I guess Upwork doesn't want us, newbies, to start freelancing?

[habiburraman]

I bought 50 Connect last month and was proposed a lot of jobs, I didn't get any job, and I didn't get any interview requests, I always try to write a unique cover letter but after writing so many unique cover letters I don't get any job. Is it my failure? Not Upwork? I guess Upwork doesn't want us, newbies, to start freelancing?

[feed_my_eyes · Accepted solution]

Clients decide who they want to hire, not Upwork. If you've been applying for graphic design jobs but have no portfolio, do you think that might have something to do with it? (Background removal is not graphic design, by the way, and that category, along with data entry, has far more freelancers than clients.)

[habiburraman]

I know Background removal is not graphic design, data entry has far more freelancers than clients.

[a_lipsey]

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Md. Habibur R wrote:

I bought 50 Connect last month and was proposed a lot of jobs, I didn't get any job, and I didn't get any interview requests, I always try to write a unique cover letter but after writing so many unique cover letters I don't get any job. Is it my failure? Not Upwork? I guess Upwork doesn't want us, newbies, to start freelancing?

---

Every single freelancer that is earning money started where you are starting. We all started with no jobs. We all started by submitting many proposals, searching for that right client/job, honing our proposals and interview strategy. 

Is it your failure or Upwork's? You won't like this answer: it's yours. But that question isn't a fair question. First, failure is a loaded word. It's not about failure, but what works and doesn't work. As Christine pointed out, you need a portfolio. And also, you're in a saturated field. Would I say you've failed because you haven't been hired yet? No, I would not call that failure. I would say you haven't broken through the first job wall yet. It's not like you still cannot get a gig. The opportunity is all in front of you. Hone your proposals (if you aren't getting responses then there is something wrong with your approach), your profile, and your portfolio, and only apply to jobs that you are 100% that you can do above and beyond the client's expectations. 

[feed_my_eyes]

I was mislead by the initial post as well - he isn't a newbie, and has 3 jobs completed and one in progress. There are just way too many freelancers doing background removal and data entry, so it must be next to impossible to get work regardless of what approach you use. Charge $3/hour and get your bid in early, that's probably the only way.

Upwork used to turn down new applicants in overcrowded categories but now they apparently don't, so maybe the OP is right and it is their fault.

[habiburraman]

Thanks for your response, Of course, I will do this.

[martina_plaschka]

Upwork would probably love if each and every freelancer earned millions. They probably know that this is unrealistic, though. Thousands join each and every day, using a platform completely free of charge until they earn money. They don't pay for hosting of their profile, setting up payment method, everything is free. They don't have to buy connects, nobody forces them to do that. But they come to the forum to complain about upwork? Costing upwork even more for hosting the forum and moderating it? 

Maybe take that up with your country of origin and make earning on upwork a basic human right in your constitution? That should solve it. 

[jamespro94]

How does his country of origin find a way into this discussion? More so, why are you ranting on Upwork's behalf? Are they complaining they are finding it difficult to moderate the forum?

They don't pay for hosting of their profile, setting up payment methods, everything is free.

If you happen to be the CEO of Upwork, you would make payment compulsory for people to set up their profile? Tell me a freelance platform that gets people to pay before setting up a profile?

You're making it sound as if Upwork is doing him a favor by allowing him on this platform.

I bought 50 Connect last month and was proposed a lot of jobs; maybe the definition for "free" has changed.

Upwork is a money-making company, they ain't doing anyone a favor by allowing them here.

[martina_plaschka]

Upwork is doing him a favor. They reject most people that apply to open a profile.

[petra_r]

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James O wrote:

More so, why are you ranting on Upwork's behalf?

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Nobody is "ranting" (other than you, evidently). A bit of reality hasn't relly done anyone ny harm.

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James O wrote:

Are they complaining they are finding it difficult to moderate the forum?

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What are you even talking about?

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James O wrote:

If you happen to be the CEO of Upwork, you would make payment compulsory for people to set up their profile?

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Nobody suggested anything of the sort. You just plain made that up.

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James O wrote:

they ain't doing anyone a favor by allowing them here.

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Again, nobody suggested that Upwork was doing anyone any favours by letting such people onto the platform. Actually, the opposite is true.

The fact is: Upwork would be doing everyone, including themselves, if they DIDN'T let everyone on the platform, because the vast majority of people who join Upwork will never win a job and never earn a single Dollar.

Unfortunately, when they did aggreesively restrict who was allowed on the platform, the black market for approved upwork profiles exploded. According to the previous CEO, at one point 10,000 new people tried to become Upwork freelancers every single DAY.

Martina P wrote:

Upwork is doing him a favor. They reject most people that apply to open a profile.

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They used to. Not anymore.

[martina_plaschka]

Are you saying they accept all people that are trying to join? Didn't know that. Wow. That explains a lot. 

[petra_r]

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Martina P wrote:

Are you saying they accept all people that are trying to join? Didn't know that. Wow. That explains a lot. 

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Not sure about "all" but when have you last seen a post complaining that someone's profile hasn't been accepted? When there were dozens a day?

[martina_plaschka]

I always thought they can't post without a profile.... 

[petra_r]

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Martina P wrote:

I always thought they can't post without a profile.... 

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They always had a profile. Profile came first, approval after profile was created.

Don't you remember the endless onslaught?

[martina_plaschka]

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Petra R wrote:

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Martina P wrote:

I always thought they can't post without a profile.... 

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They always had a profile. Profile came first, approval after profile was created.

Don't you remember the endless onslaught?

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No that was before my time. 

[feed_my_eyes]

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Martina P wrote:

Are you saying they accept all people that are trying to join? Didn't know that. 

---

That does seem to be the case. I read a post in another forum where someone said that they applied to Upwork a year ago and were rejected, then they recently applied again and got instantly accepted (as in, hit the submit button and you can immediately apply for work - no wait time or review period at all).

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Martina P wrote:

Wow. That explains a lot. 

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Yes, it does.

[wildcurtis]

Alright "Community Gurus" we get it. You have made it. While I really appreciate some of y'alls bluntness, take a step back and consider that you are being plainly mean. Most newbies are trying the paltform and you can't blame people for being frustrated. Don't be out here trying to defend the platform and forget where people are coming from. Most of you at this point can't even relate with being a newbie yet you take every opportunity to "put 'em in their place". Freelancers and Upwork have a symbiotic relationship. None can exist without the other. But in all honesty one needs the other more. Don't down play someone's struggle and don't make crude comments about other nations thinking you're being funny. And don't get me started on the "othering" of people in a thread acting like they are second rate humans. Thanks for coming to my rant

[a_lipsey]

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Denis K wrote:

Alright "Community Gurus" we get it. You have made it. While I really appreciate some of y'alls bluntness, take a step back and consider that you are being plainly mean. Most newbies are trying the paltform and you can't blame people for being frustrated. Don't be out here trying to defend the platform and forget where people are coming from. Most of you at this point can't even relate with being a newbie yet you take every opportunity to "put 'em in their place". Freelancers and Upwork have a symbiotic relationship. None can exist without the other. But in all honesty one needs the other more. Don't down play someone's struggle and don't make crude comments about other nations thinking you're being funny. And don't get me started on the "othering" of people in a thread acting like they are second rate humans. Thanks for coming to my rant

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What are you even talking about? I told the OP that we all started from zero to remind him that we all had to do the same thing to start out - so if we can do it, so can they. The comments are only mean if you want them to be mean. 

Who mentioned other nations? Maybe you should reply to the person you specifically have a problem with instead of lumping all responses together. Regardless, no one was being mean, as far as I saw. Understanding that we all start from zero should be encouraging. No one had a leg up. No one had Daddy buying them a job. Everyone started with zero clients and zero reviews, no JSS, and no badges. It's closer to a level playing field than anywhere else (although it's definitely not level, but the unevenness of it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Upwork but with societal issues). 

[wildcurtis]

The second part; was that so hard to say in a nice way? Now you're hurt because you feel disrespected after being generalized together. You're only hurt if you wanna be hurt.

[a_lipsey]

I'm not hurt at all. I asked you to clarify your comments. You still haven't done that.

[JoanneP]

We've been following this conversation and I'll close the thread to further replies since the arguments have been exhausted and the conversation is moving into an unproductive direction. I'd like to thank all participants for their valuable input.