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Freelancing has become one of the most convenient ways of putting your skills to good use and making a buck. Plus, there’s the added incentive of being able to work from any place you like, including your home.
Upwork is a very popular base for such arrangements. In the past half a decade, Upwork has become one of the leading venues for finding jobs online. Yet, new users often ask about its credibility.
For example, beginners might wonder whether all of the offers they see on the platform are from genuine brands. Also, what about the payment methods? After all, any online interaction can be a target for scammers.
Therefore, keep reading to find out whether Upwork is a platform worth investing in either as a buyer or service provider.
What Is Upwork?
Upwork is the world’s work marketplace connecting millions of businesses with independent talent around the globe. They serve everyone from one-person start-ups to 30% of the Fortune 100 with a powerful trust-driven platform.
Upwork is a marketplace that helps businesses, agencies, and independent freelancers connect. Hence, you can make contact with employers from any country in the world and work from home. Also, the site neatly groups similar postings, allowing you to narrow your search. If you perform well, your rating will rise, opening even more venues in the process.
Formerly called Elance-oDesk, Upwork was created in 2013 as a result of the merger of two freelancer companies, Elance Inc. and oDesk Corp. The list of founders includes Beerud Sheth, Srini Anumolu, Sanjay Noronha, Odysseas Tsatalos, and Stratis Karamanlakis. Currently, Upwork’s HQ is in San Francisco, California, US.
How Does It Work?
It is relatively easy to navigate through Upwork. You can find most of the key features in the upper bar and access the search function from there.
The first step is to sign up and create a profile that showcases what you are capable of and what type of services you can offer. Also, it would be best if you created relevant portfolios exhibiting your best samples that can convince clients to appoint you.
However, creating an Upwork profile is a multistep process. As a result of its rising popularity, Upwork follows strict criteria for approving accounts. In that manner, they regulate the total number of users and secure the domain from scammers.
While clients can appoint freelancers through invitations or direct job offers, you can freely search for job postings anytime. Next, you can fill out a form to apply for the one that caught your eye. However, clients have the last say in who they would like to give a shot from the list of applicants.
Once they accept your proposal, Upwork ensures fairness on both sites during the trial period. For example, the platform keeps track of all chats between you and the employer and ensures a safe transaction once the job is complete.
Is Upwork Legit?
Yes, Upwork is legit, and you can inspect its legal protocols in the Trust & Safety section. Currently, Upwork has around 18 million active users.
Upwork has developed a system that favors good performance to ensure proper working conditions for all. Hence, both sides can check their experience levels and past earnings, which gives them an idea of what to expect. Plus, the Upwork team remains vigilant of any attempts to scam the other party. If they detect foul play, they might suspend or delete an account in some cases. On this note, you can also report clients that make sketchy demands and don’t respect deadlines.
When it comes to payment, Upwork has features that protect freelancers and employers from scams. The Upwork Payment Protection is one such feature that works in everyone’s favor.
At the beginning of a project, the employer is charged an amount of money for the milestone. Once the employer approves the milestone and marks the project as complete, Upwork will forward that sum to the freelancer’s account.
What It Offers
Over the years, Upwork expanded the range of useful features it provides to both clients and freelancers.
A few notable examples include:
- Job Opportunities: It offers a variety of jobs in many categories of skills like writing, designing, marketing, etc.
- Exposure: It is a common ground for people around the world to engage professionally and grow their profiles.
- Personalized Experience: Upwork allows you to highlight your set of skills and also to focus your search on the most suitable postings.
- Features: In-built collaboration features, such as messaging and work diaries.
- Support Team: The platform offers a reliable safety net for both sites of the contract and blocks any fake profiles.
- Payment Protection: TheUpwork Payment Protection is a feature that prevents frauds or scams, meaning no client can trick you into doing work for free.
As a result, Upwork is a legit platform where one can find work in a particular field and continue to grow their portfolio.