Upwork

Owned by Jakub Mormul (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Mar 12, 2020 by Mateusz Zajac (Unlicensed)
4 min read

This tool has solely been researched by the WilsonHCG Innovation team.

Summary


Easily find quality freelancers

On Upwork you’ll find a range of top talent, from programmers to designers, writers, customer support reps, and more.

  • Start by posting a job. Tell us about your project and the specific skills required. Learn how.
  • Upwork analyzes your needs. Our search functionality uses data science to highlight freelancers based on their skills, helping you find talent that’s a good match.
  • We send you a shortlist of likely candidates. You can also search our site for talent, and freelancers can view your job and submit proposals too.

Does Upwork screen freelancers?

We have several measures in place to ensure Upwork is a fair and reliable marketplace. We use multiple means to verify that freelancers are who they say they are. Information is also displayed that gives you a sense of each person’s skill level. In part, this includes:

  • Authenticating email addresses
  • Displaying each freelancer’s Job Success score and feedback on past projects
  • Providing results of online skills tests
  • Ultimately, it’s your responsibility to screen prospective freelancers to make sure their skills and experience meet the needs of your project. Custom screening questions can be included in your job post, and Upwork Messages provides chat and video conference tools for interviewing finalists.

Can Upwork help find freelancers for me?

  • Yes, with our Upwork Pro service we handpick pre-vetted talent to meet your specific needs.


Hire the best freelancer

Invite favorite candidates to submit bids, then review and hire your favorite.

  • Browse profiles. View finalists’ Upwork profiles to see client ratings, portfolios, Job Success scores, and more.
  • Review proposals. Evaluate bids, taking into account each freelancer’s qualifications, thought process, timeline, and overall cost. Learn how.
  • Schedule a chat. Ask specific questions, determine who’s the best fit, and contract.

What do I look for in a freelancer?

You can evaluate freelancers by reviewing their Upwork profile. Each freelancer in our marketplace has an Upwork profile. It can include work experience and samples, client feedback, skills test scores, and much more. You may also want to look for freelancers in our Top Rated and Rising Talent programs. Then, have a quick interview with your top candidates to answer questions related to your project.

How do I hire on Upwork?

After you sign up, find a freelancer and click the “Hire” button to get started. Watch our how-to video series to learn more.


Work efficiently, effectively.

Each project includes an online workspace shared by your team and your freelancer, allowing you to:

  • Send and receive files. Deliver digital assets in a secure environment.
  • Share feedback in real time. Use Upwork Messages to communicate via text, chat, or video. Learn how.
  • Use our mobile app. Many features can be accessed on your mobile phone when on the go.
  • How do I know my freelancer is accurately billing for my project?
  • Built into Upwork are several methods of verifying work. On hourly contracts, you can review the Work Diary. It tracks billable time and records completed work. While the freelancer is billing you it also counts keystrokes and takes screenshots of the freelancer’s screen (six times per hour), so you can verify billable hours. On fixed-price jobs, you and your freelancer agree on milestones for each project. When your freelancer reaches a milestone, you review the work and release funds when the work is approved.

We also include Upwork Messages so you can chat and share files with your freelancer.


Pay easily, with peace of mind

Pay your freelancer by the hour, or a fixed price for the entire project. On fixed-price jobs, use our licensed escrow service to release funds as pre-set milestones are met.

  • Simplified global payments. We deliver payments to freelancers in over 170 countries.
  • Includes Upwork Payment Protection. Only pay for work you authorize.
  • Invoicing and reporting. Access your invoices and transaction history on Upwork.

Call notes


The strengths:
  1. Quick contracting for various business needs jobs on demand that would be considered "short-term"
    1. Marketing support, graphic design, video production, coding, website design, writing, etc.
    2. As we grow the business, there will no doubt be things like this that come up, where under-resourced teams can get one-off project boosts
  2. Wide variety of services with visibility on individual contractor rates, reviews, and portfolios
  3. Upwork holds burden of employer responsibilities, not us
  4. Versatile and flexible for addressing any business needs or gaps that would be unreasonable to hire a dedicated employee for
  5. Offers access to low-cost, flexible, and fast services
  6. Could be a shared resource for all leaders in the company and get some long-standing/on-hold items dealt with quickly
The downsides:
  1. Requires knowledge of exact business needs before it would be worth establishing an agreement with Upwork
    1. You could treat it as a retainer service, but that may be a poor balance of cost and reward
    2. We'd need to have one or two projects in mind before approaching them for an agreement
  2. Technically just a freelancing hub service, so quality risks are always possible