Has anyone used Guru.com?

Hey Kevin,

Can't vouch for everyone, but I spent more than $50 bucks on Guru.com. I'm typically looking for design help, which guru and elance excel at.

But because it takes so long to search thru their listings I started using sites like, 99Design.com I think that's the name. While the price point is higher ($250 for a logo), I get to see actual work on my project in real time before selecting a vendor.

Hope this helps!

Kevin - my experience has been more toward the cheapskates - along the same lines as all the logo factories such as Logoworks.com - in my profile you'll see my design business listed (www.whiplashdesign.com) so I have had many years of freelance design project experience.

One person I talked to about Guru - he said that there are good projects in there - you just have sift through a bunch of crud - he had his wife go through them all (because she had time and wanted to) - and that is where he found his best client ever.

Hope that helps!

Hi Kevin,

I don't know about Guru.com, but I'm new freelance graphic designer and I've seen many legit jobs posted on freelanceswitch.com. There's a $7 monthly fee, but it could very well pay for itself!

Heather

Kevin,

There are lots of folks out there looking for talent and help with their work. I'd say that if you're really a "strategic graphic designer" that you shouldn't worry about any of these low-ball, crowdsource type of sites for finding great clients*. But they might be good for finding someone that could help you by sending you a tiny bit of cash flow in hard times.

In my experience as a designer and as the President of AIGA Seattle, I've come to find that clients that are willing to pay for your thinking, and who are willing to collaborate with you to create something that really works are not finding design based on price, or on internet searches. I think you'd be much better off spending time trying to build relationships with the folks who buy strategic graphic design. They're the ones who want you for your ideas, not for your hours, or for your price.

Avoid the crowdsites, find clients who get it.

*A great client is someone who gives you at least two of three key project elements: 1- Great to work with 2- Great pay 3- Great work to show

Jeff Barlow

What we've discovered in four years of growing Biznik, is that the worst disasters we've incurred from working with graphic designers and web developers happened when we tried to outsource the work. Find someone you like and trust locally, whose work you respect. Work with them. Everyone will be much, much happier. Trust me.

As a former designer myself, I would find it impossible to design something for someone I never met. I feel that way about most services...you are serving needs that cannot often be expressed without body language and eye contact. Creative solutions don't come off shelves!

At the risk of being repetitive, I'll just agree with what Dan and Jeff said. :)

Hey - I represent Guru.com....and am happy to answer any additional questions for you (if you can forgive my bias.)

Some things you should know about the site:

1.) We have a proprietary Quality Score Rank that makes the site work a little different than other sites that do the freelancer/employer matching routine. We track your business data - how well you attract business, generate earnings on a project by project basis, and how well you can retain repeat business with the same customers over time. This data is reported to Employers in the Rank as a guide to who can truly deliver. The data is also reported back to the Freelancer so they can figure out how to strategize their business and improve over time.

2.) We just released an aggressive roadmap for a major overhaul of the site. Our CEO is very attentive to feedback and suggestions from our users. When you tell us what you think or what has become a problem - he's all ears and turns it into a better product as quickly as possible.

3.) I can't say much just yet but localization of outsourcing is a hot topic on our radar. And the current site can be used for local leads exclusively today....if that's your sort of thing. We appreciate and support the value of choice and try to be as flexible as we can.

4.) There is an art to using outsourcing successfully - dont jump right in and expect it all to come up roses. Educate yourself first. Make sure you devote some time to it. Ask questions. Our Support team will be very straightforward with you. Use the Escrow services that are offered to protect yourself - and to gain access to Mediation and Arbitration services just in case you need them.

5.) As for cheapskates - it's the Internet and there are good people and bad people out there, unfortunately. We do review every project on our site for quality assurance and if a project does not look legit for any reason, we block it. But some people have big projects and some have little projects. Some people have big budgets and some don't. If you're freelancing, you don't have to bid on the small budget projects - we never recommend spamming people with proposals either. Bottom line - you have to get oriented with the site a little and think through how to make it work for YOU. Go after ONLY what YOU really want - it will take a little time and effort - but we don't want anyone to lose the freedom or satisfaction that comes with the freelancing territory.

Sorry for the long post - just wanted to share what I think is most helpful. Feel free to contact me directly if I can answer other questions or forward more concerns/suggestions.

Thanks for listening!