How to Get the Most Out of Upwork

I don’t know how I found Upwork (formerly oDesk) years ago, but it was one of the best discoveries I made for my business.

Truth be told, the oDesk model back then was cumbersome and somewhat ineffective, yet I still managed to hire some pretty decent talent.

In the early days the whole hiring and referral process was done via Yahoo! Messenger with electronic resumes funneled back and forth.

An account rep would get my email inquiry with list of requirements, and then she would forward resumes to me for review.

Just to show you how up close and personal things were back then, one of my contractors in Russia “disappeared.” 

My oDesk account manager became concerned.

In fact, she messaged another contractor who lived close to Vladimir and asked him to bike over and check on him!

Yes, a contractor disappearing is a manager’s worst nightmare. 

And after that, I did have second thoughts about outsourcing. 

But when I landed a large commercial software project, I tried once again to hire locally. However, I could not find workers with the software skills I needed.

So, I went back to oDesk and hired a software developer from Australia. The 16-hour time difference was tough at times. But, we managed, and he was a great asset to me for many years.

Things sure have changed from those early days!

Virtual Global Talent

oDesk (short for online desk) grew into a virtual, global marketplace that provided the tools and resources for hiring and managing remote workers.

That included the ability to assemble an online team, review each worker’s online work diary, collaborate, pay, and more.

Additionally, contractors could take free skills tests, which show on their profile.

Elance + oDesk = Upwork

Fast forward to 2015 when Elance and oDesk merged and launched Upwork.

Upwork is the result of the rebranding of oDesk and the phasing out of Elance.

I know that it’s a bit unsettling when you think about hiring a virtual worker for the first time.  So I thought I’d write this post to share some basic tips and best practices for getting the most out of your Upwork experience.

How to Get the Most Out of Upwork

Posting a Job

• Jobs posted may be fixed or hourly depending on the project.
• Set up your client profile and keep it private unless you want potential candidates to contact you.
• Try posting a small, fixed-price “test” project for your first job posting.
• Post a succinct job description that outlines required skills. Provide documentation, if necessary.
• Check out the feedback other clients have left on contractors that apply to your job posting.
• You have the option of specifying  experience level.
• You have the option of whether or not you want to work with an independent contractor or an agency.
• You have the option to set job visibility to Upwork users only so that the job is not visible to everyone on the internet. It weeds out a lot of noise.
• Advanced options for refining your applicants are also available to you. For example, you can select applicants based on locale or feedback scores.

Hiring a Contractor

• You will be able to hire people for $1 per hour on up. Cheapest isn’t always best.
• Do a Skype interview to test communication skills and technical abilities.Give a small test project to a prospective contractor.
• Be available to answer questions and provide clarification.
• Realize that for most remote workers, English is a second language. You would do best to keep your conversations around the project specifications. I have found technical conversations are usually very well understood. Casual conversation not so much.
• Communication is of the utmost importance.  Both ways. It’s time to reconsider your hire if they are not touching base with you on a regular basis or if they neglect to answer your e-mails.
• Make sure there is agreement and understanding as to who owns the rights to the work that is completed especially when you hire an artist or graphic designer.
• If possible, do your own job posting and screening. Contractors are generally ready, willing, and able to start your job immediately.

In Conclusion

Upwork is a great option for finding highly specialized technical skills or to augment your workforce.

Their customer support is second to none. 

It’s easy to hire, manage, and pay your contractors.

Upwork makes their money by charging their clients a fee, which isn’t bad considering the tools and platforms available to you.

Over the years I’ve been pleased overall with the quality of my contractors from the U.S. and abroad.

In fact, I currently have a dedicated and long-term Upwork contractor who has been with me for nearly 8 years.

Do you have questions about Upwork or outsourcing?

I’m happy to answer any questions in the comments below.