Let me guess? You want to be Top Rated on Upwork. Or make $1000 online. Or both. We’ll you’re in luck. Because in this post I’m going to share with you how I did both of these things in just one year!

Upwork (formerly oDesk and Elance which merged back in 2015) is one of the largest online market places for freelancers. You can buy and sell nearly any service you want from programming, web design, photography, filming, translation work and of course, writing.

I’d previously flirted with freelance writing around six years ago and had some success. But I was inspired to give it another try. And this time to do it properly. This is my story of how I got Top Rated status on Upwork and made $1000 all in one year.

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Getting Top Rated on Upwork took me a year of consistent and successful project completion.

What is Top Rated Status on Upwork and How do you Get It?

‘Top Rated’ on Upwork is the equivalent of being ‘verified’ on Twitter. The criteria to achieve Top Rated status are quite strict which include billing a certain amount over a fixed time period and having a high rate of job success.

Here’s what Upwork have to say about how to enter their Top Rated programme:

You must have a proven history of success with multiple clients, delight your clients every time with high-quality work, and contribute to a safe and vibrant marketplace.

Having Top Rated status shows up on your Upwork freelancer profile and can give you access to more and better work as well as allowing you to command a higher rate.

You also have access to new features on the site including an enhanced profile, better support and more.

Making $1000: How Build A Brand on Upwork

Like most things, if you want to get Top Rated status and earn your first $1000, you need to start at the bottom. I started out writing 1000 word fitness articles for $4 to build my rating and profile up.

If you think you’ll rock up and start charging $200 per hour straight off the bat, you won’t. You will waste a lot of time chasing jobs that you’re not going to get. Trust me, I’ve been there.

But I went quickly to charging ten times that for one off jobs and press releases and even more for last minute editing work and proofreading jobs. More recently I’ve had a couple of regular clients that have given me good work every week.

Regular clients are good because it cuts down the amount of time you need to spend on Upwork chasing new work. This can be very time consuming and quite disheartening. I’ve been rejected a lot more than I’ve been hired!

However, once you find a client that you like and who likes you, they are much more likely to send you work when they have it rather than spend the time (and risk) looking for someone else.

I spoke more about how I built freelance success on a recent Periscope broadcast. Watch it here:

Can You Make $1000 on Upwork – And Get Top Rated status?

I don’t believe I’m special, talented or gifted. Yes I can write. And people want to read what I write. But I’m no Oscar Wilde or Joseph Sugarman (a famous copywriter).

But if you have a basic high school level of English and can write without spelling mistakes, manage clients and work to deadlines you can do what I’ve done. And more.

Because that’s the best part – I’ve done this all in my spare time. How? I traded the time I used to watch sports on TV for writing this blog and freelancing. I learned new skills and some money in the process. If you are prepared to put the work in, you could easily match this number or even surpass it.

Summary: How to Get Top Rated on Upwork

Going back to freelancing came from a mindset shift. I focused my attention and energy on building up a client base and brand on Upwork which has led to over $1000 of income and Top Rated status. In case you didn’t know, that’s Gorilla Mindset in action.

And I did this by cutting back on junk TV watching and being disciplined with my free time. But I don’t have any special skills or talents. Just the right mindset and work ethic to make my desires a reality. And you have the tools available to you to do the same.

So if you’re thinking you’d like to do the same, go for it. You’ll need to work your way up from the very bottom but if you’re honest, hardworking and dependable, you’ll shine.

Neil

P.S. I don’t just write for clients, I write for my subscribers too in a twice monthly newsletter. Sign up here.

P.P.S Did you know there are alternatives to Upwork? Check this guide for more.

About Neil M White

Neil has been writing for a number of years. He has worked as a freelance writer both in the UK and internationally and has worked on a number of high profile media projects. Neil spends his spare time hiking, in the gym or hanging out with his family.

8 comments add your comment

  1. Hello Neil, I will recommend your story to my readers as a motivation and inspiration on http://www.freelancerwerden.de a German site, who focuses on becoming a internet freelancer and how to master it. Really cool story to see Gorilla Mindset in action, have read the book 2 years ago too. 🙂

  2. Would you share your approximate hourly rate when you started out vs. your approximate hourly rate now?

    Have you tried other marketplaces?

    • Hey Nabeel, sure – no problem. I started out advertising $12-15 per hour but gradually increased that as the work developed. I now have it set at around $47 though I prefer to price for ‘per-job’ than per hour. It gives the client a chance to see how much they are likely to pay though I guess. I used Elance before it became Upwork but I haven’t tried the others. Do you have any experiences?

      • Bamidele Onibalusi of writersincharge.com has a “Earn 1k in your first month as a freelance writer” challenge on his website.

        In it, he lists around 10 Upwork alternatives that may be more lucrative in terms of rates.

        I have yet to get around to implementing the strategy in full, but several people have had success following the system.

  3. I’m top rated now, but haven’t been for most of the year. I’m making more like $12,000…is $1000 good?

    • Hi Richard, thanks for reading and your comment and congratulations on making $12k and getting top rated too. That’s awesome!! You must be doing something right.

      Keep pushing.

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