With the freelancer community contributing $1.3 trillion to the US economy, it’s understandable why you’d want to be a part of this ever-growing and beneficial industry. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned veteran, there’s always room to learn new tips and tricks when it comes to being a freelancer, especially if you’re familiarizing yourself with using a new platform.
According to the New Future Workforce Report, freelancers are earning over a billion dollars annually through Upwork, making the platform a go-to for many businesses and entrepreneurs seeking quality talent.
If you’re looking to get started on Upwork or simply want to brush up on your freelancing skills, check out these tips.
Why Upwork?
Upwork is an excellent platform for finding work as a freelancer. In my experience, there are plenty of reasons to use Upwork over other similar platforms, including:
- Multiple Categories: With 12 main categories and numerous subcategories, Upwork has a job for almost every skill set.
- Comprehensive Network: Upwork boasts an expansive network of clients (more than any other option), ensuring freelancers can find work and penetrate the market with consistent effort.
- Great Support: The Upwork team is very responsive and provides great support for both freelancers and clients.
- Simple User Interface: As a freelancer, dealing with a clunky user interface should be your last concern. Fortunately, Upwork has a very user-friendly platform with a manageable learning curve.
- Multiple Payment Options: Since Upwork supports a global network of freelancers and clients, it offers various payment options to facilitate transactions. From Payoneer to direct wire transfer to your bank, you have plenty of options to choose from.
With its robust feature set and a solid commitment to security, Upwork is just the choice for beginners and pros alike.
How to Succeed on Upwork?
If you want to make it big on Upwork, here are some things you should know based on my own experience.
1. Create a Top-Notch Profile
You’ve probably heard it from almost everyone – first impressions matter. The same goes for your profile on Upwork.
Creating a complete and interesting profile is one of the most important things you can do to attract clients. If you are looking for clients and applying for jobs without a picture-perfect profile, you will soon get exhausted. Make sure your profile is unique and without any errors.
For example, if you are bidding for content writing jobs, but your profile intro has several spelling and grammar mistakes, you are just wasting your time on the platform.
Here are some tips to come up with a luring profile:
- Use a professional photo for your profile picture. It doesn’t mean you need to hire a photographer, but make sure the photo is clear and shows you in a good light.
- Be concise and straightforward in your summary. No one wants to read a novel, so get to the point and tell potential clients what you’re all about.
- Be specific about your skills and experience. This is where you sell yourself, so don’t hold back.
- Upwork is getting more and more competitive. Profiles without a good portfolio will struggle. Include relevant samples of your work. Your portfolio is one of the first things clients will look at, so make sure it’s up to par.
- If possible, create an introduction video. Many people prefer watching and listening rather than reading these days.
2. Set a Daily Quota for Applying to Jobs
Dedicated two to three hours per day to job-hunting, at least in the beginning. The key is being consistent and not getting discouraged if you don’t land a job immediately.
The more jobs you apply to, the better your chances are of getting a response and eventually a job. When writing a proposal, don’t:
- Copy and paste proposals from the Internet.
- Send a stock or standard introduction that doesn’t reflect how you’re suited for the job.
- Use generic language – be specific about the client’s needs and your qualifications.
- Forget to proofread your proposal before sending it off.
- Write an essay.
Instead, when sending a proposal, do:
- Read the client’s job posting carefully.
- Tailor your proposal to the specific job.
- Use simple, easy-to-understand language.
- Edit and proofread your proposal.
- Make it as concise as possible – get to the point.
3. Don’t Oversell Your Skills
Create as many projects as you want, but don’t get carried away with self-promotion.
Make sure your skills and experience match the job posting. If you’re applying for a job requiring advanced Photoshop skills and you’re still a beginner, it’s probably not worth your time applying.
Overselling your skills will only hurt you in the long run. Once a client realizes you’re not as qualified as you claimed to be, they’re likely to leave a negative review, which can affect your future job hunt.
4. Set Your Rates Strategically
As a newbie with zero reviews on your profile, it doesn’t make sense for you to charge $50 an hour. Clients are more likely to hire someone with a lower rate and more reviews.
While it can be a bummer, it often helps to lower your rates in the beginning to attract more clients. Then, you can increase your rates as you build up your portfolio and get more positive reviews.
However, that doesn’t mean you should lower your rates to a point where a potential client gets suspicious about the quality of work they can expect from you. Instead, adjust your rates to see what works for you.
5. Hone Your Communication Skills
When it comes to working with clients, communication is key. No client wants to hire someone difficult to communicate with.
Here are some tips to improve your communication skills:
- Show genuine interest in the client’s projects. Ask questions and get clarification if needed.
- Be responsive to the client’s messages. If you take more than a day to respond, the client may move on to someone else.
- Be professional in your correspondence. It includes using proper grammar and spelling and avoiding slang terms.
6. Leverage Upwork’s Features
Upwork has plenty of freelancer-friendly features to help you get ahead of the competition.
Here are some of the most useful ones:
- Connects: If you’ve run out of the free Connects Upwork gives initially, buy more so that you can bid on proposals. The cost of connects is meager in comparison to what you could potentially earn from a job.
- Custom Job Search: You can set up the custom job search to see projects on your feed that fit your experience and skills. It will save you a lot of time you’d otherwise have to spend scrolling through hundreds of irrelevant projects.
- Community Groups: Get advice from more experienced freelancers by being active in the Community Groups.
- Boosted Proposals: For a small fee, you can boost your proposal to appear higher on the client’s list. It can increase your chances of being noticed and hired for the job.
Time to Get Your First Gig
Upwork has all the potential to become one of the greatest decisions of your life, but only if you know how to make the most out of the platform. If you are following a structured plan, there is no reason you can’t find success on Upwork.
With these tips, you’re ready to start bidding on projects and landing your first job on Upwork. Remember to be patient, strategic, and professional, and you’ll be on your way to becoming a successful freelancer in no time.