Freelance: how it works

Internet, the apparent source of many modern wonders, also allows for earning money online. You can open an online business and sell goods or services. If you are the adventurous sort, you can start your own YouTube channel and get paid through YouTube advertisements. 

If you are, however, not into running a business, or you feel like you do not possess the edge for a successful YouTube channel, you can simply follow the much treaded path and earn some quick money online through freelance work. 

There are now dozens of websites for freelancers where you can sign up, take tests and then look for jobs. The largest freelancing website at the moment is Upwork with close competitors Freelancer and Elance not far behind. 

With over 1.5 million active users, Upwork has registered clients offering freelancers thousands of new jobs every day! 

Depending on the area of expertise, you can look for freelance jobs in sales and marketing, IT and networking, web and software development, writing and translation, and much more. 

There is however, a catch. Here is a step by step look at how to properly set up your freelance profile and apply for online jobs:

REGISTER
Registration goes beyond your email address or your Facebook log in information. Since there is money involved, one of the first things that Upwork is going to ask you to do is to verify your identity. This will be in the form of your passport or birth certificate. You will have to send Upwork a scanned copy of your ID and wait for it to be approved. Once your identity has been approved, you can get started on your profile. 

SET UP YOUR PROFILE
Your Upwork profile will have multiple sections that you need to fill up properly before you start looking for work. This includes an overview section, a portfolio section, an education section and a work experience section. Most of these sections are pretty standard and self explanatory. 

LEARN THE RATING SYSTEM
Two important sections of your profile will be activated after you successfully complete your first online job. These are: your rating and work history. 

As soon as you complete your job, the client will be able to give a rating out of five, as well as comment on how you did (which will permanently stay in your Upwork profile as your work history).