Knowing a few warning signs can save you time, money, and stress. Here are five to watch for (the graphic above is a handy reference): 1️⃣ They ask you to pay to get hired. Legitimate employers don't charge application, training, or "equipment" fees up front. 2️⃣ They ask you to cash a check and send money back. This is a very common scam. Never do it. 3️⃣ The job sounds too easy for the pay. If an offer promises high income for almost no skill or effort, slow down. 4️⃣ The interview happens only through text or chat apps. Many real employers do use messaging, but be cautious if you never speak to a real person or can't find the company anywhere else. 5️⃣ They rush you or ask for sensitive details early. A real employer doesn't need your bank login or full ID before you're hired. A quick habit that helps: Before you reply to any opportunity, search the company name plus the word "scam" or "reviews," and look for an official website and contact details. No single sign proves a scam, and real jobs vary a lot by employer. The goal is simply to pause and check before you share money or personal information.

Did you know you might be missing freelance opportunities simply because of the words you’re using to search? Let’s say you’re interested in becoming a Virtual Assistant (VA). Instead of only searching “Virtual Assistant” on platforms like Upwork, try searching for the actual TASKS you can perform. For example: 📧 Email Management 📊 Data Entry 📅 Appointment Scheduling 🔎 Online Research 📁 File Organization 💬 Customer Support Why? 🤔 Because not every client knows they need a “Virtual Assistant.” Some clients simply post: “I need someone to organize my emails.” Or… “Looking for someone to research 50 businesses and put the information into a spreadsheet.” 💡 Here’s the takeaway: Don’t limit your job search to what you CALL yourself. Search for what you can actually DO! This applies to photography, writing, graphic design, social media, administrative work, and plenty of other freelance services. 🎯 Try This: Pick ONE skill you have and search for three different tasks related to that skill on a freelance platform. You might be surprised by what you find!

Found an Upwork job that looks interesting? Before you use your Connects to submit a proposal, take a few minutes to look at the whole job post first. Here are a few things worth checking: 👤 The client’s history — Have they hired freelancers before? Do they have reviews? 💰 Payment verification — Check whether their payment method is verified. 📝 The job description — Is it clear what they actually want you to do? ⭐ Feedback from other freelancers — If they’ve hired before, what have previous freelancers said about working with them? 📊 Activity on the job — You may be able to see how many proposals have been submitted, whether the client is interviewing anyone, and whether they’ve already hired someone. 💵 The budget — Does the amount being offered actually make sense for the work involved? And remember: you don’t have to apply to every job that matches your skills. Because Upwork proposals can require Connects, being selective can help you avoid wasting them on opportunities that may not be a good fit. 💡 Beginner Tip: Before applying, ask yourself: “Do I understand what this client needs, and can I explain why I’m a good fit?” If the answer is yes, THEN start working on that proposal. Have you ever skipped an opportunity because something about the job post or client didn’t feel right?

Not every opportunity works out and I think those experiences are worth sharing too! Recently, I was contacted about an opportunity that involved serving as a registered agent and helping with government correspondence for a business. After discussing the project, I submitted my price…And I didn’t get it. 😂 The reason the client gave? 💰 My rate was too high. Looking back, I definitely think I may have overshot my bid. But that’s also part of freelancing—figuring out what your time is worth, what the market will support, and what a particular client is willing to pay. And sometimes you won’t know until you put a number out there. Could I have gotten the job if I charged less? Maybe. Maybe not. 🤷🏽‍♀️ But I’d rather take something away from the experience than just look at it as a rejection. 💡 Lesson learned: Pricing isn’t always easy, especially when you’re bidding on a type of project you haven’t done before. Research helps, but sometimes experience is what teaches you where your pricing fits.

Since we’ve been talking about Upwork this week, I wanted to share a real project I recently completed through the platform! When most people think about Upwork, they probably think about virtual assistance, graphic design, writing, data entry, or other work done completely online. But my recent job was a little different. I was hired to take exterior photos of a commercial property in St. John, USVI. 📸🌴 The client needed photos of different businesses, areas of the property, parking, surroundings, and other specific details. So yes… an Upwork job actually had me catching the ferry over to St. John and walking around taking pictures! And funny enough, this wasn’t even my first photography assignment. Back in October 2025, I was hired for another project that involved taking photos of boats at a marina here in the Virgin Islands. ⛵📸 So apparently I can officially say I’ve completed TWO paid photography jobs now. And let me be clear — these weren’t professional photoshoots with fancy equipment or me claiming to be a professional photographer. They were simply assignments where the clients needed someone local who could follow their instructions and take clear photos of specific things. 💡 That’s actually what I want you to take from this. Sometimes we overlook skills because they seem too simple to us. You might think: “Anybody can do that.” But sometimes a client isn’t looking for an expert. They need someone who is available, reliable, can follow directions, and can get the job done. Freelancing opportunities can show up in ways you wouldn’t expect. 📸 Here are a few of the photos I took from each assignment! Nothing fancy — just simple photos taken according to what each client needed. Would you have ever thought to look for photography/local assignments on a freelance platform? 👀👇🏽