There are some great insights here into client-based issues with finding reliable freelance work. Using internet based platforms for connecting clients with freelancers makes this type of work almost too accessible. It often seems that for every professional freelancer seeking work, there are ten individuals with little to no experience who are looking for a scheme to get rich quick in their pajamas. As a result, there is both a pressure and a necessity for freelancers to stand out through their clout as well as their writing. I greatly appreciate this aspect of working through the IAPWE; clients know that the IAPWE vets their freelancers, and utilizing this connection allows me to advertise myself as a reputable freelancer to potential clients. From the client perspective, I imagine that having the IAPWE to work through takes a lot of the risk factor and the guess-work out of hiring freelancers.
The most challenging aspect I have encountered with freelancing thus far also has to do with the nature of the type of content for which there is a large need. As the attention span of the average reader dwindles, online content seems to get shorter and shorter, which often means that one project may not exceed 300 words. Primarily I freelance as an editor, so a project of this size does not take long to complete. Even as a writer, this is only a partial day’s work. This aspect of freelancing through the IAPWE has proven to be less than ideal. As mentioned in the article, the IAWPE is a client-centered platform, and only allowing freelancers one project at a time makes a lot of sense from this angle. However, from a freelancer perspective, this means that I can really only take on one project every ten days or so. For this reason, I am forced to utilize my connection with IAPWE as more of a networking tool than a source of reliable income. If there was a way to protect the client while also allowing freelancers to stack multiple projects- more managing editors, perhaps- I, and other freelancers, would be able to produce a lot more quality content in a shorter amount of time.