Introduction:
As the times are changing and work from home is becoming a new normal, freelancing work is growing. New avenues for finding freelancing work in various fields like content writing, proofreading, virtual assistant and much more are coming up. One of the most preferred platforms for finding good freelancing work is Upwork. Let’s learn about ‘Upwork Job For Beginners’.
Upwork Job For Beginners
Upwork helps businesses and freelancers to come in contact with each other. But one must know how to use it to the fullest to obtain maximum benefit. If you are a beginner at Upwork and want to create a good portfolio, this article is for you. First, we will look at some easy upwork jobs where you can apply even without much experience or knowledge. Then we will see how you can use the platform in the best manner and find the jobs for you. Let’s read more about Upwork Job For Beginners.
Easy Upwork jobs that beginners can try and how to find them on upwork:
Upwork is a great platform to earn a good amount of money even if you are just starting. So here are some upwork jobs that you can venture into if you don’t have much experience. The relevant keywords that you can use to find these jobs on Upwork are also provided below every job title. Let’s see Upwork Job For Beginners.
A. Simple works like compiling that people don’t have time to do:
Certain upwork clients look for those candidates who can do some simple tasks but efficiently and quickly. The work can include compiling the information, searching for good resource persons, etc. These jobs might pay you less and require a great effort but they will help you earn reviews and make your portfolio strong.
Some of the examples include:
I. . job requiring a person to find 60 bloggers or persons who can collaborate for podcasts and jot them down in a spreadsheet. This task does not require any experience or particular skills but your efficiency and quickness will make the difference.
Ii. An opportunity on upwork where you have to copy-paste the already written articles or other such simple tasks.
How to find these simple tasks on upwork?
To find such jobs, you should search for certain keywords. Some of the keywords that can help you to fetch simple tasks like compiling are: ‘newbie’, no experience person, copy and paste, Instagram, excel (because some Instagram and excel based jobs are also easy), etc.
Payscale: The pay scale is not a lot. But you can earn around 5 to 6 USD per hour for entry-level jobs and 15-20 USD for intermediate-level tasks. Next step for Upwork Job For Beginners.
B. Jobs based in a particular location:
Another interesting job for beginners available for beginners is based on your location. Certain jobs require candidates from a particular area who can test their products in that area. These kinds of jobs have less competition because only a person from a particular location can apply.
Examples of these location based jobs include photography jobs for a particular place or monument, tourism jobs, meeting a particular person and interviewing him, or something else related to the place you are living in.
How to find location-based jobs on upwork:
To find location-based jobs on upwork you can start by searching on google because it will provide the webpage of the available opportunities. You can also use a location filter in the upwork search engine to find your country and city. Mention the name of your city explicitly in the search engine while finding jobs. Next step for Upwork Job For Beginners.
For example, you can type ‘freelancers in New York’ (your city name).
C. Transcription jobs (converting audio to text):
Transcription is one of the most preferred upwork jobs for a beginner. YOu can work from home with your phone and earn a good amount of money without any prior experience and skills in a particular field. The task is simple: you have to write down whatever is said in the given audio.
Remember these jobs don’t pay a lot of money but they are good to start with, especially for beginners. If you have a good typing speed, you will be at an advantage in this job. The only fear is about the quality of the audio. Otherwise, you can find plenty of transcription jobs on upwork and through your dedication, you can add value to your work.
How to find transcription jobs?
If you have put transcription as a skill in your profile, you might start seeing relevant opportunities on your home page. But still, you can find good transcription jobs by searching for appropriate keywords. Some of them are: ‘Transcriptional Freelancer’, Transcribe, Mention your language (say Italian Transcription), short audio transcription, etc.
Payscale: The transcription jobs can fetch you around 5 to 15 USD for entry-level positions. For intermediate opportunities that require more effort, you can earn around 15-20 USD. Next step for Upwork Job For Beginners.
D. Translation jobs:
You can also look for some translation jobs on upwork to start your freelancing journey.
If you know more than one language, this can be a great opportunity because you will find ample translation jobs on upwork. The competition in this field can also be less because not all will know two languages.
Payscale: The pay for a simple translation work can be around 3 to 5 USD. For a long-term project, the pay can be around 50 to 75 USD.
How to find translation jobs:
To get relevant translation jobs, search for appropriate keywords. Some of them are:
- English to Hindi translator (or whatever language you know other than English, in which you can take up the translation job),
- Language (that you know) translation,
- Translator for social media, etc. Now Next step for Upwork Job For Beginners.
E. Audio recording jobs:
Another great job for beginners easily available on upwork is audio recording jobs. The job is simple: you have to read out the words. Make sure that the sound is clear and there is no background noise. The number of words that you have to speak can vary for each assignment. Again, this job won’t pay a lot of money because of its nature. But still, you can find different research peers, book writers, and certain companies that demand heavily for your voice. So even though you are not a professional voice artist, you can earn some money.
How to find audio recording jobs on upwork:
Relevant keywords for finding audio recording jobs include audiobook narrator, voice-over expert, voice recording jobs, etc.
Payscale: For audio recording jobs, the recruiters are usually willing to pay between 5 to 15 USD. For a long project, the pay can be around 15 to 40 USD, also. Next step for Upwork Job For Beginners.
F. Data operator or data entry jobs:
A data entry job is also a suitable job for a beginner. This job pays a good amount of money. You will be required to work with MS Excel and Google spreadsheet or other such data collection software. The work does not require any particular skill and experience, and you can find a plethora of data operating jobs on upwork.
How to find data operator jobs on upwork:
Keywords that you can use to search for data entry jobs include Data entry, survey, analyze the job, bookkeeping, Data entry specialists, database administrator, fast typing, data transferring, etc.
Payscale: The pay is usually between 8 to 20 USD for simple tasks. For a very basic entry-level data operating job, you might also receive only 4-5 USD. But for more technical data operating work, the employers can pay you 20 to 50 USD. Next step for Upwork Job For Beginners.
G. Virtual assistant jobs:
Certain companies also hire people for assisting them with virtual tasks like planning their day, checking emails, keeping track of their meetings, etc. If you have ample time and are ready to assist someone virtually, you can look for many virtual assistant jobs on Upwork. To succeed in the job, you must be available all the time and stay online because they can tell you to do something at any time. Though this is a very time-consuming job, you can start on upwork with this if you have time.
How to find virtual assistant jobs:
A virtual assistant is the most common and appropriate word for searching for virtual assistant jobs. But you can search for some specific tasks to get the right job like general admin work, project management, handling emails, bookkeeping, customer researching, email marketing, website management, taking customer calls, customer scheduling, etc.
Payscale: The pay scale for virtual assistance usually ranges between 5 to 20 USD. So Next step for Upwork Job For Beginners.
H. Article writing or content writing:
Content writing is one of the most prominent freelancing fields. You can earn a great deal of money in content writing, especially SEO writing. Companies that run their blog page look for good quality content and they pay you a good ransom if you have quality in your content, even if you don’t possess a lot of experience or a special degree. When you have gained some experience in writing through upwork, you can even start your own business or blog page. It’s advised to start with a small word limit, say five hundred words to two thousand words. If you take up long articles or book writing, you will take a lot of time to complete them. So better stick to short-term content writing.
How to find content writing jobs?
Keywords that you can use include content writer, article writing, research, English writer, content writing, content writing jobs, social media content marketing, writing, creative writing, copywriting, copywriter, writer, website content, (any particular genre say fashion, medical, technology, legal, etc) freelancer copywriter, new blog, SEO content writing, SEO keyword research, etc.
Payscale: The pay scale of the general content writing job is usually between 10 to 20 USD. But for specialized topics that require prior knowledge in a field, the pay scale can be as high as 35 to 60 USD. Next step for Upwork Job For Beginners.
Working of upwork:
- Sign up on Upwork and fill in all the details.
- Make your portfolio and upload samples.
- Then you will see various opportunities according to the skills and experiences filled in your profile. You can even search for required opportunities by filtering the search engine.
- Then send the proposal to that job for which you want to work. If your proposal is accepted you would get that work and be paid after doing that work. Remember that upwork will charge a commission on every job that you get through it.
Tips to make a portfolio on Upwork for beginners:
Once you have understood the working of Upwork, the next step is to use relevant tips for getting desired work. The tips that you can apply to get good opportunities and make your portfolio impressive are:
1. The profile photo and video in the portfolio can create a very good impression:
When you create a new portfolio on Upwork, you have to fill in different details. YOu are also asked to insert a photo. So, make sure that the profile photo is decent and creates a professional look. As is said, the first impression is the last. So, make sure that the photo you put on your portfolio is yours and looks impressive. Take care of the background of the photo, too. Try to choose a photo in which your face is clear and bright.
Choose your best samples and upload them to your portfolio to tell the client about your potential.
Next to a decent profile picture comes the video, showing your potential. You can either make your video showing your communication skills or a presentation video with your previous articles and works. Try to keep the video in less than a minute because not everyone is interested in spending a lot of time.
2. Choose the skill that you want to pursue, wisely:
It is very essential that the service you decide to offer to the client wisely after seeing what is in demand in that particular field. Analyze your skills properly because there is surely something that everyone is good at. You can take up content writing if you feel you have a good command of language. If you have marketing skills, you can take up a career in social media management and marketing. You should always keep learning to master your field.
When you have decided that one most crucial skill, highlight it more than other skills. FOr instance, content writing has different expressions like article writing, blog writing, legal writing, or writing on any particular topic.
3. The proposal should be impressive:
One of the most important things for getting work on Upwork is to send an impressive proposal. The proposal should be free from any typing error. Use small paragraphs to make it reader-friendly.
Craft the proposal according to each application. Some of the things that you can do to personalize the proposal are:
- Include the name of the company or organization for which the proposal is written.
- According to the requirements of the job, include examples from your past work experience. For instance, if you are sending a proposal for creative writing, then you can mention the past creative projects
- Tell the other person why you want to apply and would work with proper work ethics
In the beginning, you might find it difficult to get hired because of a lack of reviews. But you can try by keeping your hourly rate low in the beginning and telling the recruiter that you are charging less than your experience in the letter. Alternatively, you can ask your friends to hire you for some work on Upwork to get reviews.
4. Keep applying for different short term jobs and reply fast:
It is rightly said that persistence is the key to success. The jobs on Upwork won’t come easily. But you have to keep applying for jobs. Just make sure that you are capable of completing the job you are applying for. Otherwise, it would create a bad impression. It’s advised that you start with short-term jobs because you can complete them in a shorter period. Don’t keep waiting for a reply from a client for a very long period. Move to the next proposal.
Always remember that it’s okay to start with lower pay because you won’t start getting good pay in one day.
Remember that speed and quickness matter a lot on Upwork. So whenever you receive an invitation, try to reply to it as soon as possible. To ensure that you are not missing out on any update on upwork, install the app on your phone.
It’s advised that you apply to those jobs that are posted just twenty-four hours before because they would be having fewer proposals. Also, avoid applying for those jobs that have more than 30 proposals because it’s already too occupied that your chances of getting that freelance work reduces.
5. To find required jobs, use keywords in your search:
The job search on upwork has to be used wisely to get appropriate job opportunities. Use the filters in the search engine to see those opportunities where you have better selection chances. If you are just beginning, you can try searching for ‘beginner’ or ‘no experience’ jobs in the search engine. Try to be creative with your search keywords to avoid competition. For instance, you can try searching for fringe areas that might be associated with the job you are looking for.
Not only in search, but also in your profile, keywords play an essential role. The bio should include keywords of that field like if it’s content writing you can add SEO before it because it’s in great demand. Make sure that you don’t leave any section of your profile blank.
6. The cover letter should be written properly:
Writing a good cover letter is also vital for getting a job. If you are good at writing and can convey your skills properly to the client, your chances of getting hired increase. Make sure to show that you are ideal for the job because of your good command of language and other factors.
Never write your cover letter in the form of a long essay with a single paragraph as it creates a bad impression. The relevant work should be highlighted in the cover letter and not useless things.
You can google out about the company if possible. This step can also help in making the cover letter more personalized and impressive because you know more about the company.
If you find that the job proposal has some questions and you have to answer them, answer them nicely because they are the first thing that appears on the Cover letter.
7. Once you have found some work, meet the client’s expectations, and focus on getting five star reviews, testimonials, and case studies:
Once you have started getting work on the platform it is crucial to maintain goodwill. To get good reviews you have to meet the client’s expectations, complete the work on time and avoid making mistakes. If your profile is shining with good reviews, you will get a lot of advantages in the future while applying for a job.
Once you have got some work, your focus should be to get a five-star rating and testimonials that can fetch you good opportunities in the future too. Don’t target a short goal of just making money for one project. Rather provide so much quality in your work that the client is forced to give a five star rating. To get good reviews, start with short-term, easy-to-do jobs where you can give your best.
8. Try to search for an agency job that can help you a lot in getting work:
Some high-paying clients often have contacts with well-established marketing and web development agencies. So you can try to build connections with these agencies first and then through them reach the actual client. This would save a lot of time and you would get high-paying clients for your service. Sometimes these agencies have so many clients that they look for someone to ease them off the burden. So you can come to their aid and make chances for you to get the desired pay.
What are the different types of payment methods in Upwork?
You can get three types of jobs at Upwork namely
- Hourly rate (which forms the major chunk of jobs and offers more flexibility than other kinds of works).
- Fixed-rate jobs (those jobs that pay you after completing one assignment no matter how much time you invest e.g. 200 USD for one video that you make).
- Milestone jobs (a combination of both hourly and fixed rate where you start by a fixed rate and then get approval for hourly rate afterward). This payment method is sometimes very problematic because the client might not reply timely.
You should choose that payment method which you feel can pay you adequately according to your job. For instance, if it’s a virtual assistant job, where several hours are spent, an hourly rate would be better but in the case of software development, you can’t estimate the number of hours. So, fixed pay would be good.
How to ensure that you are getting the right clients on upwork?
So if you want to make sure that the clients on upwork are genuine and you would be paid for your services, you must go for payment verified offers. This can be done through the following tips
- Try to avoid those jobs where payment is unverified because nothing is more disheartening than hearing that you won’t be paid for what you have done till now. So be careful about this from the very first day.
- The verified or unverified payment option appears below the job proposal even before opening the offer. So always check that.
- You can also ascertain the reliability of a client by checking the reviews given by freelancers who have worked with them in the past.
- If you feel something cheesy about the job don’t go for it. If you feel very awkward about the job after talking with the person and you feel that they are not genuine, then don’t go for the job.
- To get certified work, you can always search about the company on google: Although Upwork provides you with trusted companies and job opportunities it’s always good to ascertain the quality twice. If you can find the name of the company in the offer, google it out and look for what the company is all about.
Conclusion:
Now we have learnt ‘Upwork Job For Beginners’, Earning and standing on your feet is never easy. But you can try to earn through freelancing and look for good opportunities on Upwork. Upwork can provide you with different beginner-level jobs and help in making your profile impressive for the future. Once you become acquainted with the working style of Upwork and use these tips wisely, you can start getting better. Throughout your journey of upwork , remember that you won’t get the best in one day, but with persistent efforts, you will get what you desire, soon.
FAQs (Frequently asked questions):
Ques 1: How many types of jobs are available on Upwork?
Ans: Mainly three kinds of jobs are found on Upwork: Hourly paying jobs, fixed pay jobs, and milestone jobs.
Ques 2: What are the main benefits of choosing upwork over other freelancing platforms?
Ans: Upwork has several advantages especially for beginners like:
- The payment is assured even though some commission is charged.
- It has a lot of opportunities and if you get one client, you can get a lot many through referrals and reviews.
C. You can freelance in any field and even shift from one field to another.
D. The clients are mostly verified and help in long-term employment.
Ques 3: How is the payment processing system of Upwork?
Ans: It can take some time to process the payment because it has to ensure that no disputes are arising between the client and freelancer. But the best part is that its payment protection system is safe and secure.
Ques 4: How to write a good description in the Upwork profile?
Ans: A good description of your potential is essential for leaving a good impression on the client. You have to creatively tell in detail about your skills and the services that you want to offer. Show how you are different and what makes your services better than others. As you start getting good reviews, you will be highly paid for the work you do and you can mention yourself as an experienced person in your description.
Ques 5: How to stay updated with different job offers on Upwork?
Ans: You have to keep checking the app or website, every day for good opportunities. It’s advised to keep the Upwork feed tracker installed on your phone and laptop for getting notified about good opportunities in a short time. Try to pitch your proposal as quickly as you can and be quick and regular on the platform.
