Alternative to Freelancer/Elance/Odesk

L.Jenkins · 2014-05-19 21:03:49

Like some, I've used Freelancer and Odesk, but find them to be a bit of a gimmick. Bidding for work is not a problem, but many of the job posters seem to be a problem. College students looking for course work to be completed and others who won't pay or are generally shady. Is there a decent alternative to the above where I…

19-05-2014 10:03PM

#1

L.Jenkins

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Like some, I've used Freelancer and Odesk, but find them to be a bit of a gimmick. Bidding for work is not a problem, but many of the job posters seem to be a problem. College students looking for course work to be completed and others who won't pay or are generally shady.

Is there a decent alternative to the above where I can actually bid for real work from people who will actually pay?

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#2 20-05-2014 11:11PM

MyPeopleDrankTheSoup

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I worked on these sites in 2011 when i'd no alternative. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=76569683&postcount=15

i strongly advise you to stay away from them as a contractor. but if you must, oDesk is by far the best. the rest are crap. problem is it's practically another job finding and bidding for work, and then you have to do the actual work. my oDesk tips are stick to employers who've spent money before. you'll come across a lot of one post wonders, like the idiots who post here from the 'Entrepreneurial & Business Management' forum

you just have to pick out the 1 in 5 job that has a decent budget and where the employer obviously knows what he/she wants.

i'd advise against oDesk altogether and 100% think you go learn either android/ios apps and start pumping them out. back then i did a $200 app for a client on oDesk. this year i'm grossing 5 figures a month from my apps. it truly is a goldmine if you're willing to do the apps people want, not the apps you want to be proud of.

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#3 21-05-2014 01:44PM

Trojan

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I hire off Elance and Freelancer quite a lot to cover overflow. Normally Elance for hourly rate developers, Freelancer for fixed price projects. I've mostly been hiring Americans based in midwest (lower cost) states because of the price:quality ratio. YMMV.

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#4 21-05-2014 04:03PM

The Corinthian

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Itzy wrote: »

Is there a decent alternative to the above where I can actually bid for real work from people who will actually pay?

Had you considered the old fashioned way? Networking? Bidding for publically advertised tenders? Running a marketing campaign?

georgiecasey wrote: »

if you're willing to do the apps people want, not the apps you want to be proud of.

Never a truer word said... sigh...

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