Q&A With A Freelancer - Ask me anything!

[ceilingedrawness]

Hi all,

I've been working as a freelancer for the last couple years, I mainly use Upwork to find clients and I'm currently writing a guide to help other people get started Upwork.

How To Be Successful On Upwork

I'd love to know what would be useful questions to answer and I thought at the same time as doing some market research, I could help answer anyone's question here!

Hi

I would love to pick your brains as I'm just starting out as a freelancer.

I have heaps of experience in what I do, but no experience of generating clients. I had a quick look at UPWORK today actually - it's an American site isn't it? I found it a little unclear - I have used PPH before though.

What line of work are you in?

I've been lucky so far that a few contacts have got in touch via LinkedIn to discuss freelance work, but now I need to look at proactively generating business. Why do you only use UPWORK? Do you find freelancing lucrative?

X

Hi lionsgate18

Lovely to meet you!

Upwork is an American site but I set the filters when I'm looking for work to only search for UK jobs. I think it's easier to work with people who understand your working culture.

I started on Upwork because I didn't have any contacts or leads to utilise so I had to build my reputation from scratch.

I do digital marketing, SEO type stuff as my bread and butter, but what I really love is market research for entrepreneurs, I help them research their idea/ industry/business plan.

I find freelancing can be very lucrative but it is hard to start off in because it's not very steady at first. Now, I know pretty much how much I'm going to be earning each month. It really depends on how much effort you put in to it, like any business!

How are you going on LinkedIn?

Useful tips thank-you!

I've been in the PR, comms and copywriting side for a long time. I just updated my profile on LinkedIn to say I was freelancing and what areas I was focusing on. I guess I've built up a lot of industry contacts over the years. There's an option on LinkedIn to mark you are open to discuss freelance projects and to meet for coffee - some people I'd worked with on joint projects or met over the years got in touch.

I'm yet to make any cold approaches, but know I need to start this soon. I need to feel the fear and do it anyway!

I've also got a few more sporadic and less lucrative regular clients on People Per Hour.

Any views on Upwork versus People per Hour? I have had some success on PPH but find it quite slow these days.

The fees also sting!

I agree maybedoctor. I used to be able to get a fair bit of work on there in years past, but these days jobs often aren't awarded. I haven't set myself up as an hourly, so perhaps that is it. Have you tried that? Any success?

Yes, I have several hourlies and some work in a portfolio.

Maybe I’ll do a bit more to my portfolio- it can’t hurt!

What’s the LinkedIn option you are talking about?

IMO sites like PPH are a bit of a race to the bottom in terms of fees and once you take off the fee for the site as well people must be making peanuts for the work they do. I don’t recommend it for HR professionals certainly.

Wouldn’t use a US-centric site.