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- #31
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
224%
- Jul 5, 2015
- 67
- 150
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Quick pre-weekend update:
I have been working offline for a bit with a new project that has pretty good Fastlane potential, so my number of applications has gone down a bit this week compared to my earnings, but I did still make money and get offers this week (I've also been flipping a bit on CL, so that has taken some of my time away from Upwork as well). Here are the total numbers:
I have submitted a total of 26 applications, I have had 8 total inquiries, and 2 accepted/completed jobs, along with 2 active candidacies (client's who have emailed back about my submission, asked me a few questions, to which I responded, and am waiting to hear back from them whether or not they want to hire me).
I hear back from 30.7% of the jobs I apply for, and I currently land 7.7% of the total jobs I apply for. Not great, but it's a start. I mentioned above in a more recent post that I have had some trouble with more of the simple jobs, so I have been actively applying for more high-skill jobs, along with jobs that have the words URGENT or NEED DONE NOW that have been posted within the last 10 minutes of me searching. That has landed me 2 of the 8 inquiries, and 1 of the 2 jobs I have completed. I am also trying to hone in my keyword searches so I can find the jobs I will land more successfully. Sometimes, clients don't do a great job of actually posting keywords that I am searching, so it's a balance of trying to make searches broad while still remaining efficient with how much time I take for applying to jobs.
The above is kind of negative, so what positive has come out of this week? I landed my next job, and made my second client happy!
Original rate agreed upon for job: $60
Final rate paid to me: $75 ($60 original rate + $15 tip)
This was accomplished using the same principles as described in the first post of this thread. Actually care! Get into the project like it's your own, and if you put in the extra time and effort to help your client, he/she will appreciate it. My second client also asked me if I could do other jobs related to similar work I did for him, so I expect repeat work will come in the near future with this client as well as my first -- definitely a good thing. And like @SinisterLex says in his thread here, when you're doing applications:
"All you have to do is go find jobs. Read the description, and tell them how your skills help them. Inform them. Even tell them what they should look for in a good video/website. Give them helpful info. It doesn't matter if they choose someone else. This is how you create value. If you do it, they'll pick you. If they don't pick you this time, they'll come back later. They'll remember you. But you have to give them a reason to remember."
It's simple, you just have to do it. Focus on them and their problems, and great things will come. Sure, things like this can help you get some interest, it seemed to have worked for me in one of my applications. That being said, that's just something to back up your knowledge of the topic(s) at hand. Ultimately, it comes down to how can you help your client's get the job done the right way in an efficient manner? Once we learn how to do this, we can continue to land clients one after another.
Goals for this weekend:
-Come up with sample jobs for clients to look at when sending an application
-Check in with clients that sent inquiries, but have never gotten back to me afterwards
-Optimize keyword searches, and come up with 3 new keywords that relate to jobs I am aiming to complete
-Send 10 more applications
I may not be Fastlane yet, but I'm surviving. And I am so happy to be doing it my way.
I have been working offline for a bit with a new project that has pretty good Fastlane potential, so my number of applications has gone down a bit this week compared to my earnings, but I did still make money and get offers this week (I've also been flipping a bit on CL, so that has taken some of my time away from Upwork as well). Here are the total numbers:
I have submitted a total of 26 applications, I have had 8 total inquiries, and 2 accepted/completed jobs, along with 2 active candidacies (client's who have emailed back about my submission, asked me a few questions, to which I responded, and am waiting to hear back from them whether or not they want to hire me).
I hear back from 30.7% of the jobs I apply for, and I currently land 7.7% of the total jobs I apply for. Not great, but it's a start. I mentioned above in a more recent post that I have had some trouble with more of the simple jobs, so I have been actively applying for more high-skill jobs, along with jobs that have the words URGENT or NEED DONE NOW that have been posted within the last 10 minutes of me searching. That has landed me 2 of the 8 inquiries, and 1 of the 2 jobs I have completed. I am also trying to hone in my keyword searches so I can find the jobs I will land more successfully. Sometimes, clients don't do a great job of actually posting keywords that I am searching, so it's a balance of trying to make searches broad while still remaining efficient with how much time I take for applying to jobs.
The above is kind of negative, so what positive has come out of this week? I landed my next job, and made my second client happy!
Original rate agreed upon for job: $60
Final rate paid to me: $75 ($60 original rate + $15 tip)
This was accomplished using the same principles as described in the first post of this thread. Actually care! Get into the project like it's your own, and if you put in the extra time and effort to help your client, he/she will appreciate it. My second client also asked me if I could do other jobs related to similar work I did for him, so I expect repeat work will come in the near future with this client as well as my first -- definitely a good thing. And like @SinisterLex says in his thread here, when you're doing applications:
"All you have to do is go find jobs. Read the description, and tell them how your skills help them. Inform them. Even tell them what they should look for in a good video/website. Give them helpful info. It doesn't matter if they choose someone else. This is how you create value. If you do it, they'll pick you. If they don't pick you this time, they'll come back later. They'll remember you. But you have to give them a reason to remember."
It's simple, you just have to do it. Focus on them and their problems, and great things will come. Sure, things like this can help you get some interest, it seemed to have worked for me in one of my applications. That being said, that's just something to back up your knowledge of the topic(s) at hand. Ultimately, it comes down to how can you help your client's get the job done the right way in an efficient manner? Once we learn how to do this, we can continue to land clients one after another.
Goals for this weekend:
-Come up with sample jobs for clients to look at when sending an application
-Check in with clients that sent inquiries, but have never gotten back to me afterwards
-Optimize keyword searches, and come up with 3 new keywords that relate to jobs I am aiming to complete
-Send 10 more applications
I may not be Fastlane yet, but I'm surviving. And I am so happy to be doing it my way.
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