Starting your freelance career may become challenging if you are not aware of the ups and downs of the freelance world. Learning about different platforms and how they work is very crucial. Most people who start their freelance journey often ask about “How to use Upwork as a freelancer?” because of the complexity of working on Upwork.
To start working on Upwork, you need a freelancer account. You can get clients either through project catalogues or by sending proposals to different buyers in the “talent market”. A complete profile with a professional ontent is crucial to give your profile a boost it needs in the beginning. You can also work as a client and a freelancer at the same time.
In this blog, we will discuss how to use Upwork as a freelancer. You will also get some pro-tips on becoming successful on Upwork, so make sure you don’t miss them.
How Upwork Works For Freelancers?
A freelancer can get clients in two different ways. Both are interesting in their own ways and have their unique pros and cons. Let’s have a look at both of them one-by-one.
Talent Marketplace
The Upwork’s Talent Marketplace is where all the freelancers exist. Clients who need a service post their jobs along with their requirements in the market place. Every freelancer can see the job post and can apply to it.
The real twist is that you need a “virtual money” or in Upwork’s language “connects” to apply on different jobs. You can buy connects from Upwork and can use them for different purposes such as boosting your profile, sending proposals, and boosting proposals.
Project Catalogue
Project Catalogue is another interesting side of Upwork. It is almost opposite to the “talent marketplace” as here freelancers offer packages of their services to the clients. You can make atleast 7 project catalogues which may increase as per your subscription.
Whenever a client searches for a keyword, let say “graphic designer”, he is given a list of top “project catalogues” by the Upwork’ search algorithm. Unlike the marketplace where clients often negotiate prices and conducts interviews, this is much simpler.
The client visits a catalogue, checks the prices and the services, and if he likes, he simply buys it. The freelancer gets the detail of the project and can start immediately.
Joining UpWork As A Freelancer
Joining Upwork is both simple and complicated at the same time. Simple in a sense that you just need an email. Complex means that you need to enter everything accurately and professionally to get approved by the Upwork team.
You can create an account by using your google account or via a different email. You get two options in the very beginning.
Tap on the “I am a freelancer looking for work” and hit the “Apply as a freelancer” button to initiate your signup process. Upwork may also ask for your personal information such as location, first name, last name, and account password.
Pro-tip: Read the user agreement and policies section before agreeing. It is crucial for your success on Upwork as a freelancer.
Complete Your Profile To Kickstart Your Freelance Career
A 100% complete profile is what attracts clients towards your profile. Follow these simple tips to complete your profile.
- Use your original, high-quality, front pose photograph as a profile picture.
- Your profile picture should be professional headshot of yours, not a selfie.
- Your profile title should be brief and should highlight your skills and experience.
- Write an engaging and attention grabbing overview for your profile.
- If you are not a good writer, hire someone to write a professional profile overview.
- Add your employment history (if applicable) and relevant skill tags.
- Upload your portfolio that highlights your success.
- An intro-video will be an icing on the cake.
- Add all the required information such as educational background, language proficiency, etc.
Efficient Use Of Connects
Connects is like real money and being an entrepreneur, you should spend it wisely. Here are a few ways you can make the most out of your connects.
Applying To Relevant Jobs Only
Apply to the jobs where you are the perfect candidate for the client. Clients never compromise on the quality of work, so make sure you meet all the requirements set by the client such as language proficiency, time zone, region, minimum earnings, etc.
Boosting Proposals
You can boost your proposals to secure a spot in the top 4. When you submit a proposal, you have the option to boost it to the top to increase your chances of getting hired. Your boost may outbid by another freelancer in which case you will get your connects back.
Availability Badge
If your profile is ranking on a keyword and you are getting impressions, it is recommended to tunr on the availability badge. This will cost you connects, but it tells the potential clients that you are available to collaborate with them.
Boosting Profile
You can also boost your profile just like your proposal. You can select a keyword and boost your profile for that keyword. Whenever a client searches for that keyword, your profile will be shown at the top of the search results. This increases your chances of getting hired.
Are You More Than Just A Freelancer?
You can be both a freelancer and a client at the same time. Once your freelancer profile is ready, follow these simple steps to open a client account.
- Go to the “settings” section on your profile.
- Click on “Contact info” and scroll down to “additional accounts”
- Click on “New Client Account”
- Follow on-screen instructions to set up your client account.
P.S. You can’t hire your freelancer account from your client account 🙂
Conclusion: How To Use Upwork As A Freelancer
In a nutshell, knowing how to use Upwork efficiently is the key to your success as a freelancer. Upwork is not just about opening an account and sending proposals. It is more of a strategic game.
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