There are certainly tons of capable freelancers who use Upwork, but with most of the talent not being vetted it can be tough to find those diamonds in the rough.

If you’re looking for talent to knock out some projects or part-time work in the areas of marketing, design, engineering, or more, consider hiring freelancers from Pangea.app, MarketerHire, or Toptal instead. All three platforms have vetted freelancers who can jump in and get to work at a moment’s notice, so let’s dive in and see which one would work best for you.

Pangea.app: Get More Done with Skilled Talent

Pangea.app has helped countless businesses locate and hire the remote talent they need to get things done. Working with everyone from recent grads to full on pros, hiring freelancers on Pangea means hiring young, hungry, emerging professionals on the cutting edges of their fields.

The most common types of freelance work customers turn to Pangea for include:

• Social Media Management
• Content Creation
• Digital Marketing
• Graphic Design
• Web & Mobile Development

Pre-Vetted Pangea Pros

Pangeans who adorn the badge of Pangea Pro have passed through a thorough vetting process. Making up the top 1% of talent on the platform, those with Pro status have displayed consistent levels of professionalism and excellence throughout their young careers, both on and off Pangea.

When proactively searching for talent on Pangea, simply toggle the Pro filter on for an exclusive view of this top talent pool. As you’re sifting through applications, Pro profiles will be marked with a unique badge letting you know they’ve got Pangea’s stamp of approval. 

Multiple Ways to Hire

Hiring is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Your business is unique and your needs as a business owner might not align with the status quo job boards of old. That’s why Pangea allows you to tailor the hiring process to your preferences with several easy-to-use hiring tools.

On Pangea you can:

• Post a Job: Cast a net across Pangea’s talent pool by posting your project to the feed. Once your post is approved, you’ll begin receiving proposals from freelancers who best match your needs. Pangea will even highlight their top picks to help narrow down your search.
  

• Invite to Job: As you're perusing the platform for Pangeans, you can invite your favorites to apply by clicking the Invite to Job button on their profiles. Those who apply will be tagged as Invited by You.

• Connect with Freelancers: This feature allows you to connect with and hire freelance talent without even making a post. By clicking Connect with Freelancer on a Pangean’s profile, you’ll be able to send a detailed message about your project and request to hop on a discovery call to chat more. 

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Using all three of these methods at once is sure to maximize your freelancer hiring experience, but it’s all about your personal preference. If you’re looking for the easiest and most cost effective way of hiring talented freelancers, join Pangea today.

MarketerHire: Only the Best Marketing Talent

If you’re looking for a marketing professional who can help drive growth, acquisition, and brand awareness, search no further than MarketerHire. Their rigorous freelancer screening process ensures you’re only working with proven experts. Out of the hundreds of applications they receive each month, MarketerHire accepts less than 5%.

With a laser focus on finding the best marketing freelancers out there, you can rest assured that you’re getting the most bang for your buck with MarketerHire. From social media and content to branding and SEO, this platform can solve any of your marketing challenges virtually overnight. 

The MarketerHire Vetting Process

MarketerHire proactively recruits top performing freelance marketers by monitoring Facebook groups, forums, LinkedIn, and more. All who apply are passed through an in-depth skill review, where their experience, work samples, references, and knowhow are put under a microscope. If they pass this review, they move on to a video interview with the MarketerHire team.

Once an applicant is approved, they are often assigned test projects as one final step to ensure they’re skills meet the MarketerHire standards. These projects test candidates’ problem solving skills, competence, thoroughness, professionalism, and integrity over a 1-3 week period. If freelancer experience is of concern to you, there’s no need to worry when it comes to MarketerHire. 

No Job Posts, No Interviews, No Headaches

MarketerHire matches you with top marketing talent without you even having to post a job. All you have to do is describe your project, and within 48 hours you’ll be able to meet your potential hire. This takes the guesswork out of hiring a marketer for your business and saves you time on sifting through a virtual pile of applications and resumes. 

MarketerHire will check in periodically throughout the engagement, just to ensure both sides are happy and being held accountable. From startups to multimillion dollar corporations, thousands of companies have hired freelancers on MarketerHire for their marketing needs. If you’re in need of a bonafide marketing wiz, this is the platform for you.

Toptal: Hire the Top 3% of Freelance Talent

A platform for hiring high-level freelancers, Toptal’s stringent application process helps ensure you’re only working with the best of the best. Boasting the top 3% of freelancers on the planet, Toptal promises high-quality deliverables from expert freelancers in the areas of graphic design, software engineering, financial services, and much more.

This is by far the most expensive freelancer platform out there today, but if you’re looking for industry veterans who can turn around top-notch deliverables in a pinch, Toptal can be a viable option for you. 

Toptal’s Freelancer Screening Process

Toptal isn’t kidding when they say they only work with the top 3% of freelance talent out there. Their stringent screening process breaks down as follows:

1. Language & Personality Test: All applicants must pass a comprehensive English language and communication evaluation. Totpal also assesses personality traits to ensure the applicant is engaged and passionate. 26% of applicants pass this test.
   
   
2. Skill Review: Each applicant is tested on their technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities through assessments unique to their field of expertise. According to Toptal, only 7% of applicants pass this stage.
   
   
3. Live Screening: All candidates are interviewed by a Toptal screener who is also an expert in their area of expertise. Here is where they look for problem-solving and communication abilities. Only 3% of applicants pass the live screening.
   
   
4. Test Projects: Candidates who have made it to this point are then assigned test projects to ensure their work is up to Toptal’s standards. These projects last 1-3 weeks depending on the field. 3% of applicants make it through this final round.
   
   
5. Continued Vetting: Toptal continues to vet their freelancers throughout each of their engagements to make sure their clients are pleased. Those who fail to deliver will be removed from the platform entirely.

Toptal’s Top Industries

Toptal works with industry professionals with a variety of different backgrounds. The most common areas clients hire on Toptal for include:

• Healthcare
• Consumer Goods
• Financial Services
• Industrials
• Communications & Media
• Technology
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Whether you’re a startup in need of a website rebuild or and established tech company looking for financial assistance, Toptal is a trust place where you can receive high quality work. It is pricey, but you know what they say: You get what you pay for. 

Let’s Recap

There are tons of alternatives to Upwork out there. Pangea, MarketerHire, and Toptal are all great options for your business depending on your hiring needs.

Pangea is Great For Hiring

• Social Media Managers
• Content Creators
• Digital Marketers
• Graphic Designers
• Web & Mobile Developers

MarketerHire is Great For Hiring Marketers Specialized In

• Social Media
• Branding
• SEO
• Email
• Amazon & Shopify

Toptal is Great For Hiring Industry Pros In

• Healthcare
• Consumer Goods
• Financial Services
• Communications & Media
• Technology

Freelancers Benefit Businesses 

No matter your needs, there’s a freelancer out there ready to step in and help. Instead of making that next full time hire, consider giving a freelancer a try. Freelancers are cost effective, flexible, and laser focused on what they’re good at. Free up some time and budget space by hiring a freelancer today!