There are plenty of reasons to love freelancing. You get to be your boss, you can work from anywhere in the world (I’m currently typing this from a beachside hammock in Costa Rica), and you’re not tied down to an office with a dress code and an eight-hour schedule. That’s the fantasy, anyway.
There are, of course, downsides to being your boss as well, such as having to find clients on your own and navigating invoicing and taxes without corporate assistance. And while there are plenty of freelance sites that try to connect workers with clients, the reality can often be quite different than what they promise.
In this post, I’ll share my experience using some of the biggest freelancing sites out there. I’ll tell you what happened when I signed up for them and whether or not you should as well!
The website is an online marketplace that connects freelance writers, editors, and other creative types with people who need their services.
Upwork is one of the most popular websites for freelancers to connect with clients. It’s an online marketplace where you can bid on jobs posted by clients, or you can post your job listing and wait for potential clients to contact you.
The site takes a percentage of the money paid for each job, so keep that in mind before deciding if using Upwork is worth it.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Freelance sites can offer both opportunities and challenges for freelancers. |
| It’s important to carefully evaluate and research freelance sites before joining them. |
| Managing expectations and understanding the reality of freelance work is crucial for success. |
| Building a strong portfolio and showcasing your skills can help you stand out on freelance sites. |
| Freelance sites provide a platform for connecting with clients and expanding your freelance business. |
| Networking and building relationships with other freelancers can lead to collaborative opportunities. |
| Balancing the fantasy of flexible work with the reality of managing your own business is essential. |
| Continuous learning and skill development are key to staying competitive in the freelance market. |
| Freelance sites offer various payment models, and understanding them is important for financial planning. |
| Researching and understanding the terms and conditions of freelance sites is essential for a positive experience. |
Fantasy: You Can Make $10,000 A Week Writing From An Island If You Want
If you’re just starting and looking for a way to make some extra cash, freelancing might seem like the perfect solution. The internet is flooded with stories of writers who make $10,000/week writing from an island paradise.
And while these people may exist (and they do), they are rare exceptions that prove the rule: making six figures as a freelance writer is extremely difficult because it’s difficult to make any money at all as a freelance writer.
Average salaries for freelancers range from $40k-$50k per year according to data compiled by Upwork (formerly oDesk). However, this number includes contractors (who tend to be higher paid) and those who work full time most freelancers work part-time or freelance as a secondary income.
Only 10% of freelancers make over $100k/year from their side hustle income according to a survey conducted by Freelancer Magazine in 2016.[1]
When it comes to showcasing your skills and attracting clients, marketing your Upwork portfolio is key. Discover effective strategies and techniques in our comprehensive guide on The Best Ways to Market Your Upwork Portfolio to stand out in the competitive freelance marketplace.
Reality: “It’s Possible,” Says Elance Chairman Fabio Rosati, “But Unlikely.”
As an Elance user, Rosati says you can make a lot of money. But he says that making $10,000 a week is “unlikely.”
The most recent data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that freelancers who use sites like Elance typically earn somewhere around $40,000 a year or about $18/hour with no benefits.
With that said, even if you’re only making half of what your average freelancer earns and getting paid in full every week, you’ll still be earning more than enough to cover your bills and put some money away for retirement (which is probably why so many people are ditching their 9-to-5s).
Fantasy: You Can Use The Site To Escape Your Lousy 9-To-5 Cubicle Job
Freelancing professionally is a business, not a hobby. You can work from anywhere and have flexibility in your schedule, but you still have to take responsibility for your success. If you’ve been dreaming of the day when you can escape your lousy 9-to-5 cubicle job for good, freelancing might be just what you need.
But before we get into the nitty-gritty details of turning freelance into a full-time gig, let’s take some time to talk about fantasy versus reality when it comes to working online as a freelancer.
“I’m done with my 9-to-5!”
In theory: Sure! You can work from anywhere with an internet connection (and sometimes even without!), which means no more commuting hours each day or putting up with office politics at full volume over shared walls!
Now all that’s left is finding clients who will pay well enough so that they don’t feel like they’re getting ripped off by such an attractive deal on labor costs… oh wait there’s another thing: you also need skills many companies find useful enough to hire on their terms rather than outsourcing them at discounted rates through someone like yourself on Upwork.com or Fiverr.*
The truth: If you write code or craft eBooks for fun in your spare time, it may behoove you to continue doing so even after quitting your day job but if making money is the goal (and why else would anyone go freelance?), then things aren’t quite so simple anymore.*
Looking for alternatives to Upwork.com? Explore a range of freelance platforms and marketplaces in our article on Freelancing: Consider These Alternatives to Upwork.com and find the perfect platform that suits your skills and freelancing goals.
Reality: For Most Freelancers, The Site Is A Complement To A Traditional Job
If you’re looking to supplement your income with freelance work, then a site like Upwork or Freelancer.com can be a great resource. For most freelancers, however, the site is just one part of their business.
With that said, if you plan on making some serious money as a freelancer on these sites (i.e., enough to replace your full-time job), then you need to understand how they work and what it will take for you to get there.
Fantasy: You Only Have To Work A Few Hours A Day, And Then You’re Done
We’ll come back to this a bit later, but let’s start by saying that the idea of only working a few hours a day and then being done is just not true. It’s not like your boss at your 9-to-5 job where you clock in at 9 AM and leaves at 5 PM (or sometimes much earlier), go home, and relax with a beer or two.
No matter what website you use to find freelance work, it will take time and hard work to succeed. The more jobs you get on your profile page, the better chance you’ll have of getting clients because potential employers will look at your portfolio first when deciding who to hire for their projects.
So before signing up for any particular site, make sure it has the type of work that interests you so that when employers see how many jobs you’ve had completed already (and how well they were rated), they’ll be impressed enough with your credentials to contact you right away about upcoming projects or even offer some leads themselves!
Reality: The Site Offers A Cushion Between Jobs, But You Still Have To Hustle
The second lesson is that this site can’t be your only method of finding jobs. It might create a cushion between gigs, but you still have to hustle on top of the fact that your new client base may not be as high-paying as what you were used to before.
The third thing I learned was that it’s hard work to find clients, even when there are tools like Upwork in place.
Fantasy: You Can Kick Back While Clients Come Straight To You
As a freelancer, you don’t have to go looking for new clients. They come right to you!
Clients can find you in many ways: through referrals, through social media, email marketing, and networking events, or even cold-pitching with blind emails to potential clients who haven’t yet heard of your business.
Reality: Competition Is Intense And Clients Are Picky. If You Want To Succeed, You Have To Be Choosy Too
Upwork is one of the most popular freelance websites in the world. People use it to find jobs or to get clients, but how do you make sure you get jobs that suit your skills and pay well? How do you make sure your clients are happy with your work?
The importance of being choosy
UpWork has a massive user base, which means there are lots of people who want to hire freelancers like you. And this can be a good thing: competition means more choice for clients and higher wages for freelancers.
But competition also means more competition between freelancers themselves! It’s important that as an aspiring writer or graphic designer, for example, you carefully consider each job offer before accepting it: if another candidate is willing to take half their usual rate (or less), then maybe it’s not worth taking on after all.
If two or three people are offering nearly identical services at roughly similar rates (or even worse if one person is charging significantly less than everyone else), then steer clear altogether until things settle down again!
Finding the best freelancers on Upwork is a crucial step in building a successful project team. Uncover the secrets and strategies to identify top talents with our comprehensive guide, The Secret Weapon: A Guide to Finding the Best Freelancers on Upwork, and maximize your chances of project success.
Fantasy: You Can Work For Yourself And Set Your Hours
There are a lot of advantages to working for yourself. You can work when you want, where you want and how much time you want. You can take vacations whenever you want or not at all!
Working for yourself is great because if it gets too hard or boring, no one will hold that against you; if things get tough financially, there’s always another gig out there that might make things easier on your wallet (and vice versa).
You’re also free to set your hours or rather, not set them at all: Some days may be busier than others! But this means that there’s no cap on how many hours per week or day people might work; they just have to find their balance between money earned or saved versus time spent outside of the office.
Working independently also gives freelancers more freedom when it comes to setting their rates: They can charge less if they want more business and vice versa. If someone’s willing to pay $50/hour but only wants three hours of work done in a week (which would net them $150), then by all means go ahead and offer up those services for the price requested!
The key here is finding clients who won’t mind being charged less because they’re getting “lesser service” than what other companies provide and making sure those customers are happy with what they’re getting before signing anything official with them as well!
Embrace the future of work and explore the transformative potential of freelancing. Discover why freelancers are leading the way and how it impacts your professional journey in our article, Why Freelancers Are the Future of Work and What That Means for You. Stay ahead of the curve and thrive in the evolving world of freelancing.
Reality: You’ll End Up Working More Than You Ever Thought Possible Weekends
While sites like Upwork and Freelancer are great for getting your foot in the door, they’re not a substitute for hard work. If you’re looking to build a career as a freelancer, you have to be willing to learn new skills and put in the hours necessary for success.
The site won’t do all of the work for you. Many jobs will come with additional responsibilities that aren’t listed on the job description (i.e., formatting or editing).
Even if an employer is clear about what he or she wants from a project (and they should be), it’s up to you as an entrepreneur who knows how much time each task takes to decide whether or not it’s worth taking on another client’s project at this time;
Otherwise, there may come a point where everything is slowing down because there isn’t enough work coming in through one source alone, and then what happens?
You find yourself back at square one trying desperately not only to keep up with all of your current clients’ deadlines but also trying desperately find others who need help completing their projects too…
Being A Successful Freelancer Requires Commitment And Hard Work
While freelancing can be a great way to make money and gain experience, it isn’t necessarily easy. If you are willing to put in the hard work, however, it can be extremely rewarding and lucrative.
Curious about making freelancing your full-time career? Dive into the possibilities and challenges with our insightful article, Can You Make a Full-Time Living as a Freelancer?, and gain valuable insights into the financial and lifestyle aspects of freelancing as a sustainable career choice.
Conclusion
In the end, there is no best freelance site. The best freelance site varies according to what you’re looking for in a freelancer, your taste in design and layout, and how much investment (time or money) you want to spend.
Dozens of online platforms offer freelancers similar services and options when it comes down to the basics like finding new clients or posting job postings yourself.
But each platform has its unique features that cater differently to different types of freelancers and those hiring them. So it just depends on who you are looking for!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to explore related to freelancing and freelance platforms:
G2 – Freelance Platforms: Discover a comprehensive list of freelance platforms with user reviews, ratings, and comparisons to help you find the right platform for your freelancing needs.
TalentDesk.io Blog – Freelancer Management: Expectations vs. Reality: Gain insights into the expectations and realities of managing freelancers in the modern workplace and learn effective strategies for successful freelancer management.
AgencyAnalytics Blog – Best Freelance Sites: Explore a curated list of the best freelance sites to find freelance work or hire freelancers for various industries, with tips and recommendations to maximize your freelancing experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Need A Resume To Apply For A Job?
No. Upwork does not require that you upload or attach an existing resume to bid on jobs.
Do You Need To Be A Us Citizen To Work On Elance?
Yes, your client must pay taxes on the earnings they make from hiring freelancers outside of the U.S., so they are required by law (and their sense of good business practice) to only do business with US citizens.
If you live outside of America and want to work as a freelancer there, check out Upwork instead they don’t have this requirement!
What If My Client Doesn’t Pay Me?
It happens! Luckily there’s something called escrow where Elance holds onto your money until both parties are satisfied with the outcome.
In other words: great news for international workers since banks overseas can charge fees when transferring funds back home which would eat up some pretty big chunks of change (and sometimes even more than we were paid).
This way those costs get taken care of before any cash leaves our hands into theirs–so no worries about losing out on much-needed income while waiting it out!
As long as everything goes smoothly though, clients will usually release funds right away after completing projects successfully–unless otherwise stated beforehand during negotiations between buyer/seller when creating contracts together.”
I Want To Work From Home. Will This Site Help Me Do That?
If you are looking for a way to make money from home and work on your schedule, this may be the perfect opportunity for you! Additionally, we offer many ways for our users to increase their chances of landing projects.
We often have special promotions where freelancers can generate extra leads by completing tasks or referring others who are new users themselves. You can use these promotions as an opportunity to reach out to potential clients to secure more freelance jobs than usual!
How Much Will I Earn?
The amount that you earn depends on your skill set, experience level, and how well-connected (or not) you are with other freelancers on our platform.
We encourage all members of our community – whether they’re just starting or have been doing this type of work professionally to participate in partnerships so they can stay connected while also boosting their income potential!
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.
