My Upwork Journey

Upwork is a platform intermediating jobs between freelancers, agencies on one side and clients or companies on the other. I discovered it many years ago, it was elance back then, then odesk, and now upwork. Part of my profile @upwork:

I applied to many jobs but had no success in getting a contract, for 6 months. Talk about perseverence? Then, surprise, I got my first contract, a simple project to vectorize and alter a bit the design of a Djinni Lamp. Then it started to work a bit better and got a few other jobs. 

My strategy to upwork?

+ free account, I tried the paid version/ starter version 9$/ month but returned to free account;

+ apply to many jobs, but not very expensive ones, up to 12 credits/ job (now there are jobs that require up to 22 credits?! omg); You can buy credits/ connects, 80 for 12$ for example, they expire in one year. High connects jobs are usually full time jobs overseas and I don't match the schedule for one, and then the list of requirements is very very long.

+ apply to jobs that don't have over 20 other designers applying, so max 5 -15 applications; I created a filter to my job search and it shows only these. You have to be fast. I would be overwhelmed as a client with 50+ applicants, I surely wouldn't have time to look at all their profiles and applications and portfolios, so I do think it's important to be fast. You can bid to jobs, give credits/ connects to get a chance to be mentioned higher in the list, it's risky, I did this but only on a few jobs.  

+ apply to jobs with clients who have verified payments and, if they have a history in the platform, even better ( I am not fast to apply to jobs by clients that made their account "today"); Unfortunately there are scams out there, beware, you wouldn't want to work and not get paid. 

~ I hesitate to apply when the client has started many interviews

- I don't apply when the client has hired already. Doh.

+ when appying or when discussing, divide the job into steps/ milestones the client can agree on. That if it's a fixed rate job. For example if the client wants a branding package, you can divide it into mood board, logo, brand manual, social media template, and price each and give a timeline for completion. Or, the client wants a poster, you can divide it into top part/ bottom part, kidding... no, draft design/ sketch and finalizing the design, for example.

+ discuss well all the requirements with the client, what are the final files requested, make sure you understand what he wants and that it's something you can do well. Don't make a contract if you are not sure.

+ if I get a job, I try my best completing it and if the client agrees I add it to my portfolio.

Did it work? Yes, for a while, but now the competition is even greater. And when I open upwork there are already 20-50 or over 50 applicants. Crazy! I don't give up on this platform, but it sure is harder to get jobs, even if now I have a portfolio, a good rating, many hours worked and all. 

For newcommers is possibly even harder unless you are a charmer with words and proposals, have a great portfolio and a correct rate.  Good luck to you! And if you have tips on how to better my upwork journey, let me know!  All the best, Maria!