One of the most difficult and decisive things to start as a Freelancer is choosing which platform to work on. But don’t worry, you don’t need the universe to conspire in your favor, for the planets to align, or to consult the oracle of Delphos to find out where you can do better. 

Rated as one of the most popular remote work platforms on the network, not only for billing more than a million dollars offering freelancer services but for serving as a reliable and very secure teleworker-client broker network. Upwork is an excellent alternative. Today we trace the route for you to be chosen on this platform.

The Profile: the cover of every Freelance

The probability of being chosen for a project will ALWAYS go through a preview of your profile. A well-designed profile, with accurate information and persuasively arranged, can make the difference between an eternal unsuccessful applicant and someone worth hiring. Therefore, what is reflected in your profile says more about you than you could imagine.

To be able to see “the light at the end of the tunnel” the main thing is to be very clear about the skills and abilities that you can offer. In this way, your potential client will know if you are really the one to start a project with you.

As my grandmother would say “look inside yourself”   and then write a list of your most outstanding skills, how many hours you have worked, how much money you have earned, and What languages ​​do you speak?

Upwork provides you with a list of various job categories on its platform. If you take a look, you will be able to identify which ones match your profile and the possible jobs you can apply for. Something that generates a lot of impacts is having a portfolio on your profile, where you can display your previous work (commonly used by Graphic Designers, Web Developers, etc).

 And also, it is very persuasive to have Certifications, that is, all those certificates or diplomas that can validate any of your knowledge. In short, if you want to be perceived as a trustworthy person and an expert in what you do, your profile is the key.

Service Pricing

Perhaps you can come to think, as in conventional jobs, that you should boast that you are well prepared and consequently “sell yourself dearly”. But you should keep in mind that the main benefit of hiring Teleworkers is the low cost. In principle, do not offer your services at a super high cost as if the world were going to end tomorrow.  

Nobody trusts you yet and for now, your focus should be on improving your reputation on the platform. Also, consider that the companies and people they hire become frantic researchers of those who offer a better cost-benefit ratio.

Yes, I know, you want to opt for high payments, but be patient! Although these companies are willing to pay high prices, this is conditional on having a great level of experience and good reviews. One recommendation is to start within the range between $ 3 and $ 10 an hour. So, in the long term, you can increase and charge more for your services, but you must take a reasonable time to achieve your first project and for that, make clients who are looking for cheap labor find you.

The Time of the Test has arrived

One of the most interesting options that Upwork has is the possibility of filling out a free Test, in order to verify if your skills should be in your profile. In this way, it is evident if you master the skills and languages ​​you speak and also position yourself in the results of the platform. It will only take about 20 to 25 minutes and they will be evaluated in a range of 0 to 5, with the minimum to pass in about 2.5 and in others, it is 3.

The million-dollar question is why do I have to go through this verification mechanism? Simple, it is not enough to talk about how wonderful and competent you are but you can try it. Therefore, if you want to generate credibility for your future clients, do it! In addition, the test results positions you in a global rank compared to your colleagues. What you can rank among the highest or lowest marks. Yes, it is a kind of honor roll that can give you a better chance of being chosen.

What happens if you fail? For everyone’s happiness, the platform will give you the opportunity to present again after 30 days have passed since you presented. So take a reasonable time to brush up on your knowledge, because being free doesn’t make it easy.

Language Barrier 

If you could do a survey to everyone who works at Upwork, I assure you that 99.9% of Freelancers will tell you “it is essential to speak English”. Consider the fact that this platform is managed under the English language and most of the companies that seek professionals on this platform are from the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe.

This means that the chances of being chosen are closely related to mastering English at a professional level, if you are Bilingual even better. Otherwise, if your level is only conversational or very basic, they probably won’t even consider you. Get ready, because the opportunity to be chosen in Upwork may be within reach of a “Hello”.

Profile Reputation

There is a saying “your reputation precedes you” and this platform is no exception. There are a number of things that improve your reputation and make you more “eligible.” A good idea to start with is to apply for jobs on a daily basis and on purpose. Spend a few hours a day looking for job postings that match your interests and skills. 

The best thing is that with a free Upwork account you have 60 Connects that serve as tokens to exchange for applications to jobs. Otherwise, you will have an inactive account that the platform will not be able to make visible to future clients.

Once you close a contract with your first client, make him live an unbeatable experience and then ask him to not only rate you positively, but also to recommend you. In the Upwork universe, word of mouth can work to your reputation – be on the lookout for this. 

There is something called “Job Success” in Upwork which is the score to calculate your reputation within the platform. If you have this positive record, the chances of being chosen are much higher, since the platform can position you in the order of search results and have a greater chance of being considered by dubious customers.