I do all my local listing searches myself. I also don’t do those online, I get out into the local area and search for work. I think local jobs should be advertised locally, reaching out online gives them a global audience. Wouldn’t their success rate be better by taking out a ad in the local paper or spreading the opening via word of mouth? Hey, if you’re a freelancer advertise your business in the local business listings and they might start calling you instead.

While it is good to be accessible, sometimes, when we are available to everyone, we are available to no one. One of the struggles in freelancing is to be recognized as a business. For that, you need to establish rules as in any other enterprise.

You could set limits. For example, tell clients that you will be available for IM communications during a certain time of the day. And then log out. Or, if you prefer email communications with clients, limit yourself to those. You can spell out those terms in your contract, but you want to be flexible to the needs of your clients. Most will respect your wishes, and will understand that you will deliver as promised.

Yea, I agree with you as well. I’m based in South Africa and will soon be moving abroad again and so telecommuting is a blessing – being able to go in the world and yet your livelihood is online. I like the idea of including on-site and telecommute in job section, but it could be separated like Yindra pointed out. Great site by the way, keep up the good work.

My wife was a stay-at-home Mom when my daughter was just old enough to get into a lot of trouble. Then my mother-in-law had surgery. My wife went, naturally, but I had deadlines I had to meet. So I hired a sitter for the day.

In my experience, if it’s the right fit, I can turn an on-site job into an ongoing or occasional telecommute after the initial contract. Also, I’ve pitched myself to companies who advertise for on-site, and convinced them why they should consider me as a telecommuter. And landed, sometimes not the gig advertised, but work from the company.

You have to read creatively, and, if you like the company, figure out how to convince them they can’t live without you. At your rate.

It’s nice to see some fellow Canucks here too!

@everyone – I’ve lived in either eastern or central Nebraska all of my life. I’ve never expected the local access to the vast choices of a big city – partly why I’ve stayed here is to avoid the other stuff that comes with a big city. So for myself, I may get disappointed in something that looks like a nice opportunity, but I keep it to about 2 seconds and then move on.

There are certainly more people who are likely to be near those big city areas than those who are not. So I have no hard feelings about seeing those listings for “locals only” in NYC, Miami, Boston, L.A., etc.

Don’t get so focused on what you can’t have – just focus on what is available. None of us would have any of these online opportunities that are advertise, or the immediate knowledge of many “local” ones, 10 years ago because the internet was really in its infancy then.

If something really good pops up in central NE for “locals only,” don’t anyone bother applying – It’s all mine!

As for the job listings, sometimes I am dissapointed when I see it is an onsite job, but I just move on. Every freelancer works differently, that job may be perfect for the person who is surfing for jobs the same time I am.

My current role includes both telephone and email contact which suits me fine

One final note, thanks Jodee for taking the time to do what you do.

The work that Deb and Jodee do is impressive. It takes only a few seconds to find out the job details. It would take me a lot longer to hunt down this information on my own. I’m grateful.
You don’t need to do extra work to provide this free service to your community.

I imagine it takes a lot of work to get the list together, and I truly appreciate it. Thank you!

I can’t believe someone would look such a gift horse in the mouth. It’s a free service. Deb and Jodee give up their time so we don’t have to wade through all the $2 job offers and someone is going to complain that it’s too much trouble to click?

Don’t section off the jobs Deb and Jodee. You do us a big enough favor as it is. Anyone who can’t see or appreciate that needs to find her own jobs. You’re not going to please everyone and if you change one thing for one person all the nitpickers are going to come out. 99% of us appreciate what you do so don’t ever change.

I think Jodee does a great job of finding a good mix for all types of freelancers. Considering the job leads provided to us here save us time and don’t cost us anything, do any of us here really have the right to complain? Seems a bit rude. Deb, you’re more kind than I am. I’d tell anyone who doesn’t like it to go find their own friggen leads.