Whether you’re looking for gig work to supplement your income, or as a primary career, there are a growing list of online locations designed to help.
A gig is a temporary job, where the worker typically works on a specific project for a company, either as an independent contractor or a freelancer. Some gigs can last just a few hours, others a few days, and other may be indefinite. The big benefit of a gig, is you can take jobs that meet your work requirement, in hours, work your own schedule and often set your own pay.
Gig jobs also allow you to always be open to new career opportunities. Since you’re not tied to one job, you can easily pick up new jobs as they appear.
Gig jobs are limited to any particular field, so there’s certain you’ll be able to find a gig that matches your particular skills.
Remember, even though it’s gig work, do your best work. Gig jobs can lead to referrals and even repeat assignments with the same organization.
Top Online Gig Sites
There are many different job search sites for gigs, freelance jobs, part-time jobs, and more. Make sure you are using a website that lists the kinds of jobs you want.
Behance.net: Behance.net is specifically for people in creative industries, including photographers, designers, illustrators, and more. You can showcase your work to employers, and you can also search for gig and part-time work. You can search for gigs by location, field, company, and keyword.
Fiverr: Fiverr claims to be the biggest global network of freelancers. The site offers freelance positions in a variety of fields, from tech to graphic design to music to writing. Most jobs are only $5 or $10, so while you might not make a lot of money, it is a great site to use for building your portfolio.
FlexJobs.com: FlexJobs lists flexible, part-time, freelance, and telecommuting jobs. The site requires a monthly fee, but they thoroughly vet all employers who want to list jobs. It is a great way to avoid scams. They offer jobs in 55 categories, so there are plenty of options for every kind of employee.
Freelancer.com: Freelancer.com offers you several different kinds of job opportunities, including fixed-price and hourly projects. You can also submit to “contests,” in which job seekers submit to a project and receive a fixed prize if they are selected. For job listings, job seekers place bids on jobs and receive the job if their bid is accepted.
Gigster: Gigster is a niche job site specifically for people looking for gigs in IT, with a focus on software development. Gigster requires you to go through a screening process to be accepted on the site, and they take a percentage of your fee for any project. However, many of the jobs are very lucrative, so this is a great site for IT professionals looking to begin gig work.
Guru.com: Guru lists thousands of freelance jobs in a variety of categories. You can search for jobs by category, payment type (hourly or fixed price), location, and more. You can also post your previous work to demonstrate your skills. Guru has a virtual “Work Room” where you can schedule your tasks, communicate with employers, share materials, and decide on payment.
LocalSolo.com: LocalSolo allows freelancers to find gigs in a number of industries. The site initially only listed jobs that involved face-to-face contact with the employer, but now they also list telecommuting jobs. The site does not get involved with payment or contracts, putting the freelancer and employer in control. This site also allows users to network with each other.
TaskRabbit: TaskRabbit allows people to post requests for help with various chores and tasks, ranging from making deliveries to cleaning houses to moving boxes. TaskRabbit notifies you of jobs nearby, and you can select the ones you want to complete. The site does not have as many IT and creative jobs as other sites, but they allow you to find jobs with extreme flexibility.
Toptal: Toptal helps IT and finance freelancers find gigs. Jobs range from coding to software engineering to web design and financial modeling. Toptal only accepts a percentage of freelancers who apply. You have to complete a series of screenings and interviews first. However, if you are accepted, you have access to some excellent IT and finance positions.
Upwork.com: Upwork offers a variety of projects (some ongoing, some for a fixed period) for freelancers to complete. There are hourly and fixed-price jobs. You can track your hours and get paid through Upwork, which streamlines the process when you are working for multiple companies.