The Monster List of Freelance Job Sites – 2011 Edition
Every freelancer needs a source for clients. We rely on clients, nurture our relationships with them, and provide a quality of service that keeps then coming back. And we can never have enough of them! The Monster List of Freelance Job Sites has one purpose: to massively increase your source of potential clients and potential jobs.
This list, like Isaac Newton, stands on the shoulders of giants. The second edition of our Monster List of Freelance Job Sites has been valuable and much visited since April 2009. With over a hundred comments from our fantastic readers which has really added to its value. This list is a thorough update, removing dead links, adding new sites, and taking on board many of the suggestions from your comments.
We start the list with FreelanceSwitch’s own Job Board, which has categories for design, development, writing, illustration, Flash, and miscellaneous jobs, and at the time of writing contains a huge 220+ jobs. Jobs are hand-moderated by FreelanceSwitch staff and volunteers from our dedicated community of freelancers. You can see the available jobs with no strings attached, but to apply for jobs, you need to sign up, which costs just $7 a month. And you can advertise jobs at absolutely no cost.
Is this list now finished? I doubt it ever will be. Like the last list, it will become more valuable as you comment on which sites you found most helpful, inform us of sites that have been missed, and warn us when links stop working. And, best of all, get those jobs!
Traditional Job Boards
Top Recommendation: FreelanceSwitch Job Board
Our very own busy Job Board with over current 220+ listings. Jobs are hand-moderated and include writing, design, development, and more. Apply for a job for only $7 a month, post a job for free.
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, design, development, writing, illustration, flash, misc
- Mashable Jobs
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: blogging, design, consulting, marketing - Krop
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: design, general web, general creatives - Jobs For Geeks
Location: US / Anywhere
Listings include: general web, web development, technical support - Smashing Jobs
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: design, programming - Sologig
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - No Agencies Please
Location: UK
Listings include: design, general web, development, writing - Programmer Meet Designer
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: design, general web, development, writing - FreelanceFolder
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: design, general web, general creatives - Aquent
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: design, general creatives, marketing, advertising - Authentic Jobs
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web - Simply Hired
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - WritingCareer.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: writing, blogging - Design Crowd
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, misc - The IT Job Board
Location: Europe
Listings include: general web, development, support - Writerlance
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: writing, blogging - Guru
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: writing, blogging - Coroflot’s Design Job Board
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: writing, blogging - Craigslist
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: writing, blogging - FreelanceWriting
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: writing, blogging - About Freelance Writing
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: writing, blogging - Freelancers.net
Location: UK, Anywhere
Listings include: general web - FreelanceBBS
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - Go Freelance
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - BloggingPro
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: blogging, writing, design, general web - LinkedIn Jobs
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - GeekUp Job Board
Location: UK
Listings include: general web - The AWN Career Connections
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: VFX, special effects, multimedia, all - CreativeHeads.net
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: video games, animation, VFX - VFXTalk.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all, multimedia - AllDevJobs.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, design - Your Web Job
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, design, copywriting - Ajaxian
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: web development, design, general web - Java Script Ninja Jobs
Location: US, Anywhere
Listings include: web development, design, writing - Ars Technica
Location: US
Listings include: software, development, design - 37signals Job Board
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, design, iphone development, misc - CrunchBoard
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - Startuply
Location: US
Listings include: all - Careers.JoelonSoftware.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, design, development, sdk - Boxes And Arrows
Location: US, Canada
Listings include: general web, design - Sensational Jobs
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, design, misc - ReadWriteWeb Jobs
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, design, sdk - Wired Jobs
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, design, sdk - Creative Hotlist
Location: US
Listings include: general web, design, misc - TheFWA
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - design:related
Location: NY, LA & London
Listings include: general web, design - AIGA Design Jobs
Location: US
Listings include: general web, design - JustTechJobs.com
Location: US, Canada
Listings include: all - Behance Network
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, design, misc - HighEndCareers
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - Sitepoint
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, development, design - BloggerJobs.Biz
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: blogging, writing - Journalism Jobs
Location: US, Anywhere
Listings include: writing - Search Web Jobs
Location: US
Listings include: general web, design, marketing - JobServe
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - Chinwag Jobs
Location: UK
Listings include: design, development, marketing, illustration - All Data Jobs
Location: US
Listings include: data - Filter Talent
Location: US
Listings include: web development, design, flash, misc - ProZ
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: translation - TranslatorsCafe.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: translation - People4business.com
Location: UK
Listings include: all - People4charity.com
Location: UK
Listings include: all - Gizmodo Jobs
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: web, development, programming - nPost
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: web, development, programming - oDesk
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - Freelance UK
Location: UK
Listings include: all - FreelanceQ
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - Creative Niche
Location: Canada
Listings include: general web, translation, development, Flash, programming - VirtualVocations
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - ProBlogger Job Board
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: writing, blogging - The Ruby / Rails Job site
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: development, general web - TheCanned.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - GulfJobSites.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - Artshub
Location: Australia
Listings include: design, development, general web - FreelanceRadar
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: design, development, general web - QuestOutSourcing.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: design, development, general web, writing - AllFreelanceWork
Location: US, Anywhere
Listings include: design, development, general web, creative - Amazon Mechanical Turk
Location: US, Anywhere
Listings include: hits - MetaFilter
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - Perl.com
Location: US
Listings include: Perl development
Job Bidding Sites
Top Recommendation: Freelancer.com
Worlds largest outsourcing marketplace. Post projects, bid on projects, no matter what, you will most certainly find what you are looking for.
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all
- DesignQuote.net
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - FreelanceAuction.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, development, design - ozLance.com.au
Location: Australia, Anywhere
Listings include: development, general web, writing - Project4Hire.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, development, design, writing - ScriptLance.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: development, general web, writing, marketing - VWorker
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: development, general web, writing, translation - WritingBids.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: writing, copywriting - BizReef.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: development, general web, writing, translations - eLance
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: development, general web, writing, translations, marketing - FreelanceJobs
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - Freelancers Union
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - GoFreelance.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: writing, development, photography, marketing - DoNanza
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: development, general web, design - GetACoder
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: general web, development - Contracted Work
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - OnForce
Location: US
Listings include: tech support - AgentSolo
Location: Canada
Listings include: web, programming, writing, translation, marketing - PeoplePerHour.com
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: web, programming, marketing, design, writing, translation - ITMatch Online
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: graphics, design, writing, translating - rfpDB (The Request for Proposals Database)
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - JobShuk
Location: Israel
Listings include: design, general web, programming, marketing, writing, translating - DesignCrowd
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: design - DesignCrowd
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: design
Jobs Search Engines
Top Recommendation: Indeed | One Search. All Jobs
Search for jobs in the country of your choosing, whether its in your own country or in any other, chances are that you will find a job for your suiting. Search job sites, newspapers, associations and company career pages.
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all
- Jobbi
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - SimplyHired
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - PolyLance
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - Juju
Location: US
Listings include: all - CareerBuilder
Location: US
Listings include: all - Monster+HotJobs
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - MyJobSearch
Location: UK
Listings include: all - Careerjet
Location: India
Listings include: all - Faayda
Location: India
Listings include: all - USA.gov
Location: US
Listings include: all - Dice
Location: US
Listings include: Technology - LinkUp
Location: US, Canada, UK
Listings include: all - Monster
Location: Anywhere
Listings include: all - Jobs.com.au
Location: Australia
Listings include: all
Job Aggregators
Top Recommendation: Job Pile
Aggretates the best job boards on the web, including sites like, FreelanceSwitch, 37Signals and a lot more. You will definitely find what you are looking for!
Aggrerating: Authentic Jobs, 37signals Jobs, FreelanceSwitch Job Board, Krop, Metafilter Jobs, FreshWebJobs, Slashdot Jobs, AllWeb Jobs, Coroflot Jobs
- Jobagg
Aggrerating: 37signals Job Board, CSS Beauty’s Monster, Authentic Jobs, Fresh Web Jobs - Xemiom
Aggrerating: Xemion Jobs, jobs.37signals.com, alldevjobs.com, jobs.smashingmagazine.com, coroflot.com, krop.com, yourwebjob.com, crunchboard.com, Simply Hired, jobs.ajaxian.com, freshwebjobs.com, jobs.jsninja.com, jobs.arstechnica.com, startuply.com, designm.ag, careers.joelonsoftware.com, jobs.boxesandarrows.com, python.org - Joblighted
Aggrerating: Joel on Software Jobs, 37signals Job Board, CrunchBoard, Slashdot Jobs, Authentic Jobs Full-time, VentureBeat JobBoard, TechGigger Jobs, MetaFilter Jobs, Python Job Board, Krop Jobs, Coroflot Jobs, FreshWebJobs, Smashing Jobs, JavaScript Ninja Jobs, Ajaxian Jobs, Startuply, Ars Technica Job Board, nPost Startup Jobs, Jobs on the Wall, Boxes & Arrows Job Board, Read/WriteWeb Jobs, Hidden Network, RealWebJobs, Wired Jobs - MostHired
Aggrerating: Jobs and Giggs, 37 Signals Jobs, RealWebJobs, 37 Signals Gigs, Krop, Venture Beat, Authentic Jobs, GigaOM Jobs, Joel On Software, Crunch Board, MeFi Jobs, FreshWebJobs, Slashdot, CSS Beauty, MinistryCamp, Boxes and Arrows, Design Meltdown, nPost, Web Pro Jobs, coroflot, Most Hired, crispspot, Jobs on the Wall, searchwebjobs - Freelance Job List
Aggrerating: This site seems to aggregate other job boards, including Get A Freelancer, Craigslist, Scriptlance Projects, Projects4Hire, Hot Freelance Jobs.
International, Non-English Sites
- FreelanceMatch.nl
Location: Netherlands - Pooq.nl
Location: Netherlands - Freelance.nl
Location: Netherlands - XPlace
Location: Israel - Freelancermap
Location: Germany - FreelanceIndia.com
Location: India - Bumeran
Location: South America - Laborum.com
Location: Latin America - TrabojoFreelance
Location: South America - Joobs.ro
Location: Romania - Motamot
Location: France - Okeli
Location: Sweden - Projekurdu
Location: Turkey - Cercalavoro.it
Location: Italy - Freelancenorge
Location: Norway - Freelancewebmarket
Location: Denmark - FreelancerChina.com
Location: China
Am I the only one having difficulty finding jobs through a Job Sites? I am subscribed to the Freelance Switch Job board, and receive notifications from Guru.com as well. Every time I’ve applied for a job, I haven’t gotten a reply. Albeit, I only reply to the jobs I know I have the experience for (writing/design, and smaller coding projects), so I don’t have the opportunity to apply to every single job posting.
I don’t send a giant cover letter, which is more structured like a flyer. I wouldn’t necessarily be impressed with it, and it seems relatively “cheap” (in that the person didn’t specialize the reply for my needs). Usually, it’s just a 2-3 sentence message along the lines of “Hey, I am interested in the job. I have the skills required to accomplish the task.” And usually I’ll send a link my portfolio, or a link to a demo akin to what they were seeking.
To save myself some time, I ask them to reply before I do any work on the project, because I have no way of gauging their interest.
To those who are successful: How do you do it?
Thomas,
Most of my work comes from job boards, in fact one of my largest clients came from the FreelanceSwitch boards. I also bid a lot on Elance as well. Here are some things I have learned:
- I am not going to win most of the jobs. Most job postings, get dozens of applications, and the job poster might have a very specific need: budget, a certain look, preferred location, etc. So in order for me to hit my monthly goals, I have to make contact with about 40 postings, of which I might get 5 or 6.
- Customize every proposal/email/application. This takes time, but it really helps. Everyone gets the standard, Hi my name is letter, personalize it to their project and their needs.
- Let your personality shine and give them a reason to call you. I try to make sure I make my proposals as engaging as possible and let them get a strong feel for who I am.
- Get your portfolio link to them early in the proposal. I find that a lot of job posters want to see your work and the quicker they can find your portfolio the greater your chances of not getting your email tossed in the trash.
I hope that helps! Keep working hard, they will come in for you.
Wow! You have done it again!
Thank you so much for this!
Its been bookmarked for future reference!
Thanks!
Amazingly helpful list… much appreciated as a hard working freelancer.
Awesome list thanks for sharing. To let you know few weeks ago we just launched a new WordPress jobs board at WPhired.com. Any freelance WordPress projects can be listed for free.
Another recently launched one is http://findstringers.com, aimed at freelance media people.
Great list! I still wish there was a way to have this all in one area (even with aggregators it seems like you have to check a couple of those to be in the loop). It seems hard to really find a good place go constantly gather quality clients/work. How do others combat this and how much of your work is gathered through job boards?
As far as Thomas’ question, I think persistence is key, as well as really settling down in a niche, it seems like you do a lot, which is great, but I found that picking an area you are good at and being the best in that helps a lot. Like I do print, web and other platform design and photography and the list ges on, but that can be overwhelming. So I specialize in mobile app design and concept and strategy. It helps me stand apart… Also make sure all your branding is consistent and on point (I noticed a couple typos on your site). Try to get some critique from friends and from those I don’t know, and then try to reach out again. Hope that helps…
I like the list but it is almost too long to try and go through and actually be able to use any of these sites… Wish they could have narrowed it down a little more..
Excellent resource as always and I see you’ve list my #1 source for jobs – oDesk! Keep up the great work FS!
good list…started registering on few sites
Wow, now that’s a long list! If you can’t find a job after that…
hi its a great list i will going to use some of this
Brilliant resource. Thanks!
@Jesse Orndorff thanks for awesome tips! Since you have so much experience with job boards why not make it into a blog post here on FS? I am confident a lot of freelancers (especially those who do not have referrals) would find it helpful.
Jesse,
Thanks for the advice! and I agree with Greg, you should write a blog post for FS! I think a lot of beginners would really appreciate it
wow, really monster list.
i love job bidding, it’s really suitable for beginner freelancer like me.
freelancer.com #1
I’m little surprised by not seeing oDesk in the list. oDesk is also a very good freelance site.
@Mahmud Ahsan – oDesk is on the list this time around.
I was looking forward to this list only
Thanks to your hard work! and my patience!
Great list overall. Hope you consider http://www.FlexJobs.com next time around though, they definitely belong on here, and are one of the most quality-oriented sites out there for freelance and other alternative job arrangements.
good list..really helpful list for me and my frndz
I love this list. I wanted to make it a little more portable so I made it into a PDF. I would love to share it with everyone if you don’t mind. I put in a copy write notice at the bottom for FreelanceSwitch and gave the author full credit.
I wont share it anywhere else but here until I get the green light to.
http://www.louisvilleitsolutions.com/files/The Monster List of Freelance Job Sites 2011.pdf
Awesome list guys! For any Canadians be sure to check out FreshGigs.ca at http://www.FreshGigs.ca I’ve landed some great work from the site.
This list is awesomesauce. I was surprised that http://toprubyjobs.com/ did not make it on the list. It’s another good resource for ruby development work.
I love this list, but another one is missing. http://www.loyaljobs.com/ It is a site similar to Authentic Jobs.
This is a monster list but another one is missing. http://www.loyaljobs.com/ This place is new and it is pretty cool. You can post design, development, and marketing jobs.
Great list, but I must mark 2 things:
Bumeran is for sure NOT a freelance site, it’s a traditional job classifieds site (you upload your resume, and submit it to postings), but there are no freelance job. You may want ro include CompuTrabajo, though it works the same way, there are from time to time, freelance postings.
Trabojo Freelance, should be Trabajo Freelance
Don´t forget this site guys: http://www.freelanceme.eu, fresh of the developers table, looking to become one of the finest Jobsites out there !
You can post free jobs to get your ideas developed, or you can sign up as a freelancer and starting making money with your skills.
Greets,
John
FreelanceMe.eu
Why have you missed (www.vworker.com) to be added?
Just another great job aggregator is creativejob.net
Good to see oDesk here, was quite a bummer when we didn’t get to see them on the list last year. Freelanceswitch, you’ve proven me wrong!
I definitely will make use some of these, though it is quite intimidating actually. It’s quite a monster list indeed!
I used to spend few time on elance.com and I found it for beggars.
I’m a little concerned about you listing freelancer.com as your top bidding site; while any large site is open to abuse, they simply aren’t doing enough to stop the enormous amount of shady deals (writing .exe files that can ‘silently’ install DLL files on a PC? Like a virus, you mean?) while their business model seems more concerned with getting fees off people than encouraging genuine bidders with halfway reasonable rates. It’s possible to find genuine work there, but they aren’t set up to adequately deal with the abuse the site gets.