Top 10 Upwork Jobs For Beginners In 2024

Strategies and tips to boost your freelance earnings today

Finding easy Upwork jobs for beginners is a lot simpler than you might think, with thousands of the best freelance jobs uploaded each day.

As intimidating as it might seem, successfully finding freelance work as a beginner with little or no experience is a matter of consistency and preparation.

Depending on your interests and prior experience, you can easily find jobs as writers, designers, online marketers, and administrators that require little expertise.

All you need is a complete Upwork profile, a basic portfolio, a reasonable hourly rate, and a basic pitch template to personalize for each job application.

Top 10 Easy Upwork Jobs For Beginners In 2024

To find easy jobs, target keywords in your search, such as "beginner," "entry-level," or "no experience required" in the job description.

Many of the job descriptions include explanations that freelancers require little to no experience - so read the job details carefully.

Successful new freelancers look for low-paying jobs ($5-$10 per hour), focussing on building a positive review history with 5-star ratings.

To give you a taste of what’s available, we compiled a list of the 10 best Upwork jobs for beginners:

10. Editor

There are various types of editing jobs that require proofreading and editing written content for grammar, spelling, and clarity across multiple subjects.

Editing is a good option for new freelancers who have strong grammar and editing skills and English as their first language.

Build a portfolio by editing blog writing for friends or offering to do some work for a client for free in exchange for a positive testimonial.

Potential clients expect editors to identify and correct errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and it’s one of many easy jobs on Upwork for beginners.

With lots of hard work and dedication, you can secure jobs on Upwork and build a thriving freelance business career.

As the focus on quality articles and blog posts continues, the best gig economy jobs will require more editors in the years ahead.

9. Bookkeeper

Aside from accounting firms that need basic bookkeepers to help file taxes and deal with work overflows, small business owners need them, too.

Whether the job entails capturing monthly financial data, reconciling accounts, or working out tax calculations, bookkeepers are in great demand.

It’s a great job for beginners who have a basic understanding of accounting, are studying for a qualification, or just need some extra cash.

Many organizations offer basic bookkeeping courses where you can earn a professional certificate and then earn a salary of around $45,000 per year.

Starting at $5 per hour, you can soon work your way up to $20 per hour, so long as you are accurate and detail-oriented.

The gig economy trends show that more and more companies are moving their accounting into the cloud at ever-increasing rates.

There are various accounting platforms, like Xero and QuickBooks, that offer free training on their systems as well as certification.

Depending on what you want to achieve, you can include payroll services as well as more specialized work as you become more skilled.

You can start by completing low-level jobs that pay low rates and work your way up to monthly retainers with multiple clients.

8. Transcriptionist

Transcription jobs are perfect for you if you listen well to audio recordings and can type them into a text document at a reasonable speed.

Typing at a minimum of 60 words per minute is required to make this worthwhile, especially if you have industry knowledge.

You'll receive audio files that must be transcribed quickly, so being an efficient typist will help you get the job done on time.

Your interest or experience in the healthcare industry or law will stand you in good stead with clients who need fast, accurate typists.

Expect to earn $12 to $22 per hour once you’ve built up a reasonable portfolio of work, but competition is tough for the higher-paying jobs.

If you are based in the United States, then you’ll be competing with skilled freelancers in the Philippines and India, which can be a challenge.

However, native language jobs on Upwork specify that you must have a high level of language proficiency and technical skills, which can even out the playing field.

The gig economy offers everyone across the world an opportunity to participate in any industry as long as they have access to the Internet.

7. Web Design Assistant

US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that web designing jobs will grow by 16% per year over the next ten years.

This means that web design assistant jobs are on a positive growth curve, with a high demand for assistance in creating mockups and coding websites.

If you’re interested in learning more about web development and design, start by learning the basics of HTML and CSS.

Clients will expect web design assistants to be creative, have good attention to detail, and be willing to learn as they progress.

A web design assistant job is great for a graphic designer who wants to break into web development, and a potential client will appreciate your graphic skill set.

There are many gig economy pros and cons, with the opportunity to branch out into complementary markets being one of its most positive aspects.

To earn more, you can start to specialize in particular types of websites, such as e-commerce or WordPress, and build your reputation.

Build relationships with writers and graphic designers, and soon, you’ll have a group of people who can refer clients to you.

6. Email Marketing Specialist

Many of the most popular brands and small businesses need email marketing specialists to help them create and manage multiple email campaigns.

This makes it a good job choice for beginners who are knowledgeable about gig economy platforms and what drives sales.

Online resources to learn the technical aspects of the job are plentiful, and an understanding of running successful campaigns will give you a chance.

With a little creativity and good communication skills, beginners can quickly learn how to run profitable campaigns and achieve great results.

An understanding of how to increase email open rates with suitable subject lines will soon get you more clients than you can cope with.

You can earn decent money as your experience increases, and collecting testimonials and five-star ratings is the key to moving up from entry-level positions.

5. Customer Service Representative

Many different types of customer service representative jobs provide support to customers by phone, email, and chat.

Many companies need customer service reps who have good communication skills, excellent problem-solving skills, and a calm temperament.

These jobs are ideal for remote workers as they're mostly handled by phone representatives who must be available 24 hours a day across the world.

Competition is high for these jobs, but customers prefer dealing with people whose first language is English, so reps are increasingly employed in the USA.

Clients expect customer service representatives to be patient, helpful, and knowledgeable about their product or service, requiring some training before speaking to actual clients.

It is important that you know the difference between a gig worker and an independent contractor, as the law makes allowances for the two.

4. Content Writing

Content writers are still in great demand despite the emergence of AI, as search engines can quickly recognize AI-generated content.

Upwork jobs for beginners include blog posts, website copy, and articles that are read and enjoyed by real visitors, so a human writer is preferred.

There are many different types of content writing, so you can find a niche that you’re interested in and build your portfolio of samples around your interests.

Rather than trying to write for multiple different industries, it is best to focus your writing skills on a particular industry or service.

Upwork is one of the best gig economy platforms to find work as a freelance writer, and you can easily build a career there.

Clients are more likely to hire you for your industry knowledge, together with your clear, concise, and grammatically correct content.

Rates start as low as $0.05 per word and increase over time as you become more skilled and take on better clients.

Much of the writing work is focused on SEO, so an understanding of what search engines look for, as well as keyword optimization, is your key to success.

Writers who secure the job posting get the job done on time with the minimum of re-writes and edits will never struggle to find work.

3. Social Media Management

With everyone from large brands to small boutique businesses relying on social media to get their message across, social media managers (SMMs) are in demand.

Your ability to help businesses create and manage their social media presence is a great option for beginners who are familiar with social media platforms.

You can learn many of the technical aspects of these Upwork jobs on projects, and your creative and communication skills will be in great demand.

Hourly rates start at around $14 and increase to $20 for skilled SMMs who can handle more complex campaigns and achieve great results.

2. Data Entry Specialist

A data entry job is one of the easiest to learn, and your ability to operate a computer and input data will secure a job.

The downside of data entry jobs is that the barrier to entry is low, and competition is high from third-world countries where freelancers charge minimal amounts.

However, it’s a great way to get your Upwork jobs started and can lead to some interesting jobs once you gain some experience.

Data entry is a relatively easy job to learn and doesn’t require any specific experience, but it can be monotonous, so demand is high.

Clients expect data entry specialists to be accurate and fast typists, and you can expect a high level of control over your time.

With entry-level jobs, you'll get to work on a computer database where data entry work history is less important than your accuracy and speed.

1. Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants (VAs) help business owners with a wide variety of simple tasks, including scheduling appointments, managing email, and social media management.

You won’t need any specific experience and can learn virtual assistant tasks on the job, with many of the projects providing detailed task sheets.

There are thousands of Upwork jobs for beginners, included under VA work, so you can always find something in an industry that interests you.

Here are some of the most common VA jobs on Upwork:

• Email Manager: Sorting, responding to, and organizing emails.
• Calendar Manager: Scheduling appointments, meetings, and events.
• Researcher: Conducting online research on various topics.
• Travel Assistant: Booking flights, accommodation, and transportation.
• Online Event Coordinator: Planning and executing virtual events or webinars.
• Personal Tasks: Managing personal calendars, scheduling appointments, or coordinating household affairs.
• Project Management: Project planning, tracking progress, and coordination.
• Virtual Receptionist: Answering calls, taking messages, and directing inquiries.
• Appointment Setting: Calling potential clients to schedule appointments or consultations.
• SEO Assistance: Keyword research, optimizing website content, and monitoring search engine rankings.

Clients expect a virtual assistant to be organized, efficient, and have excellent communication skills in English - but it doesn’t have to be your first language.

VAs fall under data entry jobs on Upwork, and it's a perfect fit for your first job if you don't have any specific industry skills.

The best upwork jobs pay a reasonable hourly rate, and your computer proficiency and writing style play a major part in your success.

Summary

You’ll be most successful if you create a strong profile that highlights your skills and experience and shows that you will benefit the client.

To start with, set a competitive rate for your freelance jobs so that you build a solid foundation of positive, five-star ratings.

When you write your proposals, include a cover letter that asks clarifying questions that show you’re interested in doing a great job.

Even when applying for small jobs on Upwork, include a video of yourself introducing your service and explaining how you can solve clients' problems.