Upwork is an area that might leave you scratching your head wondering how to get work on Upwork in Kenya with no experience. Upwork is a tricky place to work given the large numbers of freelancers present on the site, with some having some very amazing skills in their portfolio. It’s a survival for the fittest kind of struggle where if you are not careful enough, you might never get your first and order. It’s vital to understand that Upwork is a site that is very strict when it comes to looking at the skills that upwork freelancers have before they are even assigned their new accounts.
The best way to make sure your earn from Upwork consistently is to build a good rapport with a client. This means that first, someone has to take a chance at you. You either depend on luck, or you can go hard on it. This article contains a step-by-step guide showing you to get started with the platforms and how to get your first Upwork job as a beginner. We will also highlight some tips and tricks for you to earn faster on Upwork in Kenya.
How to Get Work on Upwork In Kenya With No Experience: What to Do
You want to smoothen and learn how to get your first client Upwork? This is the ultimate Upwork for beginners guide that you need. It’s mostly about your skills, and the portfolio you have will either sell you or it just won’t. Following the given steps on this list would be a sure way to getting your first Upwork job within days maximum.
Step 1: Account Creation and Profile Setup
This is a very crucial step that if you fail, you might be as well as done with Upwork. Creating your account is the first thing you have to do. In creating your account, a few personal information will be needed, and you will have to choose a method of payment. But most importantly, this is the part that you get to choose the skills that you are good at. As it has already been highlighted, the more valuable your skills are, the better your chances of getting your first Upwork job.
You will then be told to wait for 24 hours before you are told if your account has been verified or not.
If it is verified, then you move to the next step, which is profile setup. This is another major part, given that you are still creating your portfolio. Your profile is the first thing that any client will see. By ensuring that your skills are top tier, make sure you also include certificates and qualifications on your profile that will set you apart from everyone else.
Make sure to include your previous work history in your profile as that will increase your credibility on the platform
Step 2: Master Proposal Writing
Upwork works on a bidding critetia as it allows clients to pick the person who seems more suitable for a specific task from a pool of other bidders. Therefore, writers find themselves writing bids/proposals and sending them to clients where the best is picked. Even if you have the best portfolio, writing the wrong proposal is sure to let you fail to get jobs as much as you may want to.
How do you write an exemplary proposal? Grate question, don’t sit in your comfort zone but rather explore. This means that you shouldn’t write about what you can do but take an extra step and factor in how you plan to get the job done. What kind of skills are you going to use to get the job done? Have you done similar jobs in the past? If yes, include them achieve on your proposal. Also, look into other considerations like the duration it will take you to get the job done, and you will have a strong proposal which, when coupled with the best portfolio, is sure to get you any job.
Want to learn more about the art of writing? Read here.
Step 3: Applications Should Be Short
Be precise when writing all your applications. Even if you write a whole page explaining why you are the best guy for the job, your client won’t sit down and read the whole thing. If you want to know how to get your first Upwork job as a beginner, you must learn to write your application full and strong in just 3-4 paragraphs. It means condensing all your thoughts in those sentences without going around in circles. This will get your client interested in your work long enough to check your awesome portfolio and gift you a job.
Step 4: Don’t Be Scared of Taking Small Jobs
Is it your first work, right? Well, don’t be scared about starting small. You can begin by doing small works on the platform and building a rapport from there. On your first job, make sure you give your best to return you get a positive review from the client. You can even start with a small pay per hour so that you can draw clients to you. Through doing this, you begin creating a great self-image on the platform, as clients will be more ready to take a chance where they do not stand to lose a lot.
Step 5: Focus and Don’t Give Up
Nothing comes easy, especially in a world of freelancing, where finding work is as hard as it can be. Focus on your goal of getting your first Job client, and don’t give up no matter how many rejections you get. It won’t be easy even with a great profile, but approaching more and more clients increases your possibility of getting some positive feedbacks in response. The best part of Upwork is that once a client gets comfortable with you, then yourself a lifetime client who may refer others to you.
How Long Does It Take to Get Your First Job on Upwork?
Getting your first job on Upwork requires a bit of patience, a boatload of determination, and the fire always to remain focused. The number of individuals who can score jobs within the first day of getting their accounts verified and approved is slim to none. However, as time goes by, the chances keep growing more and more until freelancers can get consistent work with their levels on the platform, increasing from beginners to intermediate and so on.
Best Upwork in Kenya Jobs for Beginners
One thing that makes Upwork a best-seller among freelancers is that it contains all kinds of freelancing jobs that you may think of. Any work is better than no work, and here is a list of 6 of the best Upwork jobs for beginners.
Creative writing
This is a great place to start, especially if you trust your writing and imaginative skills. These creative writing jobs may include writing poems, scriptwriting, stories, and much more. They are easy to do jobs that are very available for newbies to try. One thing that stands out among creative writing jobs is finding temporary jobs that require you to write 700 words. While they are not billed by the number of hours, you can find a 700-word story being paid at $20, which is not that bad. For you to stand out from the rest of the creative writers ,ensure your portfolio isn’t limited to one skill. Learn SEO and optmize their posts for higher traffic and utilize AI tools to proofread and grammar checks to ensure the work is of impeccable quality. While other freelancers might charge for these services, offer them for free to strengthen your rapport with the client.
Email Copywriting
Email copywriting refers to the use of automated emails that may either be personalized or set for a group. They are good enough for beginners, and though at first, it may seem confusing to do, with time, you may get the hold of it and make some serious bucks off it. What more. Is it that they pay so well. For a bunch of emails, one order might come with around $200 of pay.
Social Video Marketing
Since the skill was considered a major skill by Upwork in 2019, it has remained to be among the best skills on the platform. This can be attributed to the growing need for businesses to adapt themselves to the changing marketing landscape and join video content marketing. They pay well, given that their average pay can go as high as $150 per hour.
Content Marketing
It’s another hot field in the world of freelancing. Content marketing involves writing blogs and articles, and they can allow an individual to make up to $5,000 a month. It’s a great place to consider as a beginner.
Copywriters
Copywriters are famous for. Writing website content and writing service and product descriptions, among other things. It’s a high-paying job on Upwork, given that the average pay rests somewhere around $250 an hour. However, the pay is determined by the skills of. The write and the level they have on Upwork.
Virtual Assistants
This is perhaps the easiest gig you can get as a freelancer. Your role will entail managing your client’s day, ensuring their emails are replied to, they attend their meetings and related tasks. It might seem easy but a lot of dedication is required to ensure client satisfaction. Make sure to arm yourself with the latest automation tools like PowerBi, to make your work easier and to spice up your portfolio.
AI Training
We live in the age of Artificial Intelligence and AI related jobs are also on the rise. Apply for jobs related to AI captioning and transciptioning. Most of these will involve finetuning AI outputs to make their responses even better.
Upwork Payment Methods
Upwork in Kenya supports several payment methods namely M-Pesa, Payoneer, PayPal and bank transfers. Focusing on the Kenyan freelancer, M-Pesa is the most convenient method as the money is deposited directly into your mobile wallet. However, please note that the name on your profile should match the name registered with your M-Pesa wallet, to eliminate the chances of your funds bouncing. Additionally, on initial setup, you should wait for 3 days before you can use or change your preferred payment method.
During setup of your preferred payment methods, you can also specify your minimum withdrawal, set a withdrawal schedule and even choose to set aside a reserve amount on your profile.
Tricks to higher earnings on Upwork in Kenya
One thing about freelance accounts is that they tend to have a bias, especially if you are from a country where English isn’t your native language. The earnings here are lower, and less consistent. However, you can bypass this by buying an already established account. This however has its own challenges and limitations. We have covered that in our latest blog.
Other than buying an established account, you can also fastforward the account establishment process. This is through reviews. Upwork works on reviews, and the more 5-star reviews you have, the better your odds are against your competition. You can do this by creating various fake accounts, load them with some money, then assign tasks to your main account and give yourself high reviews.
Please be ware that these ways might be against their terms of service and can get your account banned, so trade carefully.
A legal way of doing however, is through outbidding your competition. Before submitting your proposal or bid, Upwork will indicate how many connects the bid will take up. You can use more connects, for you to show up the first on the client’s side.
Shortcuts are sweet but risky, before you indulge in them, make sure you do enough research.
Redflags to watch for in Upwork as a beginner
Upwork, just like any other freelance writing platform, has scammers. This might be in the form of clients who won’t pay, or dubious people who want to scam you entirely. As a beginner using upwork in Kenya, some of these signs might be subtle but take note of the following.
1. Off-Platform Communication Requests Clients urging you to communicate outside Upwork before a contract is established violate Upwork’s Terms of Service. Such requests can lead to scams and compromise your security. Always use Upwork’s secure messaging system for all communications.
2. Requests for Free Work Be cautious of clients asking for unpaid “test” projects or significant free samples. While small samples might be reasonable, extensive unpaid work is against Upwork’s policies and may indicate a scam.
3. Offers Involving Off-Platform Payments Clients proposing payment outside Upwork’s system violate the platform’s Terms of Service and expose you to significant risk. Such arrangements forfeit Upwork’s Payment Protection, leaving you vulnerable to non-payment.
4. Unrealistic Job Offers Be wary of job postings that promise exceptionally high pay for minimal effort or have vague descriptions. If an offer seems too good to be true, it likely is.
5. Requests for Personal Information Legitimate clients do not need sensitive personal details like your home address, social security number, or bank account information. Sharing such data can lead to identity theft or financial fraud.
6. Upfront Payment Requests Be cautious of clients who ask you to pay a fee before starting work, such as for “security” or “application processing.” Legitimate clients will never request payment from freelancers to secure a job.
7. Vague Job Descriptions Job postings that lack clear details about the work scope, deliverables, or expectations can be red flags. Scammers often use ambiguous language to lure freelancers into unfavorable situations.
8. Client Profiles with Low Hire Rates or Negative Reviews Before accepting a job, review the client’s profile for their hiring history and feedback from other freelancers. Clients with low hire rates or negative reviews may pose a higher risk.
To protect yourself, ensure;
Begin by verifying that your client has a confirmed billing method before initiating any work; this can be done by navigating to the “My Jobs” tab, selecting the specific contract, and reviewing the “Details” section for verification status.
For hourly contracts, utilize Upwork’s Desktop App to log hours, as this qualifies you for Hourly Payment Protection, ensuring payment for eligible hours worked. In fixed-price contracts, confirm that each milestone is funded in escrow before commencing tasks, safeguarding your compensation upon successful completion.
Always trust your instincts; if an offer appears suspicious or too advantageous, proceed cautiously or consider declining. Should you encounter any dubious activities or potential scams, promptly report them to Upwork’s support team for investigation and resolution
By staying informed and cautious, you can protect yourself from scams and build a successful freelancing career on Upwork.
Upwork for Beginners: Final Take
Landing your first client on Upwork in Kenya has already been covered earlier in this article, but let’s be real—it can take anywhere from a couple of days to a month. Your success depends on how strong your portfolio is and how well you craft your proposals.
If you’re still struggling to land that first gig, don’t stress. Start with beginner-friendly jobs, build up positive reviews, and watch as opportunities start rolling in. With persistence and the right approach, you’ll be on your way to a thriving freelance career on Upwork!
Here is another guide explaining 20+ ways to find writing jobs.