Ok, so I went a bit overboard yesterday on crowdsprung (they deserved it, right?). Today, I’m going to hand out a great freelancing tool of my own – GURU.com
This fabulous website is a secret tool of many in the design/programming world. It allows employers/businesses to find top-notch freelancers and freelancers to find work. Unlike crowdsprung, freelancers only bid on work and employers choose applicants based on bids, experience, portfolio, reviews and more – the way it should be.
Guru.com is free for employers to post projects and really affordable for freelancers looking to improve their skills and income. I have to admit that one of my first real jobs as Jaimee Designs came from a web maintenance ad on guru from a really nice fellow in Australia and I’ve been hooked ever since. Although I don’t use this site anymore to find work, I couldn’t do without it as an employer!
Well, the internet has done it again. It has sprung to life ANOTHER free-market, capitalist venture to feed on hungery, eager to please, dying for the spotlight freelancers.
It’s called — dun du da dummm — CrowdSpring (http://www.crowdspring.com).
It’s touts itself as a easy, affordable solution for small businesses. What it doesn’t say is how crappy it is for designers.
Here’s how this website works: Say you need a logo for your new business, you start a project, tell the world what your budget is and a little about your business. Within a set time period, designers from all over actually design logos for you in hopes that you will PICK THEM. And, you, glorious you, get to choose which is your favorite and hire this person or team.
So, let me get this straight….. as a designer, I go through this site looking for projects to work on. Instead of submitting my portfolio and a bid, I spend time actually doing the job — brainstorming and designing the graphics. I upload my ideas and MAYBE I’ll get paid for my time. That’s like me needing someone to do my taxes and asking 10 or so accountants to do the work, but only PAYING for the one who got me the most money back.
The economy is so bad now that designers are willing to work for free in hopes that they will be PICKED to get paid for their time? What else are they getting? Does this contest have any more perks? Are they going to get their own tv show? How about a design contract? Will they become famous? No.. no… and no.
This is highway robbery. Sure it’s great for businesses on a budget who want to look like they have millions, but it’s horrible for the design industry. If great art and creativity isn’t valued more than this, designers who have bills to pay and families to feed will leave the business for more lucrative work elsewhere.
