The economy has undergone seismic shifts in recent years, resulting in a labor force that would be unrecognizable in past decades.
Gone are the days of the single career. Jobs that once seemed secure have been outsourced, while many that remain have become automated or simply eliminated. In today’s “gig” economy, many workers create unconventional careers with a patchwork of jobs and side hustles.
Understandably, today’s workforce is wary of the companies for which they work and are very aware of the instability of the modern marketplace. A workforce of mercenaries has emerged, which includes some of the most talented people in their respective professions, seeking to take more control and steer their own careers.
It’s in the interest of your business to make the most of this situation. Chances are, you can profit from adding freelancers to your team. Full-time employees are certainly necessary, but there is value to be had in non-traditional, contractual workers, as well. With that in mind, here are a few places to find the free agents you need to succeed.
Fiverr
Founded in 2010, Fiverr quickly became a well-known destination for freelancers of all types, connecting anyone with access to service providers on their platform. You can find nearly any type of digital service here, from graphic design, to writing and translation, to music or video production, and tons of other options.
Fiverr offers over 150 categories of services, with freelancers in over 190 countries offering their services. What this means to you is that no matter what kind of help you need, and no matter what your price point, you should be able to find it here.
Upwork
Formerly, ElanceoDesk, Upwork bills itself as the world’s largest online workplace. It claims to provide $1 billion of work annually among 4 million clients, of whom more than 90% rehire. It’s a white-collar utopia, with freelance categories such as web and mobile developers, designers, writers, sales and marketing experts, customer service agents, accountants and consultants, virtual assistants and more. You can even interview your favorite candidates right online.
Craigslist
Craigslist still looks and feels extremely basic, but don’t be fooled. Because of its name recognition and its localized approach, Craigslist remains one of the most important sites to find workers. Just be ready for the overwhelming response. An ad on this site will generate so many emailed resumes that you might need to hire someone else just to handle the incoming traffic.
The downside to the ease and popularity of this site is that candidates aren’t vetted and anyone can post, so you might have to sift through a lot of noise in order to find what you need.
Guru
Guru boasts that you can use their platform to view more than 3.4 million services by category. Who even knew that there were that many services to be done in this world? Guru claims 1.5 million members worldwide who have completed over 1 million jobs to the tune of $200 million. Post your job for free and find your guru.
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The business landscape has permanently changed, giving you access to talent from all over the world, faster than ever before. Check out some of these platforms to find the talent you need to get it all done.
This article was updated 8/22/18.
