The ease of the internet is allowing for more Australian jobs to be offered to foreigners rather than locals living in the country.

Traditionally, big businesses send customer service jobs to call centres in Asia and India but with the growth of reliable fast, internet in developing nations, those workers can now do more.

The workers just a mouse click away, on the other side of the world and they are now making real money.

"Chances are just about any job you can think of can be done by someone on the other side of the world, for the fraction of the cost at what you pay locally, any time of day", said Australian academic Matt Barrie.

It's a workforce shift that's been harnessed by Barrie, the founder and CEO of Freelancer, a website that allows Australian small and medium-sized businesses to outsource work and reduce their overheads.

"Something that could be a fantastic productivity tool for small business owners and individuals in the west, at the same time as delivering jobs in parts of the world for people that are in desperate need of them", he said.

Barrie explains Freelancer creates a global market, like eBay, but where you sell or outsource work and Australians are free to compete for tenders like anyone else.

"It's free to post a project for the first time, you get the bids in, you can go review everyone, you can talk to them, you can ask them questions, you can look at their samples of work", Barrie said.

More than three million people have registered with Freelancer ready to complete jobs in all categories.

Many are professionals in their own countries, with qualifications.

"Any skill set you can possibly think of no matter how esoteric it is, there'll be someone out there to do that job, that is highly qualified", Barrie said.

That includes architectural and mechanical designs, solving complex formulas, accounting work, even video production.

Once you've signed up to the freelancer site, submit a description of the work you need done and soon you'll have a team of people offering their services at a fraction of the cost.

Camilla Bowhill runs designer gift shop Nordic Fusion, "We decided to make a catalogue which we put in Vogue Living to sell out to all of Australia - the total price of advertising, printing and to make the catalogue, was a bit overwhelming for a small company like Nordic Fusion", Camilla said.

The quote for the catalogue was around four thousand dollars, but she saved a lot more using a designer she found on Freelancer.

“We saved probably 90 per cent of it, it cost about 10% of what it would've costed us to do it in Sydney, to go to a company graphic designer company, so it was brilliant", Camilla added.

Camilla will use the money she saved to hire holiday staff.

Andy Lamrock runs a business optimisation consultancy, but he says it was the use of Freelancer that really launched his business.

"For under a thousand dollars we got our website, we got our logo, we got our brand identification, we got our business cards, we got animations and we are up and running just like that, for under a thousand dollars, in a week."

"We were just absolutely amazed." Andy said.

So impressed by the work he receives for a fraction of the price it would cost to get done locally, Andy uses Freelancers to help run his business every day.

He even has a personal "virtual assistant".

"I do a lot of presentations in front of customers, so why do I want to sit there for hours typing up a presentation when I can write a brief, post it on Freelancer go to bed, wake up the next morning and there is my presentation", Andy said.

Rod Masson from the Financial Sector Union is concerned Freelancer will allow medium and small business to follow the trends of big business and send jobs off shore to increase their profit margins.

"What we shouldn't be doing is sacking workers here where the profits are made, in order to chase cheaper labour in other jurisdictions",

"It might be good in terms of productivity for employers but nobody wins a race to the bottom as far as workers are concerned", said Masson.

Web programming ,website design, graphic design, data entry and copy writing are the most popular jobs being completed.

Australians are leaping onto the site, ranking fifth in the order of most jobs posted. Those doing the work originate from India, the United States, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines.

For further information visit the site at: www.freelancer.com.au

this is thenew way forward isnt IT?..I thought this is what you would want.. after killing off Harvey Norman thats is..I think its called the ripple down effect.my son is working with a guy who is into the RE govt sponsored of course.. and everything is imported from Korea..

very minor instalation and bobs your uncle..but I would say Korea is the one making the money out of this.... either no one can make the things here or what they can make doesnt compare to the Korean products.

goodbye another industry.

[highlight]

You do realise it isn't just Harvey Norman don't you nails.

It's also Retravision, The Good Guys, Myers. David Jones, K-mart, Big W, Coles, Woolworths, Dick Smith, JB Hi Fi etc etc etc. The list never ends
.

BTW how much have you invested in Shi Zhengrong?

blackadder wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2011 at 5:53pm:


how come you libbos weren't so concerned when manufacturing jobs were disappearing ??  

gizmo_2655 wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2011 at 9:52pm:


yes because they are selling the same made in china stuff. I don't support businesses that don't offer a competitive edge just because they are backed by a rag tag bunch of greedy shareholders

If you want to stand out from the pack then become competitive and offer something that no one else does. Sound unfamiliar to you ??

Sir lastnail wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2011 at 7:34pm:



what a stupid statement...we were/are concerned... what are you talking about???.. you are still driving the nail in the heart of aussie business  why????,

I can only believe its tall poppy syndrome ,

you dislike success you thnik anyone that make money is a crook.. you think every one is ripping you off..you rave about Harvey Norman buying from overseas yet you claim its what you do... and you rubbish aussie cars and wouldnt have one as a gift..

then you try to turn the tables on those who do buy aussie made and aussie SOLD.. and try to keep our retail markets going because they are the heart and soul of this country.

I can only prsume you get your income from centrelink like myself..well it might surprise you... that too is run by shareholders.. namely taxpapers..they all have a stake in keeping this country running..without them no pension.. its a two way street dont expect them to support you when you dont support them.

and to keep up this constant rubbishing of anything australian is down right disgraceful.

you dont like a shop or their deals dont go there.. I dont use Good Guys after I got caught by what I call their shonky business ethics.. b ut that me.. I dont come on here telling everyone else what crooks they are..