If you have spent some considerable time looking for freelance jobs online, I am pretty sure you have heard of freelancing platforms such as Freelancer.com, Elance, Odesk and Fiverr.
These are websites that connect job seekers with employers. Most of these sites are free to join, and attract freelancers from all over the world. You can literally open an account in one of them and start earning a small fee instantly. The best thing about these sites is that as long as you are skilled in a particular field, it will be very difficult to not find an online job.
A lot of Kenyans use oDesk and Elance to make money online. The best Kenyan freelancers earn an upwards of $100 per day from these websites.
It sounds like the best deal of the year, doesn’t it? It tempts you to go there and open an account. Please go ahead. But before you actually head over there, you may need to examine some few things.
A lot of employers love these sites because they can get work on the cheap from very talented Kenyan freelancers.
I am not saying that folks making money from these websites are unhappy. To the contrary, most of them are extremely happy to be ‘making money online’. But think about it. I will contract you to make me a logo in Fiverr for about $5 (approximately 400 shillings). I will then sell the same logo to my client in River Road for around 1,500/= cash money!
5 Signs That You Are Charging Low for Your Freelance Services
Here are five sad signs that you are selling your freelance services very cheaply:
1. You are having a hard time paying your bills
If you are always late to pay your house rent, if you are constantly worrying whether you will make enough money to pay the electricity bill and buy internet bundles, you need to reevaluate your freelance rates. The fee you charge should be enough to foot these bills. If it is not, it is probably the high time you sought for formal employment where you can expect a fat paycheck at the end of the month.
2. You do not have any free time aka You are married to your computer
Many freelancers in Kenya quit their daytime jobs because they want more flexible hours. It is the reason why I quit mine, and truthfully speaking, a freelance career should afford you a lot of flexible hours.
However, if you are finding yourself constantly tied to your desk, furiously banging on the keyboard, you should reconsider your rates. Only a freelancer who is underpaid would spend hours tied to their job.
3. You are Juggling Between a 101 Incomplete Projects
If you are dividing your time between so many projects that you are unable to handle them and clients are always on your neck, it is either because you are being underpaid or you are greedy. If it is greed (or ambition), try to handle it in a sophisticated manner. Start your own freelance agency. Have freelancers work for you.
4. You do not enjoy what you do
No matter what everyone else says, I believe that if you are constantly looking for the next exit strategy from your freelancing career, it is because you are being underpaid. Who else wants to quit a job that is paying them handsomely and that is allowing them all the flexibility they need?
5. You are not making progress in your life
Your freelance jobs career is supposed to advance your life, your skills and your knowledge. If you are stagnated, it is time to rething things. Get clients who are offering jobs that actually develop you. It is the same case with the brick-and-mortar world. Would you stay in a job that had little chances of career growth and promotions?
I hope you see my point. Before you rush over to Freelancer.com or Fiverr and offer to do work for 5 bucks, you may want to check whether there is something else you can do that will give you better returns on your time and energy. If you would like to transform the rates you are currently commanding, download my free guide on how to write better freelance job proposals.
Patrick Mahinge is a prolific digital marketer and "serial webpreneur". He runs multiple profitable niche websites and blogs monetized through affiliate marketing and advertising. Patrick generously shares his expertise in affiliate marketing, blogging, and online business through his Facebook group of over 5,000 aspiring entrepreneurs.
Great post and helpful information. Surely freelance job sites are doing a great job for the job seekers. I think we should share maximum this type information to help the job seeker people.