I’m going to show you the 14 secrets that will get you hired on Upwork. I’ll also explain how these secrets can help you get hired more quickly and easily as a freelancer on any of the top freelance marketplaces – including Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, and Guru.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Enhance your profile visibility and completeness. |
| 2. Craft a personalized and compelling profile bio. |
| 3. Showcase relevant skills through your portfolio. |
| 4. Tailor your proposals to each job posting. |
| 5. Highlight your expertise in specific niches. |
| 6. Build a strong reputation through client feedback. |
| 7. Demonstrate excellent communication skills. |
| 8. Stay active on the Upwork platform regularly. |
| 9. Offer competitive rates based on your experience. |
| 10. Seek long-term relationships with clients. |
1. Be Honest With Your Clients
Being honest with your clients is also important. If you say that you can do something and then find out that you can’t, it’s best not to lie about it. Your client will want to know why they are paying more money than they expected while another freelancer did the work faster and cheaper.
Be honest about your skills: Do not pretend to be an expert in something if you’re not one yet! If a client asks for help building their website from scratch, don’t take on such a big task unless it’s something that interests or excites you enough so that spending hours learning code for no pay doesn’t seem like a waste of time.*
Be honest about your experience: Don’t try to convince yourself or anyone else that all of those years spent working in fast-food restaurants qualify as “experience” when applying for jobs as an administrative assistant.*
Be honest about how long it will take: Don’t promise anything without checking first whether or not it’s possible within the time frame requested by the client (don’t forget weekends!).
A good rule of thumb is never over-commit more than two weeks ahead of schedule; this way there won’t be any surprises down the road when someone else has already completed their project before yours is even halfway done! It’s better safe than sorry.*
Building effective relationships with remote freelancers is essential for successful collaborations. Learn about the 9 Tips for Working with Remote Freelancers to ensure smooth communication and project outcomes.
2. Always Be Reliable
There are several ways to be consistent in your work, including:
Be On-Time
Be honest with yourself and others about what you know how to do and what you don’t know how to do. If someone asks you a question, the best thing they can hear is “I’m not sure.” The worst thing they can hear is something that isn’t true.
There’s no shame in saying “I don’t know” if it’s true; this will help both parties understand where we’re at in our respective levels of expertise so we can continue working together as partners rather than enemies who have different agendas than each other (i.e., getting hired by clients).
Stay Consistent
To stay consistent, you need to be consistent in your communication. This means that you should always respond to messages within 24 hours and be sure not to overbook yourself. You should also be consistent in your work, making sure that all of your projects are high quality and on time.
You can add value by staying consistent in project management, professionalism, delivery (quality control), documentation (assignments), follow-up (communication)
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3. Spruce Up Your Profile
Keep your profile up-to-date. If a client is interested in hiring you, they will check out your profile and the first thing they will notice is if it’s outdated or contains irrelevant information.
Use a photo! It’s important to use an actual photo of yourself as your avatar instead of using some generic stock image. This helps clients get a better feel for who you are as an individual and also shows that you are taking this seriously enough to invest in branding and marketing yourself through Upwork rather than just outsourcing jobs all day long.
Add keywords! Use the right keywords when writing descriptions about yourself so that clients can easily find you when searching for certain skillsets or certifications they need on Upwork.
Add videos! Clients love videos because they allow them to get a quick glimpse into how well someone works before actually meeting them face-to-face (which is usually costly).
You could even make short tutorials on how to do something specific like changing oil at home or fixing broken appliances around your house if needed; this saves time for both parties involved since clients won’t have to call someone else after their initial meeting with potential candidates doesn’t work out quite like expected.”
4. Showcase Case Studies And Portfolio Items
Once you’ve got your profile up and running, it’s time to start applying for jobs. But before you do, remember that the quality of your portfolio is a huge factor in whether or not you’ll get hired on Upwork. It’s possible to earn a good amount of money on Upwork without an extensive portfolio or case studies but if you have them, they definitely help!
So what should you include in your portfolio? The first thing is the level of detail for each project: how many hours did it take? What were the goals set at the beginning? How did those goals change over time? What was accomplished with this project?
Was there any specific challenge that was overcome during this process (and how)? These details make it easy for clients to see how much work went into each project and why they’re worth hiring someone like you.
In addition, some freelancers also include videos highlighting their processes and skillset so potential clients know exactly what kind of work will be done for them before hiring them (or not). This can be useful if a client doesn’t have time to see every single item in your portfolio but it isn’t required!
5. Use Social Proof To Your Advantage
- Testimonials from previous clients.
- Client reviews and ratings.
- Awards and achievements.
- Mentions in the press.
- Case studies.
Client logos, including headshots of team members if applicable (if you have more than one person working on your account, this is a great way to show diversity).
Social media links for business pages (if applicable). For example, your Twitter handle and link to your LinkedIn profile should be included somewhere near the top or bottom of each job application form where it’s visible before submission and if possible on any invoices you send out after jobs have been completed successfully;
This will help potential employers better understand who they are engaging with throughout their hiring journey when they get down into detail about specific project requirements later on down line…
Freelance lead generation can be a lucrative opportunity. Gain insights into the world of lead generation, how to do it effectively, and get compensated by exploring Freelance Lead Generation: What It Is, How to Do It, and Get Paid.
6. Clients Love Great Reviews
It’s a fact of freelancing life, and it’s important to get this right if you want your profile to stand out. Clients like seeing reviews from existing clients because they can help build trust in the project and ensure that you have delivered quality work in the past.
Reviews are also a good way to get referrals people to tend to pass on business when they have had a positive experience working with someone else, so if you keep getting great feedback from your clients, they will return and bring more work with them!
7. Avoid Vague Profile Titles
One of the most important things to understand when creating your Upwork profile is how critical it is to be clear and concise with every piece of information you provide.
Your potential clients will be looking at your profile title first, so make sure that what you have written here accurately reflects what you do for work. If it doesn’t, you might end up having someone hire you for one thing and then get mad when they find out that’s not really what they wanted from you after all!
The same goes for any other part of your profile if it isn’t clear or concise, don’t use it!
Good examples include “Social Media Manager in Los Angeles” or “Resume Writing Specialist in Chicago.” If something isn’t entirely accurate but also doesn’t give away too much about who/what/where (and we’re talking specifics here), feel free to add some vague descriptors like “Lifestyle Blogger” or “Online Content Writer.”
These can still be very helpful in attracting potential clients who may want those services but aren’t quite sure where else they could find them. It’s an easy way to get noticed without making yourself sound like a salesperson trying too hard at first glance.*
8. Keep Your Hourly Rate Low (To Start) And Then Increase It Later Based On Experience And Feedback
You don’t want to start off with a high hourly rate because that could scare away clients, especially if you have little experience. You can increase your hourly rate later on based on feedback from clients and the quality of work you deliver.
As stated in the previous chapter, the secret to getting hired is determining the value of your skillset and then charging more than what people expect to pay for it. It’s important not only to know what your skills are worth but also how much time they take up. To calculate this accurately, use this formula:
Total hours spent x Hourly Rate = Total Cost/Hourly Wage
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9. Set Expectations Upfront By Having A System In Place For Communication And Project Management
Set expectations upfront by having a system in place for communication and project management.
Make sure you have a system for communicating with clients, such as email or Skype, so that it’s easy to correspond with them and keep track of what they want to be done.
They don’t want to be left hanging while you figure out how to do something they want results! Make sure your client knows that no matter how big or small the project is, you will respond within 24 hours (or whatever time frame works best for both parties).
Have a system in place for managing projects from start to finish. You can use tools like Trello or Asana for this purpose. Whatever tool(s) you choose, make sure it allows you and your client access from anywhere so that everyone can stay on top of things without having to worry about missing crucial information that could affect the quality of work being produced by either party.
10. Ask For Deposits Or Retainers To Cover Supplies, Specialized Tools, Etc
Another way to take care of yourself is by having the client pay a deposit for you to purchase specific materials or tools that are required for your work. This can be anything from an online course subscription fee, software license, or even office supplies.
Deposits are typically non-refundable, meaning if your client backs out on the project before it’s completed, you won’t get any of your money back from them (though they may still owe you payment for completed work).
However, if you decide not to go through with working with a client who has already paid their deposit and given approval for starting the project even after they’ve spent time reviewing your proposal you should definitely refund their deposit.
11. Send A Contract Outlining Responsibilities As Well As Payment Terms
When you send a contract, Upwork will automatically send it to the client. This is a good idea because it not only sets expectations with your clients but also helps protect you from any misunderstandings that might arise later. If you don’t already have an Upwork account and would like to get started on the platform, sign up here!
Contracts should include:
- The project scope
- Deliverables (what exactly are you delivering?)
- Payment terms and schedule (how much do they pay? when do they pay?)
- Timeline for revisions/changes
12. Track Your Time With The Upwork Time Tracker Tool
Tracking your time accurately is key to getting paid quickly and receiving a fair rate. If you’re an Upwork Pro, this can be done by creating a project and adding time tracker tools on your computer, phone, or tablet. The tool allows you to record all tasks in real-time forgetting what tasks took how long!
As an Upwork Pro, I know the importance of tracking my hours for accuracy. When the client approves my invoice and pays me directly via PayPal (the fastest way), I am able to track which tasks were accepted so that I do not accidentally double bill any work hours later on. This tool has made it easy for me to manage my projects from anywhere at any time with complete accuracy!
13. Celebrate Milestones With Freelancers And Clients Alike
Don’t forget to celebrate milestones with freelancers and clients alike. Milestones are a great way to stay motivated, as well as build rapport with clients.
Milestones can be anything from a certain number of hours worked to a certain number of dollars earned. You could even celebrate when you have completed your first job or have made it through the first month on Upwork without getting fired!
Freelance experiences provide valuable lessons for various fields. Find out about the insights gained from a freelance social media marketing job in the article 15 Lessons I Learned from a Freelance Social Media Marketing Job, which can offer valuable perspectives for freelancers on platforms like Upwork.
14. Be Transparent About Who Is Doing The Work
When you list the type of work you do and the services you provide, be as transparent as possible. Don’t make any promises that you can’t keep. Let potential clients know who is doing the work and how long each project will take to complete.
If a client asks for more information about your business or team, don’t try to hide anything from them. You should be honest about everything because if they find out later what’s going on it could cost both sides time and money in legal fees.
Further Reading
Expand your knowledge with these additional resources:
8 Upwork Secrets to Get More Job Invites: Discover strategies to increase your job invites on Upwork through this Skillshare class.
How to Be Successful on Upwork: Andy Strote shares insights into achieving success on Upwork in this LinkedIn post.
Get More Jobs on Upwork: Learn techniques for landing more jobs on Upwork with the advice provided in this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Upwork?
Upwork is a freelance marketplace that connects businesses with talented freelancers from around the world. As an Upwork client, you can post jobs and browse thousands of candidates to find the right person for your project.
Freelancers can get work on Upwork by signing up as a freelancer (here’s how), posting their skills and past experience, then bidding on projects that interest them.
How Do I Get Started On Upwork?
First off, start by creating your profile! When you do so you’ll be asked some questions about yourself and what type of work you’re interested in doing. These questions will help us show off your skills to potential clients who are looking for someone just like you!
After that, it’s time to start submitting bids which means putting in an offer price for each job opportunity posted by companies who need help getting things done quickly and efficiently from home offices around the world.”
How Do I Get More Clients On Upwork?
The best way to get more clients is to have a good portfolio and great reviews. In order to build up your reputation, you should try submitting projects for free or at a very low cost. Once you have built up some experience, it will be easier for you to get jobs at higher rates because employers will know that they can trust you.
How Do I Get My First Job On Upwork?
It can be difficult trying to find work as an independent contractor online, especially if this is your first time using the platform. You may have heard that there are many scams out there who will ask for money before giving any work opportunities or a contract.
But don’t worry! There are also plenty of legitimate recruiters who are looking for new talent like yourself! The key thing here is knowing how much experience someone has in their field so there aren’t any surprises later on down the road when all these details matter most when completing tasks successfully without any problems along the way.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.