How to start freelancing on Upwork

Freelancing is becoming very popular over time. Either someone has any skill or not, everyone wants to join the freelance marketplace. Out of many popular freelancing platforms, like Fiverr.com, Freelancer.com, peopleperhour.com, only Upwork is the highly preferable one. It is considering the most secure and safe platform for online work. Freelancing on Upwork is not an essay for not skilled people.

The Upwork market connects businesses with freelancers worldwide. As recently we have gone through the pandemic situation, this platform more connected the people. Its barrier-free communication closer the client with the seller as they can arrange a live meeting as well. In short, Upwork is undoubtedly worth to start from.

If you have an interest in getting started with Upwork, It’s the best time to start. Dive into the market and make your own separate identity. Let’s check how the Upwork system works.

How does Upwork Works?

Let’s take an overview of Upwork working, so you could map out the starting way easily.

• Clients Post the Jobs
• Freelancers with relevant expertise Bids and suitable ones get Hired
• Communication between client and seller Starts. Project Accomplish and deliver to the client.
• Client transfer the Payment to Freelancer.

This is how projects complete on Upwork.

Let’s show you the important steps you have to follow as a beginner

• Take Overview of Upwork by your Own

Every freelancing platform norms differ from others. We highly recommend it for every beginner to visit the platform and spend some time to know how does it work. Where and how clients post project there. What is the payment policy of Upwork, what does Upwork say to stay for long there, and How many times you can bid in a month? Then go to build your profile.

• Skill Finding

Start with the best in-demand Skill and Stick with that. If you have few skills, filter out the one in which you are perfect. If you have no expertise, learn online highly in-demand skills and do some practice to improve them. When you will be confident about your expertise, then you can bitterly sell it.

Once you get a good rating on completing first order, it will add value to your next portfolio and proposal as well.

• Setup Your Profile Professionally

Login on Upwork with all basic required information. When your profile has been accepted on Upwork, the next step is to set up the profile inside. Its most important part which has to be very carefully completed. Here, we tell you what you really need to do.

• Professional Profile Picture

A random click or unprofessional picture destroys your profile image. So, use a decent photo which reflects some professional behaviour. Make sure your face is clearly visible and you have a smile on the face. It puts a good impact on the clients’ mind.

• Description/ Bio Should be Optimize

Your description content should be like as you are selling your services. Do some research on keywords related to your services. Don’t stuff too many keywords, just use 3-4 relevant keywords with some space in description and titles. You can visit some of your competitor’s profiles and observe how they are using the right keywords. It will surely help you out in optimizing your profile well.

• Fill the Portfolio Section

Your portfolio is your sample work, which you have done previously. All portfolio must be of the same niche or relevant to each other. For sample work, you can work free of cost for some offline clients or can create your free site to place your work there.

When you showcase your work to the client, it increases your chances of getting hired.

• Complete the profile 100%:

Upwork prioritize the person’s profile it is 100% filled out.

• Verify Your Profile

It helps the client to see who they are hiring for their project. So, you must have to verify your profile identity.

• Keep your Services Price Competitive and Reasonable

When you are in the starting phase, keep it in mind that you have to compete with competitors. For that, you need to keep your price lower than your competitors. To set the average/reasonable price, search the same services price in the market. By considering experience, skills, quality of work, then set your price accordingly. After getting some experience, you can increase the price of your services.

• Attempt the Relevant Skill Tests

To determine your capabilities in particular skills, must attempt the relevant tests. Upwork, provide multiple tests in which you have to get the good scores. When the client visits your profile, test scores put an impact on them.

• Read the Job Description Carefully

When you find any project relevant to your skills set, give few minutes to thoroughly read that.

Make yourself sure that you can provide a better solution to the client with your skills and experience.

It takes just a few seconds or minutes. If you can do that, then write a proposal to begin communication with the client.

• Wisely Prepare the Proposal

Proposal means to sell your service by defining how you can resolve the client’s problem. Upon viewing proposals, f he/she finds some clue at first impression, will definitely pay attention to your proposal. Besides that, your profile reputation matters. If you haven’t done any project before, then your profile setup and proposal should be strong enough to grab the project.

Tips to write the best proposal

• Start greeting with clients’ name.
• The proposal should not be less than 300 characters.
• It must be written by own instead of using any template.
• It should reflect that it is specifically written for the client.
• Briefly define the client’s problem solution.
• Share your portfolio site link and some relevant work sample.

• Clear Communication with Client

When your communication starts with the client, make it very clear. Ask every question that you need to accomplish the project conveniently. Once you complete the order successfully. Later on, follow that client by asking about some new projects. So, they could remember you for future work as well.

• Response Quickly to Client Queries

If any client lands on your Inbox, reply to them as fast as possible. Whether you don’t get the client’s question, just send the greeting message or welcome message. So, the client could know the seller is active and then you can respond to his/her queries.

• Usage of Tools to Organize the Work

Trello is one of the best tools for freelancers to manage their work. Use Grammarly to fix the grammar issues. Such tools help the freelancers to increase productivity and boost work quality. 

Also Read : How To Become a Successful Freelancer on Upwork

CaterpillHERs Partners with Upwork to Coach Women on their Freelancing Careers

Different Job Types on Upwork

Basically, on freelancing on Upwork 3 major types of jobs occur. Let’s look at them one by one.

1. Hourly Jobs

In this job, the client specifies the working hours and offers the amount per hour. It suits most of the freelancers as they get bound by time and manage the works properly. In case the project gets longer, the client can expand the time as well. 

• Fixed-Rate Jobs

These jobs have a clear outline and deadline. So, the client has to complete the specific work in a specific time. For example, a client asks for their business logo in $500 in 2 days.

• Milestone Based Work

These kinds of jobs are long term based. In this client also fixes the budget of specific tasks for a specific period of times. The tasks are required every week or month.

Things to Avoid on freelancing on Upwork for Beginners

Some mistake that beginners do and then say there is no space for them freelancing on Upwork. Let’s highlight some major mistakes that they do.

• Unverified Client Account

If you don’t want to waste your time and proposal connects, then avoid unverified clients. They don’t verify their credit cards and later on creates problems for sellers.

• Check Clients’ Previous Reviews

To check either the client is potential or not, must check their previous reviews. Some beginner bids on client proposal even after reading critical reviews as well. Then they face the issue by such clients.

• Avoid to Apply on Old Job Posts

Don’t bid on posts which are 24 hours old. No matter if you can provide the best solution, the client will not pay the attention to your proposal. It will only waste your proposal connects.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you have got well knowledge about Upwork’s platform nature and how you can start your career on freelancing on Upwork as a beginner. The only hard and fast rule to stay on Upwork is to follow the above-discussed things and try to improve your skills by your experiences. It will keep you connected with your potential clients and strengthen your position on the platform.