New project hitting hard? Bring in an expert freelancer with Upwork.
Per usual, Triumph received no financial compensation from the companies for writing this article. Straight from the heart, baby.
A quick note before we get started: even though Upwork is generally marketed to traditional businesses, we’ve found it to have value for Triumphers in the non-profit and creative spaces as well. Let Upwork focus on some of the mainline business tasks so you can spend more time creating your art, raising money for those in need, or whatever awesome thing it is that you do.
For any venture, being busy is better than the alternative, but success also comes with its own challenges. Workloads have a funny way of getting out of hand quicker than expected. Orders start piling up, projects come out of the wazoo (wherever that is), and your team can start falling further and further behind. For times like these, wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could instantly bring in an extra set of highly skilled (but temporary) hands? Oh wait, now you can—with Upwork.
Up, Up, and Away
By offering remote support options and subject area experts from across the business space, Upwork offers a fresh take on the general temp agency. While the platform can help you find a temporary teammate in just about any sphere, they specialize in the following six: sales & marketing, writing & translation, admin & customer support, finance & accounting, engineering & architecture, legal.
If you think those sound more advanced than the usual temporary employee services, you would be correct. Another piece of Upwork’s unique value proposition stems from its project-by-project business model. You’re not hiring a new Ryan to do general tasks in the office for six months, you’re getting a talented teammate to work on a specific project within his or her area of expertise. The end result? A professional and affordable deliverable.
“But Triumph Team,” some may lament, “isn’t it kind of sketchy to bring random people from the internet in on our most important company projects?”
To which we’d say, “that’s fair.” However, Upwork has a three-layered vetting process to help ensure a proper fit.
Layer One – Proof of Quality
Fear not, you’re not going to have to take anyone’s word for it. We all know that guy who’s proficient in excel on his resume but has actually never worked on a spreadsheet in his life (we’re looking at you—Trevor). Upwork allows no such games. All registered freelancers must submit original work samples, previous client reviews, and pass an identity verification process. No Creed Brattons here (we hope).
Layer Two – No Cost Until You Hire
No need to worry about getting hit with unexpected fees or wasting money on unsanctioned assignments. Upwork won’t charge you a dime until you officially hire and set project parameters, so feel free to interview candidates and negotiate pay packages until you’re completely comfortable. No one will pressure you to lock-in right away. We promise.
Layer Three – Data Privacy
Upwork employs entire customer support teams to protect your adventure’s data and privacy. If you have any concerns before getting started, or see a red flag along the way, feel free to contact Upwork’s 24/7 customer support line. They are there to help. Literally, that’s their only job.
Put Me In, Coach
And want to know the best part about all of this? It’s a two-way street. If you’re an independent professional with a very particular set of skills (Taken vibes)—and you can pass the three layers we just laid out—you can register your own services on Upwork. Pick up projects, have some fun, and make a little extra money doing the things you do best.
Worker Smarter, and Harder
The gig-economy moves fast, and it never hurts to tap into an extra talent pool. When unexpected deadlines go bump in the night, make things a little less scary with Upwork. And like we said, it’s free until you actually hire someone. So, if you ended up hating the process—cool. It’s a free country, and you’re not out a dime. And if you love it—well—send us a Christmas card or something.
As always, feel free to Ask Triumph with any additional questions and consider Supporting the Team.
All views expressed in the article are opinions of the author and should not be misconstrued as professional consulting or legal advice. Users are responsible for verifying all information before taking action, and Triumph Group LLC is not responsible for any outcomes. Pursue subjects at your own risk. Seriously, man. It’s your life.
