Before you can get work on Upwork. 1
First you have to get approved. 2
This is not bad news in the beginning, but once you get approved, then it's a good news. Because that 3
means that Upwork is trying to keep the marketplace nice and tight. 4
So, it's not overcrowded, overcrowded with freelancers. Because then if there is too many freelancers, 5
the competition is too much and the prices will be driven down. And basically it's not going to be a 6
big benefit for freelancers, who are working on Upwork and neither for the clients. Because then they 7
just have to go through so many different freelancers, and it's too much competition basically. 8
So, when you open an account as a freelancer on an Upwork, you submit your application and they have 9
to review it within a few days. And they either approve or reject. 10
If you get rejected don't freak, because you can reapply. And there is no limit on how many times you 11
can reapply to Upwork. And you'll just improve your profile and then apply again. 12
And if it doesn't work, and then again, and again, and again. My experience with this application process 13
is not much to talk about. 14
I made it, it was accepted. 15
End of story. 16
But there is this guy Danny Margulies, if I'm pronouncing his name correctly. And he has this blog and 17
I think it's called freelance to win. And on his blog he has wrote this article, which I'm going to a 18
link in the resources. And I want you to read that article. Because there is great tips and I want you 19
to read that article before you apply to Upwork. Because he has tried and tested many different strategies 20
on applying to Upwork and getting accepted. 21
So, I want you to read that. 22
And here are some tips that I'm shamelessly stealing from that article. 23
Upwork wants to create a balance on the marketplace between number of jobs posted and then freelancers 24
bidding on that job. 25
So, when this balance kind of disturbs and let's say somebody posts the logo design and you have 26
1000 freelancers bidding on that job, then things gonna get out of hand. 27
So, whenever that balance is disturbed, the Upwork closes the gate on new applications who are applying 28
for that particular skill. 29
So, for example, if it's a let's say logo designers, right? And Upwork has way too many logo designers, 30
but not enough jobs that are being posted in that category. Then they're going to sort of temporarily 31
close the gate on new applications and new freelancers, who are coming within that category. 32
So, until that kind of balance comes back up. One way to avoid this happening to you during your application 33
process, is to show Upwork that your skills sort of stretch between many different categories. 34
As a web designer, you automatically fall under multiple categories. First, under family of development, 35
you have web and mobile design, plus web development. And under the family of design and creative, you 36
have graphics and design category. And maybe even other, for things like user experience and user interface 37
design, since they're not listed there. 38
And in case you have other skills and you plan on doing other jobs, maybe like logo or brand design, then 39
you can include that too. But don't stretch yourself artificially, because Upwork from time to time they 40
do check the skill level, so they might do some interviews, where they can check if you know and if you 41
are capable in these categories. 42
Besides choosing categories Upwork also asks you for specific skills, that you have. And Danny suggests, in 43
his article, to list as many skills as possible. And Upwork 44
has this huge database of skills, where you search and then it auto-fills and gives you the option 45
which you have to select. For example, 46
in terms of web design, these are skills you could easily go for. Things like web design obviously, responsive 47
design, Figma, Webflow, landing pages and so on. But only choose genuine skills that are relevant to 48
the job. 49
Don't put Microsoft Word, because that's not relevant to your category of work. 50
I'll let you read rest of the tips from the Dennis article itself. 51
There are 13 more, so check them out. 52
Okay, back to my own content and not stealing other people's advice. 53
So, when you first submit your application, you don't have an option to submit a portfolio. But then, 54
if you get rejected and you reapply, then this portfolio option opens up, and you're able to submit 55
a portfolio. And show your past work to sort of support your application. In case you are going through 56
this application process 57
second time and you are uploading your portfolio, do not upload portfolio work from this course. 58
Here is why. 59
Since there are a lot of students in this course and a lot of you will probably go on Upwork to apply, 60
you will end up applying with the same portfolio pieces, if you use those that we all have already built 61
in this, and designed in this 62
course. 63
And for the off chance, where it's the same person reviewing your application on Upwork, then for them 64
to see two different applicants applying with the same exact portfolio, that's going to raise red flags 65
for both of them. 66
Once approved, then it's okay. 67
You can use this work as your portfolio and you can use it with your clients. 68
That's not a problem. At the end of the day, 69
you did build this website, I didn't do it for you.