Your first contract: hourly or fixed-price?

[#1]

Hi upworkers, Hope you are well.

I need your opinion,

For seeking the first contract on Upwork, should the one target more a fixed-price contract? Or you think it can easily be an hourly one?

I know that it's independent, but I target fixed-price contracts because I think it's more logical when there is no confidence due to empty work history

What do you think?

[#2]

I suppose what you do is quite logical, and I agree with you.

[#3]

Hourly projects, tracking time with the Upwork app, are safer.

[#4]

Thanks, but even for the first contract? I mean, will the client feel comfortable with that? 

[#5]

I just meant that if you want to be safe, you could focus more on hourly job postings; there is nothing wrong with fixed-price contracts, as long as a client has a good track record on Upwork. 

[#6]

As an entry can i go for Hourly Job or fixed rates, and why is someone who is new in this field getting hard to get a job offer, is either clients decline or the proposals will be awaiting for long, i dont get. my profile is 100% successfully

[#7]

Hourly is actually more convenient and can be safer for clients if they know the how tos. Unfortunately, most of them are clueless, and of course there are freelancers who just run the tracker all the time without noticeable progress or even the project went south resulting in some clients becoming "allergic" with hourly.

You can try to look for hourly projects and say something ike this in the proposal, "I will bill 2 hours max for A, B, C (specific task based on the job description), you can limit the hours to 2 hours.", and be SURE you do it. Just think it's a fixed priced job where you need to think thoroughly before determining the price (the 2 hours).

The client should feel safe, but when they ask for anything outside of the description, it will be easier for you to ask them to lift the limitation instead of to release the current milestone and fund a new one. 

ps: I can't see your profile so I don't know if this would actually fit your niche or not.

ps2: I'm not an Upwork expert but I do hourly freelancing almost all of the time.

[#8]

Thanks for your great advice. 

For sorry, Upwork has made my profile private because I didn't land a job til now, and there are times I was out of Upwork.

I requested them to reset my visibility, and I will inform you when it's public again if you can help with your comments on my profile.

Thanks again. 

[#9]

Sorry for annoying you, my profile is public now.

[#10]

Not annoyed at all.

Okay so we're in the same niche, if you want to aim for hourly you can try my suggestion above. Find a jpb that has a specific but "useful for the client" task, and tell the client how many hours you will spend maximum, for that task. Be competitive, but be sure to do it.

I got an hourly job a few weeks ago with that method, previously I don't really look. It's my first hourly job in here after 10 years probably 😃

I'm not the right person to ask about profile, but I think completing it will do something good with the matchmaking algo.

[#11]

I would suggest that a new freelancer on Upwork secure either type of contract, hourly or fixed-price. Two benefits, 1) there is self-satisfaction for landing that first 'gig' and, 2) you need to start gaining positive reviews for your work efforts. Both accomplish that. Here is a potential third point, "It's fun making money!"

Good luck to you.

Hutch

[#12]

Starting with very small fixed-price contracts is not a bad idea at all, because it is 'low risk' for the client. Just make sure the SCOPE of the job post/contract is very clear, and preferably, a task that can be wrapped up in a day or even a hour or 2, so that you also minimize YOUR risk of being ripped off for lots of work or many hours worked.  (Scammers like to target new freelancers.)   The important thing is that the contract/job clearly states what the definition of 'done' is: "Answer these 20 questions about marketing and provide a 20 minute interview about your experiences."   Stuff like that.

My suggestions:

Strategies you might want to try: Look for 'quick' jobs that truly need your expertise, and keep an eye out for ESTABLISHED Upwork clients, especially enterprise clients or clients have spent hundreds of thousands or millions on the platform, that post jobs where they need to higher several freelancers for a 'quick' job - like 'testing' or 'reviewing' something using your expertise or being part of a 'focus group' of people with your expertise. These types of clients are usually very serious, are almost never scammers, tend to hire fast, and have so much money they don't mind the low 'risk' off trying out a new freelancer.

Things to avoid: Quick 'emergency' (do it now) jobs posted by unestablished Upwork clients with no verified payment method, especially if they expect you to start working 'while' they (allegedly) get their payment method setup.  These clients claim to be in such a 'rush' they didn't get time to setup their payment method, but 'need' you to do the work right away and 'send it over', and then they 'promise' to pay.  They won't.  They usually are just on the platform to get free work and rip people off.  'Quick' jobs that have nothing to do with your expertise or jobs involving stuff that looks 'shady' - the laundering bitcoin or money.    It ruins your profile and gives future clients the impression that you too, are a scammer.

[#13]

Thanks for your helpful opinion. I really appreciate it. 

[#14]

Thanks all for your helpful opinions. I really appreciate it.