How does it work?
Guru.com
provides you with the easiest way to find jobs, collaborate on projects
and get paid for work done online and across the world.
Find Work
Search for the jobs you want, then submit job proposals that compel employers to hire you.
Collaborate
Collaborate with ease using the comprehensive project management tools in your project’s Work Room. Set milestones, create and assign tasks and track time spent on the project.
Get Paid
Getting paid is simple. We even offer SafePay for guaranteed payment protection.
Need more information? Take the tour and get advice from other freelancers who are using Guru.com to grow their business.
Find Work
Search for the jobs you want, then submit job proposals that compel employers to hire you.
Collaborate
Collaborate with ease using the comprehensive project management tools in your project’s Work Room. Set milestones, create and assign tasks and track time spent on the project.
Get Paid
Getting paid is simple. We even offer SafePay for guaranteed payment protection.
Need more information? Take the tour and get advice from other freelancers who are using Guru.com to grow their business.
How does Guru.com make money?
Our services are FREE for employers because you, the freelancers, help cover costs in two ways — through small transaction fees and memberships. This attracts more employers to use Guru and it means they have more money to pay you!
When working with freelancers you don’t have to worry about finding someone who is the best in many different areas. You’ll often be hiring a freelancer for one very specific project and so you can search for someone who is highly skilled in that specific area.
More often than not, you don’t need to pay freelancers compensation when you don’t need them anymore. This might be less of a factor in those countries where at will termination is legal and common but everywhere else, where there is termination notice which in some cases could span months or even years, this flexibility of the freelance workforce is a great difference.
Sometimes you may be tempted to compare an in-house staff member with a freelancer purely based on hourly rate. In some cases you will find that the freelancer does have a higher hourly rate. You need to be sure to take all costs in to account when comparing a freelancer with an in-house staff member. Often you will find that although a freelancer’s hourly rate may be higher, when all overheads and benefits are taken into account the freelancer will often come out cheaper.
However, if you plan well, establish milestones, and set clear progress reporting rules, you will be less likely to experience last minute disasters.
- As a freelancer, you pay between 4.95% and 8.95% in project fees. This fee is based on your membership level and is deducted from your payment for the job.
- You can also purchase membership to receive privileged access to jobs and employers. Your profile displays your membership level.
Advantages:
The Best for the Job
Most freelancers juggle multiple projects simultaneously and they are not available for full-time employment. When you add in that most skilled employees won’t be living in your area, it is not hard to realize why qualified in-house employees are often near to impossible to find.When working with freelancers you don’t have to worry about finding someone who is the best in many different areas. You’ll often be hiring a freelancer for one very specific project and so you can search for someone who is highly skilled in that specific area.
More Flexibility
With freelancers you have more flexibility. You hire them when you need them and don’t pay them a salary just for being at your office. With employees on payroll you always have to pay them for the time they are in the office, even if their workload is fluctuating.More often than not, you don’t need to pay freelancers compensation when you don’t need them anymore. This might be less of a factor in those countries where at will termination is legal and common but everywhere else, where there is termination notice which in some cases could span months or even years, this flexibility of the freelance workforce is a great difference.
Lower Costs
In addition to the fact that you are not paying consistent salaries for times of low workload, another advantage of working with freelancers that keeps costs low is that you don’t have to pay benefits and provide office space and equipment for them.Sometimes you may be tempted to compare an in-house staff member with a freelancer purely based on hourly rate. In some cases you will find that the freelancer does have a higher hourly rate. You need to be sure to take all costs in to account when comparing a freelancer with an in-house staff member. Often you will find that although a freelancer’s hourly rate may be higher, when all overheads and benefits are taken into account the freelancer will often come out cheaper.
Disadvantages:
While the pros of working with freelancers are hard to beat, there are also cons that, depending on your situation, might mean it isn’t worthwhile going ahead and working with freelancers. Here are some of the disadvantages of working with freelancers:Availability
Since freelancers as a rule have multiple projects at the same time, it’s quite possible the freelancer of your choice is unavailable when you need him or her. With some negotiation and planning on both sides, you can often find a solution but if you desperately need somebody immediately, don’t count on their availability.Less Control
Generally, you will have less control over a freelancer than an in-house employee. This can be a real problem if you’re unlucky enough to come across the rare type that I mentioned above.However, if you plan well, establish milestones, and set clear progress reporting rules, you will be less likely to experience last minute disasters.
