Refering a new freelancer TO Upwork

[michellefosteruk]

HI All,

Hope you are all doing well and staying safe and healthy.

Apologies if this has been answered before, but I've taken a look and I can';t find anything specific to this query.

As a writer, I have a few fellow writing friends who would like to get started on Upwork but have not as yet submitted an application.  Is there some kind of referral program where I canna vouch for their skills and work ethic to help their application?

I would be very grateful for any guidance - and again, if I am missing some obvious information or links, I apologize.

Take care, and thanks!

Michelle Foster

[g_vasilevski · Accepted solution]

Hi Michelle, 

Unfortunately at the moment, we don't have a referral program. Your friends are more than welcomed to sign up and submit their applications. Thank you.

[michellefosteruk]

Many thanks, Goran

[martina_plaschka]

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Michelle F wrote:

HI All,

Hope you are all doing well and staying safe and healthy.

Apologies if this has been answered before, but I've taken a look and I can';t find anything specific to this query.

As a writer, I have a few fellow writing friends who would like to get started on Upwork but have not as yet submitted an application.  Is there some kind of referral program where I canna vouch for their skills and work ethic to help their application?

I would be very grateful for any guidance - and again, if I am missing some obvious information or links, I apologize.

Take care, and thanks!

Michelle Foster

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That is real nice of you to want to help your friend, but upwork gets around 10K new applications a day from people who want to freelance. Upwork is basically wringing their hands and tearing their hairs out in efforts to curb this influx, so a referral program is the last thing you will ever find here.  Your friend may apply like anybody else, and if he/she is in an underrepresented niche, might even get approved. 

If you have new clients, though, and are a top rated freelancer, they'll be happy to waive your fee for this client forever. 

[michellefosteruk]

Hi!

Many thanks for your reply - just wanted to know.  The friends are published writers and we actually all went through the same university writing degrees together, so I was just wondering about a recommendation because their work is of the highest quality.  But as you say, they can apply in their own right.

Much appreciated!

[feed_my_eyes]

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Martina P wrote:

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That is real nice of you to want to help your friend, but upwork gets around 10K new applications a day from people who want to freelance. Upwork is basically wringing their hands and tearing their hairs out in efforts to curb this influx, so a referral program is the last thing you will ever find here. 

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Sounds awful - I wonder why they keep accepting more and more new freelancers, then? It seems like there's a pretty easy solution for all of this alleged teeth gnashing and pearl clutching. And the newbies don't all have specialised skills, either - there seems to be thousands of new graphic designers and a bazillion new virtual assistants lately.

I'm also pretty curious as to why there's no incentive programme for clients?

[martina_plaschka]

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Christine A wrote:

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Martina P wrote:

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That is real nice of you to want to help your friend, but upwork gets around 10K new applications a day from people who want to freelance. Upwork is basically wringing their hands and tearing their hairs out in efforts to curb this influx, so a referral program is the last thing you will ever find here. 

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Sounds awful - I wonder why they keep accepting more and more new freelancers, then? It seems like there's a pretty easy solution for all of this alleged teeth gnashing and pearl clutching. And the newbies don't all have specialised skills, either - there seems to be thousands of new graphic designers and a bazillion new virtual assistants lately.

I'm also pretty curious as to why there's no incentive programme for clients?

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The 10K number is actually pretty old news, I think it was mentioned by the former CEO  some years ago. I have no earthly idea what the current number is, but likely a multiple of it...

I agree that they should have an incentive program for clients. I am also curious about the new do your payment through upwork option - it seems so counterintuitive that suddenly they have this real low fee. But I guess that's a discussion for the coffee break...

[pnanayakkara1]

Thanks for asking this.  My writing friend's application got refused recently.  I guess Upwork has too many applications at this point.  I was thinking to point her in the direction of some other freelancing platforms, though I don't have experience with them.