Where Upwork Freelancers Go Wrong And How To Fix It

You may already know that Upwork is the top freelance platform in the world, but if you’re new to Upwork, then it can be overwhelming.

The goal of this article is to help you make the most out of your time on Upwork by giving you practical advice on how to find work, negotiate with clients and manage projects effectively using our best practices guide.

In this guide we’re going to cover:

UpWork Mistakes You’re Probably Making and How to Fix Them

Takeaways
1. Identify common mistakes made by Upwork freelancers.
2. Understand the potential impact of these mistakes on your freelance career.
3. Learn actionable strategies to fix and avoid these pitfalls.
4. Utilize client feedback effectively to improve your freelancing business.
5. Embrace Upwork as a valuable platform for freelance opportunities.

Table of Contents

Treating It Like A Job Board

On Upwork, freelancers can be their own worst enemies. We’ve all been there: you’re excited to get started on a new project, but then you spend hours trying to figure out how your client found you and why they haven’t contacted you yet. That’s not the best use of your time or energy and it’s not efficient.

The solution? Treat Upwork like an actual platform where clients are actively looking for help with their work! Instead of waiting for clients to come to find you (which may never happen), do some searching yourself and reach out proactively when projects match what you’re offering. Here are some ways we’ve seen freelancers go wrong in this area:

The first step is making sure that your Upwork profile has all of the information a potential client would need to know about you. Be specific about what kind of work you do and the industries where that work is relevant.

Don’t just say, “I’m a content writer.” Say something like, “I’m a business writer for small companies. I have experience writing about human resources and payroll software.”

Having a dedicated workspace is essential for freelancers to stay productive. Learn how to set up a productive workspace in our guide on creating a dedicated workspace for freelancing and boost your freelancing efficiency.

Not Having A Portfolio Or Website

If you don’t have a portfolio, it’s time to get one. While Upwork clients are often quite adept at searching for freelancers with skills and experience relevant to their projects, they may not be familiar with your niche if you’re a newbie.

If your client is looking for someone who has done something like this before, they’ll be impressed by what they see on your portfolio site.

If you’re not already, try setting up a simple website to showcase your work. There are lots of great free tools online that will help you get started.

While it’s easy to assume that clients will know what you do and how they can hire you, don’t make this mistake.

It’s especially important when applying for jobs on Upwork because there’s so much competition the more proactive you can be about finding the right project (and reaching out to those who are looking for someone like you), the more likely it will be that you’ll win the job

Not having a portfolio or website is one of the most common mistakes that freelancers make. It’s true that you can put your best foot forward with an Upwork profile that showcases your skills and experience, but most employers will want to see what you have done outside of Upwork before they hire you.

Even if it’s just a few samples of work, having a portfolio will give potential clients confidence in hiring you.

Not Being Descriptive In The Job Title

You want your job title to be descriptive so that it stands out in the crowd of other titles. Get creative! If you’re a designer, don’t just list “graphic design” as your title; instead, try listing something like “Graphic Designer for Tech Startups Seeking Brand Identity Redesigns.”

This lets potential employers know exactly what kind of work you do, and gives them an idea about which kinds of projects you might be able to handle for them.

Similarly, make sure that each section of your profile is descriptive don’t just write “I am good at graphic design.” Instead say things like: “I am a self-taught illustrator who specializes in creating hand-drawn vector illustrations with Adobe Illustrator” or “I am an experienced video editor who has worked on several award-winning indie films.”

This goes beyond writing good copy (which we’ll talk about next). It’s also important not to let anything go without thought do some research before settling on any titles or descriptions; maybe even ask friends or coworkers if they think something sounds right or if there’s anything else they would add/take out.

Upwork is a powerful platform for freelancers, and neglecting it could hinder your success. Check out our article on why not using Upwork might hinder your freelance career to understand its significance and make the most of the opportunities it offers.

Not Writing A Detailed Job Description That Answers All Questions

Not writing a detailed job description that answers all questions.

It’s true that you can’t please everyone and your client may still not hire you, but having a well-written job description will increase your chances of getting the gig. And when you do get hired, it’ll save both parties time and effort in the long run.

You should write a detailed job description that answers all questions so that clients know exactly what they’re getting with their money (and time). The aim is to make sure they know what they’re paying for and how much work goes into completing the project. In other words: spell out everything from start to finish!

Not being specific about what you’re going to deliver. Some freelancers don’t spell out exactly what they are willing to do for the client. They write a job description that leaves room for interpretation and then expects the client to know how much work goes into completing the project.

Not Specifying Your Budget

In the past, I’ve seen a lot of freelancers who would put “I’m open to discussing pay” in their job postings. And you know what? It bugs me.

What’s your budget? That’s the first question that comes to mind when you see someone asking for help but not knowing how much they can spend on getting it done.

When you’re looking for an expert, you want to know if they’re too expensive or not expensive enough before wasting any more time talking with them and if you don’t tell them how much money is in your pocket, how will they know?

You might be thinking “If people really wanted to know what my budget is, they’d ask me directly!” But here’s something important: most freelancers won’t ask because it feels awkward or obvious (or both).

It’s considered rude and unprofessional which is why I think this point should be hammered home even more strongly than others on this list but if we don’t set clear expectations upfront then everyone ends up wasting their time or feeling like they’ve been ripped off at best!

Uncover the secrets to landing jobs on Upwork that successful freelancers swear by. Our comprehensive guide on how to get a job on Upwork will reveal effective strategies to boost your chances of success on the platform.

Expecting Clients To Contact You When They Can’t Find You

If you want to get more clients on Upwork, you need to do the following:

Focus On The Right Things

Don’t assume that clients will find your profile just because it’s there and up for grabs. Instead, focus on promoting yourself by sharing links to your profile on social media and building a network of freelancers who can refer clients to you.

This is especially important if you’re new at Upwork; even if a potential client is interested in hiring someone with your skill set and experience, they might not know where to look.

Fill Out Everything That Goes Into Your Profile

It should be complete before you start applying for jobs! That means including all of the information requested in Upwork’s “Profile Setup” section (name, contact info, location/time zone).

And uploading a professional-looking photo or avatar image as part of creating or editing your online presence (this is especially important for first-timers), setting up an Upwork portfolio with samples of previous projects completed using their platform (which must also be submitted through their website).

Mentioning Hourly Expectations In The Initial Email

The first mistake that most freelancers make on Upwork is mentioning hourly expectations in their initial email to the client. The reason for this mistake is understandable: if you want to compete on Upwork, you need clients. And if you want them to hire you for your skills, it’s important that they know what kind of work experience and qualifications you have.

But mentioning hourly rates right away can actually be counterproductive when it comes to landing jobs on Upwork and here’s why:

First of all, clients expect freelancers who are new and inexperienced with their platform (which is most of them) to charge low rates. If they see a rate that’s higher than what they’re used to seeing from other people on the site, they may think something like “wow I could get a lot more done by hiring someone local”.

Or worse yet “if this person charges this much per hour then he probably won’t be very good.” So while there might be some exceptions where mentioning high hourly rates in an initial email might get attention from potential clients who are looking for highly skilled workers at high prices (though I would argue that these types of clients are few and far between), generally speaking.

I would recommend against putting any specific number into your pitch emails when first contacting potential employers through Upwork even if those numbers match up with how much money two people would normally make working together for 40 hours per week!

Finding the right copywriter on Upwork is crucial for project success. Learn the best practices in our article on how to find the perfect copywriter on Upwork and ensure that your projects are in capable hands.

Haggling Over The Price

Haggling over the price is one of the biggest mistakes you can make as a freelancer. The reason for this is simple: It puts off clients, and it makes you look like an amateur.

You may think that by haggling over your rate, you’ll be able to secure more work from clients, but in reality, doing so will only make them less likely to hire you!

Instead of haggling with potential clients about rates or other payment details up front (which will almost always lead to frustration and disappointment), come up with an acceptable range based on factors like experience level and location.

Then stick within that range when quoting projects no matter what. If a client refuses your quote because they think it’s too high, then they probably aren’t going to be willing to pay what they’re worth anyway!

Client feedback can be a powerful tool for freelancers to improve their business. Discover the benefits and strategies in our guide on leveraging Upwork client feedback to enhance your services and build a strong reputation as a freelancer.

Conclusion

If you’re an Upwork freelancer who wants to earn more, then listen up!

First things first: You need to be specific and detailed when it comes to your job listings. If you’re just going with the flow and writing whatever comes into your head, then there are going to be a lot of people competing for the same jobs. This means that there will be less work available for you and less money in your pocket.

Second: You need a portfolio or website where clients can see how great of an employee/company partner you are (or were). They will want references from past clients before hiring someone on Upwork so make sure this information is readily available when they request it from yours truly!

Third: A detailed job description is crucial because it shows upfront what kind of project we’re talking about here and whether or not it’s worth our time! We don’t want any surprises later down the road so make sure everything has been laid out clearly beforehand so both parties understand exactly what’s expected from each other throughout the process (and after!).

Often times these expectations include deadlines/deadlines – which brings me back around again…”Deadline” being one word used frequently throughout my career thus far.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Difference Between A Job Board And Upwork?

Job boards are platforms where you can list your services based on an hourly rate, per project, or even as a retainer. These sites are good for finding jobs that require specific skills but don’t necessarily require flexibility or conversation with clients. In contrast, Upwork operates in part as a marketplace where freelancers bid on projects posted by employers (clients).

The platform also offers tools for communication and collaboration between all parties involved in the hiring process (clients/employers, freelancers, and agencies).

How Do I Know If I Should Be Using A Job Board, Upwork, Or Both?

That depends on what kind of work you’re looking to do. If you have a lot of experience and expertise in one specific area (like UX design), then you might want to focus your efforts there instead of spreading yourself too thin by posting everywhere else too!

However, if you’re just starting out on your freelance journey with limited experience then it’s probably best practice to use multiple platforms until things start taking off — this way no one will get tired of trying different methods all at once!

How Do I Get A Job On Upwork?

You can apply by clicking the “Apply Now” link on the top right side of the page and filling out a short application. If you don’t have any experience or qualifications, tell them why you think you’d be good at that particular job, or why it’s something you want to learn more about.

For example, if someone was looking for an SEO expert because their website wasn’t ranking well in search engines and they didn’t know how to fix it themselves, I would explain that I’ve been doing SEO since 2013 and have worked with dozens of clients who had similar issues.

How Do I Get My Reputation As High As Possible So No One Is Ever Able To Criticize Me For Anything?

There are three main ways this can happen:

1) being transparent about everything – stating what your strengths are (and also where they’re lacking)

2) making sure clients always leave feedback once a project is completed

3) having good references from other freelancers

Herman Edward

I am a content writer, and I love what I do! Writing makes me feel like the words are flowing through my fingers, and then onto the keyboard, like magic. My experience as a writer has taught me that writing makes me feel good, as well as helps others to feel better too!