How to Get Jobs on Upwork as a Beginner

Following the trend of earning online, everyone is searching for the right platform where they can make money with skills or even with no skills. Upwork is an online marketplace where you can sell your services to clients worldwide.

Finding and getting jobs on Upwork as a beginner is not easy unless you have the proper guidance. Online, you will find many people claiming to help you get your first order on Upwork. But none of them can promise you a successful run on Upwork. Some people stop getting jobs after their first order.

According to statistics, around 140 million people from around the globe are selling services on Upwork. And about 0.145 million clients buy Upwork freelance services. The total spending by the clients on Upwork remained at $2.52 billion in the year 2020.

You need to understand that it may be difficult for you to get started on Upwork. But once you are on track, no one can stop you from becoming a millionaire. This article discusses every hurdle you may face while getting your Upwork job as a beginner. A small number of freelancers very successfully cater the Upwork jobs in Pakistan. Read this article to learn how to join the Upwork Pakistan community.

How Does Upwork Work?

Upwork is heaven for both sellers and buyers. Along with the website, the Upwork app is also available to download from Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The interface of the Upwork mobile application is easy to navigate, and unlike Fiverr, its application contains almost every service you get on the Upwork website.

How Does Upwork Work For Freelancers?

Now, let’s talk about how a freelancer can use Upwork to sell services. The process of landing jobs on Upwork is different from Fiverr. On Fiverr, clients look for service sellers; on Upwork, it’s the other way around.

Upwork login and creating your profile are free of cost. After Upwork sign up you will be awarded a number of Connects that can be used to place bids on job posts. You also get 10 connects when a client responds to your bid. Upwork rewards you with 10 connects each month, and if you run out of connects, you can also buy them for $0.15 for one connect.

Upwork also has the option like Fiverr, where clients search for the service they want and get the list of top sellers. They will simply hire based on the reviews freelancers have received from former clients.

In your negotiation with the clients, if they agree to give you the order, there are a couple of ways to charge them. It also depends on the nature of the job. It could either be a one-time job or a long-term project. In long-term projects, the client creates a milestone for every task they assign you, and on completion, you get paid for that particular job. You can charge them a fixed amount for every order, or you can also charge them hourly.

How much does Upwork charge a Freelancer?

• 20% from $0 to $500 earnings
• 10% from $500.01 to $10,000 earnings
• 5% from $10,000.01 or more

How Does Upwork Work For Clients?

For clients, Upwork is simple. All you need to do is post a job or look for freelancers by yourself. In both methods, either they receive bids on their job post, or they approach them directly; Upwork assists them by showing sellers’ previous experience and performance on Upwork.

Clients can also ask the freelancers to share their work in the bid or in the chat. Upwork does not disclose too much information about the buyers. Once they hire a freelancer, Upwork offers a proper check on sellers with continuous tracking. After hiring on an hourly basis, freelancers must sign up to Upwork when they start working, and Upwork also takes screenshots to ensure they don’t cheat.

The payment system of Upwork is also very reliable for both clients and freelancers. Instead of charging a subscription fee, Upwork takes 5% from every transaction and 3% from U.S customers who pay through ACH.

How to Get Jobs on Upwork? | Step-by-step Guide

Either you want to know how to get your first order on Upwork, or you are one of those who stop getting responses from potential clients after completing one job. This step-by-step guide is for everyone who wants to get jobs on Upwork. It happens with people who get their first order at very early stages, but after that, Upwork starts becoming impossible for them. Such a thing happens to those who lack the knowledge.

Upwork has trustworthy clients, competitive pay rates, Upwork jobs work from home flexibility across dozens of categories, and payment security. After listening to this, new freelancing enthusiasts simply rush into joining Freelancing platforms without learning how it works. Some get their first order on Upwork but later get stuck. Further in the article, you will get a complete guide on how to get jobs on Upwork as a beginner.

Step One: Optimize Your Upwork Profile

Optimizing your profile on Upwork is the first step toward success. If you have no idea how to optimize your profile, you should start by checking out the profiles of other freelancers offering the same Upwork Freelance services.

Other than checking out seller profiles, you should also explore the job posts by clients and learn what they require in a freelancer. At the end of every job post, you will see previous jobs from the same client and read the reviews they gave to the sellers.

• Optimized Description

On Upwork, clients can also contact freelancers by searching for a specific service. Upwork lets you post a project of the services you offer on Upwork. For instance, if you are an Upwork content writer, you will post a gig so clients can approach you after seeing your offering. This step is similar to Fiverr but more beneficial for those with reviews on their Upwork profile. You will need connects for this process as well. By turning on the Invitations to Interview option in the Proposals section, you will spend 6 connects per week.

Getting approached by clients is not easy, even for experienced sellers on Upwork. You should optimize both your Upwork profile description and Project description. You want to make it simple for potential clients to find you whether you’re seeking to land your first or 100th job on Upwork. This entails creating a thorough summary of your experience as well as a description of your skill set that is rich with keywords pertinent to the kinds of positions based on your skill set.

After posting your description with trendy keywords, check if that helps improve the results. You have successfully optimized your profile if you start getting views and job invitations. Otherwise, keep doing your SEO research and updating the description.

• Add a Professional Profile photo

Your profile picture is your first impression, and if inappropriate, it will negatively impact your performance on Upwork. Earning through social media is different from the traditional physical method. Traditionally, you go to the interviewer fully dressed because you want to leave a good impression, or you send a professional resume. Upwork online jobs only come when you leave a good first impression through pictures and descriptions.

You need a closely cropped picture of your head and neck because the photographs on the website are tiny. While a suit is fine for a typical job interview, it’s a little too formal for your Upwork profile because freelancing differs entirely from a traditional job. Avoid wearing something too revealing if any part of it will be visible in the photo. You also want your picture to appear welcoming. You’re not posing for your passport; instead, you’re attempting to entice potential customers.

• Add Skills

Upwork has a section where you can add keywords of your skills. This section is as important as your profile description. Along with an optimized description, you are required to add keywords here that align with your skill set.

It is recommended that you add up to 10 skills that address your services on Upwork. The skills can be chosen from the database. You will type different variations of your profession. For example, if you are an Upwork graphic designer, you will type it and see what options it shows.

It is also important to note that you only add those skills that are directly linked to your offering. If you have other skills like Swimming, Music, or writing, that does not mean you offer everything on Upwork. Clients prefer those service providers who are good at one thing.

Your chosen skills affect how potential clients find you on the website and where your proposals appear when you apply for jobs. You will rank higher in the list of applicants if your skills match the best with the desired skills set by the clients.

• Add Education and Work Experiences

Adding your Education and Work Experiences is essential in landing your first Job on Upwork. Once you become a top seller, you still require adding work experience because this is the only way a potential client can know if you are able to perform what you are claiming.

On the profile page, you will see a few sections where you share your previous experience or proof of something you have in the past that can endorse your skills. You get to add Portfolio, Education, Certification, Work Experiences, and Other Experience.

In the Education tab, you add your qualifications. You can add your recent or ongoing degree. In the work experience, you can add both the traditional physical or online jobs you have done, and in other experiences, you add any work you once did in your school or college. In the Certification section, you share proof of your experience.

Finally, the most crucial one is the Portfolio section. If you are an Upwork content writer, you will add links to your published or non-published content. If you have lots of work experience, you don’t need to include everything; simply share the best and most recent work.

Step Two: Start Searching for the Right Job

Searching for the right job is a vital thing when you are starting your Upwork freelance career. This part of the article is a must-read if you want to learn how to get your first order on Upwork. If you don’t look for the right gig and start applying to any job, you may end up nowhere.

You will find many scammers on Upwork who target newbies and try to steal from them. Upwork has a policy asking buyers and sellers to not leave the platform. It may cost you a small percentage of your earnings, but it guarantees payment security in the end.

• Choose Patiently

Applying for a job can have practical and long-term implications. When you look for Upwork online jobs, try to find a client with which you can work for the long term. Getting jobs on Upwork may be easy but ending up with the right client is difficult. Once you build a strong relationship with the client, they will always come back and hire you for more work. Search for the right keywords in the search bar. If you don’t know what to enter, simply browse by searching for the skills you mentioned in your profile.

Carefully read the job description because serious clients always write detailed job posts and expect the freelancers to be fully aware of the task. Some even ask the applicant to mention a phrase in their bid, which tells that they are serious to get it and have applied after reading the complete job description. Reading the job description also gives you an idea of whether you should do it or not. Avoid submitting your application if the buyer asks for something other than your skill.

• Start with Small Earnings & Get Positive Feedback

Getting jobs on Upwork as a beginner demands gradual growth. If you rush and start applying for jobs with a large budget, you will end up getting nothing out of it, and your career on Upwork will be over before it starts.

Instead of going for big-budget jobs, try to target low-paid tasks and, in return, get positive feedback. As a newbie, your goal should be getting as much positive feedback as possible and later enjoying making thousands of dollars.

Offer a partnership to the client because the first buyer can eventually become a long-term client. After some time, the same buyer will be happy to pay you more and give you good reviews, which will help land more orders.

Step Three: Submit Compelling Proposals

Submit a proposal that wins jobs for you. Writing a Proposal is the most significant part of the whole process of making money on Upwork. Your submission decides whether you will earn from Upwork on not. Your proposal has to be compelling that pull the potential buyers towards you. If you fail to write a good bid, you will fail to earn from freelancing.

A bid also includes how you will charge for the service. There are a few aspects that you need to cover in your proposal. A good proposal addresses every single thing. Further, you will get tips on how to write good Upwork Proposals. Read every single instruction very carefully to improve your proposal writing.

• Understand the Job

A complete understanding of what a client is looking for helps you write a good proposal. Read the full job description to learn what problem the client is facing. Some clients very smartly hide a code word in the job description that they want you to mention in your proposal. This way, they can know if you have read the complete description or not.

Although each proposal should be particular to the freelancer and job description, most effective proposals share a few features: A quick introduction with a greeting followed by a succinct recapitulation of the client’s primary need or issue. If you follow these instructions, clients will love your proposal and respond to it.

• Include Work Experience

Just like a traditional job application, you must add your work experience in the proposal so clients can know what you are capable of and what you have done in the past. Whether you are new to Upwork or submitting a proposal for your 110th job, you must include your professional experience.

It is easy if you can share your work with customers with proof. For example, you can share published articles if you are a writer. But if you are new on Upwork and have no work to share, you can share the testimonies of your previous clients. There is also a section on the profile page where you can add testimonials.

• Offer Your Services at Low Rates

Offering your services at a low price when you have a lot of experience to share, you can ask the clients to give positive feedback in return. Even old Upwork freelance service providers use this strategy to increase their ratings.

You should mention this in your Upwork proposal with the proof of experience you have. The experience could be something you have done in a firm or on another freelance platform. Low-paying Clients would love to have experienced service providers working for them.

• Bonus Step: Prepare Yourself for the Interview

The solution for getting orders on Upwork as a Beginner has not ended. After submitting an attractive offer to the client job post. Most clients ask for an interview before they hire you for the task. This interview could be conducted on a voice or video call. They will ask you questions about your take on the work and how you can help them with it.

You need to prepare for this interview just like you get ready for the physical job interview. For such an interview, you will require a high-quality camera and, most notably, a good microphone. If you are using the right tool, it will leave a good impact on the client.

You should know what the customer is looking for and what you have to offer them. Other than the things mentioned above, you can propose a better efficient deal to them. For instance, you deliver the work at a fast pace. There can be many other things that you can offer.

What are the Most Demanding Skills on Upwork 2022?

If you are getting started with your Upwork freelance career. This step will help you in having a successful run on the freelance platform. Upwork is a huge marketplace with thousands of gigs in every niche. From content writers to data analysts, everyone can earn a lot of money from Upwork.

You will need to learn the demanding skills on Upwork so you can start offering them from the first day of your Upwork sign-up. These are also the best Upwork jobs for beginners. Here are a few easy and famous skills on Upwork:

1. Typing Jobs

Upwork typing jobs include a wide range of skills, and many Upwork jobs work from home. You will find Upwork writing jobs and Upwork data entry jobs in the typing category. This means if you are a Transcriptionist, Online customer support representative, Blogger, Editor, or a simple data entry expert.

You can start selling your writing services on Upwork, which contains thousands of jobs in this field. A job gets posted on Upwork every other minute. Millions of people stay active all the time. If you follow every step mentioned in the article, you will never look back.

2. Graphic Designing

Graphic Designing is one of the most demanding skills on Upwork in 2022. Upwork graphic designers make from $15 to $40 an hour. In this field, you can make money on Upwork without skills. On Upwork, graphic designers have the ability to earn a sizable sum of money. This is due to the fact that practically all businesses employ graphic designers for their websites, business cards, or social media.

You can offer this service without even learning graphic designing. All you need is access to Canva, and you can create all of these things using free templates. Before you send your proposal, prepare a few samples on Canva and share them with the bid. This way, you will have a great chance of landing a job at Upwork.

3. Voiceover jobs

Every day millions of videos get posted on youtube, and some of them require voiceovers. Upwork voiceover jobs are at the top of the best Upwork jobs for beginners. An Upwork customer will probably seek a freelance voice actor if they require a voiceover for their YouTube video, movie, or Tv show. The best part about this job is that you can earn money without becoming a professional voice actor. All you need is a good voice and a good accent.

You must have watched kids’ cartoon shows or youtube videos. The production houses of such shows try to hire new talent, so they don’t have to pay a lot of cash to the big stars. Many professional voice-over artists start their careers through online gigs and later become stars. New voiceover artists make approximately $5 to $50 per Upwork project.

How much can you make on Upwork?

Upwork freelance earnings may vary in each case. It depends on the skills, field, and experience. Some even make millions, but many freelancers only make a few monthly dollars. Upwork shares research reports on earnings on its platform. In a blog on its site, Upwork talks about the payments:

• According to Upwork’s past industry research, 60% of freelancers on its platform left their regular jobs to have a full-time freelancing career.
• The report of 2020 shows that the average earnings of service providers in the United States remained at $20 per hour on Upwork.
• Web/mobile development, marketing, law, accountancy, and other skilled services are high-paying jobs on Upwork, with average salaries of even more than $28 per hour. These freelancers make up more than 70% of all American workers.

Conclusion

This article shares the best practices used by top freelancers on Upwork. Earning online seems complicated at first, but by following this step-by-step guideline, one day, you may even be able to start your own software house.