I Was Paid 25$/h on Upwork as a Freelancer With No Experience
Stop underselling yourself
When I started on Upwork I set up a working rate of 10$/h. This rate was already high given the standards in Romania, which can be anywhere from 3$/h to 6$/h if you are lucky.
I applied for a few jobs at this rate, but you can also find jobs where the client already sets up a possible hourly rate to pay you.
I found a job that promised a minimum of 25$/h, and I applied. It was well above my standards, but I thought that trying won’t hurt. It was for a ghostwriting project, for a book in the psychology area.
After 3 weeks I got a response, and I was asked to write a paid article test. I accepted, delivered the article on the same day, and I was accepted to work on the project.
My first hourly rate as a content writer was 25$/h.
Setting your hourly rate on Upwork
I presume that most people that start on Upwork assume they need to engage in the race from the bottom to succeed.
That means starting with an abysmal rate, dealing with terrible clients, and having poor working experience.
I believe you can skip this step if you believe in yourself and you have the expertise that could solve your client’s problem.
You need to invest in building an hour or two in creating a good Upwork profile and try to write a good proposal every time you apply for a job.
With enough time you will find clients
Most of you, me included want to have results as fast as possible, but you also don’t want to deal with shady characters that probably won’t pay you.
There are good clients on Upwork, but they only show up from time to time.
Set up an hourly rate your work deserves, have patience, and keep applying.
Find your niche
It is true that you don’t have almost any sort of chance of competing against established freelancers on the platform.
There is likely someone that can do what you do, but also has a reputation to back their claims.
The reviews from the clients on Upwork are the most valuable thing to finding new clients.
You need to specialize in a specific area
I work as a writer for clients that are looking for content around psychology. I don’t apply for anything else.
You can expand as you gain a reputation on the platform, but that is not possible at the beginning of your journey.
When you only work in a specific niche, especially one that requires technical expertise that can be validated by having a college degree or something similar, you will have a higher chance of securing clients.
Find your niche, and look every day for job opportunities, you will find your chance.
The takeaway
It is easy to believe that underselling your work will help you have a chance on Upwork, but it will most likely result in a terrible experience that will make you want to leave the platform.
If you have expertise that could be valuable to other people, choose an hourly rate that represents that.
- Create a good Upwork Profile
- Spend a little bit of time writing a customized proposal every time
- Find a niche
- Look for job opportunities every day and apply to the ones you think you are a good fit for.
Upwork can be a great place to make money, but you need to put some effort to make it work.
Believe in yourself, have patience and you will make it on the platform.
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