When you use Upwork’s work marketplace for your freelance business, you plant your roots in an environment designed specifically to connect you with long-term clients.
In other words, we’re dedicated to your success! We created Upwork to make it easier for you to promote your most in-demand services, showcase your best work, confidently embrace new client relationships, and watch your consistent efforts pay off.
How can you take advantage of all of this? In this article, we’ll share best practises and resources to help you get started.
We also asked two experienced business owners for advice on how to get started as an independent professional:
Morgan Overholt is the owner of Morgan Media LLC, a freelance graphic designer, a coach, and the co-founder of TheSmokies.com.
Peggy P., an editor and proofreader with over two decades of experience running her own business, joined Upwork in 2019.
Are you interested in learning more about how to get started on Upwork? Let’s start by going over each step of the sign-up process.
1. Go to Upwork.com and click the “Sign Up” button
Begin by clicking the “Sign Up” button in the top right corner of Upwork.
2. Sign up with your work email, Apple ID, or Google Account
You have several choices for your free account:
If you continue to use Google or Apple, you will log in with your existing account.
This means you’ll have one fewer username and password to remember, and any notifications you’ve enabled, such as suspicious event detection, will be extended to your Upwork account.
3. Fill out your personal information
Finish the first part of your account setup by adding a few more details:
- Your given name and surname
- A username and password for your account
- Your current location
Indicate your desire to “work as a freelancer.” If you want to subscribe to our top tips, check the appropriate box after reviewing the Upwork Terms of Service—including the User Agreement and Privacy Policy.
When you’re finished, click “Create My Account” to proceed to the next step: creating your Upwork profile.
On Upwork, there are two ways to connect with clients
They find you through your profile or through Project Catalog (a marketplace for predefined projects).
You approach them by submitting a job proposal for one of their open positions.
In either case, you’ll need a freelancer profile that introduces your company, highlights your expertise, and catches their attention. We’ll look into your profile further later, and you can always return to edit and refine it.
4. Begin your Upwork profile by telling us about your work
You must complete at least 60% of your profile before you can begin applying for jobs on Upwork:
- A photograph of yourself
- Your job title
- Your summary
- Work experience
- One or more skill tags
Of course, we recommend that you complete your profile completely! But you don’t have to do it all right now. In fact, you will most likely refine it on a regular basis.
The first two sections ask for information about the services you provide:
- Your overall work category
- The specific abilities in which you excel
- How much experience you have
You have the option of selecting up to four work categories. We recommend selecting the most powerful, specialised, and/or in-demand. While the categories you choose will influence how clients find your profile, you can apply to jobs in any category.
To read our blog on “How To start earning money on Fiverr as a beginner,” click here
