unless you already have training and experience in that area (and even then, it’s usually not possible).
Never Pay Up Front
A legitimate client will never expect you to pay anything upfront, even if it’s just to cover expenses like your telephone bill or a background check. If a client asks for money upfront, that’s a huge red flag and you should avoid working with him at all costs. Instead, look for another client who will pay you after the work has been completed and accepted.
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Do Your Research
Check out the company’s website. Does it look professional? Is there information about the company? Are there any testimonials from current or past clients? If so, try to contact those clients and ask them about their experience with the company. Have they been paid on time? Are they happy with the quality of the work?
Plenty of companies employ freelancers and don’t have a great website. But if a company doesn’t even have a website, that’s definitely a red flag.
Don’t Overbid Or Underbid
If your rate is too low, employers will think your skills aren’t up to snuff. But if it’s too high, they’ll go with someone else who charges less. Expect to negotiate, and don’t worry about getting what you deserve — that’s what freelance job boards are all about!
Keep An Eye Out For Suspicious Details
Here’s how these scams typically work: You’ll receive an email from someone claiming to be conducting a survey or hiring writers for a project. The email will likely ask you to provide detailed personal information — your full name, birth date, home address, education, employment history, Social Security number, and more. The scammer may offer you a generous fee for completing the job, but first, they’ll ask you to send them money upfront, either as payment for “training materials,” insurance, or some other item. Once they’ve gotten your money, they’ll disappear.
Keep Records Of All Communication
Keep records of all communication. This is especially important when dealing with new clients who you’ve never worked with before. Make sure they understand what your expectations are, how much they will be charged, what kind of materials need to be delivered
Keep records of all communication with potential employers and make sure they keep records as well! This includes phone calls, emails, and text messages – any correspondence that could come back later being used against me if something goes wrong down the line with this person/company/job opportunity so I can prove that I was upfront about my intentions from day one.
Ask Questions
Ask questions about the job, the company, and the hiring managers. If they have problems answering any of your questions, then they could be hiding something. A legitimate company will have no problem answering your questions. Always be sure to ask for references from other freelancers as well. This will help you determine if the company is worth working for or not.
Do A Background Check
Once you get the name of the hiring manager, do a search on them online through social media networks and Google search as well. Then, go to their website and see what type of information you can find about them and their company too. If everything checks out okay, then you can feel more comfortable about applying for the position but if there is something that is just not sitting right with you, then you should walk away from it because it could be a scam.
Only Work With Reputable Clients
Make sure the client has money in their account. Some freelancing sites only allow clients to put money in escrow if they have funds available, but others will allow them to put it on their credit cards. Make sure that you’re working with someone who has money available to pay their freelancers — otherwise, you may not get paid at all.
Never Accept A Personal Check
This is one of the biggest red flags of an online writing scam. They’ll ask you to accept payment via personal check or money order instead of through PayPal or direct deposit. A legitimate company will always pay via PayPal or direct deposit unless they’re paying your taxes and withholding them from your earnings.
Polish Up Your Resume And Profile
If you’re looking for freelance work, it’s time to update your resume and fill out a profile on whatever job site you’re using (be it Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal or another). You don’t need to have tons of experience or a degree, but even if you’re new to freelancing, you can get jobs if you present yourself well. Include information about your skills and the type of work you want to do. If possible, include a portfolio of your previous work.
Use An Online Portfolio
Clients want to see examples of the type of work you have done in the past. A great way to display this work is to use an online portfolio. This can be a simple or complex website that shows off some of your best work.
Create an online portfolio even if you don’t have client work yet. You can put your best personal projects in your online portfolio, along with case studies of each project. Case studies will help you stand out from other freelancers because they show potential clients how you solved problems and overcame obstacles in order to deliver a successful project.
Take advantage of freebie sites where designers can upload screenshots of their work. These screenshots can serve as inspiration for potential employers and allow them to see what kind of projects you’re capable of working on.
Final Thoughts
By following the tips for finding a legitimate job listed above, you could be well on your way towards receiving that first check from your new freelance project. If it helps you get your foot in the door with a new client, then it’s worth it alone.
But there’s more to it than just being legitimate: a good freelancer makes sure that their work is of the highest quality, communicates effectively with their clients, is honest, and overall builds up a positive reputation for themselves.
Further Reading
Tips to Find Your First Freelance Gig: Explore practical tips and advice for beginners looking to land their first freelance gig.
Upwork Scam: 7 Things You Can Do to Avoid Getting Taken Advantage Of: Learn how to protect yourself from potential scams on Upwork and ensure a safe and successful freelancing experience.
Freelancer Scams: How to Stay Safe and Avoid Fraud: Discover common freelancer scams and gain insights on how to stay safe, protect your information, and avoid falling victim to fraud.
Frequently Asked Question
How do I know if a job is legitimate?
The first thing you’ll want to do is check the company out. Google the company name, see what comes up. If it’s a company you’ve heard of or have come across before, look for reviews. Search for the company name plus the word “reviews.” Don’t forget to check Glassdoor, too. It can provide a wealth of information about not just a company but also about its management.
What should I do if I think I’m being scammed?
If you’re working on an hourly basis, your client will pay you using Upwork’s payment system. Upwork holds the money in escrow until the contract is complete. If you think your client is trying to scam you, you can report them to Upwork and they’ll investigate. Remember that your client will want to protect their reputation as much as you do, so be sure to ask questions before accepting a job and reach out to Upwork if anything seems shady.
What should I do if I don’t agree with my client’s evaluation of my work?
Try to resolve any issues with your client before asking Upwork to mediate the dispute.
What skills do I need?
It depends on the job. The best way to find one that matches your experience is to search freelance job sites with keywords related to your background. For example, if you have 10 years’ experience as a software engineer, try searching for “10 year software engineer.” You can also search for “freelance” plus your job title.
How much does it pay?
The online world has long been known as a place where workers work for less money than they would in traditional employment. And this is often still the case, especially if you’re new to the field. Your best bet when starting out is to accept less money while working on building up your portfolio and earning positive reviews.
However, many freelancers eventually earn more than they would have in a traditional job because their skills become in demand. And some freelance jobs offer benefits such as health insurance or retirement plans.
How do I find freelance jobs?
Finding your first job is almost always the hardest part of launching a freelance career. The good news is that there are lots of online job boards where you can find work if you’re willing to look for it.
How do I ask a client for payment?
The key here is not to get angry. Clients can miss payments sometimes, and they may be more responsive to a friendly inquiry than an angry demand.
When should I expect a payment?
The terms of your deal with the client will determine when you get paid, but in general, you should expect payment within 30 days of delivering your work.
What should I do if an employer promises to pay me later
Be wary of any job that promises payment after work is done. The employer may not have the funds or could be trying to scam you. Ask for some sort of deposit. You can also see if there are any negative reviews about them online before you agree to take the job.
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