Upwork can be ridiculously frustrating…IF you don’t know how to
use it.
I’ve been seeing more and more people expressing their frustrations using the platform, and I know it doesn’t have to be that way — even with their increase in fees, Upwork is still a go-to favorite of mine.
To help some frustrated folk out, I put together
this post with 5 tips on
getting more out of Upwork. The intro’s below, but click through if you want to read the whole thing. Have a great week!
Upwork is a sea of low bids, iffy pay structures, and scams for sure, but that doesn’t change one, simple fact — it’s still THE place that a lot of legitimate, paying, potentially-great-client companies come to when they need to outsource work to freelancers. The trick to Upwork isn’t so much not using it wrong, it’s being deliberate and using the parts of the platform that fit your
needs.
What gets left out of the discussion most of the time, is that Upwork isn’t just some flat marketplace where people buy and sell freelance work. It’s more of a collection of features, tools, resources, and programs that you should be picking and choosing from to shape your freelance work. If you aren’t aware of them, here’s a quick overview of the highlights beyond the general
marketplace…
Enterprise — Upwork’s program that connects large companies with qualified freelancers. Pro — Connects select freelancers with higher-dollar projects (about $5K and up) Teambuilder — Beta program for freelancers looking to work 30+ hours per week. Skills Index — Quarterly report that’s good for staying on top of what kind of freelance work people are actually paying for.
You might have noticed that all the programs require a background on the platform before you get accepted (another reason to build a portfolio there). Don’t let that frustrate you though…even if you aren’t accepted into a program, Upwork can be a powerful research tool in understanding what skills, niches, and opportunities are in demand.
Still, I know
you’re looking for something you can get started on now, which is why I want to give you some tips for turning Upwork into a platform that really does work for you.
Megan