A Sneak Peak into Freelancer’s Journal: From Novice to Pro
If you're at the beginning of your freelancing career, remember that every service has its price and your time and effort matter.
Highlights
Insights into the difficulties beginners face on Upwork, like accepting low-paying jobs.
How Upwork's introduction of virtual currency (connects) has made the job application process more competitive.
Practical tips for new freelancers, such as ensuring fair compensation, researching clients, and viewing projects as learning opportunities.
It was the summer of 2016, and working from home was still an urban myth. I met a classmate at a party, and she excitedly shared the news of finding an amazing online job that pays well and doesn't require you to go to the office. It was the first time I had learned about online jobs, copywriting, and platforms such as Upwork. The idea of turning my biggest passion, writing, into a business seemed surreal, but all skepticism aside, I simply had to give it a shot.
The next morning, my Upwork profile was set up; the rest is history. The market has changed drastically over the last eight years, and Upwork wasn't immune to these transitions. Here's a look into my almost-a-decade-long freelance journey - all the ups and downs included.
Learning the Ropes: The Prehistoric Upwork
As an Upwork rookie or entry-level freelancer, I was advised to accept even the lowest-rate jobs, which was my initial strategy. The goal was to gather as much positive feedback as possible, which would be displayed on my profile and speak in favor of my skills and dedication.
The clients were well aware of this mindset and took full advantage of the situation. I remember not earning a dime from my first projects, as Upwork fees consumed almost all my earnings. Being a beginner, I was grateful to have received the opportunity to collaborate with these websites and learn the ropes.
However, from this perspective, I wouldn't allow clients to benefit from my lack of experience. If you're at the beginning of your freelancing career, remember that every service has its price and your time and effort matter. The positive reviews should be a bonus, not a means of payment. Also, reviews go both ways, and it is important to factor in your client's scores before entering a contract.
One of my first negative experiences and biggest lessons in freelancing happened back in 2016 when I disregarded a plethora of negative comments on my client's profile and proceeded to collaborate with them for two months. Long story short, they left an extremely negative review when I refused to write a 2000-word detailed research paper for a jaw-dropping $2 and requested to end the contract. Being so hung up on positive feedback, I chose to pay the client back the entirety of the earned sum for those two months to have Upwork delete the comment (mind you, the option no longer exists on Upwork).
Moral of the story:
Reviews go both ways, so make sure to do your research on the client before accepting any work
The fact that you're a beginner shouldn't be an excuse for your clients to treat you poorly
Even as a beginner, you deserve fair compensation - and positive reviews shouldn't be considered a part of the package
There is nothing wrong with starting from zero; view every project as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Curious to uncover your remote work persona? Dive into this quiz to unveil your unique style and preferences when it comes to navigating the world of remote work.
The Harsh Reality of the 2024 Job Market
As a freelancer, I can confirm that the 2024 job market is not for the faint of heart. The endless cycles of tests, interviews, and assessments, only to be rejected in the final round, are utterly discouraging, to say the least.
From an employee's perspective, I can agree with hundreds of people vocalizing their professional struggles on social media when they say that the market has never been more challenging. The hiring process seems more complex than ever, and standing out in a sea of smart, qualified, dedicated applicants sometimes seems impossible.
Unfortunately, Upwork jumped on the train of the 2024 job market craze by introducing connects - their virtual currency (1 connect = $0.15). To be able to apply to any job as a freelancer, you will have to invest a certain amount of these tokens into your application. When you first sign up for an Upwork account as a freelancer, you will receive 40 connects, followed by 10 additional connects each month. This amount, however, will often not suffice for a single job application, especially if you're looking to outbid other offers and improve visibility.
What happens when you run out of connects? To be able to continue to apply for jobs, you will have to purchase more tokens - whether a bundle or a custom amount. With this transition, Upwork has evolved from a freelancing marketplace to a recruitment platform.
Sadly, the market is so oversaturated that investing a substantial amount of connects, or outbidding the previous offers of other freelancers doesn't guarantee that your proposal will be viewed; let alone that you will receive an invitation for an interview.
Final Thoughts
From a business perspective, the change in Upwork's application and hiring process is a smart move. However, the fact that freelancers have to pay for a chance to be noticed and considered turns this into a rather ruthless process. Add the factor of having to outbid the offers of other applicants, and you have yourself a freelancer version of Hunger Games - and being on the employee side of things is no piece of cake.
