Freelance Site

I am have just developed a freelance site. However one thing bugs me.  This site will contain project posted by members and freelancers will bid. But how will I get the initial projects or the freelancers? No one would want to become a member if they see no initial projects posted. Do you have any ideas about boosting the initial projects?

Freelancer
Friday, August 13, 2004

Umm, improve your English so the majority of the programming world understands?

xxx
Friday, August 13, 2004

make up a bunch of fake job requirements...it works for www.dice.com

Friday, August 13, 2004

It's like decoding a cryptogram. I tend to be good at those. Here's my understanding on what he's trying to say. He wants to be a middleman between people with projects to have done and people who want to work on projects.

It's like a brokerage. Now the O.P. doesn't say he has any work to be done or any interets in doing them himself. He just wants to place himself between those two camps and maybe skim a few bucks off the top.

Am I anywhere close? Anyway, his question is then how does he get the ball rolling. Damned if I know. I just like puzzles.

old_timer
Friday, August 13, 2004

Kudos on your new site, but as a freelancer myself, these sites like rentacoder (I assume you're talking about something similar) seem downright crazy to me. The bids on most projects seem absurdly small. I'm guessing the reason is either: (a) the bidders are high school or college kids who are happy to spend 30 hours on a project (that they think will take 3) for $200, or (b) and maybe this is the same thing--are just really inexperienced at estimating projects. It seems that it can only end in disaster, both for the employer and for the freelancer. Have people had good experience with these sites? Is it just up to the employer to be saavy about who they pick and not necessarily take the lowest bid?

Brad
Friday, August 13, 2004

Forget it, it's been done before.  there's no compelling reason for anyone to use your site instead of elance or rentacoder.

Bilge Rat
Friday, August 13, 2004

freelancers.net
same thing probably done better

Matt
Friday, August 13, 2004

Here's a quick lesson in business for all you hard core techies out there:

Plan how you will market something and determine if it will be successful - BEFORE YOU BUILD IT

First thing you need is a :

BUSINESS PLAN

Don't do anything until it is written and reviewed by as many people as humanly possible

Bilge Rat
Friday, August 13, 2004

Brad,

RE: " The bids on most projects seem absurdly small."

That's because their being bid on by people who are happy to work for the equvialent of $5-$10 per hour.  Thank you internet.

Bilge Rat
Friday, August 13, 2004

"That's because their being bid on by people who are happy to work for the equvialent of $5-$10 per hour.  Thank you internet. "

yeah i feel that pain. but sometimes I'll take something at that rate because it'll force me to learn a new technology outside my normal realm.

(which doesn't exactly speak well of the quality of the code delivered on such projects btw)

PopCulture
Friday, August 13, 2004

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