Re: Hourly pay rate

carole-sharwarko · ‎03-14-2019

Upwork suggested that I increase my rate, and ever since I haven't received any offers. I have 100% job success with more than $10k in earnings.

I'm an expert writer with 15+ years experience and I'm now asking $75/hour. Upwork had suggested I bump to $90/hour, but I couldn't even get any messages back at that rate, so I reduced.

I guess my questions are:

Have Upwork's "suggested rate increases" worked for you?

How do I find clients who are *actually* willing to pay for expert-level work?

Is there a point where you just "rate out" of Upwork? Maybe the site isn't right for my level?

Thanks for your feedback. I'm not trying to be too big for my britches, but I also don't want to low-ball myself.

gilbert-phyllis · ‎03-14-2019

It's important to remember that whenever Upwork makes a suggestion, it's coming from an algorithm, not a person. UW algorithms constantly alert me to jobs for which I am utterly unqualified and totally uninterested. It often "tips" me that I should bid considerably higher than I was planning to. I trust my own experience and intuition more.

Look at what others in your field with comparable experience and credentials are charging, close your eyes and do a gut check, and go with your own best judgment.

carole-sharwarko · ‎04-02-2019

Great advice! Thank you, Phyllis!

wlyonsatl · ‎03-14-2019

Upwork's various algorithms - the opaque JSS, wildly optimistic "recommended" pay rates on new job proposals, etc. - are very useful for improving what you're already doing.

The only choice a freelancer has is to run their own business here in a way that makes the most money for her (within Upwork's rules, of course). Pay rates are very important, but you will always be flying blind and should test different rates from time to time to find your sweet spot.

If you're staying as busy on Upwork as you want to be at pay rates you think are well-matched with your area of specialty, Upwork does nothing to hep you improve on that other than the single most important thing from Upwork's perspective - bringing in a constand flow of new projects.

You might try raising your rates on new proposals a bit during times you're very busy - and not needing to win a lot of new projects - to see if you still get a sufficient rate of success on your proposals. If you do, keep your rates at that higher level for future proposals.

How useful it would be if Upwork included information Elance used to provide - the pricing proposed by all freelancers on a given project, including the winning bid. I think that is particularly helpful for new freelancers.

wlyonsatl · ‎03-14-2019

The first sentence in my previous post was not intended to be sarcastic, though that works.

What I should have written was, "Upwork's various algorithms - the opaque JSS, wildly optimistic "recommended" pay rates on new job proposals, etc. - are NOT very useful for improving what you're already doing.

carole-sharwarko · ‎04-02-2019

Thank you, Will! I'm aware that it's algorithm-based, but one never knows how reliable a given algorithm is. Another difficulty is that new potential clients see your exact rate on previous projects. I have actually experienced potential clients saying, "Can't you do it for the same rate as this other job?"

I will follow your and Phyllis' advice and go with my gut while testing the waters. Thank you!

gilbert-phyllis · ‎04-02-2019

Carole S wrote:
Thank you, Will! I'm aware that it's algorithm-based, but one never knows how reliable a given algorithm is. Another difficulty is that new potential clients see your exact rate on previous projects. I have actually experienced potential clients saying, "Can't you do it for the same rate as this other job?"

I will follow your and Phyllis' advice and go with my gut while testing the waters. Thank you!

That's an inappropriate, unprofessional question and the appropriate, non-negotiable answer is, "No." Depending on the type of work, the project scope, and the quality of the client apart from that faux pas, you might choose to offer them an option to reduce the budget by limiting the scope somehow. But be careful about that, because chances are good they will wind up trying to get you to do the original scope or even more, at the lesser price. And they'll genuinely feel justified in doing that, so there will be no reasoning with them in the end. So, I guess the bottom line is, that question is a yellow flag. If you say no and they continue to press, then it's a red flag.