WorkingNotWorking: The Go-To Site for Creative Talent

What is WorkingNotWorking?

WorkingNotWorking is a marketplace for high-end creative talent ranging from filmmakers to designers — content producers, user experience managers, marketers, artists, writers and other creatives of all types.

How it works

How it works for creatives is relatively simple.

You sign up; upload a bio, resume, and at least three separate portfolio pieces, listing your skills and references. The site uses both computer modeling and a board of advisors to determine where your information shows up in any given employment search.

Once signed up, you can see job “feelers” posted in your areas of expertise. From there, you can respond with your availability; what makes you the right person for the job; and a link to your portfolio.

WorkingNotWorking Review

WorkingNotWorking is a marketplace for high-end creative talent. This includes creative directors, designers, artists, filmmakers, advertising executives, writers, comedians, illustrators and others.

Although there is no guarantee you’ll get a job — or even be accepted to list — there’s no cost to sign up as a creative. And the site’s beautiful layout can help you highlight your portfolio.

Searching for jobs

Once you complete your profile on the site, you get access to the site’s job board. Here you’ll find dozens of jobs, most of them professional-level, that suit your skills.

If you apply for a position, the arrangement is solely between you and the company that’s doing the hiring. WorkingNotWorking is not involved in that process; doesn’t guarantee payment; and doesn’t take a commission from you for providing the connection.

Brands searching for you

However, what may be best about the site is that it highlights portfolios of the creatives who sign up here, neatly broken down by category.

So, if you’re a design director, you know that brands who need your skills can find you and the detailed portfolio that you created on the site. That makes it worthwhile to spend whatever time is necessary to make your profile on this site extraordinary.

Follow

One of the main features of the site is the ability to follow other creatives that you’ve worked with or that you admire. Anyone who you follow, who also follows you, can communicate through the site. You can also block people that you don’t want to hear from.

The idea is to provide personal networking, where you can cross-refer talented professionals to other talented professionals you know or have worked with.

Pay

The site suggests that you set your pay expectations between $50 and $150 per hour in the U.S. However, it stays out of the negotiating between you and potential clients. It simply provides the online meeting ground where you and potential clients can talk about projects.

Few complaints

The only complaints we found about the site were from people who said they got no work from their free listing. The site is testing an option that would allow creatives to pay to elevate their listing. The cost depends on the job and is disclosed before you are asked to pay. It is not clear whether elevating your listing provides improved results.

Recommendations

Other highly recommended sites for professional writers, editors, illustrators, marketers and designers are: Creatively, FreeUp, Onward Search and FlexProfessionals.

What their users say (from Reddit)

I’m like around member ~5,000 on there. The job board and the type of clients posting jobs are really good. Much better than just going on LinkedIn or somewhere else to find a job. Recruiters also love WNW cause there’s a vetting process to get in or get invited. For me, as someone that needs to find people while it’s not an immediately stamp of approval, I consider someone with a WNW profile to be someone I should notice over other candidates.

But that doesn’t necessarily translate towards said candidate being a good candidate. Met a lot of people who had profiles on there who were dicks. Met a couple who had inaccurate portfolios. But that sort of is per the course of creatives in our industry.

 I’ve not had any work come through the site so I’m not sure listing there will be of much help. Though they do have a job board for those looking for full time and part time positions.

Updated 2/22/2025