Onur Agtas
Founder at GigSentry
Onur built GigSentry to help freelancers stop missing Upwork jobs. He analyzes Upwork job data to surface patterns that help freelancers position themselves, respond faster, and win more projects.
Articles by Onur
Part-Time Freelancing on Upwork: 214,000 Part-Time Roles Analysed
Part-time hourly jobs outnumber full-time by 3:1 on Upwork. The data behind 214,000 part-time roles — top skills, client profiles, contract durations, and how to use part-time work as a strategic income layer.
Short-Form Video Content Is Now an 18,000-Job Category on Upwork
YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram Reels, and short-form content combined represent 18,717 jobs on Upwork — a category larger than many traditional skills. Full breakdown of the opportunity, skills, client profiles, and growth trajectory.
The Skills That Are Almost Never Fixed Price — And What That Tells You
QuickBooks Online is 90% hourly, Executive Support 87%, Accounts Payable 86%. These aren't random quirks — they're ongoing operational roles where clients buy your presence, not a deliverable. Here's the data on which skills demand hourly contracts and what that means for your strategy.
Video Editing Is Upwork's Second-Biggest Skill — Here's the Full Breakdown
Video Editing leads with 47,230 jobs, followed by Video Production (26,333), Adobe Premiere Pro (21,603), and Motion Graphics (9,679). The video ecosystem on Upwork is bigger than most freelancers realise — here's the complete breakdown of every video sub-niche.
The AI Skills Surge: 1 in 6 Upwork Jobs Now Involves AI
83,112 Upwork jobs — 15.5% of all postings — are tagged with AI-related skills or keywords. But the biggest AI beneficiaries aren't engineers. Graphic Design leads with 12,124 AI co-occurrences. Here's what the data says about AI demand on Upwork.
The Skills Most Likely to Turn Into a Full-Time Upwork Career
Customer Support leads with a 57% full-time rate, followed by Communications at 52%. Out of 75,090 full-time hourly jobs, a handful of skills dominate. Here's the data-backed list of 20 skills that actually lead to full-time work on Upwork.
The 'Sweet Spot' Job Post: What a High-Quality Upwork Listing Actually Looks Like
Verified client, 1,000–2,000 char description, 4–6 skills listed, 50–90 char title, intermediate or expert tier — each element backed by 536,973 jobs of data. Here's the data-driven checklist for spotting high-quality Upwork postings.
Why Clients Who Have Never Hired Seek 'Senior' Freelancers — And How to Respond
32% of 'senior' jobs on Upwork come from clients with zero reviews. These first-time hirers don't know what senior means yet. Here's how to write proposals that calibrate expectations while still winning the job.
How Many Skills Should You List on Your Upwork Profile? What 500K Job Posts Reveal
The mode is 5 skills per job. 4-5 skills cover 48% of all postings. Expert clients list fewer skills than beginners. Here's what 536,973 job posts reveal about optimal skill strategy.
How to Filter Upwork Jobs for the Highest-Quality Clients Using Only Free Signals
Payment verified, 1,000+ character description, 10+ reviews, detailed title — combining these free signals cuts the risky job pool by over 70%. The data-driven method for finding serious clients.
Long-Term Upwork Contracts vs Quick Gigs: Which Skills Lead to Ongoing Work?
68,606 jobs want 6+ months. Social Media Marketing, Lead Generation, and Admin Support top the long-term list. Graphic Design and Logo Design dominate short-term. Your skill determines your contract length — here's the full breakdown.
42% of All Upwork Jobs Come From US Clients — What That Means for Your Positioning
226,916 jobs from US clients — $179,407 average lifetime spend, 81% payment verified. But Germany, UAE, and Israel post more expert-tier work at higher rates. Should you specialize in the US market or diversify?
The Graphic Design Universe on Upwork: 81,000 Jobs and 20+ Sub-Niches Ranked
Graphic Design is Upwork's #1 skill with 81,301 jobs — but the category is 20+ sub-niches wide. Here's the full breakdown: which niches grow, which are saturated, and where to find the uncrowded corners.
The Monday Morning Rush: Why the Start of the Week Is the Most Competitive Time on Upwork
Monday and Tuesday account for more job postings than the entire weekend combined. Learn the data-backed patterns of Upwork job volume by day and hour — and how to use timing to your advantage.
Intermediate Level Is the Upwork Sweet Spot: 65% of All Jobs Target Mid-Tier Freelancers
350,414 jobs target intermediate vs 37,323 for entry level. Upwork is not a beginner marketplace. Here's how to position yourself at intermediate — even early in your career.
Hourly vs Fixed Price on Upwork: Which Contract Type Is Right for Your Skill?
58.4% hourly vs 41.6% fixed globally — but Social Media Marketing skews 68% hourly while Voice Acting skews 67% fixed. The contract type that suits your skill is determined by the nature of the work, not personal preference.
Where the Big-Budget Clients Are: A Country-by-Country Guide to Upwork Hiring Power
US clients average $179,407 in lifetime Upwork spend. But Lithuania ($223k), Hong Kong ($162k), and Cyprus ($99k) punch well above their weight. Full 15-country spend breakdown.
The Unverified Payment Trap: 1 in 5 Upwork Jobs Come From Clients Who Haven't Verified Payment
100,739 jobs — 18.7% of all Upwork postings — come from clients with unverified payment. Here's which countries, categories, and job types carry the most risk, and how to protect yourself.
When Do Upwork Clients Post Jobs? The Best Times to Check for New Listings
Peak is Tuesday 15:00–19:00 UTC. The single best hour globally is Tuesday 16:00 UTC with 5,916 jobs. Being online during peak windows can mean a multi-hour head start over the competition.
The Early Bird Advantage: Responding Faster to Upwork Jobs with GigSentry
In the ultra-competitive world of freelancing, speed matters. Discover why quick responses give you a competitive edge and how GigSentry ensures you never miss a beat.
Upwork Retires RSS Feeds – Adapting with a Next-Gen GigSentry Workflow
In August 2024, Upwork discontinued its RSS feed for job listings. Discover how GigSentry replaces and enhances RSS functionality with modern automation, real-time alerts, and AI-powered proposal assistance.
Why Applying Early to Upwork Jobs Boosts Your Success Rate
In today's fast-paced freelance world, every minute counts. Discover how speed separates those who get hired from those who get ignored.
Why GigSentry Beats Upwork's Job Alerts for New and Experienced Freelancers
Upwork's built-in job alerts have significant limitations. Discover how GigSentry offers far more flexibility and coverage for both newcomers and veteran freelancers.