The goal of every freelancer is to do what they love, and get paid while at it. At least, that is what the gig economy sells to us. As freelancing is winning over the traditional mode of employment, thousands of people get on the bandwagon every year- especially young people looking for other streams of income, stay home parents and students.
If you want to kickstart your freelancing journey on a platform that is set up to help you succeed, I highly recommend Upwork. Now, this is not a sponsored post- I am doing this because I actually work on the platform. You can view my profile [ or even hire me] here.
I began my copywriting / content writing journey on Upwork in July of 2020, and got my first gig in about 4 days. Do not get me wrong, I did burn through my connects and simply hoped that I would get a job. Luckily for me, I did. It might not be the same for you.
Knowing the job posting to apply to, and your ideal client is something you need to determine before you start spending your connects in the wrong places.
Before I discuss the steps I took to hit the $1k mark on Upwork, I believe that you do have a skill you intend to sell on there.
If you do not, now is the time to quickly learn one. There is no wealth without exchange of value.
Set Up Your Profile
Setting up a profile on Upwork is one of the easiest things to do. You can do that here. The requirements you need to bring your profile to a 100% are;
- A marketable skill
- A clear, and friendly profile picture
- Your official name
- Set up payment method
- Identity verification
- Portfolio
The identity verification is relevant to the entire process as it helps Upwork provide a safe place for booth clients and freelancers. It may not be required of you immediately, however once you are qualified for the verification, you may not begin new contracts or withdraw funds without doing it.
Documents accepted for the Identity verification are: International passport/ National ID card/ Drivers’ License.
Your Upwork profile should be eye catching, customer oriented and credible. It is the first impression a client gets about your skill set and expertise on the platform, before you even have a chance to prove yourself.
Land a Gig
Let’s face it. The competition on Upwork doesn’t exactly favour newbie freelancers. Why is that? Simply because most clients need experienced people to take on their projects. Still, do not lose heart.
Thousands of clients are willing to work with new freelancers, provided said freelancer can establish credibility in that area of expertise.
Before you land a gig, you have to submit a proposal to a job posting. It’s important that whichever job you apply for is something you can do well, and fast.
People say that landing the first gig is the toughest part of it. For me, it was landing the second. Whatever situation applies to you, focus on getting the job done in the best way you can.
5 Star Review
Upwork clients normally leave reviews after the completion of a project. The reviews they leave on your profile contributes to the willingness of another client to work with you.
There will be times when a client doesn’t agree with your results- simply make amends while putting in a 100%.
If a client is satisfied with your work, they will surely leave you a great review, and even recommend you to others.
Preparing Your Mind for the Upwork Journey
There will always be naysayers. People who do not believe you can make something great out of freelancing. The question is, “would you let them get to you?”
Embarking on a journey of this nature without the right mindset will have you giving up before you have even made headway. Prior to setting up my Upwork account, I made some promises to myself. I haven’t kept all of them so far, but I have done a great deal.
How should you prepare your mind for success on Upwork?
Decide you’re in it long term
Building your profile for success on Upwork doesn’t just happen overnight. You have to let yourself understand that you are building a brand that will stand the test of time. Adopting this mindset will help you deal better on the days the jobs aren’t coming or when the pay is low.
Selective Bidding
Clients get reviews on their profiles the same way freelancers do. The only difference is that you can’t randomly see client reviews till you are about to bid on a job they posted.
Before you submit a proposal, scroll down to see the client’s history. This will help you better understand the sort of client you want to work with. I skipped this a lot in the past, and it had an impact on my Job Success Score- not nice at all.
A track record of bad feedback from freelancers should be a red flag.
Competition
The Upwork platform boasts of about 12 million active freelancers and about 5 million clients. Brings us to a ratio of 2:1 approximately. In other words, the competition is fierce, even tougher on newbies. On a job posting, a client can get up to 30 proposals.
What does this mean for you? You have to devise ways to stand out from the crowd. Show, not tell your client how you can help them achieve results, perform outstandingly on every project and keep upgrading your skills.
This way, you can be seen in the midst of a million.
The above steps are what I implemented to hit the $1k mark on Upwork, and you can do better than that! Consistency and value will see you raking in the big bucks in no time.
Disclaimer
The author of this post does not guarantee any earnings from using the Upwork platform as a freelancer. You have to implement various strategies in order to achieve your financial goal on Upwork.
I am rooting for you. Go get it!
Freelancers' Corner 