Upwork Interview Tips You Should Follow

Your hours of effort on the Upwork proposal has shown their results, and you have successfully got an Upwork interview call.

That’s awesome! What next?

Now is your time to be prepared for the interview and ensure that you get the job. One of the best ways to prepare for your Upwork interview is to be prepared for every scenario. Take into account the best cases and the worst cases, because you never know what is going to happen.

Nine tips to follow before your next Upwork interview.

Ask them beforehand

Once you have scheduled your interview, ask the client if they want you to be prepared for something.

While it might sound a little odd, it would give an impression that you are genuinely interested in the job and willing to take all possible measures beforehand. Even though you would already be preparing on your own, any help from the client will give you a good direction to prepare.

This is more of a mindset thing where you create a good impression on the client before the Upwork interview, and also try to get some direction for you.

Understand the job

You would have already spent time understanding the job before sending your proposal. But do not be carefree about it now.

You need to re-read the job description and understand all the details before your Upwork interview. It is a great way to know the opportunity ahead and what the client expects from you.

You may have sent the proposal a long time back, and hence it is important to remind yourself about the job description before sitting for the interview.

Research the company

Before your Upwork interview, it is important to know the company you would become a part of. The job description does not offer much information about the company, and hence it is crucial to do your own homework about the company.

Visit the company website and understand their business model, products, services and goals. You don’t need to spend hours taking notes about the company, but just having some insights about the client will help you ace your Upwork interview.

Research their industry and get some insights on consumer behaviour and other details. All this research will help you be better prepared for your Upwork interview, and increase your chances of conversion.

Talk about your expertise

Everyone wants to hire an expert. Whether you are a beginner or professional, whether you have done similar work in the past or not, you still need to be an expert at the skill you are applying for. When a client asks you about your background or a brief intro session, make sure you come across as an expert.

Narrow down your stories and give insights that are relevant to the job. You need to highlight specific skills in the subject matter, and avoid sounding like a generalist. You also need to have a rough plan ready for the work and show your first action plan after getting hired. These ideas will show the client that you are ready for the job, and increase your chances of converting the Upwork interview.

Be ready with examples and instances

Now that you know the client’s background, it is time to prepare your own background. You need to tailor yourself according to the client’s requirements.

If you have done similar roles in the past, bring them up and show them with correct stats. Rewind all the details and be ready to talk about that in your Upwork interview. It is a great idea to bring examples that are closely related to the job because it will help the clients understand your potential.

When you present your previous experiences, make sure you share the correct numbers, stats and data points. Be open and talk about the challenges you faced, what worked best for you, results and growth.

Focus on their needs

An Upwork interview is not about you.

Yes, you have heard that right. It is not about you, instead, about how you can put the client on priority.

You need to focus on the client’s needs and show them the opportunities ahead. You have understood about their business and industry, so focus on their needs and talk about the growth opportunities you have identified. Offering valuable suggestions is one of the best Upwork tips to follow.

Show that you have researched the competition, and have a few growth ideas to be implemented. You need to show how you can help them accomplish the desired goals. This initiative will surely impress the client and increase your chances of acing the Upwork interview.

Ask questions

You need to ask a lot of questions during your Upwork interview. These questions will help you understand the project, the requirements and expectations. Ask questions about the industry, experiment initiatives for the business, and many others.

All these questions will help you better prepare for the role and tailor your work according to the client. Further, it will also leave a good impression on the client and show your eagerness to work with them.

Don’t dodge questions

Sometimes, it so happens that you are not prepared for a question or scenario. It could be that you are not aware of something or not confident about it. What should you do then?

Well, it happens with everyone. The crucial thing to keep in mind is that you should never dodge these questions. You need to be straight and honest about the fact that you don’t know. It’s okay. You are not expected to know everything, but the last thing you should do is avoid the question.

Ensure a stable internet connection

It might sound like a clichéd tip, but most freelancers do not pay attention to this.

It is very important to have a stable internet connection during your Upwork interview. Imagine the client is not able to understand you, he has to repeatedly ask questions about the work, phew! That’s the biggest turnoff.

No matter how prepared you are, these internet issues will put you in the last priority. So, make sure to have a stable internet connection and support during your Upwork interview.

Takeaways

By now you know that an Upwork interview is not a piece of cake. You need to be prepared for it and impress the client. You need to prepare yourself for every possible scenario and leave a lasting impression on the client. So, get started with your interview preparation.

If you have any questions, feel free to connect with me at [email protected] for any queries. I would be happy to help you! Join the Discord community of like-minded freelancers here.