Lost your job? 5 websites to check out to find freelance work

The government has forewarned us about the uncertainties of job security and a second wave of retrenchments as the Covid-19 outbreak continues to impact our economy.

And whether or not you've lost your job recently or are looking for a secondary stream of income to prepare yourself for the worst, it might be a good idea to start looking for freelance jobs that could tide you over. It's important that you:

1) Draft up a contract - this is to ensure you and your client are on the same page when it comes to deliverables, deadlines and payment. The last thing you want is to be unclear on what was promised.

2) Ensure your payment comes in on time - without a full-time salary being banked into your account on a monthly manner, you need to be clear with your client on the payment dates and plans. Whether it's 50 per cent down payment first or payment after submission, get this written down in black and white incase your money comes in late.

3) Know how to settle a dispute - as a freelancer, you're bound to come across disagreements with your clients. If that happens, and you have a contract or the receipts to prove that your client has treated you unfairly, you may try to get subsidised mediation services through IMDA.

4) Insure yourself - most freelancers are considered independent contractors, and thus would not be eligible for company insurance. Make sure you have both your medical insurance sorted as well as equipment insurance if that is applicable. You want to ensure you can afford to send your equipment in for fixing in the off-chance that something might happen while you're on a job.

Here are five websites to check out for freelance work opportunities.

Freelancers Singapore

The beauty of Freelancers Singapore is that it has a wide range of freelance jobs from all industries such as accounting all the way to creative writing.

Depending on what you're looking for, the site has a variety of both international and local jobs where you can choose to be paid at a fixed price or an hourly rate.

Once you find an ad that interests you, you'll have to pitch to your client to let them know why you think you're the best person for this job.

Just a little warning though, pitching can get quite competitive, and there have been reports of some scammers on the site who ghost the moment you submit your work so make sure you read up on client reviews and ensure contracts are signed and upheld before committing to a job.

There is also a nominal fee that the site takes from you as commission and they charge you to make your profile more visible so make sure to factor that cost in when pitching for jobs.

Freelance Zone

Freelance Zone is a lot more selective with its clients as job posts are only permissible for registered members, so you'll be rest assured that clients here are serious about their job ads.

In fact, Apple has been known to hire freelancers off this site, so you know you're in good company.

Registering for an account is free and there are no additional hidden costs you have to pay for when you book a job. But the downside is that due to its exclusivity the jobs for certain industries can be a bit infrequent.

Cult Jobs

In the past, if you wanted to get a job in the creative field, you would have to wade through tons of generalist job ads or good ol' word of mouth just to get to the types of things that interest you.

Noticing the gap in the market, Cult Jobs was created as a portal for creative job seekers to find careers in the media and creative fields with relative ease.

While the site does more than just provide temporary work, it's a great resource to look through as creative freelance can find short term contract work as well by selecting the contract work/freelance filter in their search engine.

Upwork

Similar to Freelancers Singapore, Upwork is also a freelance job platform that works on a bidding system. You'll have to fill up a comprehensive profile on your skillset in order for the site to send you ideal jobs that they think you'd be suited for.

The site also takes a fee ranging from 5 - 20 per cent depending on your earnings.

Upwork also has their own messaging system, allowing you to communicate with your clients and get feedback in real-time.

They also have a mobile app, allowing you to access your account even when you're on the go.

AADB

If acting is your thing and you're looking to attend casting calls and audition, then you might want to sign up with AADB.

The site allows you to create a comprehensive profile that will allow you to be seen by AADB's database of producers, directors, production companies and casting agents.

You can even submit yourself to casting calls and with a click of a button, your entire profile can be sent to the casting director.

This article was first published in CLEO Singapore.