Upwork is one of the best websites for freelancing work. Every year, literally millions of jobs get posted on Upwork, enabling freelancers to apply and earn more than a billion dollars.
It would take a bit of time as a beginner, but here are tips on Upwork for beginners that will help you get your first job on Upwork?
Earlier I had an article about “How to get your first order on fiverr.com? 7 Fiverr gigs promotion strategies for beginners.” If you have read it, you will also know how to get your first order on fiverr.com.
How Does Your Profile Look?
When you sign up to Upwork, you will make a profile to allow potential clients to ‘view’ you. Your job will be to wow them.
To do that, Use every part of your profile to showcase your skills, Showcase your expertise in the title and overview section, Create an outstanding introduction video, Highlight your best work in your portfolio, List your certifications (If You have), Include your employment history, Include your educational background and other experiences.
Choose a professional profile picture. Clients like to feel they can trust a freelancer before hiring them for a project, and your profile photo is an essential part of the equation.
Keywords are also important because clients will use these to the ground on your profile. Build around your niche, using keywords to expand on your talent.
You may find inspiration viewing other freelancers’ profiles, but remember to make yours original and unique.
Don’t forget your photo! Look here for tips on creating a great profile.
Read The Job Description Carefully
Take some time and read the job description carefully to understand the clients’ needs. If you get the job, the client will request specific requirements for the job. And these are things you should adhere to. Show the client that you have read and understood the instructions by applying for the proposal. Some clients will ask questions; whether you understood the job description. Keep an eye open for that.
Write an attractive cover letter or proposal.
when your profile is ready, you should start proposing offers for work. A kind of carefree, sloppy proposal is not going to cut it.
Remember, a proposal on Upwork will introduce you to your new client, and you want jobs.
Give important details about why you are good at the job, showing similar jobs you did in the past. You want to show the client that you are an asset to them.
Your proposal doesn’t need to be lengthy as long as it confirms you understand the problem and shows that you can solve it. Always aim for brief, clean, and concise writing. Typically, You can express everything you need in three short paragraphs.
Clients don’t have the time to read lengthy proposals with details unrelated to their challenges. Long proposals may not convince anyone, as almost no one will take the time to read them.
BUY LOTS OF ‘CONNECTS’
To get your first project, you should send dozens of proposals. That means you’ll need to buy Connects.
Connects are tokens you need to utilize when applying for a job. Small jobs cost 1 Connect to use for; some big ones cost up to 6!
You earn some Connects when you create your profile, and you also get some free Connects per month, but you’ll need to buy more if you’re serious about making money on Upwork.com.
Remember Tip 1 when I said newbies should be prepared to send 20-30 proposals to get a small job? Well, that will cost you dozens of Connects.
Connects cost $0.15 per and are sold in bundles of 10, 20, 40, 60, and 80.
The lesson here is that you’ll require to buy Connects if you want to get hired. And it’s money well spent.
If you purchased a Freelancer Plus subscription ($14.99/mo), you get 80 free Connects each month. I intensely recommend you subscribe to Freelancer Plus – even if it’s only for some months. You can read more about Freelancer Plus here.
Create Portfolio on Upwork
Try to create a clear portfolio. Clients often look over it to confirm your experience. If you don’t have enough jobs to make a portfolio, you have to work for it. It is like a key to your job. You cannot skip it at all. To enhance your portfolio, you may start your website, work in it, and start a blog to show your client your skill.
Respond Quickly on Upwork
You know what, all like a quick response. So, whenever your client tries to contact you, make an immediate response. Don’t keep him waiting for long. Otherwise, your client will turn opposite to hire another worker for his project. So, your time of response matters to your clients.
Keep Patience and Don’t Give Up.
It’s important to keep patience in freelancing when you are a completely new worker. It will take time to get your first job. Till then, be patient and try to get hired. Your first job will take some time, but gradually you will see that you are getting hired fast. Generally, it takes two or three weeks to get the first job and then one or two weeks for the second. Thus the time reduces to be hired. So, don’t give up hope. Stick to your work. Hard times will go on soon. And the client will hire you shortly. Be optimistic and self-confident. Believe that success is only for you.
Focus on Feedback, Not on Money
To get your first job, you must concentrate on your clients’ feedback. Ignore money the first time, and You will be capable to make a lot of money later. But your first target is to make your profile heavy with experience. So, do your job with your best shot. Give time to your work. Make it enhance as much as possible. Always ask your client for reasonable pay and ask him for feedback. Use this feedback to improve your results.
These are all the techniques to get your first job on Upwork. Read through the instructions carefully and use these while preparing you for your job. Indeed, you are going to be a successful freelancer. If you like our tips and find them helpful, don’t forget to share our website with others—all the best wishes for your career as a freelancer.
