Freelance websites (success stories? thoughts?)

Gary Wilkinson

Has anyone had any experience with websites for freelancers? Just signed up to upwork, but nearly every budget is ridiculous for the work advertised, such as 4 fully colored illustrations for $45 and it seems people are actually bidding for those jobs. I'm sure Will must have a video about that somewhere, but in the meantime, has anyone found any great projects from upwork or similar websites or it is a minefield of terrible clients?

(also to add that the website takes 20% of the fee...)

smceccarelli

Hi hired quite a few freelancers on Upwork working as AD...and some for my own business too (the one that did my website, for example).
Conclusion: I would never offer my services as a freelancer on Upwork. I have a private profile there as copywriter, funny enough, but I've only bid for jobs once or twice (I thought it would be a way to practice some writing).
There's nothing wrong with Upwork per se, and while both quality and prices are all over the spectrum there are skilled freelancers there, doing good work for a fraction of the Western World fees. BUT - if you offer work on Upwork you are targeting a client group that is mostly concerned with budgets AND you are competing on pricing with people who live in India, China, Philippines, Eastern Europe and loads of other countries where the cost of living is very low. If you live in Europe or US you simply cannot win a race based on pricing and you cannot make that a defining element of your business.
That's why I also react coldly to people that ask for your "fees" or "how much would it cost to do x..." in the first contact. It may turn out to be an awesome opportunity but my first reaction is: "if that is your main concern, then you're probably looking in the wrong place...".
That said, there is definitely a place for people in the upper range of budgets on Upwork too, and I've hired a few of those through the portal too - but it depends on the kind of service and I'm not sure illustration is a good one.

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