To create and post a project:

• Click on Projects tab on the homepage.
• Creating and posting a project is a two step process where you provide the project details in step one, and then confirm (or edit) those details in step two.
• You can either save the project as a draft or submit it for 8KMiles providers to bid.
• You will start receiving bids from providers with matching skills and expertise. You can view all your bids on the Bids page.

To hire a service provider:

• Post a project.
• Search and invite service providers matching the project requirements.
• Receive bids from service providers.
• Evaluate bids, communicate with service providers, negotiate terms and select the winning bid.
• Set project milestones and payment terms.
• Make an escrow payment for the project amount (optional).
• Start working with service provider(s) on the project. The payment for the project would be released to the service provider after the work has been completed based on established milestones.

With tens of thousands of professionals, 8KMiles' provider community offers a wide range of skills and capabilities. 8KMiles partners with human resources and educational testing companies to verify and validate providers. 8KMiles offers online testing, feedback scores, job references and more to evaluate providers.

While posting a project, you can specify the service providers who can bid on your project. The following options are available to you:

• All 8KMiles service providers
• Only invited service providers

To search for service providers, enter the search criteria (eg: provider name, skill set, location etc.) and select the relevant category.

You can also use our Advanced Search feature for enhanced search criteria like service providers' rating, location, hourly rates and 8KMiles hours.

The search results are displayed in order of relevance to the search criteria with highlighted keywords. The search result displays the following details for a service provider

• Name
• Description
• Rating
• Skill Set

You can click on the service provider's name to view the detailed profile, resume, education and certification details.

8KMiles does not charge any fees from a buyer to hire a provider.

Service providers at 8KMiles offer a wide range of skills related to the following categories:

• Software Design / Development
• Web Design / Web Programming
• Graphic Design / Multimedia
• Database Development and Administration
• Hardware / Networking
• Architecture & Engineering
• Writing / Editing
• Audio / Video / Photography / Editing
• Business Consulting / Marketing / Sales
• Accounting
• Legal Consultation
• Data Processing (Data-Entry, Image QC etc.)
• Healthcare and Medical Advise

The actual time it would take to hire a service provider would depend on the skill set and project requirements. For common needs like website development, the requirement could be filled in a couple of days, while more specific requirements might take longer.

Initially 8KMiles will take registrations from buyers and providers based in USA and India. This is to verify and validate every user joining the 8KMiles community. 8KMiles will invite registrations from other countries in a phased manner.

8KMiles requires the providers to be English speaking. The actual fluency would depend on a provider's level of expertise. We strongly recommend that the buyers should convince themselves by communicating during the bidding phase of the project with the service provider.

The provider profile includes ratings provided by other buyers, online English proficiency test score, educational qualifications, certifications, achievements and recommendations that would help you choose the right provider.

Search for providers across different skill categories and view their detailed profile. You can view a service providers' skill set, rating, educational background and certifications.

You can also view the service providers' portfolio to view his previous work.

Take a close look at the feedback provided by other 8KMiles buyers on different evaluation criteria like communication, quality, professionalism, and comments.

8KMiles also provides a Connection feature that allows you to view a provider's connections and initiate communication.

Buyers are not obligated to hire the professionals that respond to their projects.

Can I modify the ratings provided by a provider?

Ratings provided by a provider cannot be modified.

The 8KMiles system alerts you about new invoices via the Message Center. You can also view all invoices presented to you by clicking on the Invoices option.

As a service buyer, you can pay for an invoice using one of our many payment modes. Simply select the invoice that you'd like to pay, click on the Pay button and select the payment mode. For more information on payments, please refer to Payments FAQ.