Upwork Review – Legit or Scam

Upwork is a network where business can go to hire freelancers to complete jobs like website design, writing content, graphic design, write advertisement and any other types of work they need to be done. Furthermore, this is a large network for the freelancer to find work and bid on jobs. Today, the freelance platform is gaining popularity worldwide and many people are choosing to work independently because of the world’s job market or should I say the lack of jobs in the market today. Many organizations are turning to freelance job platforms like Upwork to find talented freelancers to complete the jobs they can’t find the talent for in-house.

How To Join:

1. If you have a skill set that you can perform on your computer and companies need, then it’s possible to join Upwork and look for jobs that client’s post on the site.
2. Register with the site and confirm your email address.
3. Fill in your complete profile so the clients can see who you are.
4. Make sure that you provide detailed information about your work experience, education, skills and any other information a company would look for when hiring an employee.

Completing Your Profile:

1. Your profile is the most important aspect of the site. This is your main selling point and used as a CV or resume when a client reads your online profile.
2. The profile is very detailed and it will take you about an hour to complete it.
3. The first thing you need to do is select the service you’ll offer the client’s on the site. The categories are broken down into the web, mobile & software development, IT & networking, Engineering & architecture, design & creative, writing, translation, legal, admin support, customer service, sales & marketing, and accounting & consulting.
4. Fill in your level of experience in each field you’ve selected. You can select between entry level, intermediate, and expert. The more experience you have will determine your salary on the site.
5. You’ll complete your profile by entering the information for:
   1. Your professional title
   2. Profile photo
   3. Professional overview
   4. Education
   5. Employment history
   6. The proficiency level of the language you speak
   7. Your desired hourly rates
   8. How many hours you’re available to work
   9. Your physical location
6. Once you’ve completed your profile, it must be submitted to the company for approval. This normally takes 12 or more hours for your profile to be approved.
7. When you bid on a job on the site, you’ll need to submit your portfolio, a proposal, cover letter, and resume.
8. Make sure you set up your preferred payment method so the company knows how to pay you.

How Does it Work?

1. Once you’ve completed your registration and online profile, it’s time to start searching for available jobs.
2. The company has a listing of all available jobs that people have posted on the site.
3. Search the job listing, read the description, and decide if you can successfully fulfill this job.
4. If so, then you’ll need to submit a bid on the job.
5. If the client selects your bid, you’ll be notified that you’ve been hired for the job.
6. You can now start working directly with the client to successfully complete the work and be paid for your service.
7. However, if your bid was unsuccessful, the company will tell you why the client didn’t select you for the position.

What to Expect:

1. According to the company, there are over 12 million people registered on Upwork competing for jobs and looking for employment as a freelancer.
2. There is a lot of competition on the site and if you’re just joining, you’ll need to prove yourself. This isn’t always easy because you have no work history with the site.
3. As a new member, you’ll be competing against people who are well established and have worked with a few of the client’s in this past. This can make it extremely difficult to find your first paying job on the site.
4. Many new members will try and bid as low as they possibly can. This makes it difficult to make money on the site and be paid a decent rate for your work.
5. You’ll be working directly with the client. so try and avoid back and froths with them. If you have an important question, then ask. Make sure that everything is clear before you start the job. Ask all your questions upfront to make the job easier to complete.
6. You’ll need to make yourself available to the client. Make sure it is easy for them to get in touch with you.
7. When you join the site, it isn’t possible to sit back and wait for the work to come to you. You’ll need to check the job listed, send in bids, and continue to look for work on the site. This is the only way to land your first paying job working on Upwork.
8. Make sure your profile on the site is error-free. This includes your resume and cover letter. This is so important because clients will visit your profile page and read what you’ve written. If your information is filled with error, misspelled words, and incomplete information, you’ll never be hired to work on the site. A client wants to see a professional profile before they hire you.

How to Land Your First Job:

1. It isn’t easy to land your first job on the site. The clients will look at your profile and check the rating you’ve received from the work you’ve completed.
2. However, if you have no experience on the site, when searching for a job, use the “no experience required” field to narrow down your search and help you find your first job.
3. Start off with a very low hourly rate. This is important to not try and use a high hourly rate until you’ve established yourself on the site. By accepting a few jobs at a lower pay will help you land more jobs at a higher pay on the site.
4. All jobs that you complete will help to build up your reputation on the site and gives you a chance to earn more money in the end.
5. Fill in your profile with all of your skills. Make it look professional, interesting, and let the person know you have the knowledge and experience to handle the work.
6. Another way to gain more jobs on the site is to take the inbuilt proficiency tests. This proves that you have experience at different levels and helps to improve your chances of landing your first job.
7. Make sure you don’t try and cheat on your profile. If English isn’t your first language, then don’t say it is. Be honest and tell people the truth. This helps to improve your credibility on the site and clients like to know that you aren’t trying to cheat them or claim you’re something you’re not.

How Does the Company Pay?

1. The way you’re paid for the completed work is determined by you.
2. When setting up your payment options you have several choices to choose from.
3. You may choose to be paid by the hour. The payment system on the site will bill the client’s account for each hour you work. When the job is completed, the billing stops.
4. Fixed billing pays you once the work is completed and approved by the client. The fixed rate is deducted from the client’s account and you’ll receive payment to your account.
5. The last payment method is a pre-funded milestone payment. This means that sequential payments are deposited into your account until the job has been completed. Once you submit a draft to the client, you’ll receive a partial payment in your account. When the work is completed and approved, the final payment is credited to your account.
6. You can choose to be paid through a direct deposit, PayPal, a wire transfer, Payoneer or even Skrill.

Conclusion:

This is a legitimate site and you’ll be paid for your work. However, to be hired and find a good paying gig is very hard on this site. There are way too many people competing for the same work and this makes it difficult to be selected for the position. The freelancer’s who’ve worked on this site for years can make a decent amount of money. However, if you’re new to the site it is very hard to prove yourself and land a gig. It will take a lot of time, hard work, and an extreme amount of effort to establish yourself on this site.