The 10 Most Underrated Skills You Need To Succeed On Upwork

You may have heard of Upwork, which is one of the most popular freelance websites on the internet today. As a freelancer, you can work from home and get paid for your talent. The site has more than 6 million registered users who offer its services in over 180 countries.

In this article, we’ll be talking about some of the skills that are needed to succeed on Upwork:

Takeaways
1. Embrace Effective Time Management: Balancing multiple projects efficiently is crucial for success on Upwork.
2. Master the Art of Communication: Clear and prompt communication with clients fosters strong working relationships.
3. Cultivate Adaptability: Being flexible and adaptable helps navigate diverse projects and client preferences.
4. Develop Problem-Solving Abilities: Resourceful problem-solving sets you apart as a valuable freelancer.
5. Hone Your Negotiation Skills: Negotiating fair terms benefits both you and your clients in the long run.
6. Enhance Self-Motivation: Self-driven freelancers meet deadlines and consistently deliver quality work.
7. Foster Client Relationship Building: Building trust and rapport with clients can lead to recurring projects.
8. Showcase Your Creative Thinking: Creativity adds value and uniqueness to your freelance offerings.
9. Emphasize Attention to Detail: Delivering error-free work demonstrates professionalism and reliability.
10. Exhibit Resilience: Overcoming challenges and setbacks is vital for sustained success on Upwork.

1. Confidence

Confidence is an important skill for success on Upwork.

It helps to be confident when you are starting. You will feel more comfortable asking questions and getting help, which will make your success rate higher in the long run.

Confidence can show up in many ways that benefit you:

You’re willing to ask questions and seek advice from other freelancers, which allows you to learn from their experiences

You’re willing to take risks and experiment with new strategies, even if they don’t work right away

You are willing to admit when something isn’t working instead of giving up too soon

Balancing client projects, personal life, and deadlines can be challenging. But fear not, our article on time management tips for freelancers has got you covered with effective strategies to stay productive and organized.

2. Deadline-Oriented

When you’re hired for a project on Upwork, the client will typically give you a deadline for when they need to see the finished product. This can be as short as three days or as long as one month, depending on the scope of your project and how far along it is in its development cycle when you’re brought on board. 

In general, clients are expecting that you’ll meet their deadline within reason if something goes wrong with your work or some other unexpected event arises that prevents you from finishing in time, there’s no reason to panic. But if this happens regularly enough and starts to affect your reputation among potential clients who have seen examples of what happens when clients don’t receive their orders on time (or at all), then your future earnings could suffer significantly.

The first step toward setting realistic due dates is knowing how long certain tasks take under average conditions; after all, no two jobs are exactly alike! Something like “write an article about X” may seem simple enough until it turns out that X is not only controversial but also incredibly opaquely written which will require extensive research before even getting started on writing an outline for what should go into the said article itself!.

When estimating how long each type of task takes before beginning work on them (and once completed), try asking yourself how much time would usually be needed for someone else with similar skill levels; then adjust accordingly based upon whether any particular circumstances affect their completion rate compared against yours (e.g., if they’re faster because they have more experience doing this sort of thing).

3. Good Communication Skills

Communication is one of the most underrated skills in business, and very important if you want to succeed on Upwork. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to improve your ability to communicate effectively. To start with, practice reading books and writing blogs or articles on topics that interest you. 

This will help you stay focused while learning new information, as well as improve your ability to express yourself clearly in writing. You’ll also want to hone your listening skills by practicing active listening in conversation with others this means focusing only on what they’re saying instead of letting your mind wander elsewhere while they talk! 

Finally, consider taking public speaking classes or joining Toastmasters International; this will help build confidence in front of an audience when presenting ideas online or at conferences such as those held here at [your company name].

Curious about how Upwork operates and connects freelancers with clients? Delve into our comprehensive guide on how Upwork works for freelancers to gain insights into the platform’s mechanisms and enhance your freelancing experience.

4. Great Customer Service Skills

Upwork is a marketplace, so it’s important to have the customer service skills required to succeed on the site. After all, you’re competing against other freelancers for jobs and clients.

While each of these skills can be practiced independently, they’re most effective when used in conjunction with each other. For example, if your communication with potential clients is not very good but your technical skills are excellent (and vice versa), then you might still get hired by an employer who values those attributes highly but not fully understands how important communication skills are when working remotely. 

To avoid this scenario happening to you in real life or potentially losing out on a job opportunity because of it, we recommend focusing on improving all four areas simultaneously: Communication; Empathy; Problem-solving; Patience/Reliability; Knowledge of Product/Service

5. Writing Skills

Writing skills are especially important for freelancers, who need to be able to write clearly and persuasively to convince clients of their value. Whether you’re bidding on a ghostwriting job or writing a blog post for your portfolio, you should have some level of proficiency in the English language—and not just grammar!

If you feel like your writing isn’t up to par yet but can’t afford any training programs (or don’t have time), consider hiring someone who has sales experience as well as writing experience; this type of person will understand what constitutes effective communication between buyer and seller and will know how best communicate it themselves!

6. Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is the ability to motivate yourself and stay focused on your goals. It’s difficult to stay motivated when you are not working with other people, but if you want to get a job done quickly and correctly, you must have self-discipline.

Self-discipline is also important because of the way Upwork works: 

Clients can give feedback on your work once they receive it (and sometimes even before), so it pays off to submit high-quality work promptly. The lack of supervision from an employer or manager means that freelancers have to be disciplined enough not only to meet deadlines but also to detox liver excellent quality work on time every time.

Discover the key attributes that set successful freelancers apart! Our article on 11 skills that make you a valuable freelancer outlines the underrated yet indispensable skills that can boost your freelance career.

7. Comprehensive Research Abilities

To successfully land an Upwork gig, you must do your research.

If you’re applying for a job as a copywriter, do some research on the company and the average pay rate in this field. Also, look into what makes a good resume for writers in general. If you’re applying for a customer service position, learn about how customers prefer to be spoken to by phone representatives do they like it when you smile, or are they more interested in getting straight answers?

If someone messes up their order, how do you handle them? If a customer is rude or abusive on social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook (and most people are), should you respond with kindness or ignore them altogether?

8. Attention To Detail

Being able to pay attention to the small details is one of the most important skills you need to succeed on Upwork. Every interaction with clients is a chance for you to make an impression, so you must communicate well and get the details right. 

You don’t want your client telling someone else about how much they loved working with you because of your great communication skills and then realizing later that there are several mistakes in their project that could have been avoided if only they had been given more attention by their contractor!

If someone messes up their order, how do you handle them? If a customer is rude or abusive on social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook (and most people are), should you respond with kindness or ignore them altogether? 

Attention to detail Being able to pay attention to the small details is one of the most important skills you need to succeed on Upwork. Every interaction with clients is a chance for you to make an impression, so you must communicate well and get the

9. Ability To Learn New Things Quickly And Easily

The ability to learn new things quickly and easily is one of the most underrated skills you need to succeed on Upwork.

As a freelancer, you will never stop learning. You’ll be working in different industries, with different clients and projects, so you need a knack for picking up new information quickly.

There are many techniques and hacks out there that can help you do this I’ve personally used them myself when I was learning how to design websites or code websites from scratch (it’s not as hard as it seems!). 

Here are some examples of these approaches:

Reading books Whether it’s fiction novels or non-fiction books about a topic, reading them regularly will give you more information and provide an opportunity for discussion on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook groups, etc. * Watching videos on YouTube is full of tutorials on everything from how to make sushi rolls at home to how to communicate better with your spouse.

Considering Upwork for freelancing? Check out our list of top 21 best and worst things about Upwork to make an informed decision and learn about both the platform’s advantages and potential challenges.

10. Social Media Management Skills

Social media skills are a must for freelancers looking to be successful on Upwork. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn allow you to connect with potential clients in a new way and can help you grow your client base.

You should know how to use these platforms effectively to grow your audience and promote the value that you provide as a freelancer. You should also understand how these platforms work so that you can help your clients build their fences by creating relevant content that resonates with them.

Social media is an important part of any business today, so learning how it works will give you a competitive advantage over other freelancers who don’t understand social media at all or are just starting out using it for marketing purposes only

Want to win more clients on Upwork? Learn the art of composing compelling cover letters from our guide on what is the purpose of a Upwork cover letter and discover how to stand out and secure your dream projects.

Conclusion

So, what can you do with these skills? Well, if you have them and know how to use them effectively, you’re already on your way to earning more money on Upwork than most of the competition. You’ll be able to position yourself as an expert in your field and get a lot of high-paying clients.

And here’s my last piece of advice: If someone asks me for help or advice, I will always say yes! That’s because everyone needs help sometimes and since I have so many skills under my belt, there will be something I can add to their business that will make it run better. 

At the very least it might give them some peace of mind knowing they won’t make any mistakes along the way…or maybe even save their business from going under completely!

So go ahead and read all about these 10 underrated skills; then get out there and start using them!

Further Reading

10 Underrated Skills Every Entrepreneur Should Develop Explore essential skills that entrepreneurs should cultivate to enhance their success and thrive in the business world.

Best Remote Jobs That Don’t Require a Degree Education Discover a variety of remote job opportunities that don’t require a formal degree, opening doors for individuals seeking flexible work options.

3 Totally Underrated Skills That’ll Make You a Freelance Rockstar Unleash the potential within you as a freelancer by honing these lesser-known but impactful skills that can set you apart from the crowd.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Difference Between A Freelancer And A Contractor?

Freelancers are the people who you’re looking for. They are independent contractors that can work on their schedule, for themselves or other companies. Contractors are employees of Upwork: they do not take on jobs themselves, but instead provide skilled labor that Upwork provides customers with on their behalf. 

They handle tasks like building websites, designing logos, or writing copy. Contractors receive payment from Upwork after completing each task they’ve contracted to take on (generally within five days).

Is Upwork A Good Site For Freelancers?

Yes! Upwork has thousands of clients who post projects every day in categories ranging from engineering and design to marketing and customer service, so if you’re looking for work as an independent contractor there’s no shortage of opportunities available through this site!

What Are The Most Essential Skills To Have As A Freelancer?

You should know how to communicate well and be able to write on a professional level. It doesn’t matter if you’re new or old at this if you can’t communicate, people won’t hire you. If they can’t understand what it is that you do or how much you charge, they’re not going to want your services. That’s why every freelancer should learn how to write, succinctly, and professionally even if they’ve never written before in their life!

What Are Some Of The Best Skills To Learn Quickly?

I would say that learning how to organize projects into milestones is one of the most important things for any freelancer who wants long-term success on Upwork (or any platform).

Making sure everything gets done in stages rather than all at once tends towards better results overall because it lets me better manage my time as well as have more control over my workload. And when I’m done with one milestone there’s always another project waiting for me so I don’t ever feel overwhelmed by work!