Expert-Vetted Talent: Meet the Program Manager

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My first day at Upwork was December 2nd, 2019. I was hired as the second person on the team to help build an (at the time) unnamed program and cover the Design and Creative category. All we knew is that we wanted to create something that identified and designated the top 1% of talent customers. I had my eye on Upwork while I was working in the staffing world, and was thrilled to come on board to a company where I really believed in the business model and global distribution.

When the pandemic started escalating in the United States and lockdown started, it made the program even more essential as both current and prospective customers were forced to go remote in a matter of days. Projects still needed to be done, and it was critical to have pre-vetted, high level talent accessible. 

In a matter of a few months, the program had been named the Expert-Vetted Talent program and we officially launched the badge on the platform in August of 2020. Over the past couple of years we have transformed to a team of 5 (and hiring) and are looking to expand outside of our pilot categories of Sales and Marketing, Design and Creative, and Tech.

I have to say this job is pretty cool. Daily I get to connect with amazingly talented people from all across the world and hear about their accomplishments and help bridge the gap between high-level talent and high-level clients. Now a Program Manager, I get to dive deep into how we can continuously enhance the program and create a better experience for those involved.

The million dollar question asked by our talent customers is “How do I become a part of the Expert-Vetted program?” The program is invite-only and we intend to keep it that way but if I had to give a few key tips to either get noticed or help prepare if you are invited to interview for the program:

1. Keep your Upwork profile as up-to-date as possible! This means updating recent and relevant portfolio links, client projects, key service offerings, etc.
2. Be methodical about the skills and softwares you tag to your profile. When looking at experience to invite folks for an EVT program interview, myself and the Talent Management team are looking for folks who are experts at their crafts. If there are 30 different softwares tagged to a profile that sit across different skill sets, the likelihood of someone being an “expert” in all 30 softwares is low. We do accept generalists into the program but look for clear indicators on a profile that show exactly where someone can add the most value for potential clients.
3. If you do get an invite to interview for the program, make sure to prepare to answer questions in a clear manner with relevant details.

Upwork is an amazing company that truly transforms people's lives. I am humbled to be a very small part of such a great mission and cannot wait to see what is to come as the world of remote work continues to grow!