Share some positive experiences on Upwork.

[f1785f8c]

I've been on Upwork for a short period and in the period 90% or more of the post have been strictly about negative experiences. If anyone wants to contribute any positive experiences from working on Upwork, do so here. Anything you deem positive. How Upwork has helped you, how freelancing here has benefited you. Share any experience you want to share. Bring some positivity into the community.

[tlsanders]

For me, Upwork is a huge time saver. I don't use it steadily since I have a regular roster of clients and get new clients through a variety of channels. But, if I find myself with unexpected downtime or want to increase my work hours a bit to make some extra money, Upwork is the quickest and easiest way for me to connect with a new client--I can almost always pick up a new gig within 24 hours. 

[f1785f8c]

Good to hear how you use Upwork Tiffany. Thanks for sharing your positive experience. Upwork for you is the most convenient way to pick up bonus work. Good approach.

[AveryO]

I'm sorry to learn that you've only had a bad experience on Upwork, Malcolm. 

I checked your account, and it looks like you're new. Once you're new users are able to navigate the marketplace better, you'll (hopefully) they'll be keener in identifying/finding red flags and avoiding them before a negative experience happens. From there, I hope they have positive experiences moving forward.

As a gentle reminder, users cannot communicate off Upwork until a contract has been set up on your account (the client sent an offer, and you accepted it). Clients and freelancers cannot offer and accept payments outside Upwork since this violates the Upwork Terms of Service. Note that you can use the Zoom integration in Upwork messages for an interview. It would also be best to visit these articles for more information on how you can keep in line with Upwork's Terms of Service when engaging on the website:

• The new starter's guide to being safe and successful on Upwork
• Get to know each other before a contract
• Keeping your contact information safe
• Circumvention and why it's against the rules

You may also want to read up on the "Safety First!" section of the freelancer resources we have compiled, these tips for avoiding questionable jobs, this Community article, and these articles for more information about working safely through Upwork. 

As for your question, I started freelancing on Elance, and it became Elance-Odesk, and Upwork after a few years. I can say that having this platform in my life is a great blessing. I got out of my corporate job not knowing what was in store for me, but Upwork has helped me provide for my family AND be there for them (instead of being stuck in an office or bumper-to-bumper traffic). It has allowed me to take care of my family while being able to work in the comfort of my home - bring my son to school, prepare his snacks, and prepare meals for us, and bring him to his extra-curricular activities. 

[tlsanders]

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Avery O wrote:

I'm sorry to learn that you've only had a bad experience on Upwork, Malcolm. 

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Fortunately, he didn't say that. He said most of the posts he saw here were negative. 

[AveryO]

You're right. I jumped the gun there. 😀 

Let me edit my post to avoid confusion. 

[f1785f8c]

Yes, positive experiences. Thanks for helping to clarify this Tiffany.

[feed_my_eyes]

There are lots of freelancers who've done well on Upwork and some really great clients to be found here. I've connected with some big companies who never would have hired me if I'd approached them on my own, along with lots of smaller business people who've turned into loyal, long-term clients. 

It's understandable that most people come into the forum only if they're having a problem, and not to say, "Everything is fine and I'm doing great!" And most of the negative comments are from people who don't know how to run a business and don't want to learn; they expect Upwork to protect them, mentor them, solve their problems and generally serve as their boss/HR department - so they're bound to be disappointed. But I hope that, as a new user, you don't get discouraged. Your profile looks good and you obviously have experience, so you'll probably do well. You can also learn a lot from the negative posts, such as how to handle problems and - most of all - what not to do. 😉

[f1785f8c]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Christine. I'm glad to see that Upwork has worked well for you. I appreciate you taking the time out and I appreciate the encouraging words as well.