Freelancers who knows a lot of subjects, vs a Specialist

[60fb74f5]

Hello all!

I know this is very subjective but I just want to read some opinions if possible.

Let's say you're looking for a translator. Do you prefer someone who has been a translator for life, or someone you see in his/her profile also doing something unrelated such as graphical design?

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

Specialist.

Obviously.

That is one of the main things I look for when I hire freelancers:

I look for freelancers who post a lot of unrelated skills, and I don't hire them.

If I want somebody mediocre, I can just do it myself.

I hire freelancers on Upwork because I want specialists.

[81f2681a]

Preston, as you are a big experienced client, I would like your opinion, please:

I knows that clients don´t like to hire freelancers with a lot of unrelated skills. But, when a freelancer has a lot of skill but all these skills is related? Do you prefer to hire someone with a lot of related skills or someone realy, realy, realy, completely specialist?

Example:

An artist freelancer have a lot of skills related: graphic design, illustrations, 2D animation, 3D animation, 3D rigging, drawings and paintings in many styles.

All these skills mentioned above is related to each other, its all art, you must to know how to draw to do anything related above. Its not a "graphic desiner/writer/web designer/therapist/coder php html" and all unrelated skills.

Supose you needs a graphic designer: Would you hire an artist with lot of skills related "graphic designer/illustrator/animator" or if you want a graphic designer, would you hire someone that has just one skill: "graphic design"?

[elisa_b]

I understand that the category "translator" is just an example here, but being a translator myself I feel involved in this question 🙂

In my case, I tear my hair out every time I see somebody throwing in their skills list the term "translator" along with other unrelated skills (typist, cello player, sous chef, astronaut) - just because they perhaps studied another language in high school or worked abroad for some time.

A specialised freelancer. Always!

[60fb74f5]

Okay, thank you very much. That's what I'm afraid of.

Is anyone know,  if I hide my profile from public which is still visible to clients(?), will they be able to view all of my profiles? Or just the one I sent them?

Searched the Support site but can't find the answer. There is this however, "you can separate out the work you've done as a mobile game developer from your work as a translator or graphic designer". Promoting bad practice? 😀

[PradeepH]

Hi Susi,

Thank you for your message. If your Upwork profile is set to Private, your profile will not be visible in the search result but it will be visible to the client who will view your proposals on their job posts. Hope that answers your question. 

Thank you,

Pradeep

[60fb74f5]

Hi Pradeep,  thank you, but will all the specialized profiles be visible as well? Or just the one I select for the proposal?

[PradeepH]

Hi Susi,

Thank you for your message. Yes, both your general and specialized profiles will be visible to the client when you submit a proposal.

Thank you,

Pradeep