FAQ

We are a platform connecting companies with Switzerland’s most skilled freelancers, with the ambition to democratise access to human and professional competencies and skills, locally.

We provide the opportunity for companies to advertise projects requiring specific competencies and for freelancers to apply for projects that interest them. Going beyond than the typical job search website, we provide a whole series of tools and online services to secure your relationship. Individuals or companies who have projects can easily find the help they need without having to hire additional employees or incurring high costs. Jobs can last for a few days or several months, depending on the requirements of the client and the project. Also, jobs found on the platform do not involve a traditional employer/employee relationship and can be limited in scope and duration.

ZebraSkill is more than a platform. All the freelancers registered are part of the Zebra Community, exchanging best practices towards one same objective: freeing the workforce!

The zebra is an animal of numerous skills, in which many similarities with freelancers can be observed. Just as every zebra has a unique pattern of black and white stripes, every freelancer has a unique set of competencies and expertise. Although known for being a social animal, the zebra has never been truly domesticated by humans, not unlike the freelancers’ pursuit of independence and autonomy in their professional projects. Finally, the zebra is praised for having great stamina to outrun predators, an essential characteristic for every freelancer to guarantee projects are delivered on time.

Freelancers are all independent added-value workers, and regulated workers. A few examples of freelancer profiles: graphic designer, copywriter, consultant, coach, photographer, programmer, etc.

Freelancing is also a lifestyle, promoting greater flexibility, autonomy and expertise in the daily workload, emerging from a generational trend.

Overall, there are over 10 million freelancers in Europe. This number has been continuously growing year on year, pushed by Generation Y's desire for independence and by companies' need for flexibility as well as expertise. Every year, Swiss universities train the most skilled individuals, and more and more of them choose to become freelancers, making Switzerland a growing force in the freelancers' market.

Check all you need to know in How to become a Freelancer.

ZebraSkill brings together talented individuals and businesses. Whether you are a freelancer, self-employed; or a start-up, an SME, or a large corporation - ZebraSkill will help you find new clients or realise your next projects.

You may be an SME willing to modernize your IT infrastructure in order to stay up to date with today’s requirements or to improve your marketing strategy to boost your sales, our freelancers will help you to achieve your goals.

Freelancers and companies have to be based in Switzerland. In order to achieve complicated projects, we believe freelancers and employers need to meet and sometimes even work hand in hand in the same office.

ZebraSkill is not only a platform connecting freelancers and companies, we see ourselves as a community where both freelancers and companies benefit from tons of advantages:

If you are a freelancer, ZebraSkill is a great place to find more clients, and to run and grow your own freelance business.

• Increase your visibility: your profile and skills are openly displayed and visible to the hiring clients
• Direct contact: you can be directly contacted by companies who need your service
• Save time and money: no more sales prospection and no intermediaries
• Relax: we ease your administrative workload and simplify payment
• Perform: at the end of a mission you receive a review from your client, which improves your reputation, which in turn allows you to be more visible and receive more missions

If you are a company, the best methods for hiring freelancers are those that minimize time, money, and uncertainty and maximize consistency. ZebraSkill helps you find the talent you need to complete a project, no matter the size, keeping you safe and simplifying your process.

• Quality choice: access the largest pool of talents corresponding to your needs and available near you.
• Direct contact: you can directly contact all the freelancers signed up to the platform, inviting them to apply for your project and discuss it.
• Save time and money: centralise your search in one place and avoid expensive intermediaries
• Simplified process: we ease your workload with online tools and services such as quote creation, contracting, invoicing, secured payment.
• Stay safe: our payment solution keeps your money safe while the project is being completed, so you know that you will only pay for a finished project that meets your standards.
• Be efficient: post a project and reach all the freelancers who have the required skills.

Any project requiring a high added-value can be advertised and contracted through ZebraSkill.

Freelancers in our marketplace have the flexibility to work remotely or physically, and can tackle a wide range of projects. Projects can be big or small in terms of complexity and length, one-off or at a repeated frequency, can be done individually or with a team.  Whether you need a digital marketing expert for a punctual campaign or a team of developers to program your internal HR/admin system, no doubt you’ll find the talent you’re looking for on ZebraSkill to support your business.

Safety and reliability are priorities. This is why we verify the creation of all freelancers' profiles registered in the platform. The same applies to the clients as we review and approve all projects before they are visible on the platform.

On top of that, we also believe that we all have roles to play to guarantee the reliability, hence we have put in place tools that enable you to give your opinion:

• Rankings (ZebraStars): after completing a project, the client and the freelancer must rate each other, from 1-5 stars depending on their satisfaction. These rates are visible to everyone and freelancers will be ranked by their performance.
• Give dedicated feedback: on top of the ZebraStar rating, we encourage clients and freelancers to provide feedback on the relationship and success of the project.
• General feedback: All feedback is welcome so that we can constantly improve and grow to better serve our users. Click on the link Give Feedback on our homepage and let us know your thoughts!

The ZebraStar is a tool enabling freelancers and clients to review each other depending on their satisfaction. Upon completion of each project, both freelancers and clients are required to rate the relationship and success of the project. These rates are visible to everyone when consulting a profile, and will serve to rank freelancers in order of highest rate. The higher your rating, the higher your visibility giving you a greater chance of winning a project. Don’t forget to give feedback too for better a more comprehensive review!

ZebraSkill gives a badge to all freelancers who provided us with a document proving they are registered as an independant at the a Swiss compensation office. Freelancers who are employed by a company have provided with the trade register of the company they work for. Theferefore, certified profiles are in total compliance with the labour law.

All you need to get started is a computer, Internet connection, and amazing skills.

Your next step is creating an outstanding freelancer profile to showcase your business. Think of it as an introduction, a resume, and a marketing brochure rolled into one, highlighting your:

• Professional skills, experience, and portfolio
• Education and accomplishments

The best profiles are complete, well-written, error-free, and feature a professional, friendly-looking picture. Once you have a strong profile, start looking for jobs and apply for projects.

Make sure to check the “How it works” page for detailed information on starting your freelancer activity with ZebraSkill.

Tip: ZebraSkill recommends that you regularize your freelance activity by undertaking the necessary measures to declare yourself as an “independent worker” to the Compensation Office “Caisse AVS”. All you need to know is on "How to become a Freelancer”.

Simply send to hello@zebraskill.ch the document confirming you are registered as an independent at your compensation office and we will upload the badge right away.

For the freelancers who are employed by a company, simply send us a copy of the trade register of the company and we will upload the badge as well.

Please make sure the information in your profile a correct for billing purposes.

The best way to win projects on ZebraSkill is to have a fully filled out profile, a high ZebraStar rate, good feedback from past clients, several samples in your portfolio and – most importantly – to write an offer/quote that is specific to the project and very detailed.

A completely filled out profile is one of the best ways to show transparency and demonstrate your expertise. You can list your skills, state the languages you speak, provide portfolio samples. Furthermore, you can ensure great client feedback by successfully completing projects and having those clients write helpful, informative reviews about your work. A high ZebraStar rate will significantly improve your chances to win a project.

When applying for a project, you can read all the details of the project, but for confidentiality reasons, the identity of the employer is kept hidden during the whole application process, until you win the project. Remember that just like you, all employers are rated and reviewed after a project is completed, and you can rely on the ZebraStar rate and feedback other freelancers have left.  

When applying for a project, only the client commanding the project can see your information, including your name, profile, the total price, number of days and any details you have added in your bidding proposal. No one else can see that you applied for a specific project.

It may happen that the total price you initially budgeted when you applied no longer corresponds to the scope of the project. No worries, we’ve got you covered in all cases.

• Before winning and starting the project: if, during the negotiation phase with the client and the discussions you have through the chat, you both realise that the price you had initially budgeted needs to be adjusted, we recommend that you cancel your current application, and submit a new application to the same project with the corresponding amount. You can keep your client informed throughout the process via your inbox chat.
• During the completion of the project: if you’re reaching the number of hours you had initially budgeted and realise you will need more time to complete the project, or if your client requires additional deliverables as part of the current project, don’t worry, we have you covered for these extra hours, as long as they are agreed with the client! Once you complete the project and the client marks it as finished, we’ll send you an email confirming the project has been completed and we’ll ask you to confirm the final set price you agreed with the client. Your client will then be invoiced with the corresponding amount and you will be paid within 1 week.

A project will be finished once the client has marked the project as "finished". In order to do so, you, as the freelancer, have to complete the project and submit the final results to your client. If the client is satisfied, he has the responsibility to finish the project, so you can receive the payment. Then, both the client and yourself will be asked to rate each other and leave feedback.

First you have to apply for a project, set the price and agree with the client. Once the client has hired you, he will be immediately requested to make the payment, which will be held until the project is completed. As we understand the initial set price may vary as the project goes on, don’t worry, we have you covered for these extra hours, as long as they are agreed with the client!

Hence, once the project is marked as finished by the client:

1. We’ll send you an email confirming the project has been completed and we’ll ask you to confirm the final set price you agreed with the clients.
2. You and the client confirm the amount, we take care of the final invoice.
3. You’re paid within 1 week in your bank account!

Forget the 30-45 days wait to be paid for your work! It’s simple, safe and guaranteed!

It may happen that you implement a project differently than what the client expected. To avoid the risk of litigation, we strongly encourage you to keep in close contact with the client who hired you throughout the duration of the project. It is often the case that many misunderstandings can be easily cleared up through a bit of communication.

As a freelancer, you have a dual interest in ensuring that your client is satisfied: you are only paid if the client is satisfied with the final outcome, and you rely on positive feedback from your clients to get other jobs on ZebraSkill. Therefore, it is important that you work with your client to find a solution.

In the event that you and your client are completely at odds over the continuation of the project, you or the client may want to cancel the project. In this case, you must get in touch with us and the dispute will be treated accordingly. We do not recommend cancelling a project.

Important: ZebraSkill is not responsible for cash paid or outstanding debts or claims between you and the client in the event the project is terminated. Please clarify directly with the client if there are financial matters to be resolved.