How To Use ‘UpWork’ to Make Money as a Freelancer
The first time I logged on UpWork, I spent half an hour creating a profile which I thought looked pretty sharp, and then another two or three hours mindlessly scrolling through the job offers wondering to myself, “How is it even possible to make money as a freelancer?”
UpWork is an interactive app that connects those looking to hire freelancers with freelancers looking for work.
In a dream world, folks looking to hire a freelancer would always find the best person for the job on the first try, and freelancers would always get paid what they deserve. However, this isn’t always how it works on UpWork! There are a lot of people who post jobs that pay next to nothing (I once interviewed for job that paid $5 USD for 10,000 words!) Also, freelancers can pose as being far more qualified or experienced than they are, and there are definitely a few scams out there.
However, if you know your way around UpWork as a freelancer, you can have a successful business and earn whatever money you hope to. I use the app as one of my primary tools to get jobs, meet new clients and build my resume as a freelancer and copywriter. Here are a few of the lessons I’ve learned in the last few years:
It’s okay to say yes to a few ill-fitting/odd jobs…
but stop once you get 3 positive reviews. A few positive reviews are all you need to get noticed. When I started my UpWork profile, I took on a few odd jobs that earned less than $10USD, and once I had their 5 star review, I stopped taking on those jobs and started charging more of what I’m worth. Those 5 star reviews show other people on the app that I turn in my work on time and get the job done. There are loads of people out there willing to do these odd jobs for next to nothing… don’t let yourself be one of them!
Take time to make your profile as specific as possible.
It’s easy to feel tempted to make your profile very broad so that more people will see it and hire you, but this is actually doing a disservice to you AND the people who are out there trying to find YOU. Not the you who can edit cookbooks and write about horses and proofread manuals about car parts… but the you who has a very specific vision of what they want to write about. By making your profile specific and honing in on what you are actually best qualified for, the right people will be able to find you, and you will weed out projects that won’t furthur your career or help you grow.
Learn the phrase, “That doesn’t work for me.”
Early on in my UpWork journey I said a wholehearted “yes!” to every invitation that came my way…. I was so excited to start writing and launching my career as a copywriter! I quickly found though that certain jobs drained my energy and in some cases, filled me with resentment. When I said yes to a timeline that was really impossible (e.g. “finish this 5000 word ad by the end of the day,”) or worked for much less than I was worth, it made me feel all kinds of negative feelings and in the end, wasn’t worthwhile. It turns out, this was yet another lesson in boundaries… and if ‘boundaries’ is a word that makes you squirm, then be prepared to learn a lot as a freelancer! Remember that there is a polite and professional way to let someone down without burning bridges. This doesn’t have to include being overly apologetic or explaining yourself over and over. A simple, “Thanks so much for the offer but that doesn’t work for me,” will do the trick. You might continue by saying, “If you’d like to explore ______, please reach out,” but that’s optional! Not every job will be the right one for you — and it is better if you know (and name!) this early on, rather than after the work has already started.
The bottom line is that freelancing is a beautiful way for entrepreneurs and artists to make a living, and UpWork is a great place to start your freelancing journey! UpWork’s app provides protection for both the client and the freelancer, will back you up if you don’t get paid on time, and can help with disputes. It also tracks your income and helps explain the taxes side of things. All of these things will be challenges you’ll face if you go out on your own, so if you’re starting out as a writer or entrepreneur, UpWork is a great place to start. UpWork also takes a huge cut, which is its downside, and you will have to filter through jobs to find the right one for you, which takes time.
The best advice for making UpWork work for you is to be mindful when creating your profile, be kind in your interactions, and set some realistic goals!
