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Humans in the Press: Drawbacks of Online Job Platforms

Freelance Online Job Platforms UpWork
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The recent tech boom has altered both the notion of a job and how we search for one. Today, more and more people are freelancing, opting for jobs with flexible work hours. Many turn to online job platforms in search of self-fulfillment and new opportunities to make money.

However, these don’t guarantee a fast or successful search for work, even if a person is highly qualified. Most platforms are overcrowded with applicants, and reality often doesn’t match people’s expectations.

Our founder Vlad shared his insights on this growing issue with online job platforms:

  • Expectations vs. reality
When people think of freelancing, they think of all the benefits — freedom, flexible schedules, being your own boss. The reality is that freelancers face stiff competition for even low-paying jobs. From what they do get paid, a large chunk goes to online job platforms that act as intermediaries.
  • Unexpected fee changes
Online job platforms such as UpWork can change their fee structure at any time, which disproportionately affects freelancers who take smaller, less lucrative jobs.
  • Non-transparent ratings
An unclear, hard to understand rating system is frustrating for users.
  • Matching difficulties
Matching freelancer to job based on geographical location instead of skillset, as LinkedIn's ProFinder service does, is inefficient.
  • What's next
Finding work as a freelancer is still full of challenges. Online platforms and marketplaces are too focused on increasing their profit. They charge employers for posting jobs and charge freelancers for using the service. The user experience and the quality of service often remain secondary.

This situation opens the door for removing the intermediaries between clients and freelancers – a new system, using state of the art technology, to enable people all over the world to fulfill their creative potential (while earning a comfortable wage) and providing quality work to companies at a reasonable cost.

Read the full op-ed here: Why Online Job Platforms Do Not Guarantee a Fast and Easy Job Search.  

Stay tuned for more insights and news from the Humans.net team!