Let’s just hop right to it, shall we?
By now, you’ve filled out the following sections on Upwork:
— Expertise
— Expertise Level
— Education
— Employment
Next up is…
5) Languages
Here’s what you’ll see:
Pretty self-explanatory, right?
If you’ve been speaking English all your life, choose “Native or Bilingual” from the drop-down menu. Otherwise, select the best fit.
You’re also welcome to add any other languages you speak, as well.
Moving on.
6) Hourly Rate
Here’s what you’ll see:
Okay, so here’s where things start to get a bit interesting. And it’s likely you’re going to need a little paradigm shift about your worth, as well.
What do I mean by that?
Here’s the deal…
On Upwork — or even as a freelancer in general — you get to set the tone. In other words, YOU get choose your hourly rate… not someone else.
But the problem is, most people drastically undercut themselves here.
I don’t want you to do that. In fact, I want you to do the opposite. No matter your skill level, I want you to aim high.
My suggestion is that you start your hourly rate at $65/hour, and then quickly increase to $80 or $100/hour after your first few successful projects.
Here’s why:
Many businesses and professionals have no problem spending top-dollar on freelancer services if the freelancer can deliver. If you can prove you can do the work, be communicative and professional all around, people will happily pay whatever hourly rate you choose.
It’s happened for me and many, many others.
And once make your first $65/hour (or whatever rate you choose), you’ll feel confident knowing you can do it again. And honestly, you’ll never look back.
The first time someone paid me $65/hour, my entire paradigm shifted. What the hell had I been doing slaving away for $20/hour? Suddenly, everything else felt like charity and I was determined to start freelancing full time… and by “full time,” I really mean half the hours I was working before.
The other thing to consider is that if you start your hourly rate too low, it’s hard to raise it much higher afterward. For example, if you start freelancing at $20/hour and clients get used to that, it’ll be hard for them to justify paying you $65/hour or more later.
BUT… if you start high and deliver great work right off the bat, you immediately cement yourself at a high hourly rate, and can then incrementally raise your rates from there.
So go ahead. Aim high. Don’t be scared.
Can you imagine the time, happiness, and freedom you could reclaim in your life if you were making double or triple the hourly rate you’re making now?
THAT’S what this opportunity is all about. And trust me — it’s very, very possible as long as you’re committed to doing great work.
So go ahead and set your hourly rate.
We’ll pick up where we left off in the next one.
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And when you’re ready 👇👇