Microworking for Freelancers

Microworking: The New Gig for Freelancers
By Kevin P Webster

Have you ever thought to yourself, "I have all these talents. I wish there were some way to market them and get paid?" Or, maybe you are overwhelmed with work and you wish there was a place you could go to "hire" someone on a temporary basis to help you get it all done? The good news is, there is a revolution taking the Internet by storm called micro-work that makes this all possible. Thousands of freelancers worldwide use specially designed websites such as Fiverr.com, Gigbucks.com, and a host of others to market their talents to potential employers. Freelance micro-work is a great way to make some extra cash.

What is Micro-working?

Micro-working is defined as a series of small tasks that have been broken out of a larger project and can be completed via the Internet. Leila Chirayath Janah of Samasource first coined the term "micro-working" in 2008. In an effort to help the world's poor, Samasource's business model revolves around breaking down digital work into small units and outsourcing them to the poor so they can make money. To explain the definition of micro-working further, let's use Gigbucks.com as an example. On Gigbucks, freelancers create "gigs." These gigs state what they will do for a specific amount of money; usually $5 to start. For instance, a freelancer might post a gig saying he will write an article for $5. A potential employer can browse all the gigs posted and choose the person he or she feels is right for the job they need done. Once an agreement is reached between freelancer and employer, the employer deposits the money in the freelancer's account, and work begins. Once the freelancer completes the work and the employer approves it, the freelancer receives payment. After the gig is complete, freelancer and employer are free to go their separate ways, or can work together again if so desired.

Benefits of Micro-work

In a world where computers run everything, work can be done from home, and people are looking for ways to save money, micro-work makes perfect sense. For a freelancer, micro-work is a great way to make extra money while working from home. Although not meant to replace a "regular" job, many people make a decent amount doing these gigs online. While it might not seem like much when you only get paid $5 for one task, the goal of micro-work is to get multiple tasks that are easy to do and do not take a lot of time. In order to get more tasks from more employers, a reputation system ensures that good work does not go unnoticed.. When a freelancer completes a gig and does a good job, employers are encouraged to leave a positive rating. Potential employers see this positive rating and a freelancer is more likely to be hired because of it. Freelancers can make quite a bit of money, but it all depends on the amount of time you are willing to devote to the cause.

For an employer, micro-working is a win-win situation all the way around. Hiring someone to do the work you do not have time to do helps employers meet deadlines, saves money, and frees up time for other things. There is no overhead to worry about, no long-term commitments or benefits to employees, and less stress.

As the Internet continues to grow and evolve, so do work from home opportunities like micro-working. It is the wave of the future, and more and more people are taking advantage. It would not be surprising if this revolution became a multimillion dollar industry in the near future.

Kevin writes on an eclectic range of subjects. He says it keeps his creativity fresh and his eye keen. From Art to Internet Marketing to Popular Psychology and everything in between.

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