With the rise of the pandemic, the popularity of micro jobs has skyrocketed. With the lack of a steady income from many traditional workplaces, people are turning to micro freelance jobs in order to make up for the loss of funds.

What is a Micro Job?

Micro jobs are work that is generally completed in a short amount of time for a small amount of money. DollarSprout  suggests that most of the jobs are completed for somewhere between $3-$100. Some micro jobs are completed online, while others are completed in person. Surveys, copywriting, and even translating are all micro freelance jobs that can be completed online, while babysitting, dog walking, GrubHub, and house sitting are micro jobs that are completed in person.

For online micro jobs, many sites house the opportunity to promote yourself or find jobs to do. Sites that are popular for housing micro jobs include Fiverr and Upwork. Fiverr and Upwork are freelancing services where individuals are able to advertise for services that they provide, and others are able to purchase these services. In contrast, traditional freelancing is work that an individual provides on their own, generally not affiliated with a company, and typically paid by the hour or by the job completed. Freelancing as we once knew it also pursued a limited number of clients and engaged with that book of clients over extended periods of time—months or years.

Advice for Micro Freelancers

If you’re looking to get started on micro jobs, there are a few things to consider.

• Make sure that the source you’re using for your micro freelance job is reputable. For example, if you’re looking to complete surveys for money, make sure that the site or application is reliable, trustworthy, and safe. There are scam sites out there, and all it takes is a quick google search to see if the site you’re checking out is okay. Indeed suggests that another easy way to tell if a site is a scam is by checking if it requires a fee to join—if it does, it’s typically a scam.

• Understand that micro jobs require work. It’s a job, after all, and if it’s worth it and is going to pay out, it will require you to put in effort to get the job done.

• Although micro freelance jobs are a good way to get paid from home, it can be hard to get started to earn a steady income. Often, micro jobs are used as extra cash, or extra income, rather than becoming your primary source. However, with hard work and dedication, it’s possible to market yourself well enough that your micro job can become your primary source of income. Sites like Fiverr and Upwork are great for this.

Is Micro Freelancing Worth it?

Overall, micro jobs are worth it if you’re willing to put in the hard work it requires to find and complete the job. Beware of anything claiming otherwise! It takes dedication and marketing in order to establish a steady income from this kind of work, but is rewarding and allows you to work from home. Individuals finding success with these sorts of jobs are those that put in the time and effort it requires to not only get the job done but also to create a business from it.