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Some people don’t have any alternatives to upwork. Even though the platform is shit it still puts food on the table. I still have an upwork profile but most of

Some people don’t have any alternatives to upwork. Even though the platform is shit it still puts food on the table. I still have an upwork profile but most of my business is word of mouth. The reason I keep it is because due to how I phrased my profile, once in a blue moon I get a good lead.

tnolet 8y ago
Freelancer here. I understand what you're trying to say. But this is simply not true. Freelancing existed before Upwork and will exist after.
- alrehn 8y ago
  If you've got a lot of experience and connections, finding freelance work on your own is easy. The thing that feeds sites like upwork is people with less of that, people that will work for pennies, often from third world countries. For me, a few years ago I was in school and wanted some income from programming. I managed to get some work on a site that has since been bought by upwork, worked for $10-15 an hour. If not for that site I'd have never gotten that work, and be much worse off now.
- mrhappyunhappy 8y ago
  Most people I talk to who ask me about Upwork are the types who are just starting out and don’t have any connections. I too started on upwork and while certainly not a large sum, my first year offering design services I made 50k. I know this is a laughable sum by most salary standards for people who typically browse HN, but it’s nothing to be a shamed of for someone who went from unemployment to some sort of income on his own accord. I know of many freelancers who typically do between 40-50k on upwork plus other projects outside the platform. Personally, I have moved into consulting and do not rely on upwork. While still not a lot of money by standards here, I’m on track to 100k this year. I think the huge benefit is that I don’t have to deal with a lot of stress that comes with employment or nonsense the kind that the author talks about with upwork. Consider that platform your path to a sustainable freelance or consulting career. Gotta put in the grunt hours to move up. Of course there are many exemptions if you are in the right circumstances.

tnolet 8y ago

Freelancer here. I understand what you're trying to say. But this is simply not true. Freelancing existed before Upwork and will exist after.

alrehn 8y ago
If you've got a lot of experience and connections, finding freelance work on your own is easy. The thing that feeds sites like upwork is people with less of that, people that will work for pennies, often from third world countries. For me, a few years ago I was in school and wanted some income from programming. I managed to get some work on a site that has since been bought by upwork, worked for $10-15 an hour. If not for that site I'd have never gotten that work, and be much worse off now.
mrhappyunhappy 8y ago
Most people I talk to who ask me about Upwork are the types who are just starting out and don’t have any connections. I too started on upwork and while certainly not a large sum, my first year offering design services I made 50k. I know this is a laughable sum by most salary standards for people who typically browse HN, but it’s nothing to be a shamed of for someone who went from unemployment to some sort of income on his own accord. I know of many freelancers who typically do between 40-50k on upwork plus other projects outside the platform. Personally, I have moved into consulting and do not rely on upwork. While still not a lot of money by standards here, I’m on track to 100k this year. I think the huge benefit is that I don’t have to deal with a lot of stress that comes with employment or nonsense the kind that the author talks about with upwork. Consider that platform your path to a sustainable freelance or consulting career. Gotta put in the grunt hours to move up. Of course there are many exemptions if you are in the right circumstances.