Elance (now Upwork) is an online work marketplace where freelancers and employers connect with each other. Elance offers online collaboration tools that enable employers hire and manage remote teams cost effectively.
In this article, which is a part of our online work series we will take a closer look at Elance.
Understanding Elance
Elance is an online work marketplace that provides online tools that enable employers (called clients on Elance) to hire, manage, pay, and rate workers online. Freelancers (called contractors on Elance) promote their skills on Elance and submit proposals on jobs posted by clients.
Elance provides an online tool called Workroom, which creates a virtual office that enables contractors document their work and if working in teams collaborate with other members of the team just like in a real office. The Elance Workroom also enables clients to communicate and verify work done by their remote teams.
Unlike oDesk that guarantees only projects billed on hourly rates, Elance guarantees both projects billed on hourly rates and fixed budgets, provided you follow specific guidelines.
Membership of Elance online work marketplace is free for both clients and contractors. Elance charges between 6.75% and 8.75% of whatever the contractor makes from a project. Elance also has paid membership.
Elance Model
At Elance, clients post jobs required for their projects. Contractors submit proposals with their work rate for the advertised jobs and based on their proposals, profile, skills test scores, work history and ratings the client selects a contractor or a team to work on the project.
The client uses tools provided by the Elance Workroom to monitor and control progress of work. A client can also use the tools to communicate and collaborate with their contractor(s) and/or team(s). At the end of work or when set milestones are reached, the client pays the contractor or individual members of the team via Elance.
Elance Payment
Clients can pay their workers on Elance using MasterCard, Visa, Cheque (only US based clients), American Express, Wire Transfer, or PayPal. The payment is made through Elance and not directly to the contractor. Payments to Elance contractors are stored in their Elance account until they make a withdrawal.
Elance contractors withdraw their earnings through various means including Payoneer Debit MasterCard, Skrill, PayPal, cheque (only US & canada based contractors), bank transfer (only US based contractors), or Wire Transfer. Not all withdrawal methods will be supported in all countries. When you join oDesk only withdrawal methods allowed in your country will be supported in your account.
For more information about Elance online work marketplace, visit Elance website at Looking for work? www.upwork.com
Jobs & Work Articles
- Fiverr Freelancing Marketplace
- 9 Services on Fiverr to Grow your Business on a Budget
- 10 Ways to Make Money on Fiverr
- oDesk Online Work Marketplace
- Get Online Work
- Writers Jobs at Online Work Sites
- Graphic Designers Jobs at Online Work
- Data Entry Jobs at Online Work
- How to Work from Home Online
- How to Blog
- Online IT Jobs
- Studying for Online Work
- Can you make money from online work
- Tools for Online Work
- Top 10 Online Jobs for Nigeria
- Top 20 Online Jobs
- Top Online Work Sites
- Online Work Marketplace
- Online Jobs Listing Sites
- Why your dream jobs remains elusive for applicants
- Searching for jobs with the internet
