How to Earn $500+ on Upwork in a Month

It's 2021. You're recovering financially from a worldwide pandemic.

You need some work, like, yesterday.

You've heard of Upwork, and you have the time and energy to take on a little extra work. But the question is: how does Upwork even work?

First of all, you should know that you're going to want to put your whole heart in the game and give them your bank account info. I know, I know. You just met. It's too early to get married. But it's time to commit. If you want to get paid, you have to fork it over. It's that simple.

The nice thing about Upwork is that they track your earnings for you, so you can do your taxes without a headache from all of your freelance gigs.

The second thing you have to know is that everything comes with a price. You get connects, which are the equivalent to Chuck E. Cheese tokens. You need a few to apply to certain jobs, and even more for others. You can't apply without them. As they say: you can't win if you don't play.

The nice thing about connects? You can earn 10 free connects when you're selected for an "interview" which is usually the person on the other end messaging you with details about the job. I haven't had a formal interview on Upwork, so don't worry about that. Job posters usually see your work and choose you to get started right away.

Note: It's not all rainbows and cupcakes. You still have to submit a cover letter and work samples every time you apply. Are you too lazy to do this? Well, thanks for reading and see ya later.

Oh, you're still here? I'll show you how to do that in a matter of seconds.

So, the prerequisites to Upwork haven't scared you away yet? Great! Let's jump into how to find freelance work on Upwork.

Search specifically for your skills.

You can search for anything on Upwork. If you're a writer, you might search that. You might search "graphic design" or "web design" if that's what you do. However, you're going to want to search for variations of the words, too. For example, someone might be looking for a "designer" or "Facebook cover art" but they actually need graphic design.

The best way to get your proposal in the door is to be specific. If you're a graphic designer who loves making social media posts, search "social media graphics" instead. If you love creating templates for companies in Canva, search "Canva template." Likewise, if you're a web designer who hates Wix, don't scroll through all of the postings that mention Wix. Save yourself some time and increase your chances of getting chosen by niching down, and search "WordPress" if that's your jam.

Copy and paste your expertly-written cover letter.

Calm down. You only really need to make a few tweaks each time if you follow this step. Do yourself a favor and copy and paste your cover letter into a Google Document or an email draft. Now, slim it down to just a few sentences. We don't need all that corporate jargon. Get to the meat of who you are, what you do, and the value that you offer. Next, make sure you mention something you found in the proposal. Why are you even applying to this job? Do you like designing graphics for Twitch? Do you like that the project estimate for the website is $2,000? Don't say, "I'd like $2,000 and so I'm applying" but say something like "I would love to work for a company that values web design. I will work with you until you absolutely love the final product."

Here is an example of a proposal that got me hired for writing product descriptions for ballet flats:

Hi, I'm a creative copywriter that has written for well-loved brands including Disney, Forever 21, and Kohl's. At Kohl's, I wrote for the 35+ demographic. At Forever 21, I wrote about shoes. I have also conducted my own research on shoes because of my flat feet and back problems. I would love to write these descriptions for you. I can have them done by the end of the day.

Feel free to view more of my work samples at LisaSchulz.com.

Thank you,

Lisa

Let's break this down. First, I grab their attention by confidently stating what I do and who I've worked for. If you don't have big name brands on your resume, you can say "I've written for a digital media agency" and it still sounds good.

I mention that I'm experienced in what the hiring manager is asking for, which is writing for older women. I also briefly mention my experience. I haven't written a TON about shoes, maybe just a sentence per shoe at Forever 21. But I simplify it in my cover letter, and it works. I add a personal touch ("I have done personal research because I have a bad back and flat feet") which is going to be relatable when writing to their customers.

Then, I show my passion and excitement for writing, and I let the hiring manager know that they should pick me because I can get the job done quicker than what anyone else has pitched. (Most proposals say it will be done in "Less than a week.") Lastly and most importantly, I link to my samples and say "thanks" to the person like they're a human. Always remember who you're writing to.

Let's go over one more example made from scratch:

This was a project by a Twitch streamer with a gross name. I'm not going to approach him the same way I would the CEO of a ballet flat company. I'm going to talk to him like a graphic designing friend. Check it out:

Hi there. I'm not sure if your name is related to a sweet drifting car, or poop. As a matter of fact, I'm going to laugh really hard if it's not related to poop. Here are some of my ideas for your Twitch channel. I obviously will work with you until it's absolutely perfect. I'm a gamer as well (Fluffy Kitties) and I'd love to work on this project with you.

Let's break it down: I clarify what he's all about. I add humor. I mention that I provided my ideas for logos and branding in the work samples section. I still mention that I'm upholding my standards of quick project completion regardless of his funny and gross name. I say why I'm interested in the project (I'm a gamer, and I get it) and I say straight up that I'd love to work on the project. Passion is great on Upwork because it makes you stand out from all the worrywarts who are desperate for money.

Note: Please don't go pitching people about poop in your cover letters unless the job specifically notes that. I shouldn't have to warn you, but some of us aren't the brightest crayons in the box.

Note #2: If you're judging me because I wrote "poop" in my cover letter, just know that the digital world is quickly evolving, and you're going to be left out if you can't adapt to the trivial things people need online.

Work samples, work samples, work samples.

Do yourself one more favor and organize your work samples. Create a folder for the different projects you've done in Google Drive, and keep similar projects together. That way, when you're pitching for 10 different gigs, it's easy to show your skills. You have to either have a portfolio or include work samples. What's even better? Both.

Promise them that you can deliver way faster than expected.

The smallest time frame you can choose from the drop-down is "Less than 1 week." So, you're going to want to specify, realistically, how long it will take you and how long edits might take, if they have any. Specifying puts you at the top of their list and the top of their mind.

Don't be afraid to buy connects.

Connects are pretty cheap. You can get 80 for $12 (this article was written April 2021) or, if you'd rather spend that on a burrito, you can get 10 for $1.50. Sure, you're paying to win, but when you're spending $12 to make $500, that's $488 you didn't have before.

Hike up your price.

Hourly rate: People can see what you set for your hourly rate on Upwork. Right now, mine is at $35. I have hiked this up in proposals that allowed a higher budget, otherwise I'm going to look like English isn't my first language, instead of a native speaker.

Fixed Price: Wow, typing that word was as heavenly as eating a donut with sprinkles. This is your goal. Always try to negotiate a fixed price, but ONLY if you can finish the work faster than you could if you charged an hourly rate.

Are you slow, a perfectionist, or signing up for a super huge project and you're not sure how long it will take? Stick with an hourly rate.

Bidding on a project: You can see that they are going to give you $350 for the project, but you can "bid" lower and hope that they choose you over another freelancer because you charge a lower rate. You need to make sure that the job poster said they're looking for the cheapest freelancers. If they are looking for an expert, TAKE THE MONEY. Do not sell yourself short here. Someone looking for longevity is going to spend $26 on leggings at Torrid instead of $5 on leggings at Forever 21.

Market all of your skills.

If you're a writer by day like I am, don't be afraid to be a web designer or a graphic designer by night. Obviously, don't market skills you don't have. But if you have an eye for design and you can help someone out, DO IT. Don't be shy.

If that doesn't work for you, pick the one you're an expert in.

Not all writer's graphic designs can compete with those who went to school for graphic design. As per the Twitch example, there are plenty of ways to stand out and secure the gig. However, if you're not landing design gigs, you may want to consider doing gigs that coincide with your day job. While it might not be very different from your day job, you can get the work done way quicker than people who are trying to pose as writers (or whatever you do for freelance.)

Don't shy away from a project that has a lot of proposals.

If that job isn't interviewing anyone, they haven't found the right person for the job yet. That could be you! You'll see how many people the job poster is interviewing at the bottom of their request. Pay attention to these stats!

On the other hand, if they:

• Are interviewing one or more
• Need the project completed stat
• Posted their project a couple of days ago

Chances are that it's filled. Move on.

Scour Upwork for fixed price gigs.

This is truly the meat-and-potatoes (or, like...broccoli-and-cheese, for all of my keto vegetarians) of Upwork. The BEST way to earn money is to earn it quickly. And the best way to do that is to choose what you're an expert in, choose a fixed rate gig (or convince an hourly-rate gig to convert to a fixed rate) and get that gig done in an hour (or whatever makes sense for what you're making.)

For example, I might make $35 an hour, but if I can get those ballet flat product descriptions finished in an hour, I'm only going to make $35. If I can suggest a fixed rate (or if they're openly advertising a fixed rate) of, let's say, $200, that's far more lucrative for me and my expertise.

See what I mean?

How to make $500 per month on Upwork, mathematically

To answer your question from the beginning of this article, you can do a mix of hourly work or fixed price work. Just know that when you choose hourly, you get a screenshot taken of your screen every 10 minutes. It counts your clicks and keystrokes as well, to ensure that you're working. With fixed price, you can work at your own rate and you don't have someone watching over your shoulder.

Apply for a high-priced, $625+ gig, or find five gigs that pay a little more than $100. The other thing you should know is that Upwork takes 20% of your earnings, so if you sign up for a $100 fixed-price gig, you will receive $80. That's why I like to charge a little bit more.

Before you jump into the world of freelance, there's one more thing you should know: what not to do. Don't take someone else's work and claim it as your own. There are fine lines on the interwebs, and this article will help you determine those lines as a graphic designer.

Did you find this Upwork article helpful? If so, leave a like, and maybe even a tip if this works for you! If you have any more questions, I'd love for you to tweet me @LisaRSchulz (or come snoop on my Instagram at @lisascreative).