Strong Signs That You Have Ended Up In The Wrong Career Path

by Awesome Author - November 4, 2020

Ending up in the wrong career can happen to anyone at any age. There is no guarantee that a job you hold is perfect for you, but there are clearly some jobs that are not a great fit for your skills or personality. If you suspect that you have landed yourself in one of these jobs, it’s best to get out while you can and pursue a new career path.

By pursuing a new career path, you can lead a happier life and have less stress overall. Don’t ignore the common signs that can indicate when you have landed a career that isn’t right for you. Instead, focus on aligning yourself to a new career path that suits both your interests and skills more. With that in mind, here are some of the biggest signs that you may have ended up in the wrong career.

You Complain About Work Constantly

Everybody has bad days at work and times when they just don’t want to come into the office. A red flag that you may actually have landed yourself in the wrong career is if you find yourself complaining all the time about your job. However, there’s an important distinction that you will have to make.

You need to focus on whether or not the source of your complaints is something that can be fixed by switching jobs, or if a career switch is actually necessary. For some, switching careers may be the best and only course of action when you are constantly complaining about work. More often than not, complaints are brought on by excessive boredom at work.

If you find yourself in this boat, consider pursuing a more interesting and dynamic career path, such as full-stack development. Developing the skills needed to launch a new and fascinating career has never been easier with the rise in technology. Take advantage of opportunities around you and stop being the friend who is always complaining about their job after work.

Another Job Fascinates You

Did you know that it has been reported that people will switch jobs as many as five to seven times during their lives? Identifying another career that interests you is a great way of knowing whether or not you are currently working in the right field. In all honesty, there will always be times where you feel bored at work.

Constantly being bored and uninterested in what you are doing, however, is a major sign that something may be wrong with your career choice. Don’t settle for a job that doesn’t capture your interest and make you excited to come into work in the morning. When another job fascinates you, you are going to need to determine if it is actually a job that would suit your skillset.

To do this, reflect on what are your strengths, as well as your weaknesses. Assuming that this new path that is capturing your interest is a great match for your talents, consider attending an online trade school to develop the skills needed to enter the field. There’s nothing wrong with being interested in another job, and it may actually be a huge sign that you’re in the wrong career. Before deciding to switch paths, however, you are going to need to determine whether or not your new path is even right for you as well.

You Feel Like You Aren’t Using Your Skills

One of the largest signs that you could be on the wrong career path is if you feel like your skills are underutilized. This can lead you to feel as if you wasted your educational years developing skills that are unimportant to the job you hold. Considering you spent so long developing your unique skillset, it’s best to land a job that actually forces you to use those skills well.

If the job you have now doesn’t acknowledge your talents and abilities, consider relearning how to write a two weeks’ notice letter. Find a job and employer that recognizes your unique abilities and what you bring to the table, rather than allowing yourself to just become another ordinary employee.

Conclusion

Landing in a job that isn’t right for you can be a distressing experience that leaves you wondering what you should do. These feelings can compound and make you wonder if you have been wasting your time in a career that doesn’t match your skills or interests. Rest assured that you can always switch careers and it has never been easier to do so thanks to technology today. Avoid accepting a job that isn’t right for you and pursue a new path until you find a career that lights a fire in your heart and makes you smile coming to work each day.

About the Author:

Artur Meyster is the CTO of Career Karma (YC W19), an online marketplace that matches career switchers with coding bootcamps. He is also the host of the Breaking Into Startups podcast, which features people with non-traditional backgrounds who broke into tech.
https://twitter.com/arturmeyster
https://www.linkedin.com/in/meyster

Featured Image Credits: Pixabay

Exempt and Non-Exempt Employees: What’s the Difference

by Awesome Author - July 25, 2020

Whether your employees are considered exempt or non-exempt impacts several things from whether they track their time to overtime pay eligibility. But before you can accurately categorize your workforce, you need to understand what exempt and non-exempt means—and what’s required for each group of workers. ‍

The classifications come from the Fair Labor Standards Act. This far-reaching federal law was created in 1938 after the Great Depression. It establishes a whole host of employment regulations including setting the federal minimum wage, creating rules for overtime pay and establishing the 40-hour workweek. The FLSA also defines which employees are covered by the laws and which are not—non-exempt and exempt employees, respectively.

What are non-exempt and exempt employees?

Non-exempt employees are workers that are covered under the FSLA. That means that you must pay these employees at least minimum wage for the number of hours they work. You must also provide overtime pay that is at least time-and-a-half for hours they worked beyond the 40-hour workweek. Non-exempt employees are almost always hourly. ‍

In contrast, salaried employees are usually considered exempt employees. According to the Department of Labor, this means that they’re exempt from the FSLA requirements regarding overtime pay and minimum wage. ‍

In theory, you should compensate your salaried employees enough that issues of 40 hour work weeks and overtime pay become moot—they’re required to fulfill their job duties, and their salary makes it worthwhile.

Can hourly employees be exempt?

This is an important question with a bit of a complicated answer. While the FSLA regulates the treatment of most hourly workers in the U.S., there are some industries and jobs that are not included. In these cases, businesses can pay employees an hourly wage, but the employees aren’t protected by the FSLA. As such, they’re not required to receive overtime pay or minimum wage. ‍

The exempt workers include some parts of food service such as wait staff, truck driving, movie theater and regular theater employees. In addition, jobs within the agriculture industry and outside sales positions are also often exempt, though they may be paid by the hour.

Do the requirements for non-exempt employees vary by state?

While the FSLA regulates employers across the country, individual states may have their own labor laws that come into play with non-exempt employees. The most prevalent is the minimum wage. While federal law sets a base for the minimum wage, most states enact their own and they vary across the country. For example, the minimum wage in Washington state is $13.50 per hour while the minimum wage in Texas is $7.25 an hour. ‍

Also while the federal law doesn’t regulate breaks or time for meals, states may have their own rules for how long breaks should be and whether they’re paid. As an employer, you’re required to abide by both federal and state labor laws. So be sure to educate yourself on any regulations that are specific to your state.

Can you pay an employee with exempt status an hourly rate?

In some cases, it might make sense to pay an exempt employee on an hourly basis. Perhaps the employee wants to take on an ad-hoc project that’s outside of her regular job duties or reduce the amount of time she works to less than full-time. However, in order to be exempt from the Federal Labor Standards Act, a salaried employee first must meet the duties test, which determines which types of jobs are eligible for exemption. ‍

Employers are then required to pay the worker on a salary basis. If a new work arrangement means that an hourly rate is more appropriate for an employee, then you’ll need to reclassify that person as a non-exempt worker. The employee is then eligible for overtime pay and must earn at least minimum wage.

Time tracking essentials for non-exempt employees

In the construction, industrial and restaurant industries, non-exempt workers are a big component of the workforce. As an employer, staying compliant with FSLA regulations as well as the laws in the states you operate is critical. Run afoul of federal and state laws, and you could face penalties and lawsuits from your employees. ‍

Here are three ways you can properly track hours worked for your non-exempt employees and avoid compliance problems:

1. Document your employees work hours in real-time

It’s easy for hourly employees to fall into the habit of recording all their work hours at the end of a pay period. However, this practice leads to errors within timecards and estimates about how much people worked and when. While it’s most problematic with paper time cards, employees also estimate and report time in bulk when using time tracking software that requires manual entries.‍

People platforms such as Hourly, however, make it easy for employees to clock in via a mobile app in real-time. Managers or human resources staff can even institute location-based check-ins, which allow employees to clock in only if they’re at the designated work site. By eliminating the manual aspect of time tracking, you can ensure you’re tracking employee work in real-time, and then documenting their work hours for compliance, overtime, sick leave, paid time off and more.

2. Properly track overtime hours and overtime pay

When your non-exempt employees work more than 40 hours, they’re immediately eligible for overtime pay. (In some states, overtime kicks after an eight-hour workday instead of a 40-hour workweek). Keeping meticulous track of the time employees work is not only smart business, but it also ensures you remain FSLA compliant. Employers who don’t pay overtime may be forced to pay employees back pay, associated damages, and attorney’s fees. ‍

A time tracking solution like Hourly makes it easy to see when employees are nearing overtime. You can set real-time alerts that denote when an employee is approaching the end of their regular hours and get an overview of total overtime worked by your team. With that information, managers can make smart decisions about whether overtime is warranted or finds ways to avoid overtime expenses, such as bringing on different workers.

3. Ensure employees are taking breaks—and documenting them

FSLA regulations require that if an employer provides their non-exempt employees with a short break during the work (usually 20 minutes or less), that the break is paid. However, employers don’t need to pay employees for a dedicated meal-time, which is typically at least 30 minutes, as long the employees are allowed to do what they want during this free time. Different states also have varying takes on paid and unpaid breaks and lunches.‍

An automated time tracking app reminds your employees to take their breaks and lunches and provides documentation that they did. What’s more, a solution like Hourly can help ensure employees aren’t taking more than their allotted time—something called time card theft—and provide evidence if that occurs.

To exempt or not exempt …

The nature of your business and the types of jobs you provide will answer the question of whether your employees are nonexempt or exempt. Knowing the differences between the two, and why it’s important to follow the rules for both will keep your company in compliance and out of trouble. ‍

Navigating the nonexempt worker landscape can be complex. But a solution like Hourly is your secret weapon. Take advantage of our time tracking software to automate and simplify your timekeeping for employees and managers alike.

This article by Kelly Kearsley was originally published at Hourly.io

Job Posting Websites: The Best Free Platforms in 2020

by Awesome Author - July 17, 2020

Best Free Job Posting Sites in 2020

It’s no secret that hiring quality employees isn’t easy for employers. Also, many prospective employees have a hard time finding the right opportunity for their skill set, which leads to a difficult process for both parties. Websites like Careerbuilder and Mightyrecruiter can help, unfortunately, they are expensive, with premium plans veering close to $1000 a month, which is beyond the budget for many smaller firms. Luckily, there’s a wealth of free job posting sites where small business owners can find top-notch candidates, and where job seekers can browse a list of open jobs in their professional fields, without spending an arm and a leg.

Some websites like LinkedIn, also double as places to network with potential candidates and share thoughts via quality posts. On the other hand, platforms like Upwork cater to small business owners that need workers on a per-project or freelance basis. This guide will cover a number of the best free job posting sites in detail and cover their strengths and weaknesses.

Indeed is currently the world’s largest job board that has over 250 million job seekers. It allows small business owners to post jobs for free and to use tools like a resume database system. This resume database system enables employers to search for and message job applicants. Also, this tool can be used to ask certain candidates to apply for a specific job opportunity.

Besides this tool, Indeed offers employers many unique features like job screening questions, interview scheduling tools, application management, and an ATS or Applicant Tracking System. One of Indeed’s main advantages is that it offers job screening questionnaires, which test a candidate’s on the job abilities prior to scheduling an interview. For example, employers can implement real-life scenarios that are relevant to the job, like sales prospecting situations for sales jobs. This main feature allows the small business owner to cut through the vast candidate pool to find the best person for the job.

Pros:

Cost-effective, customizable, and easy to use. Employers and recruiters can post unlimited jobs for free, which can save money and get them exposure to many qualified candidates. One quality of Indeed is that it constantly updates users of fresh developments: employers can set notifications so that they will be notified when a candidate submits an application or sends them a message, while prospective employees can set up job alert emails that will notify them when a new job is posted in one of their categories.
Many candidates look for and apply to job openings via smartphones. Indeed has made their site mobile friendly to account for this and also gives employers mobile notifications. This feature allows both parties to stay connected and work efficiently on the go.

Cons:

Negative reviews regarding receiving too many messages from unqualified candidates. This can make it harder for an employer to focus on the right candidates and will cause the hiring manager to waste time sorting through resumes.

Some ways that employers can prevent this is by stating to only apply if the candidate has certain licenses or years of experience. Using these statements will cut down on the number of irrelevant resumes. Also, Indeed also lets employers integrate their applicant tracking system or ATS, which filters resumes by skills match and keywords. So, employers can list certain requirements or licenses that one might need to become hired. Resumes that don’t have these won’t move on to the next level.

Pricing:

Indeed’s main functions are free, but it does offer job ads called sponsored posts. These job posts rank at the top of the website and are similar to Google Search Ads. Like Google search ads, sponsored posts appear at the top for specific keyword searches and follow the same performance-based pay per click (PPC), model. Sponsored jobs start at $5 per day and can be worth the investment as they’re more than 5 times as likely to be clicked on than standard posts.
Offers employers another subscription-based premium option called Hiring Campaign, and its price varies on customer needs. Hiring Campaign has more customizable features which include consultations on sponsored jobs, advertising budgets, and the best ways to use a company’s ATS.

Glassdoor Job Search

Glassdoor is another main website for posting jobs and it also allows employees to review companies. For example, both current and former employees can find their company on Glassdoor and give it 5-star ratings in categories like pay, work-life balance, growth, and CEO approval. They can leave detailed reviews regarding the pros and cons of working there along with interview tips for prospective candidates. Employers are realizing that Glassdoor reviews can help encourage or discourage a candidate from taking a job. Therefore, many small business owners have realized the importance of maintaining positive Glassdoor reviews by creating good corporate cultures, having fair pay, and growth opportunities.

Keep in mind that Glassdoor is technically a paid site that lets employers post jobs for free during a 30 day period. Once the free trial is done, it could cost between $199 to $699 per month depending on the number of job postings (maximum is 10 per employer).

Features

Glassdoor has many features like job posting, advertisement, and recruiting platforms. It also helps employers brand themselves online to obtain the best employees. The job posting product helps employers write quality, compelling job descriptions that will attract top talent and weed out unqualified candidates. This option also helps employers create job descriptions that will be optimized for keywords that candidates use when applying for jobs.

Also, Glassdoor also helps small business owners reach more candidates through paid advertising. Similar to Indeed, Glassdoor lets employers pay more for job posts that will rank higher on this website. It functions similarly to a PPC program and these prices aren’t available on the website. Employers will have to contact sales to obtain a quote for their unique advertising needs.

One unique advertising feature that Glassdoor has is placing job listings in targeted emails. It recognizes the power of email marketing and sends tailored emails with job postings to various candidates. Employers can pay extra to use this service, which will forward their information to candidates that use email alerts.

Pros:

More targeted candidates. Glassdoor is free for candidates to use and leave reviews for employers. Therefore, these candidates take more time to search for an opportunity that fits their salary, schedule, and growth requirements. This is much different from standard sites that have people send resumes to companies without understanding what the business does. It allows candidates to be more selective and not send out excessive applications.
Glassdoor is a top job board in terms of connecting employers with candidates and facilitating lasting careers. In fact, per the per company, job seekers on this site are more than twice as likely to be hired than candidates from other sites. Also, Glassdoor job seekers have a 30% higher retention rate as they can learn more about a company’s offerings in detail prior to accepting the job.

Cons:

Expensive pricing. Glassdoor prides itself on quality traffic and informed candidates. Therefore, it charges a premium for employers to reach these candidates. These costs could seem expensive, but they would be worth it in the long run if the small business owner was able to attract and retain a quality employee who adds value to the business.

Jobspider

This site was created after its owner, Chris McGarry, was fed up with fake Craigslist job inquiries and other shady dealings. Craigslist has a bad reputation of being a spammy website, with robots, fake inquires and dishonest dealings.

Fortunately, JobSpider bypasses most of this by simply allowing people to post resumes for free on a big database. Employers can filter resumes by certain titles and keywords, which makes it easier for them to find quality candidates. Also, this site is free for both employers and candidates to use. The only charge would be for bulk job importing for employers, with this nominal fee varying per industry, employer, and job type.

Features

One major advantage that this website has is the many integrations it has with larger sites. For example, resumes posted on this site can flow to larger job boards like Simply Hired and others. Also, most ATS systems can integrate with this site, which allows employers to filter resumes based on their custom standards. This site has a section that educates viewers on scams and how to prevent them. The owner is very passionate about these tips and includes popular ones like:

Avoiding jobs or business opportunities that require upfront fees
Refraining from calling 900 numbers that charge high fees
Being wary of poor English and bad grammar in job listings or emails
Not falling for common work from home scams like envelope stuffing, sewing or some medical billing opportunities

These resources will help prevent scams and act as a guide for those that have been scammed. While this site isn’t as technically detailed as other large job posting sites, it does have common services like email alerts. Prospective employees can select from a dropdown on a job posting if they’d like similar jobs to be sent to their inboxes.

Pros:

Resumes are directly entered by job candidates. They’re also updated frequently, which ensures freshness. This is much better compared to other job sites that just copy and paste the same resumes from other job sites.

Cons:

It doesn’t have the additional services that other sites have, including messenger systems. Larger job boards have built-in messaging systems that make it easy for instant communication. Job Spider also lacks comprehensive analytics dashboards that help employers learn about traffic, candidate details, and more. Overall, it can be a good site to use to start the hiring process, but it would be prudent to complement it with other options like niche specific websites or ones that have a larger audience.

Startups and the tech industry are greatly impacting business, especially the recruiting industry. This is the industry in which AngelList places its focus: oodles of jobs on this site emphasize roles that range from web development, app design, graphic design, and SaaS (Software as a Service) Sales. Luckily, AngelList offers free job posting and hiring. This has made it very popular among influential tech companies and some of its users include Uber, Yelp, Hinge, and Patreon. Also, this site is pretty simple to use and it has a three-step process:

Create a start-up profile. This area allows businesses to create a page about themselves and they can go into detail regarding their products, services, and unique features. It could be wise to use this page to discuss the company’s history and if it’s backed by venture capital funding.
Post Jobs. This stage would have the employer write job descriptions that sell candidates on why they should work with that particular business. The job descriptions should be optimized for popular keyword phrases and include day to day responsibilities, projected pay along with important qualifications.
Match with candidates. Employers can use this final step to match with qualified, prospective candidates. No more digging through inboxes nor sorting through hundreds of resumes. This stage also allows both parties to be introduced to one another if there’s mutual interest.

Features

AngelList as the name implies, also allows companies to connect with Angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who invest in startup companies for high returns. These investors usually are accredited investors, which means they have a liquid net worth of at least $1,000,000. This feature can be helpful for younger companies that are not only looking for quality talent but also need funding.

Angel investors, employees, and employers can connect with each other using a system called connects. Once the other party has accepted a connect, they can message each other. Also, it’s possible to integrate other platforms like Twitter and Linked in to find connections. Anyone can use these social media platforms to invite potential connections onto the platform and build relationships. These features allow employers to spend less time sorting through resumes and to build real connections with candidates.

AngelList also has very clear terms and conditions which prohibit shady business “opportunities” like MLMs and pyramid schemes. Since it’s a smaller, niche job board, it’s monitored often for dishonest opportunities and it encourages employers to post pay ranges. These factors will make it easier for an employee to choose a company that fits their compensation requirements. Many companies like to keep compensation a secret for most of the interview process, which can waste both the candidate’s and employer’s time.

Pros:

Free and easy to use. AngelList is free for both employers and candidates to use, which is nice compared to other “freemium” services. For example, many platforms offer free services, but it’s almost imperative to pay something to get the most out of it. Also, many companies report that this platform is easy to use and simple to connect with angel investors along with job seekers.

Cons:

Lacks the exposure and advertising tools. While this website is free to use, it lacks the exposure that larger companies have, and the list of jobs on offer is not quite as varied and extensive as many competitors, which may be a deal-breaker for many prospective employees. Some companies prefer to cast a wide net, and this site’s small user base and lack of advanced marketing strategies could be a deal-breaker.

ZipRecruiter is similar to Glassdoor as it’s a well-known job website that lets users try the service before they buy. It has grown its database to include millions of resumes from job seekers along with many job postings in various industries. However, many job seekers have noted that ZipRecruiter mainly caters toward entry-level roles. Despite this, there are some managerial and high paying roles on this platform, but they’re just not as frequently seen.

Features

Like other sites, ZipRecruiter also integrates with other job boards like Resume.com and Salary.com and acts as a feeder to them. This simply means that ZipRecruiter resumes and job postings can flow to these sites. In fact, this site claims it sends resumes to over 100+ job boards, which gives the employer a wide pool of applicants. In addition, employers can send their ZipRecruiter job to designated Facebook and Twitter accounts, which provides even more exposure.

Also, ZipRecruiter has state of the art technology like employee screener questions and a mobile-friendly interface. Both employers and candidates can interface with each other via mobile, desktop and can receive notifications through either platform. Similar to Indeed, ZipRecruiter’s screener questions are meant to cut down on unrelated resumes.

Pricing:

This platform has three main choices which are Standard, Premium, and Pro. The standard option includes the features discussed above along with reusable job slots and starts at $249/mo. Premium plans have all the features of a Standard plan and go further by offering employers job placement in email blasts. Pro plans are the most comprehensive plan and let employers link their external ATS to this site and offer Traffic Boost, which places job postings at the top of relevant searches. Unfortunately, prices for the Premium and Standard plans aren’t available to the public, meaning that a hiring manager must set an appointment with sales to obtain a custom quote.

Pros:

Known for its great customer service and its many features like interview screening. These let hiring managers find answers to their questions quickly and find relevant candidates easier. Customer service is available via phone, email, or chat and has received excellent reviews as can be seen on TrustPilot.

Cons:

Negative press related to job quality posting and billing during free trials. As mentioned earlier, this site doesn’t usually have managerial nor higher-level opportunities which can frustrate job seekers. Employers looking for more tenured employees might be better off using a site like Glassdoor on Indeed that includes more of these positions.
Users have mentioned they’ve been billed during a 30-day free trial and didn’t receive notifications prior to the renewal date. These insufficient notifications can make it easy for users to forget they’re being billed, resulting in them paying for a service they might not be using.

FlexJobs is a unique niche job website catering to part-time and remote workers. In fact, remote work is becoming more popular with 40% of all companies in the world offering candidates online jobs that can be performed remotely without heading into the office. This once privileged work style is becoming more common, and FlexJobs has taken advantage of this trend. Also, these jobs are carefully vetted by FlexJobs, which means “opportunities” like MLMs, envelope stuffing schemes, and the like are excluded. It also has jobs in many categories like full-time work, entry-level, managerial level, and even on a freelance basis.

Features

FlexJobs lets employers send an invitation request, allowing them to post unlimited jobs for free. This usually takes several weeks and is not meant for those that need to fill a role immediately. Employers can pay an additional $119 or $179 for premium job placement, which places their listing towards the top of the search engine for related terms. There are also resources that help employers like guides on remote employee management, tutorials, and even discounts to remote working resources like software or co-working spaces.

FlexJobs offers a Pro plan that has additional features like email marketing placement, monthly data reporting, and custom account support for $399/mo. It also includes access to branding and consulting services, which help employers effectively sell themselves to prospective candidates. Eventually, this premium service lets them cut through the noise to find the right fit for their organization.

Pros:

User-friendly and has legit job postings. FlexJobs has a dedicated team that filters opportunities which greatly eliminates scams and spam. Also, reviewers have commented that this site helped them find quality remote jobs with full benefits and that the nominal subscription per $14.95 month or $49.95 per year is affordable. For this flat rate, employers are granted unlimited job postings unlike most other websites of its kind. This price scheme is very cost-effective compared to the costs of premium packages for employers. Paying a small fee might seem wasteful in the short run, but it can pay dividends in the long run if it results in a job seeker finding a quality, long term opportunity.

Cons:

Slow or even non-existent service when requesting assistance via online chat. The customer service should be better as it charges job seekers to use the job board. It has also received negative feedback for including many opportunities that can be seen on free job boards like Simply Hired, leading some to believe that the subscription fee is a waste.

Simply Hired is a job site aggregator, meaning it sends open positions to over 100 different career sites, including Indeed. It allows employers to post jobs for free, see recommended candidates, and receive job applications. While this site allows employers to post jobs for free, it also has paid sponsored job listings. Similar to other sites, this places each job posting higher in the search results. The prices aren’t available online and the employer must contact sales to get a tailored quote for their situation.

Features

Besides sending job postings to hundreds of job boards, Simply Hired has many great tools like their salary estimator. The salary tool lets candidates compare salaries among industries, locations, and job titles.

Related to this, Simply Hired also has guides on a variety of positions like nursing, truck drivers, warehouse workers, and more. These pages show the average salary for each position along with compensation ranges for related titles. Also, it shows relevant listings to these titles below the salary ranges. It has other simple features like a mobile app and filters for job search. Unfortunately, it lacks more comprehensive features like screening questions, email marketing, and employee vetting services.

Pros:

Free and easy to use. Other employers have enjoyed the salary tool and that this site is frequently updated. The salary tool gives both employers and employees an accurate compensation range, which prevents either party from being shortchanged.

Cons:

Lack of quality positions. Unlike other programs like Toptal or JobSpider, this site doesn’t put as much effort into stopping scams. Unfortunately, this has led to many scammers posting fake jobs and using other spammy tactics, hurting both employees and employers.
Has randomly shut down posts for no reason. One specific review mentioned that Simply Hired has shut down postings that advertise freelance positions, despite giving employers a freelance option on the job post.

Upwork is the end result of the merger between former freelance sites oDesk and Elance. Both these freelance sites joined forced to create Upwork, which is one if not the largest platforms for freelance work. It differs from traditional job search engines as most employers just need assistance with one-off projects and usually just want to hire contractors. This can be helpful for small business owners that need temporary help and don’t want to pay expensive employee benefits. However, they must be aware of the various pros and cons of using contractors compared to standard employees.

Features

For being a site geared towards contractors, Upwork has many great features for employers like free job postings, defined parameters, contract systems, and time tracking programs. It allows small business owners to pay contractors through the dashboard, message freelancers, and review proposals. Generally, small business owners would post the task they need assistance with (i.e copywriting), which results in them receiving proposals from freelancers. While it’s free to post jobs; there are additional fees for features like unlimited invites to freelancers, account management, and talent sourcing.

These proposals are similar to cover letters as the contractors are selling their services to the employer. The employer can view each contractor’s profile, reviews, certifications, qualifications, and past work. This allows them to find quality freelancers with a good track record and that can communicate well.

Contractors post an hourly rate on their profile, but they have the option to either work hourly or per project. Employers have access to a work diary that tracks an hourly contractor’s time spent on a project. This way, contractors can’t rip off small business owners by stretching out projects or claiming more hours than they actually worked.

Upwork also makes it easy to communicate with freelancers via instant messaging and its mobile app. On top of that, it has a secure online database that allows employers and contractors to share work safely. This makes it easier for contractors to submit work and make any corrections.

Pros:

Free to post jobs, robust tools like messaging, filters, and time tracking apps.
Allows employers to create milestones, which break up larger projects into smaller chunks for freelancers. Employers also approve each milestone and can release the funds to the freelancer once each specific task is complete.

Cons:

Can suspend quality freelancers without notice. Unfortunately, it has a track record of suspending profiles for no quality reason.
Upwork can have expensive fees for both the employer and the contractor. It charges $49.99 for its Plus account to $499 per month for its Business Account, which can seem excessive for the benefits they provide. Upwork also takes 20% of the first $500 of a freelancer’s earnings per client. While these fees decrease to 5% for recurring client work, many freelancers believe they’re excessive and are starting to avoid the platform entirely.

Like Upwork, Toptal emphasizes outsourcing work to contract or freelance workers. It differs as it primarily focuses on more high-end freelance work like web development, web design, financial projects, and more. Due to this, most of the opportunities on Toptal are higher-paying, meaning there won’t be any low paying gigs that would be seen on Upwork.

For example, pricing starts at $60 per hour for developers and ranges up to $200 per hour for financial consultants. Some users also choose to hire contractors on a part-time weekly basis, which starts at $1,000 per week.

Features

Toptal has a unique deposit system that gives the employer security by being able to try out a few providers for a project. It requires a deposit of $500, which will be used towards a freelancer’s invoice and website fees, should the small business owner decide to move forward. If not, Toptal will refund the $500 deposit. The first step hiring managers should take is to schedule a free call, to assess their needs and be matched with potential candidates.

From there, Toptal matches employers with candidates and it states that this process takes less than 24 hours with 98% of new engagements passing the no-risk trial period. It also proudly claims that it has a rigorous vetting process with only the top 3% of freelancers making the cut. Part of this process involves testing each freelancer’s English abilities, as many freelance sites like Fiverr are filled with workers from developing countries like India that can barely understand English. This step makes Toptal a great choice for those looking for top-notch freelancers, as language barriers can make tasks harder than they should be.

Pros:

It makes the hiring process more efficient.
Contractors with impressive qualifications like PhDs along with decades of experience.
Customer service is reliable and prompt.
One of Toptal’s highest-rated features is the initial consultation, which customizes each employer’s hiring plan.

Cons:

High prices that these contractors charge. Some users believe that these fees are overpriced, but need to realize that the high fees are worth it, provided the contractor adds value to the business. Most contractors on this site are high quality, but some have made occasional mistakes like creating buggy websites.

Hubstaff Talent

Hubstaff Talent gives employers the opportunity to post a remote job to their jobs board, but the site is also home to thousands of employee profiles that give an employer the chance to find the candidate they want.

Rather than posting an ad and wait for candidates to apply, an employer can search for the perfect candidate and discuss the job directly – all for free. For companies that go the traditional route and post a job on the site, Hubstaff Talent will share the listing on their social media channel as well.

Features

Posting a job and connecting with possible employees is free, but the site charges for features that facilitate remote work like time tracking, account activity levels, automatic payroll, and team analytics. All of the features offered are meant to help employers manage a remote team, track activity, and make sure employees are accountable for work assigned.

Pros:

You can select any platform to conduct work. While Hubstaff offers a remote platform to conduct work, an employer doesn’t have to use it. The job listings remain free as does the search for talented employees. The way an employer and employee decide to work isn’t dictated by the platform.
Browse by skill. The platform gives employers the ability to search for talented people with skills like web development, marketing, or copywriting. The search filters provide an easier way to find the talent you’re looking for.

Cons:

A lot of new talent. A lot of the jobs that are posted on the site have lower pay, which tends to attract new professionals or those just starting out. This could be ideal for a company looking to work with young, fresh talent, but it’s not ideal for a company looking for a seasoned veteran. Consider the type of tasks required and keep in mind that less-experienced workers often require more training and assistance.
Location is hard for employees to find. The site doesn’t tag job posts by location, so if a freelancer or remote worker is looking for a job close to home it’s hard to find that information. For companies posting an ad, be sure to include the company’s location in the listing.

Search Remotely is a well-known site for remote job listings. Workers who use this site can “skip the office and work from anywhere, anytime.” While the site isn’t free to post a job, the fee is manageable at $39. The site is one of the leading online platforms for remote jobs with more than 250,000 remote workers using the platform to find work.

The site is used by some big-name companies like Google, Oracle, Shopify, and Zapier, who all encourage remote work. For $39, a company can post one job ad for 30 days. The ad includes the company logo and Search Remotely will share the job on its social media channels. All applicants reply to the ad via email. A company can pay more for their job to be featured on the website and the company can even receive copywriting help to make sure the ad is tailored to find the best candidates possible.

Features

Search Remotely can connect workers with a coworking space or even a co-living space. The site is meant to support remote workers in ways that go beyond just work and facilitate the lifestyle behind working remotely.

There are co-office spaces available in Singapore, London, Tokyo, Bali, and more, as are co-living spaces. The co-living spaces give freelancers a chance to travel, see the world, and work at the same time.

The site also offers online classes for people looking to hone their skills and find a remote job to enable a location-independent life.

Pros:

A recognized site. Search Remotely has the name recognition needed to receive many qualified applicants. Since the site is more than a job board, remote workers use it as an all-in-one site to support their remote lifestyle.
Job listing emailed to qualified applicants. Search Remotely sends your job listing to about 50,000 qualified candidates for you, so you don’t have to spend time searching for candidates or sifting through profiles. The applicants will come to you.

Cons:

The price. It’s not free to post an ad, but as mentioned, it’s a small fee that comes with big benefits. There are job sites that charge hundreds of dollars to post the ad, so in reality, a one-time fee of $39 is a small price to pay to reach 250k remote workers.
No online workplace. Search Remotely doesn’t offer a platform to manage projects, that’s all done off-site. The site is really geared more towards remote workers, making it an ideal place to find talented people but not the place to set up assignments, workflow, or payment.

LinkedIn has grown from a resume-placeholder for professionals to a full-scale social media and employment platform. LinkedIn has a specific tool to help find remote workers or freelancers called LinkedIn Profinder.

It’s free for companies to post an ad, browse through resumes, and receive five free bids from interested freelancers. The bids will include a message, price quote, and the ability to see the freelancer’s entire profile.

Features

LinkedIn Profinder doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles. Its purpose is to help a company find and connect with a freelancer, that’s it. There aren’t any project management features within LinkedIn Profinder to use and payment isn’t facilitated through the platform. It’s simply a meet-and-greet situation.

LinkedIn Profinder has freelancers that fit many categories, with their most popular categories being: Accounting, writing, marketing, and development.

Pros:

Easy to use. A company can post a job listing within seconds. The form to fill out is simple and only asks for a few basic pieces of information.
A trusted platform. LinkedIn is a recognizable, trusted name, which means freelancers take the job requests seriously.
Responses sent right to your email. When a bid comes in, it’s sent to your inbox. You can evaluate it, review the person’s profile, and reach out within the LinkedIn platform or through email.

Cons:

Only 5 responses. A job listing via LinkedIn Profinder will only result in five responses, no more. For some, the limited responses are ideal because it limits the number of resumes and messages to sift through. In addition, freelancers know that the job will close once five bids are sent so if they’re interested they act fast. For some, five responses could be disappointing, especially if they aren’t the right fit or don’t have the requested experience.
Freelancers limited to geographic areas. A job listing is only shown to freelancers in your immediate area. The idea is to help companies find freelancers or remote workers who can join a monthly meeting or catch up over coffee once in a while. Of course, this limits the number of freelancers significantly, so if you want to cast a wider net this might not be the best job site for you.

Remote Freelancers

Guru is a great place to find remote freelancers with a variety of talents. Like other freelance platforms, the system gives an employer the chance to post a job, hire a freelancer, finish work on the platform, and pay freelancers all from one location.

The site appeals to high-quality freelancers who want to work on their own terms, so companies have a selection of candidates for various jobs.

Posting an ad is free, but to use the additional features, the platform has several different plans to choose from.

Features

This freelancer platform has several features that mimic others in the industry like WorkRooms, time tracking, status reports, and the ability to pay freelancers through the platform.

The platform can support the work of teams too, so if several freelancers are working on a project together management is smooth.

Guru offers something called SafePay, which means companies only pay for work that they’re 100% satisfied with.

Pros:

Freelancers are vetted. Guru verifies all freelancers and provides statistics on their performance with previous employers. With this kind of information, a company can select the best candidate for the job.
Security. The platform gives employers the chance to pay freelancers through its site and has taken steps to enhance security measures to provide peace of mind. The platform offers several payment methods and provides SafePay payment protection.

Cons:

Support. Guru isn’t known for its customer support. If an employer or an employee has a question that pertains to the platform, support is supposed to be available 24/7 no matter where you’re located, but that’s not always the case.
Confusion pricing structure. Guru has a fairly complex pricing structure for freelancers, which tends to keep some people away. There are three pricing plans and additional fees that are taken out for every payment received from an employer. A company should be aware of this structure too, to know exactly how much the freelancer receives and how much Guru takes as a cut.

Freelancermap is the ideal spot to advertise IT jobs. The site specializes in development, IT infrastructure, and consulting. A company can create and post a job listing for free and find “the most talented freelancers and consultants worldwide.”

The site says 35,000 companies have trusted Freelancermap to find an expert.

Features

One of the best features Freelancermap offers is its freelancer match. Once your job is posted, the system will provide a list of the best candidates to browse through. In addition, the job posting is sent to specific candidates to encourage them to apply.

An employer can look through the database of professionals on the site, all of whom have a personal profile as well. This gives a company a more proactive approach to find a candidate that matches the skills and personality required.

The site doesn’t provide any project management services as others do, so this is more of a site to source talent only.

Pros:

Freelancers from various countries. Freelancermap has many, many freelancers from various parts of the world. For companies looking for someone with a specific skill and language, it provides a thorough list of choices.
Focused purpose. Unlike other freelance sites that have freelancers that fit within dozens of categories, Freelancermap focuses on the IT industry. With this kind of narrowed purpose, companies feel as though they can find a real expert without weeding through unqualified applicants.
No commission fees. The site advertises no commission fees, which is rare in this industry.

Cons:

A lot of jobs posted. At any one point, there could be hundreds of jobs posted. While freelancers can filter through some of the jobs, there’s a lot of competition on the site. With so many jobs available, a company may need to take an active approach in finding candidates and encouraging them to apply.
Limited information on the website. Freelancermap only provides basic information on its website, so it’s hard to learn about specific details like pricing, for example, without creating a full profile or posting a job.
Limited reviews online. Most websites like this have a host of reviews from users, but there are very few about Freelancermap.com. This could suggest the platform is fairly new.

Stack Overflow is another site designed specifically for IT needs, more specifically for developers. The site lists hundreds of jobs for developers both in-office jobs and remote jobs. To find remote jobs, workers simply add that filter to the search.

Companies create a profile and post jobs to the site. A lot of big-name companies use this site to source developers.

Stack Overflow is designed to support IT teams within a company, so its purpose goes beyond a job board. For companies looking to find talented people and a platform to support IT employees, this could be a great choice.

Features

The job board has several features that professionals can use to filter jobs and find the right fit. Beyond that, features are aimed at larger companies looking for a shared space for IT teams to work, exchange advice, and collaborate.

The jobs listed on the site aren’t just listed on Stack Overflow either, they’re curated into other listings on other sites.

Pros:

A niche audience. A company looking to hire developers won’t be disappointed with the audience here. The job listed is sure to be seen by professionals that can handle anything from a small coding problem to a full-time need as a data security specialist.
Large reach. Stack Overflow says it has the ability to reach millions of job seekers and gets a lot of traffic to its site, with 50+ million visitors a month. With that kind of reach and traffic, a job is sure to be noticed.

Cons:

Cost. There is a cost to post a job on this site, but the pricing information isn’t readily available. To learn more, a company must reach out to Stack Overflow.
The job board looks a bit dated. In terms of appearance, the job board looks a bit outdated. While its functionality works perfectly fine, it doesn’t command attention in a way that makes you believe they’re connected to millions of remote workers.

Bottom line

Small business owners understand that hiring and retaining top-quality workers isn’t easy. On the flip side, it’s not easy for a prospective employee to find a quality position. Fortunately, there are some top-notch websites that allow employers to post job opportunities for free.
These sites also have other benefits like being able to share articles and message prospective candidates.
Also, some sites like AngelList are geared toward tech start-ups, while others are meant for freelance workers.
Prior to posting on any site, it’s important to know the most popular options like the ones selected here. This will help the small business owner focus on using the right platform for his or her business.

This article was originally published at chamberofcommerce.org

Featured Image Credits: Pixabay