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Where Creative Freelancers Can Earn Extra Money Online: Career Coach

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Covid-19 has shifted so much work online it's been a blessing of sorts for those who were already comfortable working from home, including the professional class of creative freelancers.

From traditional career sites to gig postings, there are plenty of freelance job platforms to make an extra buck online now. Career coach Rachel Heyman advises setting your sights based on your experience level or desired compensation.

One good example of the creatives positioned well in a Covid world, according to Heyman, are professionals with freelance writing and editing skills. Some sites are better for novice writers, or those seeking to pick-up occasional writing gigs, while others are best for those with solid experience and well-developed writing portfolios.

"Really focus on your career development. If you're somebody who already has lots of experience, can you turn this into full-time freelance writing or editing? If you don't yet have a lot of experience, can you build a portfolio that will get you there?" says Heyman.

She highlighted a few sites for those seeking online writing or editing work and explained what sets them apart:

Contently: An excellent site for writers who have the experience and skill-level to write for major brands such as American Express or Dell. Creating a profile on the site is free; be prepared to upload your best writing samples. Rates for writing or editing projects can command thousands of dollars, depending on the brand and subject matter complexity.

Ebyline: A great tool for writers with a well-developed portfolio, but can also cater to those with slightly less experience. Brands such as Allstate, as well as major newspapers have been known to seek freelance talent on this site.

Mediabistro: Mediabistro is a long-lived career site for those seeking permanent jobs in the media industry, but it also has a freelance board which is a good place for writers with some experience to seek assignments.

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Similar to those seeking writing or editing gigs, designers, coders, and other creative or tech types should target their freelance gig search based on their experience level and existing portfolio, Heyman said. She recommends three platforms that offer opportunities at various levels of pay and experience, though some of the opportunities may lean more on the tech skills than creative skills.

Upwork: A good resource for those with experience in creative fields, such as graphic design, as well as freelance mobile developers and programmers. Assignments vary in complexity and pay, so that somewhat less-experienced workers can still find lots of opportunity.

Fiverr: Targets smaller businesses seeking freelance talent for mobile design, Wordpress, logo and creative design, writing, and more. Less-experienced professionals may have more opportunity to build their portfolios here.

Toptal: A freelance professional services site targeted at major brands in search of experienced tech and finance talent. If you have a background in programming or project management working with recognized companies, this can be an excellent place to find relatively high-paying work.

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