Upwork is a marketplace for freelancers in the field of writing, graphic design and web development. This site helps professionals to find projects and communicate with clients and get paid after work is done.
This site allows clients to interview, hire and work with freelancers and freelance agencies through the company’s platform. This platform includes a real-time chat feature that allows the clients or freelancers to chat with each other.
How to start work on Upwork
1. Set up a profile
Your profile on Upwork serves the same purpose as a general resume for prospective employers. Create a new profile by providing all your details, fill out the job type you’d want to do, areas in which you’re skilled with and your level of expertise.
Display your best work and highlight your specific experience, which can help you to stand out. And if you’re new in your field, display your volunteer experience, it counts too.
The more you robust your profile, the more you receive job offers from potential clients.
2. Choose a membership plan
Upwork offers two membership plans for freelancers, that are:
- Basic
This plan is free, but you have to pay $0.15 for each connection, to connect with potential clients. It is used to submit proposals to the clients. You can connect up to 140 Connects each month.
- Plus
This plan charges $14.99/month. It includes everything in the basic plan, as well as:
- 70 Connects per month.
- Visibility of price, competitors had bid for a job.
- Option to keep earnings confidential.
- Ability to customize your profile URL.
- Profile never hidden due to inactivity.
3. Connect with (legitimate) employers
Use your Connects to submit proposals for jobs. Those proposals should include an introductory letter, your desired fee and answers to the questions that the client included in the posting.
4. Set your price and start working
Upwork charges a cut of your earnings. These charges are based on the total amount you bill with your client. So, the more you work with a client, the smaller you charge. The charges are as follows:
- 20% for the first $500, you bill with a client.
- 10% for total bill between $500.01 and $10,000, you bill with a client
- 5% for a total bill that exceeds $10,000, you bill with a client.
You’ll be get paid in one of two ways:
i) Hourly, or
ii) Fixed price.
Upwork’s charges are the same for both.
5. Get paid
You can get secured payments via PayPal, direct deposit or wire transfer.
Hourly projects are billed weekly.
Fixed-price projects are billed after the work is done.
Here’s some ideal jobs provided for the first time freelancer:
Data Entry
It is a straightforward job that is perfect for a beginner. This task usually includes some level of typing or transcribing information into a program or into a file. The best thing about this work is, it doesn’t require years of experience.
If you are detail-oriented and an efficient typist, you can make a good payout.
Transcriptionist
In this work, you’ll be required to transcribe audio files into a written document. It can be a time-consuming and tedious work process, but it’s good remote work for those who have fast and accurate writing, with a good WPM (words per minute) score.
A great thing about this work is, you can work from anywhere as long as you have internet access and a computer.
Creative Writing
Being a creative writer could be a great opportunity to make money as a freelancer. There is plenty of freelance writing work available on Upwork, where you have to work with an author to write a book or to write interesting articles for magazines or blogs.
The more experience you have been writing articles, the more money you can charge.
Blog/Article Writing
Upwork is a great freelancing platform for writers. Blog writing is similar to creative writing, but it is more specific and focused on a particular topic, like: travel, fashion, technology, politics, lifestyle, etc.
Voice Recordings
This is an easy job, where you just have to read and record a script. A large number of clients need a voice clip for an audiobook, training video, or even for a TV show or movie, where they need a voice artist.
Graphic Design
Being a graphic designer, you have the potential to make a lot of money on Upwork. Large number companies use graphic artwork for their website, business cards, or social media platforms.
Being a graphic designer doesn’t mean having good designing and photo-editing skills, but you’ll also have to be able to transform the client’s idea into reality.
If you are looking for high-paying entry-level jobs on Upwork, you have to be skilled with some extra technical skills like coding, developing, data analytics and designing.
CONCLUSION – Upwork
If you’re taking your first step into the world of freelancing, then Upwork should be one of the first places where you look for work. It has thousands of gigs on their freelance platform in numerous industries like marketing, designing, data entry, writing, and technology.
The best thing about working with Upwork is, you can get hired for your first freelancing job without having any experience. If you’re working as a freelancer, this site will help you to find work, which can impact your earning potential.
There are a large number of entry-level jobs in different fields and industries where you can start your career as a freelancer. With patience, determination, and the right skill set, here you can find your dream freelancing job.