How to Use Upwork the Right Way: Clients & Freelancers

After starting freelancing in late 2021, I had my fair share of exploring and observing the evolution of Upwork. So let me break down some of my learnings for you.

Do you use LinkedIn but haven't optimised it ever? This checklist will guide you from top to bottom on how you should update your profile to get more connections and leads. You can get it here.

What works best in getting jobs?

I put a poll sticker on my Instagram story so I could answer all questions related to Upwork. Here is my summary.

Tips for the Freelancers

Firstly utilise all the advice Upwork provides you! Follow the instructions and restrictions they give, this is essentially the cheat code for playing the game on their platform.

It also fascinates me how many freelancers skip this step. Take time to get to know the platform, read the pop-ups, check their Academy, and get all the inside information on how to navigate it.

But if you want the steps in summary here there are:

1. Complete your profile — fill in all required information, forms, and paperwork, send all required personal documentation for handling taxes, etc.
2. Update your portfolio on the platform regularly! Add your best 3 projects too.
3. Update your skills as well, you might get an invite to bid for a project that matches your skills.
4. Find the top freelancer(s) in your field and inspect their profiles. Use them as your guide on how to position yourself
5. Price your services according to your experience and portfolio examples
6. Avoid overusing AI tools for creating your profile descriptions, because most of us now can tell when it is not written by a human.

When it comes to proposals, check your feed, Best Matches and Most Recent depending on what you want to focus on:

• speed to get any proposal
• quality to send one proposal but most likely to your ideal client
• just browse different opportunities

Before you open Upwork, schedule a window on your calendar of how much time you will spend on the job search, open your notes and create your priority list. Example:

Today I will be looking for Webflow jobs only and I optimized my profile yesterday to match my search. I will only search with the keyword “webflow” and open the advanced search for more control. I will use the filters and seed out all unrealistic job posts to avoid wasting my connects.

What to look for when weighing your options on which proposal you should apply for:

• when was posted
• what is the activity on this specific job — proposals sent, aim to send yours when is between 5 and 15
• preferred qualifications — the more they match your skills the better
• client history — how many hires they have, “Member since:” and Total budget spent

Member since Feb 12, 2023

$1.6K total spent 38 hires, 13 active

Pro tip:

Help us make the platform a better place with quality job postings by using all its features including this Reporting button.

You can learn a lot about your client from each of these statistics. I will add all these details and more (how to write a winning proposal) for each section in a more detailed Upwork guide in the future. Stay tuned!

Tips for Clients

• Use the advanced search.
• Preview profiles in detail, and check if their proposal is consistent with their profile and work history. Check their work samples too!
• Send a message and interact with them directly. Scheduling a discovery call? Even better. After all, you want this done right from the first time, right? RIGHT??
• Consider finding a freelancer with a niche specialisation.
• Try using Upwork’s project catalogue for packaged services that match your needs directly.

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