If you're starting a career as a freelancing translator, then you probably don't have the luxury of pick and choose.
Register to all of the broker websites and find as much job as possible.
Also, I won't be discussing major websites like ProZ.
These are a must. The profile you build up on ProZ will become more and more important when you start working for bigger translation agencies.
You can easily find some other top ranked translation community.
Now this is strictly from my personal experience as a translator, so bear that in mind.
Best would be for you to experience each websites yourselves, but this post might give you a little bit of leeway and pitfalls to watch out for as you follow your new career path as a freelancer.
I'll just be discussing the 4 websites that I used most.
These are listed in the order of preference
1. Upwork
Looks Most Legit.
Among all other freelancing websites, this website is both aesthetically and functionally well organized. Looks least shady.
This website is where I meet most of my new clients, and also secure a long-term relationship with those clients.
Largest client pool / Job posting refresh rate
It encourages long-term relationship with the client by offering discounted fee.
Protects the freelancers by warning before-hand of the clients whose payments are unverified.
Provides more rigorous registration process.
Bottom line is that, in the long-term, this website will benefit you the most.
2. PPH
Less competition, supports both job post / talent post, Supports Euros
PPH has one has a relatively small client pool compared to other sites.
However, this one allows you to both apply for posted jobs and to sell yourself as a vendor, like Fiverr.com.
There's significantly less client pool, but there's also less freelancers on this site, so you gain competitiveness.
So whenever a job is posted, respond as fast as possible with very personal cover letter and usually you can secure a job.
One other incentive of this website, that I personally experienced, was meeting European clients, who represented sizable companies.
I guess Europeans prefer PPH over Upwork?
I might have been just lucky. I don't know.
They also support Euro, if that's any consideration for you.
3. Fiverr.com
You have to sell yourself lower. Can't choose your clients.
The workloads handled from clients you meet through fiverr are relatively smaller. So the clients tend to just go with the lowest price / highest job history. The client flow is very sensitive to the price you offer and you'll keep have to outsell the competitors.
But the real downside is that you can't really choose your client.
Once they buy your bid, you're obligated to finish what they give you. (as long as it confirms to what you proposed in your bid)
I've met some very unpleasant clients through this site.
So I decided to just mark up my price, in return for the superb quality work. Nobody buys it though. :P
So, again, due to my personal experience, this is placed near bottom of my list.
4. Freelancer.com - BECAREFUL
BAD ETHICS, high refresh rate in client pools
This website is probably why I started this post.
Their biggest advantage is the domain name itself. This is where I first started myself, because you know I'm a freelancer... there's a site called freelancer.com... Why not?
Well, here's why you should be careful with this site.
A. They take away the fee before you get paid.
So if you take on a $2000 job, even before you finish your job and get paid, you'll be out $60.
If the client bails out, do you get your $60 back? NOPE.
Always break down huge projects into milestone to avoid this from happening.
B. They will take away the money you earned, AFTER you have already received it
They don't protect you from clients who don't have money to pay you.
In fact, they will TAKE AWAY YOUR MONEY AWAY, which you've already received from that client.
You figure the whole point of paying a fee to these freelancing websites is to protect yourself from these kind of nonsense through escrow they provide you.
There are many complaints on the web about this.
I myself near experienced this.
I earned about $100 from a client. When I accepted his job, the freelancer.com website said that he had verified payment. When I finished the job the money was transferred to me.
After 2 months, 2 MONTHS, I get an email saying my funds have been frozen, because my client can't pay that amount.
C. They have click baits that'll cost you.
They will ALWAYS ask you with a pop-up if you want to feature your job for $4, every time you apply for a job.
I have yet to fall to their tricks, but do be careful.
Despite all these disadvantages, that so blatantly and obvious yell out "bad ethics", freelancer.com does have its advantage.
And that is, again, the domain name.
New clients come and go through this website all the time.
Usually, people who decide to use the freelancers for the first time.
So as long as you're careful, as a starting freelancer, you might be able to land some pretty hefty jobs that'll add in to your portfolio.
If you're serious about becoming a freelancer, it doesn't take long for you to be able to self-sustain without relying on jobs through these sites.
But they're great starting place which provides great opportunities to meet long-term clients, broaden your skill sets, and build up your portfolio.
