How To Filter Upwork Gigs Like A Pro
Upwork is one of those platforms everyone loves to hate. More often than not, Upwork is a venue where you can find a lot of business owners who are trying their hardest to avoid paying a living wage. If you’re a writer or a graphic designer, you already know how bad things can be on that site.
However, there are still plenty of clients that are ready to pay good wages for the right person. You just have to find them. At Oba, we’ve seen all of Upwork’s crazy antics and how many time-wasters there are online. These tips will help maximize your time and minimize the amount of Connects you waste.
1. Before applying to anything, read the first two to three pages of job postings on Upwork.
Seriously. Just search up “writing” or “graphic design” on Upwork. Then, start reading the first couple of pages before you spend any Connects on a proposal. Take your time and take notice of the skills they are asking for.
Initially, this research might seem like a waste of time, but you’ll start noticing something wrong as you read those pages. Many scam artists, HR companies, and fakers post false Upwork gigs for both writers and graphic designers.
Thankfully, scammers aren’t always bright. Many will use the same ad repeatedly, down to the letter, or follow the same formatting and change only a bit of the wording. If you notice these copy-and-paste tasks, report them and ignore them. It’s the easiest way to weed out the fakers.
2. Avoid applying to overly vague gigs, postings that sound Chat GPT-like, or poorly written ads.
I’ll let you in on a little secret: smart scammers will often make fairly vague ads. They won’t say what industry they want your writing to be in because they throw a wide net. They may write the ad in broken English. Their ad might also smack of ChatGPT generation.
An ad that feels “off” is usually either a fake offer or one that isn’t worth your time. Even when they are legitimate hirers, these types of gigs have a bad tendency to be highly demanding with low pay. In many cases, you may have your business and profile ratings drop as a result of their behavior.
3. Read former worker reviews of the client.
I wish I had done this before I worked with some of my own clients. A lot of workers who are disgruntled and angry with bad clients will hit them where it really hurts: their reviews. Reviews are people’s final chances to say what’s going on with clients and workers.
If you see a lot of reviews mentioning a lack of communication, rudeness, sudden ghosting, or otherwise poor behavior, run. Many top writers do not work with people who have less than a four-star rating.
On a similar note, a bad sign is a potential client who has never hired anyone or only has a single review. New users are a major gamble. Sometimes, they’re amazing clients. Other times, they’re a major mistake that costs you time and money. Choose wisely, or better yet, stick to the tried-and-true.
4. Filter out anything that asks you to work for less than minimum wage in your state.
This tip is a no-brainer, but one that is worth repeating. Regardless of popular belief, writing is a skilled trade that requires a lot of study, honing, and editing to do well. As a writing pro, you owe it to yourself to earn a living wage.
The rise of ChatGPT made many businesses stupidly choose AI over a real person. Those are not companies you want to work for. They do not value people. They just want to get the work done cheaply, even if the product is mediocre.
Most of the time, the people who charge low wages are also the very same ones who do not value you as a person. So, only take them as clients if you want to be devalued and criticized. (You don’t really want that, do you?)
5. Talk to clients before you get a contract going.
You have to hammer out certain things before you start a contract. You should only do so via a Zoom meeting or a quick chat. A checklist for this important step includes the following:
- A Vibe Check. Do you get along with these people? Do you feel like you’re on the same page? If you get a weird vibe from these potential clients, you will not enjoy working with them.
- Reliability. I personally always tell them that I require criticism and feedback in a timely manner for a contract to work well. I also mention that I will give them a low rating if they ghost me or drop me without detailed feedback. If clients aren’t happy with those ground rules, tell them you’re not the one for them.
- Expectations. Ask them if they actually read your copy or looked at your art portfolio. If they haven’t, then ask them to do so again. Make sure they’ve read work you’ve written in your voice. Otherwise, they won’t be happy with the product you can offer, and you’ll end up without a client.
- Timeliness. If you have to chase around a client to get a contract now, getting them to give you work, pay, and feedback will be brutal. Do not waste time with people who are not ready to hire you within a week of your proposal.
- Deadlines. You should have both a deadline for a hire contract and a deadline for your first assignment.
Remember, Upwork is not just for hirers. You need to make sure you’re a fit, too. Many of these clients will rip you to shreds, berate you, and nickel-and-dime you just because they can. Don’t allow them to.
6. Do not start work or give a “free trial” without a contract.
I wish I had noticed this fact earlier, but a lot of these clients tend to ask for free samples and then won’t hire you. It’s their way of stealing free work. You are a professional. If they don’t like your portfolio, they shouldn’t hire you.
I’ve lost about six hours of work over free trials. This is wild because Upwork has terms against this kind of theft. Mention this reality to the hirer and tell them you don’t work for free. If they balk, report them and carry on.
What’s Your Experience?
Given the seemingly downward trajectory many freelancers have been reporting that Upwork is on, what are your thoughts on looking for gigs there? Any tips, tricks, or rants you’re willing to share with others? Drop a comment!
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