Never would I imagine that I would be making ₱30,000 just by writing at home…
Yes, I know that for some people this isn’t enough especially for the highest-paid freelancers.
But HEAR me out…
I made this, while working full-time as a writer in other freelancing platforms such as UpWork and Onlinejobs.ph!
So, if you’ve never heard or tried 199jobs, this is the ultimate guide and review you’ll only ever need!
First, I’ll lay down all the juicy facts about 199jobs. Then, I’ll share my experience as well as my secret tips on how I made ₱30,000! So be sure to stick around till the end!
And to prove that I really earned in this platform, here’s a screenshot on some of my earnings.
So, are you ready to earn at home?
Let’s get cracking!
What is 199Jobs?
Basically, 199Jobs is an online marketplace where you can buy or sell services. Think of it as sort of like Lazada where you can buy or sell products.
In this case, the products are services such as writing, social media management, graphic design and more!
The founders of this innovative site are Fitz Villafuerte and Glenn Santos. I know (or a fan of) Fitz Villafuerte since he’s a personal finance blogger as well. And from what I gather, Glenn Santos is a web developer amongst other things.
Together, they built 199Jobs which is a Pinoy version of Fiverr. But the main feature of the former is it’s competitive pricing.
This solves the problem of clients complaining about high rates of freelancers. On the contrary, freelancers can easily find many jobs with this pricing.
For most Pinoys, this is the perfect platform to showcase their skills and get necessary portfolio.
However, it’s important to think of this platform as more of a side hustle rather than a full-time gig. But even so, you can earn ₱30,000 or more like I did!
How does 199Jobs Work?
If you’re already familiar with Fiverr, then you’ll instantly know how this works!
But if not, 199Jobs is the Pinoy version of Fiver but with added features. In it’s simplest term, 199Jobs is a marketplace for buyers and sellers to connect.
In 199Jobs, there are 4 main categories:
- Writing & Editing
- Admin & Support
- Design, Video & Audio
- Website Work
To visualize how this works, see the image below. And the explanation for the steps.
For the buyers:
- Search or post a request – For instance, a buyer wants to have someone write an article for him. He has 2 options. He can browse for jobs under the “Writing & Editing” category. Or if he can’t find anyone fit for the job, he can post a request so that all the sellers can see it.
- Order from a seller – After you choose the perfect seller for you, you can then order their job. You need to pay first before they get to work. But the seller can only get the payment once you confirm that you received the order. But to buy a job, you need store credits. You can buy them via bank deposits, credit card or Paypal.
- Receive order – Then you just wait as the seller does the work and will notify you when it’s done! Once you’ve receive the work and there’s no revision to be done, you can confirm the order.
For the sellers:
- Create a job (gig) – For those who want to earn, you can create a job in 199jobs. You will need to include a title, tagline, images and more. This is where the buyers will order from you so make sure it’s attractive and detailed.
- Wait for someone to order your job/take on requests – You can wait for someone to order through your job or you can take on requests. Depending on you, you can choose which ones you’d like to do and chat with the buyer for more details.
- Do the work and get paid – After the buyer ordered from you, you then need to start the job. After finishing it, you should notify the buyer and upload the deliverables (if any). Then, your funds will be released to you.
Of course, before you can buy or sell, you first need to create an account in 199jobs. We’ll go through these later in the article!
Difference of 199Jobs From Other Freelance Platforms
Believe it or not, I started my freelance journey with 199Jobs.
Less than 2 years ago, I found out about 199Jobs by browsing the internet for online jobs.
After reading all about this platform, I immediate created my account and made 2 gigs. One for writing and another for video editing.
But days after creating my account, I still didn’t have a single order!
That’s when signed up for other freelance platforms and forgot about 199Jobs for a while. But one day, a text message greeted me. Someone ordered my job which would become my first job ever online!
Then the rest is history…
Now, if you’re a beginner looking to start your online career, 199Jobs may be the perfect place for you to start!
Sure, other platforms have higher rates and international clients. However, 199Jobs can help pave your way just like it did mine. Here’s how it differs from others:
Difference of 199Jobs From UpWork
- UpWork has higher rates because it’s an international platform. 199Jobs has lower rates because it primarily focuses on the PH market.
- It’s harder to get jobs in UpWork because there are more competition. Meanwhile in 199Jobs, you can easily get your first client today if you’re serious!
- In UpWork, you need to spend some money before you can get jobs because of connects. But finding online work in 199Jobs virtually costs nothing!
Difference of 199Jobs From Onlinejobs.ph
- Even though they are both focused on the Philippine Market, 199Jobs focuses on small jobs. This means it’s easier to get work in here than in Onlinejobs.ph.
- You need to constantly apply in Onlinejobs.ph to get work. But in 199Jobs, if you already have some good ratings and reviews, clients will message you.
- In Onlinejobs.ph, there isn’t any secure payment system. You can just manually set up the payment system between you and your client. On the contrary, 199Jobs offers secure payment system to eliminate the instances of fraud.
These comparisons are what I gathered from working in these 3 freelance platforms. Some of these may be true for some but not for others. Also, I didn’t compare these platforms stating that 199Jobs is the best among them.
Rather, I say that 199Jobs is the best freelance platform for beginners looking to enter the online freelancing world.
How to Become a Seller in 199Jobs
The sellers are the ones offering their services. If you’re looking for online work, you’re the seller.
And if you’re curious how to be one in 199Jobs, just follow along!
1. Sign up for a free account – The first step is signing for a free account in 199Jobs here. You can sign up via Facebook or email. For the email, you need a working one and you also need to create a username. Then, the details including the password will be sent to your email.
2. Create a job – After successfully creating your account, you can now create a job/gig. To do this, just go to the footer of the and select “sell your sevices.”
3. Fill in the details of your job – Then, you’ll need to fill out every detail of your job. You will be asked to provide the following: Job Title, Job Tagline, Images, Deliverables, Description, select the category, related topics, Samples, Instructions to the Buyer, and add-ons. Some of these are self-explanatory while some are not. For a detailed guide on these, read down below for my tips!
4. Post the job – After completing all the required details of your job, you can now post your job for everyone to see!
5. Wait or reply to buyer requests – Now that you have a job, you can wait for someone to order from you. Or you can go to the to do list to reply to the buyer requests.
6. Do the job and collect your pay! – Once the buyer has ordered a job from you, you can now do the job! After doing it, submit it for review and your funds will be released to your account. Cleanse and repeat!
How to Get a Job in 199Jobs?
There are primarily 2 ways where you can get a job in here. I’ll explain it so you know the difference.
- Wait for someone to order your job – Back when I started, I just left my account for weeks and I was surprised to see that someone had ordered my job! This can mean that the buyer saw my job in the categories and they ordered. This is what I call the passive approach. Although I was fortunate enough that someone ordered even though I didn’t have any reviews, don’t just stop here.
- Reply to buyer requests – This is what I call the proactive approach to get jobs in here. In your to do list, you’ll find that different buyers will post requests that are in line with your category. You can respond to these requests and ask for more details regarding the job. This is how I got most of my work in 199Jobs!
List of Jobs You Can Offer
Unlike in other freelance platforms, the list of jobs you can offer in 199Jobs are limited to 4 categories:
- Writing & Editing – Here are some sample jobs you can offer in this category: Blog writing, article writing, essays, sales copy, reviews, scripts, eBooks, books, peoms, editing and proofreading.
- Design, Video & Audio – In this category, you can offer to do the following: eBook covers, logos, infographics, transcribing, video editing, sound editing, t-shirt design, vector tracing, portraits and more!
- Admin & Support – In here, the most popular jobs include: data entry, social media managing, virtual assistance, encoding, excel formatting, web research, powerpoint presentations, and e-commerce.
- Website Work – This is the least popular category atleast from the jobs posted in here. Here are some examples of what you can offer: Website fix, create a website, web design/development, and SEO audits.
My Top Tips on How to Earn ₱30K or More in 199Jobs
When I was just starting, I figured everything myself. By this I meant I took online courses, read blogs, watched YouTube tutorials, and joined Facebook groups in freelancing.
But to simplify the process, I’ll list down everything I’ve ever learned which allowed me to earn more than ₱30,000 in 199Jobs!
I wish I knew this before I started but I’m giving it away for free so you don’t make the same mistakes I did!
So, without further ado, here are my top tips:
Select an in-demand skill
When I say in-demand skill, these are not just the popular. To be able to think of in-demand skills that you can offer, it should first align with your passion.
What are you good at? What are your hobbies?
Then, search around on the internet if the skills you’re going to offer are hot right now. You can also do this in 199Jobs. Just browse the categories one by one and you’ll see which ones have the most jobs in them!
I’m grateful because my skill is in content writing which coincidentally is the most popular category in 199Jobs.
Complete your job details
Most newbies create jobs just for the sake of doing so.
But if you want to earn as much possible, you need to change this mindset.
Right off the bat, you need to show that you’re serious. And one way to do this is by completely filling out your job details.
Job Title – This is the first thing that buyers will see once they see your job aside from the featured image. That’s why you need to maximize every word you’re going to use. Don’t just write “I can write blog posts for you” when you can say “I can write blog posts that will resonate with your audience.”
Job Tagline – In here, this is your second chance to capture your buyer! As much as possible, try to add attractive words such fast, high-quality, in-depth, detailed and more!
Deliverables – This is where you’ll explain to the buyer what exactly they’ll get. While it may already be obvious from the title alone, this is where you’ll go into greater detail. To do this, tell them what you’re going to do exactly and what they can expect.
Description – In here, you’ll write down every necessary detail that the buyer needs to know. For instance, you can put the topics you can write about or reasons why they should order from you. Be creative, hook them with your description and they’re sure to order from you!
Don’t just create, create to impress!
Aside from the above, you will need to provide a featured image and some samples.
But don’t be like most people who just pick whatever they see first as their featured image. Because if you put yourself in the buyer’s shoes, would you pick a dull-looking picture at a sea of jobs?
Whether we like it or not, we are visual creatures. And the reason why I got many orders even if I’m not active in 199Jobs anymore is because of my featured image.
The image I picked is a high-quality stock photo. Yes, it’s a stock photo but it clearly represents what I am as a brand: professional, systematic, and high-quality.
Underpromise and overdeliver
This tip isn’t just applicable in 199Jobs but in virtually any freelance platform!
You may have heard of this phrase countless times before, but it works!
But what I would do is to over promise and to over over over deliver…
I don’t just promise to write the article, I promise that it will be perfect. I also suggest titles beforehand and even help them with other things without additional charge.
This is what I do when I say underpromise.
Then when I finish the work, I send it to the buyer expecting for a revision not because there are a lot of errors, but because I want to satisfy them.
But when I did this, I rarely did any revisions because the buyers were already satisfied with my work!
Be competitive
The beauty of this platform is that there aren’t as many sellers unlike in UpWork or Fiverr.
However, that doesn’t mean that the competition isn’t fierce!
You need to be competitive in order to get orders in this platform otherwise you will be ignored.
Aside from the tips above, what I did was to increase my skills and experience. I took online courses, read blogs, and even took other freelance jobs outside of 199Jobs.
This allowed me to stay at the top of the pack and get as many orders as possible.
Take advantage of the to do list
What I did that truly allowed me to earn more than ₱30,000 is that I took the proactive approach.
Instead of just waiting for buyers to see my job, I took on buyer requests. Of course, I didn’t just apply to each one there is, I only replied to the ones that I was sure I could do.
Sometimes there are a lot of buyer requests at once but sometimes there aren’t a lot of new ones. Regardless, I made SURE to apply to every request I could do!
Promote your jobs outside of 199Jobs
If you’re truly serious about making this your bread and butter, you need to promote your jobs.
When it comes to promoting, there are a lot of ways you can do this. But since we’re freelancers, I highy suggest that you focus your marketing efforts online.
You can promote your jobs by creating Facebook pages/groups, creating videos, creating a blog, or even using Facebook ads.
Depending on you, you may need to spend some money. But don’t make your expense so big that you can’t get it back in the form of income!
Respond completely, politely and fast!
Even though our work is online, we need to see to it that we still follow etiquettes!
After all, no one wants to talk to someone who’s rude and doesn’t reply fast especially online!
When a buyer messages you, you need to reply as soon as you can as it might be urgent. It’s safer to always assume that the buyer has an urgent request.
Also, don’t speak in jargons or in colloquial terms! If the client spoke in Tagalog, reply in Tagalog.
Because being able to communicate my thoughts effective already showed my writing skills without even doing the job.
Follow up
Often times, buyers don’t have the time to check all their messages.
Your proposal may already be buried in their inbox.
That’s why my tip is to always follow up! Ideally, you can do this once everyday until they order.
This is what I did to get many orders!
Is 199jobs Legit?
After working as a seller in 199Jobs for a year, I can confidently say that it’s a legit freelance platform!
Think of it as Fiverr but with added features and a platform for Pinoys!
Almost all the clients I’ve had in this platform were all legit! Although I encountered one scammer which was quickly reported.
But overall, everything is secure from the payments system even to the messages! 199Jobs has a system in place where it automatically detects spams and mentions of other freelancing platforms.
FAQs about 199Jobs
If you’re a beginner, I’m sure you have some questions regarding 199Jobs. Don’t worry, you’re on the right track!
Here are some common questions and the answers. For the list of all the FAQs about 199Jobs, I suggest you head over to their site!
Q: Isn’t the price too low?
A: As mentioned above, the 199Jobs team found a price point where the cost is just right for both the buyer and the seller. But if you still think the price is too low, you can offer a job that is part of a bigger one. For instance, I offer to write a 600-word article for P199. If the buyer wants to increase the word count, he can avail of an add-on or create a custom job altogether.
Q: How will the buyer pay me?
A: 199Jobs has a secure payment system that functions like this: The buyer pays the for the job but the site holds it until the work has been submitted.
Q: Is there a site fee like in other freelancing platforms?
A: Yes there is a 20% fee for every order you receive. But unlike in other platforms, you can reduce this fee by being active and receiving more orders! If you want to lower the rate, here’s the goal you need to achieve:
- Earn P6,000 or more last month to get 10% rate this month
- Sell P3,000 to P5,999 last month to get 15% rate this month
- Achieve P2,999 and below last month to get 20% rate this month
Final Thoughts
Those are all the things you need to know about 199Jobs! Hopefully, you have a clearer picture now of what this platform is all about.
Also, I hope that you will not just read these tips but apply them. Take note, most of what I said here can and should also be applied throughout your freelance journey!
This is how you get long-term clients and stay competitive!
Related:
199jobs should have more stringent scorecards in place for their talents in delivering work outputs. They should also have an accelerated and more responsive support backend set up nowadays.
I agree. They could potentially be one of the top freelancing sites if they could improve a lot of things. Although that’s the case, it’s nice to have a freelancing platform dedicated for Pinoys. 🙂 Thanks for your input Deo!