Upwork is an online platform that connects clients and freelancers. This innovative company was founded in 2003 with the goal of connecting freelance workers to the right jobs, no matter where they’re located or what time zone they live in.
Clients can search through UpWork’s freelancers for specific skillsets, while job seekers can use this site as their vehicle to find work opportunities around the world.
Working remotely has been a turning point and many people benefit from it. According to a report by the Stanford Graduate School of Business, working from home can improve your productivity by up to 13%. Needless to say, that’s only one of the many reasons to start freelancing on Upwork.
But, is Upwork good for beginners?
Freelancing has become a popular trend in today’s digital economy, especially with the impact of the pandemic.
As a freelancer on Upwork, you’ll be able to pick any projects that appeal to you no matter if you’re just starting out or if you’re an expert. Today, we’ll go through everything you need to know about working on Upwork as a beginner.
READ MORE: How To Use Upwork To be a Successful Freelancer
What Is Upwork?
Upwork is the most popular freelancing platform for both clients and remote workers. It has a unique business model that connects freelancers with clients, no matter where they are in the world or how long it takes.
Its innovative design allows users to take on short-term projects as well as large enterprises looking for full-time employees across virtually any industry.
Over the years, it has become more difficult to be part of the Upwork community with a stricter application process and a lot of competitors. That said, it’s certainly possible for beginners to shine on the platform and make a living out of it.
Upwork Is The Best Freelancing Platform For Beginners
I’ve said it. Overall, taking everything into account, Upwork is really the top choice for those new to freelancing.
Although it might be a bit tricky to find projects at the beginning, it’s certainly possible, and you’ll surely succeed as a freelancer if you’re ready to invest the necessary hard work, time, and patience.
Also, according to Upwork itself, up to 75% of freelancers are able to increase their earnings when freelancing. I personally find more freedom and flexibility working remotely as a freelancer and wouldn’t go back for any reason.
3 Best Jobs On Upwork For Beginners
Translator
Do you have a background in one or more languages? If so, there are plenty of online translation jobs that would be perfect for you.
For example, if you’re fluent in German and French, then you’re just one click away from finding a project translating documents from English into either or both languages even as a beginner.
READ MORE: All The Jobs For Beginners On Upwork
There might not always be openings available but translation jobs are some of the most common on Upwork. Luckily for you, if you’re just starting out, they’re also some of the easiest if you master the language.
Content Writing
A freelance writer is someone who gets paid to write content for various clients. They may be asked to create anything from novels and magazine articles, all the way down to social media posts or in-depth blog posts.
The main task of a freelance writer is creating content that your client needs – but there are major differences in writing styles depending on what they’re working with (e.g., books vs blogs).
Of course, being an expert content writer takes months, even years, and lots of hard work. However, if you’re willing to sacrifice your prices, then this might be the best job for you on Upwork as a beginner.
Data Entry Jobs
Data entry jobs are an excellent way to work from home and a great job for freelance beginners on Upwork. These jobs can be fairly easy from researching data online and uploading it onto an Excel file or finding contact details of organizations.
All in all, if you’re just starting out, this is what you need to focus on.
Types Of Jobs You Can Find On Upwork
One-Off Fixed Rated Projects
Quite easy to understand by their name, fixed-rate jobs are some that won’t last and generally speaking one-off projects.
For instance, you might design a logo for $300, write a blog post for $50, or build a website for $200.
While clients might be impressed with the results, the agreement for a one-time deliverable is usually clear.
Hourly Projects
Hourly jobs are often overlooked as an option when it comes to freelancing. These hourly contracts allow you the flexibility and freedom of adapting your workload in order to satisfy clients’ needs with ease.
Hourly jobs can offer more flexibility than traditional contract negotiation which means there will never be any shortage of available hours that would otherwise go unused without having employees who need them off sick leave etcetera – leaving room open for
Projects With Milestones
We can see the milestone projects as a mix of the 2 above. In fact, these can be longer-term projects but that still operate on a flat rate premise.
For example, you might start to work for a client writing 2 blog posts per work for $200 (of course, it all depends on your agreement with them).
Every time you finish writing 2 blog posts, they will then approve and get your money. After that, they’ll assign new milestones to you for 2 more posts and pay again when you complete these 2 new posts.
Another example would be a long-time translation project with 1 document weekly. Once you’ve finished the translation, you can request the payment and wait for the new translation milestone to start working on it.
While these are my personal favorites, the process can sometimes take longer than expected because of clients’ slow responses or not paying immediately.
Is Upwork Good For Beginners?
With all that in mind, Upwork is still a great, if not the best, freelancing platform for beginners.
From the ease of use to the number of projects available on the marketplace to the payment protection, if you encounter issues, that’s the best place to start.
More Remote Work Guides
- How To Become a Freelance Copywriter
- This is How to Use Upwork as a Freelancer
- 7 Easy Freelance Jobs for Beginners in 2022
- Is Upwork Legit? Avoid Upwork Scams Easily
- How to Write a Proposal on Upwork to Get Jobs Right Now
- How to Find Clients Online – 7 Ways to Get Clients as a Freelancer
Conclusion – Does Upwork Work?
Upwork is a great place for beginners to start their freelancing careers. It offers beginner-friendly features that make it easy for newbies to get started and find work.
On top of that, it has enough advanced options for experienced freelancers who are looking to up the ante on their skillset. The future of freelance 2020 by Upwork reports that 68% of managers claim working remotely gets easier and easier.
To sum up, you have no reason not to try out Upwork.
If you’re just starting out in your freelance endeavors or want a more robust and stable platform than what’s offered elsewhere, then check it out today.
