Thursday, June 15, 2017
How to Find an Awesome Freelancer (and Be a Great Client)
Join us today, June 15, at 10:30 a.m. PT for a live Client Success Week Twitter chat with the Executive in Sweatpants, Matt Keener. We will be using the hashtag #UpworkChat.
You posted a project and received some top-notch proposals from freelancers. Now you need to choose the freelancer who’s the best fit to get your project off the ground.
In some ways, choosing a freelancer for a project on Upwork is similar to choosing a local service provider, but in other ways it can be very different. We’ve pulled together a number of resources with tips to help you navigate the hiring process and learn what to expect—so you can choose the best freelancer and solidify that relationship by being a great client.
Review proposals
The first step in finding the right freelancer is to review the proposals you have received and create a short-list of candidates.
Take the information from their profile, portfolio, and proposal into account: If this first screening shows a freelancer isn’t the right fit for your project, you can immediately decline their proposal and remove it from the list.
For freelancers who look like they might be exactly what you’re looking for, send a message to discuss aspects of their proposal and set up a time to talk.
If a lot of freelancers have caught your attention, narrow your short-list to just a few names; you can archive the rest for future reference should you need to revisit.
Learn more about what to look for in a freelancer’s profile >>
Conduct an interview
The interview portion of the hiring process is an important one. At this stage, consider doing a video or audio chat in order to get a feel for how the relationship will proceed.
Prepare for the interview by listing questions that you will ask, and think about how you want the freelancer to answer them. Consider asking more about:
- Their approach to your project
- Their experience
- Work logistics
Our hiring guides have sample questions you can reference for some of the more in-demand skills in the Upwork marketplace.
Start with “9 Interview Questions to Find the Perfect Freelancer Online” >>
Start with a smaller project
If you are looking at an in-depth or longer-term project, or if you have many candidates that you can’t choose between, it is a good idea ask each of the freelancers to do a small, paid project to see what you think of their work.
One way to do this is to choose the first milestone from your larger project and have several people complete it. This not only gives you a head start on the larger project, it can also serve as a way to test different approaches and uncover other ideas you never thought to include.
Formalize the contract
Once you have decided on the freelancer you wish to engage for your project, it is time to push the “make offer” button and set up the contract.
When you first posted your project, you were asked whether you wanted to create a fixed-price or hourly project. What if you and the freelancer you’ve partnered with decide to go with a different approach? On the “offer details” page, you can confirm final details, including whether you want to go with fixed-price or hourly structure.
If you choose a fixed-price project, you will be prompted to set up milestones and fund escrow for the first milestone. The payments may qualify for Upwork Fixed-price Protection.
Discuss the milestones with the freelancer; they may have examples of how similar projects they’ve worked on were divided and can help you decide.
If you chose an hourly project, the freelancer can bill their time using the Upwork Desktop App. The app takes care of invoicing automatically and may qualify for Upwork hourly protection.
How does weekly billing for hours work? On Mondays, you will be invoiced for the previous week’s work and your billing method will automatically be billed for the amount owed; you have until Friday of the same week to dispute if there is an issue.
Communicate and collaborate
Clear communication is key to a successful project. There are a number of collaboration tools you can use to help the project run smoothly. Chat and share files with Upwork Messages, work together on documents using Google Drive, and track milestones and to-dos with project management apps such as Asana or Trello.
When going over the details of the project, be as specific as possible about what you want delivered. Give concrete examples of what you are looking for and avoid using abstract words that could mean something else to another person.
For example, if you’re working on a design project that isn’t as engaging as you’d like, avoid asking for something that’s “more cheerful” or “friendlier”. Instead, be as specific as possible: Ask the freelancer to use “brighter colors” or images with “people who are smiling”. Concrete terms are actionable and involve less guesswork, which results in a better project experience for everyone.
Effective communication can help foster a great professional relationship—but remember that when it comes to online communication, tone is hard to capture and communicating with tact and grace can sometimes be difficult. If there is a conversation you feel might be better suited to a video or voice call, do not hesitate to set one up. Freelance business owners care about how you feel about their work. They want your business to succeed and the more they feel they understand what you’re looking for, the more invested they will be in your success.
Finally, remember that professionalism goes both ways. If there is a hold up on your end, realize you are not the freelancer’s only client and let them know as soon as you can so they may adjust their schedule. By being courteous, you can help ensure you receive the same consideration.
Ready to get started? Create an awesome job post that attracts the freelancers and skills you need.
The post How to Find an Awesome Freelancer (and Be a Great Client) appeared first on Upwork Blog.
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Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Hiring Your First Freelancer: Tips from Inside Upwork
Mark your calendar for a live Client Success Week Twitter chat with the Executive in Sweatpants, Matt Keener, on Thursday, June 15, at 10:30 a.m. PT. We will be using the hashtag #UpworkChat.
Freelance business owners contribute to Upwork’s growth and success every day. Our in-house employees regularly partner with freelancers for their expertise and perspective on projects such as our recent radio campaign.
So we asked inside Upwork: What tips for success would you give to a client who is getting ready to post their first job to engage their first freelancer on Upwork? Here’s a look at what they had to say.
“Take advantage of the protections built into Upwork. You can choose to do a fixed-price job, where you deposit the money [in escrow] at the beginning of the project, review the milestones, then release the money when you’re satisfied. With an hourly job, you can agree to a weekly hours limit and see billed time using the Work Diary. Keeping all your messages and interviews on Upwork can help in case of a dispute.
“Review proposals carefully and trust your gut. You want to work with someone who understands your project and with whom you can communicate well. Decline those you don’t like and narrow it down to a few candidates, then review their profiles and either do interviews or get started with your favorite.
“Add a lot of detail in your project description and verify your payment method. Hundreds of thousands of freelancers log in to look for projects every day. Post what you need so qualified freelancers can come to you and tell you exactly why they can do your job well. If you don’t know how much your project should cost or how long it should last, say so in your post; freelancers who are experts in your project field will advise you.”
— Katrina Benjamin, Sr Director Conversion Rate Optimization
“Conduct a test project with a few top candidates and then select the person who works out best for the longer-term work. To create the test project, determine a discrete portion of the project that can be used as an initial milestone. That way you get a jumpstart, and having multiple people attempt it can even serve as a virtual brainstorm in some cases.”
— Shoshana Deutschkron, VP, Communications
“Before I post my job, I prep the project so the freelancer can jump in quickly. With Upwork, there is a breadth and depth of talent, so I know filling will be pretty fast. Being prepared helps me (and the team) quickly transition from post to project without losing steam.
To start:
- Create a list of tools or apps the freelancer will need access to (e.g. Google Docs, etc.)
- Determine who they will need to meet
- Develop a content or project brief (so the person will know what is expected)
- Collect related articles or information they may need to read through
Prepping the project does two things:
- Forces me to clarify the job and the talent I need
- Organize things on my end (and with the team) so the project is smooth and efficient”
— Lisa Oda, Director, Content Marketing
“Set clear expectations and create milestones to check in on progress. This will make sure both you AND your freelancer have time to ask and answer any questions. The most important thing is to check in early. It’s one thing to ask, “Do you understand what I’m asking for?” It’s another thing to see their work in action.
“Communicate, communicate, communicate! This isn’t online shopping: You’re working with another professional, so don’t expect to ‘select the color and size’ and wait for the perfect deliverable to arrive.”
— Kevin Bechtel, Director, Product Marketing
“I would encourage a client to keep in regular contact with the freelancer, particularly during the first few weeks. Checks via Messages are a great way to clarify any questions and course-correct on deliverables and time spent. Work quality and prioritization can often be corrected with clear, short, regular communication.”
— Garnor Morantes, Director, Community
Ready to get started? Create an awesome job post that attracts the freelancers and skills you need.
If you need help, please feel free to reach out! Our support team is available 24/7 at support.upwork.com and will be happy to assist with anything you may need.
The post Hiring Your First Freelancer: Tips from Inside Upwork appeared first on Upwork Blog.
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Tuesday, June 13, 2017
The Grande at Suter Brook Village – Plans, Pricing, Availability
At a Glance
- award-winning master-planned community
- 26-storey concrete tower
- 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom condos
- 18,000 sq ft Health & Fitness Club
- steps to Evergreen Line Inlet Centre Station
- near plaza with 100,000 sq.ft. of retail
- close to 185,000 sq. ft. of office space
Urban Elegance & West Coast Beauty
The last development in Port Moody’s award-winning Suter Brook Village, this sophisticated 26-storey tower offers 1-, 2-, and 3- bedroom homes with 9′ over-height ceilings, ranging from 600 to over 2,100 sq.ft. Cook up a storm in your chef’s kitchen with fully-integrated European appliances, composite stone countertops and double undermount stainless steel sink. Ease into your days and nights in elegant bathrooms with frameless glass-enclosed showers, spa-inspired soaker tubs, custom soft-close cabinets and marble tiled NuHeat floors. Stay cool all summer long thanks to the integrated energy efficient heating and cooling system keeping things comfortable year-round.
Find Out About New Presales & Get Access to VIP Openings & Special Promotions!
Are you a realtor? Click here
A vibrant social centre. A multi-cultural hub. There’s something to be said for having everything you need right around the corner. Suter Brook Village is an all-encompassing neighbourhood situated on 22 acres of land in idyllic Port Moody, offering all of life’s daily conveniences at your doorstep. You’ll be connected to an energized community where urban elegance collides with natural West Coast beauty. You can also travel with ease: just steps to the new Evergreen Line Inlet Centre Station, the West Coast Express, and minutes to highways in either direction, The Grande links residents to the rest of the Lower Mainland.
Pricing for The Grande at Suter Brook Village
Final prices have yet to be announced. Sign up to our VIP list above to ensure you’re notified of any new developments.
Floor Plans for The Grande at Suter Brook Village
Choose from 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom homes ranging from 600 to over 2,100 sq.ft. Contact me today to discuss plans, pricing, and availability suited to your needs.
Amenities at The Grande at Suter Brook Village
An 18,000 sq ft Health & Fitness Club will offer exceptional facilities for maintaining your wellness.
Parking and Storage
TBA.
Maintenance Fees at The Grande at Suter Brook Village
Included with final pricing details.
Developer Team for The Grande at Suter Brook Village
The Onni Group is one of North America’s leading private real estate developers, with extensive experience designing, developing, building and managing innovative projects. As a fully integrated company that directly oversees every step in the development process, Onni has built over 10,000 homes. In addition, the company owns and manages more than 7 million square feet of commercial property, over 5,500 rental apartment units, and has an additional 10 million square feet in various stages of development. With offices in Vancouver, Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Mexico, Onni continues to expand and diversify into new markets throughout North America.
Located in Vancouver, Ciccozzi Architecture is an award-winning, full-service architecture firm specializing in residential and commercial design. Their aim is to integrate creative solutions throughout the entire design process to provide a balance of design excellence and economy.
Expected Completion for The Grande at Suter Brook Village
To be announced. Presales are anticipated in the Summer of 2017.
Are you interested in learning more about other homes in Tri-Cities, Burnaby, or Port Moody?
Check out these great Burnaby Properties!
The post The Grande at Suter Brook Village – Plans, Pricing, Availability appeared first on Mike Stewart.
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Build a Business You Love: Freelancing Tips from the Pros [Free eBook]
You’re almost ready to join the growing freelance movement: You have the skill, experience, and drive to take control of your professional life. What you may not know is how to start a freelance business.
With helpful ideas and stories from freelancers who’ve been there and done that, “Build a Business You Love: Freelancing Tips from the Pros” can help you grasp the basics and keep you moving forward. You’ll also find tips from experienced pros:
- Danny Margulies, freelance copywriter and prolific blogger
Danny feels new freelancers often make one critical mistake: Underpricing—and undervaluing—the services they provide. Setting a smart rate, then consistently leveling up, are two of his tenets for success.
- Richard A., freelance mobile developer
Richard set out to create a stable freelance business with the work-life balance he wanted. One of his main strategies is to foster long-term relationships, which helps lead to bigger, repeat projects.
- Kelly Dunning, freelance writer and digital nomad
Kelly works and travels as a way of life, which makes mobility a key part of her business. She says this makes boundaries even more critical: It’s important to separate work and play if you’re going to enjoy either fully.
- Tim H., business developer, marketing strategist, and content writer
Tim went from $0 to nearly $100,000 within a few years. He says success stems from delivering great work and finding clients and projects that are the best match for him.
Get your copy of this free eBook >>
Whether freelancing is something you want to pursue full-time or on the side, Upwork can help you reach your goals easier and faster. In this eBook, you’ll find ideas and tricks to help:
Polish your personal brand
Learn how you can stand apart from the crowd so prospective clients can find you, including a list of tactics to help you shine online and offline. You’ll also find tips to help you keep growing your brand, so you can win more interesting (and lucrative!) projects as you solidify your reputation.
Get your pricing right
Setting your rates can be intimidating: You want to get paid what you’re worth, but don’t want to price yourself above the jobs you want. Learn best practices from freelancers who were able to find the right balance—and are thriving as a result.
Find new clients
You’re confident your business will gain momentum, but how do you find those early clients who can help get the ball rolling? Get ideas to help you land clients and earn extra income. You’ll also learn what to look for in a job post, so you can focus your efforts on the projects that are the best fit for you.
Get work done
How do busy freelancers juggle multiple projects and build long-term relationships? It starts with professional communication and setting expectations—but it doesn’t stop there. This eBook contains tips, tricks, and checklists to help you be productive and manage your freelancing business effectively.
Don’t forget the administrative stuff
Details vary by location, but every freelancer has licensing, registration, banking, and tax details that can’t be ignored. Learn more about the questions you should ask to help make sure you don’t miss anything critical.
Get ready to launch! Download “Build a Business You Love: Freelancing Tips from the Pros” to help navigate the road toward a thriving freelance business.
The post Build a Business You Love: Freelancing Tips from the Pros [Free eBook] appeared first on Upwork Blog.
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Monday, June 12, 2017
Find the Best Freelance Help with an Outstanding Job Post
Mark your calendar for a live Client Success Week Twitter chat with the Executive in Sweatpants, Matt Keener, on Thursday, June 14, at 10:30 a.m. PT. We will be using the hashtag #UpworkChat.
Is your business growing? Do you need expertise that is outside the wheelhouse of your current staff? Is your team stretched too thin to handle your new project? No matter the reason for seeking help, there are a few simple steps you can take to help ensure that you are set up for success when searching for a freelance professional. This article looks at creating a job post on Upwork, and will link you to the right resources, right when you need them.
Set up your profile
To get started on Upwork, you must create a client profile. Fill out your company name, tagline, description, and website URL, then upload your company logo. You will also be asked to add and verify your payment method. Though you will be able to post a job without a verified payment method, typically the best freelancers will not submit proposals for your job until this step has been completed. You also will not be able to complete the hiring process without it.
Should you look for a single freelancer or an agency?
First, consider what you want to accomplish and the skills that might be necessary to complete the project successfully. Does your project require a large skill set? Or a narrow one? This can help you determine whether working with an agency or individual freelancers is the better choice.
If you work with an agency, you’ll typically communicate with just one person: The agency owner. An agency is a group of freelancers with different skills who can work on different aspects of your project. The agency owner allocates project pieces to the freelancers in the agency, then delivers the work to you.
If you are in the market for a website, for example, an agency might be an ideal choice. You might need someone to design the site so it will be user-friendly for your customers, code the site into a workable entity, write the copy, choose imagery, and ensure you are following best practices so search engines like Google will rank you well in search results. An agency can help coordinate the flow of all these pieces between freelancers.
If your project is narrow in scope, such as an article or a design project, or if you prefer to communicate directly with service providers, working with individual freelancers might be the best fit.
Learn more about why you might work with a Single Freelancer vs Agency >>
If your needs are large, or you’d prefer to have someone start the vetting process for you, you may also wish to consider looking into Upwork’s Pro or Enterprise solutions.
Determine the best pricing structure for your project
When setting up your job post, you will be prompted to create a fixed-price project or an hourly project. How do you choose?
A fixed-price project is one that has a set price. It is often best used for projects with finite deliverables and a clearly defined scope that can be split into one or more milestones. Writing and graphic design projects often fit well into this category. For example, if you are looking for an ebook that contains 10 chapters of 1,000 words each, it’s easy to create a milestone for each chapter. Or if you are looking for a business card, you can set it up as one payment.
For hourly projects, you are invoiced by the hour. These are often best suited for projects that are longer term or if you and the freelancer are unsure how long it will take.
Let’s say, for example, you are looking for help answering customer support queries that come to your company via email or through your social media channels. Some weeks this could take five hours while other weeks it could take up to 10. You can create an hourly project with a cap of 10 hours. The freelancer can then track time using the Upwork desktop app, and you’ll be billed for the number of hours they spend on your project each week.
Learn more about fixed price vs hourly projects >>
Set your budget
Before posting your project, do some research into how much it is realistically going to cost. Think about how much experience a freelancer should have to get the project done to your specifications. As with more traditional methods of finding service professionals, the more experienced an individual, the higher their rate will be.Research the going rate for similar projects at a similar level of experience. One way to do this is to search on Upwork for freelancers with the skills and experience level you are looking for; review their hourly rates and work history for an indication of what you should expect.
Research the going rate for similar projects at a similar level of experience. One way to do this is to search on Upwork for freelancers with the skills and experience level you are looking for; review their hourly rates and work history for an indication of what you should expect.At the end of this
At the end of this post, you will find a list of rates and cost factors for some of the more in-demand skills our clients are often looking for.
Post the job: Public vs private
On the Upwork site, you have the option to post your job publically—so every freelancer can see it—or to post it privately and invite specific freelancers to submit proposals.
If you post your job publicly, it will appear in search results; interested freelancers will be able to search, view, and submit proposals. For public posts, you can also search for and invite freelancers you think would be a good fit. However, private jobs are only visible to those freelancers you personally invite.
Write the job title, description, and invitation
The job title and description will be the first impression a freelancer will have of you and your project, and will likely be a deciding factor for those considering submitting a proposal.
When preparing a job post, think about the terms a freelancer might search for when looking for projects that match their skills. Accurately describing the project in the title and description will help the right freelancers find you and will be more appealing to the best talent. A detailed description will also allow freelancers to accurately assess and quote their proposals.
Title: Define the nature of the work. What kind of professional are you looking for? For example, you might use: Need blog writer for fitness niche; Seeking accountant for income tax filing; Need help developing a PowerPoint presentation for a corporate event.
Description: Include a project overview, the deliverables, and the deadline. Define what you need done, the skills you think are needed, and and the experience level you are looking for. Describe the project terms clearly, including what you expect to receive once the project wraps up and when you expect to receive it.
Invitation: On the Upwork website, you can invite specific freelancers to check out your job post. In your invitation, introduce yourself, your company, and your project. Keep in mind, the freelancers you invite will be vetting you as much as you are vetting them. When sending an invite, take the time to make a good first impression. Address the freelancer by name and let them know why you chose to invite them.
There’s a lot of information available to help
For more detailed information, check out our Hiring Guides. We’ve identified some of the most commonly sought skills and provided steps to writing great project descriptions to find freelancers who fit the bill. This resource also contains ideas for interview questions, tips and best practices, and common mistakes.
Prefer video? See our client course with real-world best practices for finding and working with great freelancers. You can take the modules anytime, anywhere it’s convenient for you.
Ready to get started? Create an awesome job post that attracts the freelancers and skills you need.
Learn more about rates and cost factors for freelance experts in the following areas:
Business
Accountant | Customer Service Representative | Virtual Assistant
Sales and Marketing
Copywriter | Graphic Designer | Sales Representative | SEO Specialist | Social Media Manager
Technical
Android Developer | Back-End Web Developer | CSS Developer | Data Scientist |
Front-End Web Developer | HTML5 Developer | iOS Developer | JavaScript Developer |
Mobile Developer | Software Developer | Software Engineer | SQL Developer |
UI Designer | UX Designer | Web Designer | Web Developer | WordPress Developer
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