Feb 4, 2021 05:15:44 AM by Tjeerd L
I'm wondering what reasons you had when you decide to use UpWork.. (for freelancers and hiring people)
Feb 4, 2021 05:55:10 AM by Mark F
For me it was actually desperation. I had a few clients but the projects were wrapping up and I had something like 4-5 good prospects and inside of a week all of them went kaput. Then I had another the same week popup with an existing client and died by the end of the week. I was left with nothing and for months I struggled on with that nothing.
I had thought, at the time, I had mined all the veins I had and the party was over. I knew Upwork was out there but I had used one of it's predecessors from a client perspective and had a pretty low opinion of that. Honestly, I just couldn't see competing with people who are willing to sell themselves totally short.
A guy I followed on Quora posted something about finding work from here and I messaged him and asked him what he thought and basically he said "might as well give it a try." So I did...and the rest is basically history.
Feb 4, 2021 08:05:19 AM by Kim F
My contract as a columnist for a partwork was coming to an end (a year's contract that actually lasted three) and I needed something else. But it was as much about diversification as desperation - almost all my writing was in the same area and it was getting boring.
Feb 4, 2021 08:43:06 AM Edited Feb 4, 2021 08:44:18 AM by Mary W
I came to Upwork to find work out of my geographic area, which didn't really support freelancers in my field. I also liked the fact that I wouldn't have to chase clients for payment. I don't like face-to-face interviews because I always cave and take the job. With Upwork, I can take the time to think it over, ask questions, and then decide if it's a good fit.
ETA - in the bricks and mortar world, my age works against me. In freelancing, it doesn't matter how old I am as long as I do a great job. What a relief!
Feb 9, 2021 01:26:08 AM by Martina P
Mark F wrote:For me it was actually desperation. I had a few clients but the projects were wrapping up and I had something like 4-5 good prospects and inside of a week all of them went kaput. Then I had another the same week popup with an existing client and died by the end of the week. I was left with nothing and for months I struggled on with that nothing.
I had thought, at the time, I had mined all the veins I had and the party was over. I knew Upwork was out there but I had used one of it's predecessors from a client perspective and had a pretty low opinion of that. Honestly, I just couldn't see competing with people who are willing to sell themselves totally short.
A guy I followed on Quora posted something about finding work from here and I messaged him and asked him what he thought and basically he said "might as well give it a try." So I did...and the rest is basically history.
Plus who could have ever known that you would rule the bunch for some glorious, unforgotten months! Life is truly a miracle, my friend. I miss the green head.
Feb 10, 2021 06:30:31 AM by Mark F
Martina P wrote:
Mark F wrote:For me it was actually desperation. I had a few clients but the projects were wrapping up and I had something like 4-5 good prospects and inside of a week all of them went kaput. Then I had another the same week popup with an existing client and died by the end of the week. I was left with nothing and for months I struggled on with that nothing.
I had thought, at the time, I had mined all the veins I had and the party was over. I knew Upwork was out there but I had used one of it's predecessors from a client perspective and had a pretty low opinion of that. Honestly, I just couldn't see competing with people who are willing to sell themselves totally short.
A guy I followed on Quora posted something about finding work from here and I messaged him and asked him what he thought and basically he said "might as well give it a try." So I did...and the rest is basically history.
Plus who could have ever known that you would rule the bunch for some glorious, unforgotten months! Life is truly a miracle, my friend. I miss the green head.
As soon as they deposed me they turned the whole thing into a mockery. Now, they pass it out to any pretender who strolls by.
Feb 10, 2021 07:49:09 AM by Martina P
Mark F wrote:
Martina P wrote:
Mark F wrote:For me it was actually desperation. I had a few clients but the projects were wrapping up and I had something like 4-5 good prospects and inside of a week all of them went kaput. Then I had another the same week popup with an existing client and died by the end of the week. I was left with nothing and for months I struggled on with that nothing.
I had thought, at the time, I had mined all the veins I had and the party was over. I knew Upwork was out there but I had used one of it's predecessors from a client perspective and had a pretty low opinion of that. Honestly, I just couldn't see competing with people who are willing to sell themselves totally short.
A guy I followed on Quora posted something about finding work from here and I messaged him and asked him what he thought and basically he said "might as well give it a try." So I did...and the rest is basically history.
Plus who could have ever known that you would rule the bunch for some glorious, unforgotten months! Life is truly a miracle, my friend. I miss the green head.
As soon as they deposed me they turned the whole thing into a mockery. Now, they pass it out to any pretender who strolls by.
I know! When you ruled, at least it meant something. Don't tell me you had to return the ermine coat too? Ah, sad times.
Feb 10, 2021 04:43:24 PM by Jennifer M
Mark F wrote:
Martina P wrote:
Mark F wrote:For me it was actually desperation. I had a few clients but the projects were wrapping up and I had something like 4-5 good prospects and inside of a week all of them went kaput. Then I had another the same week popup with an existing client and died by the end of the week. I was left with nothing and for months I struggled on with that nothing.
I had thought, at the time, I had mined all the veins I had and the party was over. I knew Upwork was out there but I had used one of it's predecessors from a client perspective and had a pretty low opinion of that. Honestly, I just couldn't see competing with people who are willing to sell themselves totally short.
A guy I followed on Quora posted something about finding work from here and I messaged him and asked him what he thought and basically he said "might as well give it a try." So I did...and the rest is basically history.
Plus who could have ever known that you would rule the bunch for some glorious, unforgotten months! Life is truly a miracle, my friend. I miss the green head.
As soon as they deposed me they turned the whole thing into a mockery. Now, they pass it out to any pretender who strolls by.
The usurper!
Feb 4, 2021 09:01:22 AM by Aleksandr S
It was November 2014. My wife was pregnant. Two weeks before that, I had gotten a mortgage. I had to pay more than a half of my salary, although it was pretty high. Still, I felt that my income would not be increased much during the next several years. Econ problems caused all the exported goods to be much more expensive, than just a year before. The mortgage itself was kind of daunting.
So, I googled and stumbled upon Odesk. That was a pivotial point in many senses.
Feb 5, 2021 12:09:10 AM by Jamie F
I was another desperate soul looking for an income.
I found myself in Thailand with no job and a wife and kid. I dreaded the thought of having to leave those behind to get work in the UK, but the job market in Thailand is so competitive for foreigners that I was barely getting a look-in.
I applied for a job as a writer with a local SEO agency, not expected to get it, but ended up surprising myself. Then I found Upwork when I was looking for more writing work. I didn't think of it as a main gig to begin with, more just something to fall back on. That was until I realised I was undercharging and raised my rates to a point where it became a reasonable and steady income.
I hate to think where I might be now had I not applied to that initial writing job (I very nearly didn't thinking it would be a waste of time)
Feb 5, 2021 01:40:08 AM by Richard W
I'd been out of work for a long time (voluntarily), needed to start earning again, was pretty much unemployable, and was trying to get a local freelance business going, with limited success. I'd recently done an online course in web development, and someone on that course mentioned that she'd used Upwork. So I thought I'd give it a try, though I was skeptical about it. It took a month to get my first job, and I probably would have given up before that if it hadn't been for reading about successful freelancers in this forum. So thanks to all you forumites who kept me going!