As an employer, I posted several jobs on Elance. For the first one, after the job was "completed", I realised that the deliverable (CMS-based website) was far from what it should have been. I asked Elance to allow me to change my feedback, so that other employers know what to expect from the particular freelancer. They didn't. For the second job, I asked bidders to provide samples of their work related to my project (which they should post anyway on their profile) and references (because now I don't trust the feedback system anymore). Elance removed the job because: "Job descriptions with requests for free samples or mock ups are not allowed." Obviously, I don't want to work with or through Elance, but couldn't cancel/delete my profile on their website.

As a Freelancer, I am continuously finding new methods to get work. Elance is a very popular site in the freelance community. It basically allows you to bid for work, as a contractor, or allows jobs to find you. It's very easy to get started with Elance, and it's free, which I liked (although there are advanced options for a charge). I think it's a handsome tool for any freelancer.

Although I haven't found any success on it (I created a basic profile, but I don't actively search for jobs through Elance), I know many people have found lucrative jobs through this site. Worth a look. It's free to register and try it out.