It's been almost a year since I quit my last job and started doing freelance work, and I can honestly say that things aren't working out as well as I hoped. There just doesn't seem to be enough projects for me to do. Paper Toss Designs is still alive but I obviously need money to be able to help fund the shirt production. Besides, what we make off selling shirts isn't exactly enough to take the place of a regular job.

Around March I decided to bite the bullet and look for another job. I started sending out my resume to ad agencies and design studios and other similar companies but so far, I've had no luck in getting hired. It's gotten so frustrating and depressing that I'm actually considering applying in a call center. Not that I have anything against that industry but man, that shit just ain't for me.

If only (f)unemployment was as fun as this graphic novel.

Recently, some friends pointed me to the direction of a couple of sites that offer paying jobs to freelancers like me. There are no guaranteed gigs here but hey, it beats waiting around and doing nothing. Thought I'd share them to you, just in case you are in the same boat as I am.

Elance

Elance is a site not unlike oDesk, which offers a wide range of jobs to choose from. You select a job you like, read the brief, send in a proposal and a bid, and wait for the contractor to choose from the applicants. You get 15 proposal credits per month which you can use however you please.

99designs


99designs is similar to Elance except it uses contests to award jobs. It also has no monthly proposal limits so you can join as many as you like. Once you pick one you can read the brief and proceed to submit artwork drafts (instead of written proposals). The contractors give feedback and/or eliminate entries to you and the other participants, after which you can then choose to revise it or not, or even submit a new design. After the specified time of proposal submissions has elapsed the contractor then chooses a winner from the remaining finalists.

I've tried both sites and right now, I have to say that I'm more into 99designs. The fact that you can see other people's entries too gives me a sense of transparency that Elance doesn't. I'm always scared that whenever I submit a proposal there the contractor would just steal my idea and award the project to the guy who bid the lowest. Better safe than sorry, yeah?

Wish me luck!