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Upwork Writer Hiring Procedure

Parent Process: Content Process

Last Edited: 2026-07-07 00:30

Description

Standard operating procedure for posting content jobs on Upwork, inviting candidates, vetting proposals, and executing agreements.

Goal

Efficiently source and hire quality freelance writers on Upwork at standard rates.

Definitions / Prerequisites

• Retainer Writer: Writers kept on a monthly contract who can bypass Upwork posting.
• Milestone Escrow: Funds deposited on Upwork to secure work.

Workflow

Step 1: Post the Job on Upwork

1. Log in to Upwork using the Google SSO account.
2. Select + Post a Job in the upper right.
3. Select Short-term project and click Continue.
4. Set the title format: # Content Types For Contractor Type (e.g. 3 City Pages for HVAC Company).
5. Select Writing as the Job Category.
6. Add the following skills to the posting:
   • Writing
   • SEO content
   • SEO writing
   • Content Creation
7. Configure scope parameters:
   • Scope: Small
   • Duration: Less Than 1 Month
   • Experience Level: Intermediate
   • Full Time: No (not planning to hire full-time)
   • Preferred Location: Worldwide

Step 2: Set Budget and Publish

1. Change the budget to Fixed Price.
2. Set budget based on the standard rate (currently $100 per page).
3. Include the link to the internal Content Requirements documentation.
4. Click Post this job.
5. Select No thanks on the "Feature Your Job" prompt.
6. Search for "writer" in the search box.
7. Invite 30 freelancers from the suggested search list, prioritizing anyone tagged with a dark green heart symbol (<3).

Step 3: Screen Proposals and Hire

1. Wait at least 24 hours after posting to allow proposals to accumulate.
2. Navigate to the job listing and click Review Proposals.
3. Evaluate applicants, eliminating any candidate who:
   • Has not provided a writing sample.
   • Submitted an obviously automated or boilerplate cover letter.
   • Shows poor English syntax or clunky, overly wordy sentence structure.
   • Bids significantly higher than the $100/page budget.
4. Select the best writer and click Hire next to their proposal.
5. Select Deposit for the whole project (e.g., $300 for 3 pages) and check the terms box.
6. Click Fund Contract & Hire.

Step 4: Issue Job Handoff

1. Send a direct message to the hired freelancer containing:
   • Target cities and services.
   • Client website name and URL.
   • Company differentiators / unique sell propositions.
   • Target due date (exactly one week from the contract date).
   • Link to the specific Google Doc created for this order under the order's Google Drive folder.
2. Update the parent task in ClickUp with the writer's name, Zoho ticket ID, and a link to the active Upwork contract.

QA / Troubleshooting

• No Proposals: If 24 hours pass without suitable bids, expand search invites by searching for specific niches (e.g., "HVAC writer", "construction writer").
• Tardiness: If the writer does not respond to questions within 48 hours of hire, contact the coordinator to check backup writer availability.