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- Jul 5, 2015
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Actually, how I made my first $415 freelancing (on Upwork).
A few weeks ago, I posted on the forum after losing my job. I had been fired from my first job out of college, and I didn't really know what to do. I was stuck in my dreams of being in the Fastlane after finding TMF , but I needed to find a way to survive. I didn't want to get another job, I don't do well working in a corporate setting. So, I thought about the multitude of things I could do to live while I developed my Fastlane business. I thought and thought and thought. I thought, read, and learned some more. Then I just decided to take that leap. I turned to freelancing. I have skills that I can use to my advantage, so why not? And after a few days of working up the courage to get going, I built my profile and started filling out proposals. Here's how I made my first dollar:
I built my profile. This is the first step. Nothing too special, just highlight what your skills are, how you do them well, and why you can provide value for your client. I also recommend completing at least a few of the skills tests Upwork provides to grade your skills in particular areas. They are very useful in proving specific skills to clients.
After that, I submitted 10 total proposals on Tuesday morning. Here are those proposals:
I submitted an application for anything as simple as Data Entry, to creating a basic program using a programming language I learned in college. Either way, I was just trying to get a job, even if it was simple, within my scope of expertise. After I filled out my 7th application, I received my first message to inquire further about me completing a job for the client. That was a great feeling! I then received 2 more inquiries after that.
After receiving those messages, I responded like this:
Client 1
Client 2
Client 3
Client #1 never responded, client #2 cancelled his job, and client #3 hired me. $200 job. Landed. And after turning in the work, I landed another $140 job that I finished today. And another job after turning in that job ($75). Grand total of $415 for about 3 full days of work. Not too bad! So how exactly did I do it?
1) I actually submitted job applications. And quite a few of them. I probably would have submitted more, but by the time I had submitted my 10th application, I had already landed the first job. Search for things you know how to do that match your skill set. It can literally be anything that you know how to do. Get creative in your searches, and find something unique.
2) I searched for the newest jobs. You have a much higher chance of landing a job that was just posted 2 minutes ago versus a job that was posted a week ago. It just makes sense. Use the filter tool to find the newest jobs within your search criteria.
3) I responded to the message I got about my application very quickly. The quickest I responded was 3 minutes, and the longest it took me to respond was 18 minutes. I landed the job that took me 3 minutes to respond to. If you're applying for another job while you get a message, reply to the message before you finish your new application. This is going to help you get the gig, because this shows you are going to reply quickly when you are hired, and it shows you are reliable.
4) I sent engaging applications. Below is the one that landed me the job:
This application is not perfect, but what did I do well? I told the poster why they should hire me, when I can have the job done, and I asked relevant questions. These are all key things that should be in every application you submit. I also spoke about the elephant in the room -- I didn't have any ratings yet. Some people really care about this, but if you can come across as competent, professional, and willing to work hard for them, most clients will hire you if you say the right things.
5) I sent in a price offer lower than the proposed budget. This is good for your first job (or two). This allows you to more easily compete with other freelancers on price, and it shows goodwill to the client that you are willing to sacrifice a bit of pay on your first few jobs to get some jobs under your belt and increase your rating.
6) Even after the initial response to my message, I asked a ton of questions. This shows interest. It warrants a response from the client, and it helps you land the job.
I got hired! I was ecstatic and excited to be working on my own terms from my own home, while still being able to work on my Fastlane life on the side. So now you're probably wondering: where is the other $215 job and how did you get those follow up gigs? Simple!
1) I completed the initial job I was hired for on time as promised. I met the clients deadline, and I did what I said I would. You'd be surprised how few freelancers actually do that, and that means you're providing true value to your client.
2) I sent the client updates. When requested, at major milestones, and at the end of the night before bed. You may not be able to do this all the time with every project, especially with a very simple one, but communicate with the client! They want to know what's going on, so if you inform them and are in touch with them, they will appreciate you more.
3) I provided high quality work. The client gave me a small example of what he was looking for at the start of the project, and the rest was up to me to complete. In order to make sure I was on the right track, I submitted a quick example/update about an hour into the project. The client sent great feedback, and said I was doing great. From there, I just continued with my work and completed the project. But not only that, I added an extra part to the project that I felt would help the client make better conclusions, and sum up the work I did. He loved it. Add something extra, do something that makes sense for the client, and they will appreciate the extra time you put in.
4) I promised to fix and edit anything to the client's liking before accepting payment. This is huge, and provides a ton of value, even if it takes you a little bit longer to complete. The client is satisfied, and is most likely going to either hire you for more work, or give you an awesome rating (or both!).
I didn't even have to ask for more work, he just posted another milestone and gave me another job! Easy money.
And now, after completing that second job using the same techniques, I landed a third (smaller) job from the same client this evening!
$415. All made from one application. And sure, I may have been lucky with this client in particular. But you can only get lucky if you put yourself out there. Now, I can use the great feedback I am going to get from this client to land my next client. And my next. And my next. And soon enough, I have work flowing in from all places, and I'm getting paid a higher rate. So there you have it, how I made my first dollar on Upwork.
One more thing: Dare to be great, and take action. It really goes a long way.
Post your experiences, recommendations, lessons learned, and questions below. Freelance on!
A few weeks ago, I posted on the forum after losing my job. I had been fired from my first job out of college, and I didn't really know what to do. I was stuck in my dreams of being in the Fastlane after finding TMF , but I needed to find a way to survive. I didn't want to get another job, I don't do well working in a corporate setting. So, I thought about the multitude of things I could do to live while I developed my Fastlane business. I thought and thought and thought. I thought, read, and learned some more. Then I just decided to take that leap. I turned to freelancing. I have skills that I can use to my advantage, so why not? And after a few days of working up the courage to get going, I built my profile and started filling out proposals. Here's how I made my first dollar:
I built my profile. This is the first step. Nothing too special, just highlight what your skills are, how you do them well, and why you can provide value for your client. I also recommend completing at least a few of the skills tests Upwork provides to grade your skills in particular areas. They are very useful in proving specific skills to clients.
After that, I submitted 10 total proposals on Tuesday morning. Here are those proposals:
I submitted an application for anything as simple as Data Entry, to creating a basic program using a programming language I learned in college. Either way, I was just trying to get a job, even if it was simple, within my scope of expertise. After I filled out my 7th application, I received my first message to inquire further about me completing a job for the client. That was a great feeling! I then received 2 more inquiries after that.
After receiving those messages, I responded like this:
Client 1
Client 2
Client 3
Client #1 never responded, client #2 cancelled his job, and client #3 hired me. $200 job. Landed. And after turning in the work, I landed another $140 job that I finished today. And another job after turning in that job ($75). Grand total of $415 for about 3 full days of work. Not too bad! So how exactly did I do it?
1) I actually submitted job applications. And quite a few of them. I probably would have submitted more, but by the time I had submitted my 10th application, I had already landed the first job. Search for things you know how to do that match your skill set. It can literally be anything that you know how to do. Get creative in your searches, and find something unique.
2) I searched for the newest jobs. You have a much higher chance of landing a job that was just posted 2 minutes ago versus a job that was posted a week ago. It just makes sense. Use the filter tool to find the newest jobs within your search criteria.
3) I responded to the message I got about my application very quickly. The quickest I responded was 3 minutes, and the longest it took me to respond was 18 minutes. I landed the job that took me 3 minutes to respond to. If you're applying for another job while you get a message, reply to the message before you finish your new application. This is going to help you get the gig, because this shows you are going to reply quickly when you are hired, and it shows you are reliable.
4) I sent engaging applications. Below is the one that landed me the job:
This application is not perfect, but what did I do well? I told the poster why they should hire me, when I can have the job done, and I asked relevant questions. These are all key things that should be in every application you submit. I also spoke about the elephant in the room -- I didn't have any ratings yet. Some people really care about this, but if you can come across as competent, professional, and willing to work hard for them, most clients will hire you if you say the right things.
5) I sent in a price offer lower than the proposed budget. This is good for your first job (or two). This allows you to more easily compete with other freelancers on price, and it shows goodwill to the client that you are willing to sacrifice a bit of pay on your first few jobs to get some jobs under your belt and increase your rating.
6) Even after the initial response to my message, I asked a ton of questions. This shows interest. It warrants a response from the client, and it helps you land the job.
I got hired! I was ecstatic and excited to be working on my own terms from my own home, while still being able to work on my Fastlane life on the side. So now you're probably wondering: where is the other $215 job and how did you get those follow up gigs? Simple!
1) I completed the initial job I was hired for on time as promised. I met the clients deadline, and I did what I said I would. You'd be surprised how few freelancers actually do that, and that means you're providing true value to your client.
2) I sent the client updates. When requested, at major milestones, and at the end of the night before bed. You may not be able to do this all the time with every project, especially with a very simple one, but communicate with the client! They want to know what's going on, so if you inform them and are in touch with them, they will appreciate you more.
3) I provided high quality work. The client gave me a small example of what he was looking for at the start of the project, and the rest was up to me to complete. In order to make sure I was on the right track, I submitted a quick example/update about an hour into the project. The client sent great feedback, and said I was doing great. From there, I just continued with my work and completed the project. But not only that, I added an extra part to the project that I felt would help the client make better conclusions, and sum up the work I did. He loved it. Add something extra, do something that makes sense for the client, and they will appreciate the extra time you put in.
4) I promised to fix and edit anything to the client's liking before accepting payment. This is huge, and provides a ton of value, even if it takes you a little bit longer to complete. The client is satisfied, and is most likely going to either hire you for more work, or give you an awesome rating (or both!).
I didn't even have to ask for more work, he just posted another milestone and gave me another job! Easy money.
And now, after completing that second job using the same techniques, I landed a third (smaller) job from the same client this evening!
$415. All made from one application. And sure, I may have been lucky with this client in particular. But you can only get lucky if you put yourself out there. Now, I can use the great feedback I am going to get from this client to land my next client. And my next. And my next. And soon enough, I have work flowing in from all places, and I'm getting paid a higher rate. So there you have it, how I made my first dollar on Upwork.
One more thing: Dare to be great, and take action. It really goes a long way.
Post your experiences, recommendations, lessons learned, and questions below. Freelance on!
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