If you’re a freelancer or virtual assistant and are unsure how to get started on Upwork, this guide is for you. Getting started on Upwork is exciting. It has almost 20 million freelancers on the platform, and good for newbies who are beginning their virtual journey.
In this blog, we’ve broken down everything you need to know about starting out on Upwork by laying out the process in an easy way you can follow. By the end of this guide, you’ll be ready to start bidding on jobs and ready to start earning.
Why You Need to Start Your Freelancing Career on Upwork
After Covid, many people are now moving from the traditional 9 to 5 systems to working online. Starting a career online is easy since you don’t require much investment upfront. Once you secure a smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop, and the internet, you are good to go.
While there are many freelancing platforms to build a solid career, Upwork is more promising. This is due to the availability of millions of jobs posted every month.
Depending on your expertise, all you need is to apply to jobs that meet your job demands. It can be challenging for beginners trying to build a convincing portfolio, but worth the effort.
Upwork is a Freelancing Platform That Connects Businesses With Remote Workers
Upwork makes it easier for clients to connect with remote workers. It’s an online marketplace where businesses can post jobs and then find qualified freelancers to do the task. The client chooses the best candidate for their project, while the worker gets to pick from the best-paying jobs on Upwork.
Upwork founders realized companies were struggling to find reliable and skilled freelancers. They could not use the traditional methods or find the right match locally through agencies or other freelance networks.
They also noticed that many businesses paid more than they needed for services rendered. Some were spending thousands of dollars on software and services that didn’t even help them find good workers!
So they decided to create a better way. They created an online platform where businesses could post jobs and get top-quality workers worldwide.
To Get Started On Upwork, Create a Profile And Add Information About Your Skills And Experience
If you’re looking for a freelancing platform to get started on, Upwork is a great option. To create a profile, simply go to the website and click “Create a Profile. ” From there, you’ll need to add information about your skills and experience. Once your profile is complete, take some time to browse through available jobs and see if any match your skillset.
Here is the step-by-step process of getting up started on Upwork. Your profile should be well optimized, and that helps most freelancers with Upwork profile visibility for easy booking.
Step By Step Process of Setting Up Upwork Account
Step1: Sign Up on Upwork
It’s very easy for newbies dreaming of starting their career on Upwork. You simply go to the https://upwork.com website and click sign up.
After the click, you’ll get two options. One asks you to sign up as a client, and the other as a freelancer looking for work.
You can sign up using the Upwork app or the desktop version. Both devices work the same.
If you sign up to work and earn, you go on the “freelancer’s side.
In the signup requirement, you’ll be asked for your
- Name
- Email Address
- Password
- …and your country of residence
Step 2: Name Your Goal
After filling in Upwork details, you’ll answer some questions to help Upwork tailor your profile with the right information. For instance, here is one such question:
You choose one option that resonates with the services you offer.
Step 3: Choose How To Work on Upwork
Things have really changed on Upwork nowadays. Unlike how people used to sign up and get work immediately. Today, you have to choose either to go the traditional way, package your work for clients to buy (Fiverr style) or allow Upwork to act as a recruiter.
Step 4: Import, Upload resume or Fill Manually
It is easier to fill up your Upwork profile details. If you hate filling things out manually, your LinkedIn transfer or resume upload can do the trick for you. This way, you save yourself time and overthinking what to fill where.
Although the manual process is straightforward, the new approach saves newbies headaches.
Step 5: Add Your Upwork Title
Your title can make or break your career on Upwork. Use the right words or keywords that connect with the services you offer. It is what clients see and decide to read further about you or to pick the next available freelancer.
Step 6: Add Your Experience
The next thing clients search for about you is experience. It helps them to see better the expertise you bring on board. Also, the experience you share gives clients the confidence to know you understand their business operations.
Step 7: Show Your Level of Education
Before clients hire you as their freelancer, it’s good to see your proof of education. They risk their investment, and your education proves to them that you have what it takes.
So, share your educational background and especially areas that support your Upwork title.
Step 8: Include Your Language
You need to add the language you are good at. English is a must, but you must show what level of proficiency you are good at. There’s the basic, conversational, fluent, and native or bilingual. Choosing one helps clients to know where to place you during the hiring process.
The next step is to add additional language that you are proficient in. For instance, “English” & “French”
Step 9: Add Your Skills
Now, this is the next critical area you need to consider carefully. The upwork skills phase is where you tell clients the number of skills you have. In this section, you must be sure of what you put because clients will search for you based on your information.
Step 10: Add Your Bio
Clients will hire you based on your skills and what they are searching for. If they find your skills match what they are searching for, that puts you in a good position for hire. Though not entirely the only requirement, it’s one part of the bargain.
Step 11: Add Main Service That You Offer
Upwork requires you to put the main service that defines you. Yes! You may be multitalented, but that skill sets you apart in your professionalism. Is it copywriting, marketing, video editing, or graphic design, then put it here.
Step 12: Set Your Hourly Rate
As you finalize your profile setup, your hourly rate is very important to attract clients based on their budget. You can set first the amount you are comfortable with. Later, after getting reviews, you can adjust to a more comfortable rate in that order.
Step 13: Add Photo/ Location / Address
Make sure you add your best photo ever. An appealing photo is advisable, especially when showing your best smile. This makes clients imagine the person or freelancer they’ll be working with. They imagine you making their customers happy or creating a happy team environment.
Also, add your location or place of residence.
Step 14: Preview Your Upwork Profile
After you check all the information you put is correct, preview it again and submit it. After verifying the information is as required, press the Upwork #submit button.
Once You Have a Profile Set Up, You Can Start Bidding On Jobs That Match Your Skillset
Upwork is a great platform for you to get started with online work. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s easy to use.
An optimized profile on Upwork can help potential clients understand what you can do and whether you’re a good fit for their project. Start bidding on jobs that match your skill set.
FAQ ( Frequently Asked Questions)
Is Upwork Good Place for Beginners?
It is the best place to begin your freelancing journey by marketing your skills to clients. Upwork is a big company projected to reach $4 billion soonest, with plenty of work posted on the platform. So, Upwork is a great place for beginners to build their careers from scratch to a level of their choice.
How Do I Work On Upwork for Clients Without Experience?
If you are new to Upwork, you can request your former clients to write a testimonial and use it to sell yourself. Luckily, today you can share your testimonials with clients you’ve worked with outside Upwork.
For total newbies who are starting their career from scratch, you can look for jobs that require “new entry” and start from there. The first job you secure is enough experience to share with other clients.
Why is it Hard To Get Clients on Upwork?
Many beginners find it hard to secure clients for applying for the wrong jobs. Alternatively, their qualifications or experience fails to match that of other applicants.
How to Get Started On Upwork and Earn Make Money
Of course, the idea of joining Upwork is to make money. Unless for a rare case, will you hear a freelancer searching for jobs on Upwork as a hobby?
Becoming successful on Upwork requires a solid strategy to join other freelancers ahead of you. One thing to master is how to connect with clients and make them hire you. Any hire translates to a money-making process, but consider the hiring rate.
$5 rate is a win, and $50 per hour is a win too. So, the secret to making enough money is targeting high-ticketing clients. How do you achieve this? By learning how to target job posts with a higher paying rate, and one you are qualified for.
Conclusion
`Starting your virtual career on Upwork is the best thing for beginners. No platform can match the quality and number of jobs Upwork gets every month. Clients have a high level of trust in the platform, and freelancers should capitalize on that.
Learn from this post and let it guide you now on how to get started on Upwork step by step. If you follow the post as shared, it’s your time to go out there and shine.
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