New freelancer looking for recommendations and referrals

[ccdf8480]

Hey there,

I'm happy to have started my journey on Upwork as a freelancer. I'm looking for recommendations from experts to land my first project or direct clients on Upwork. Also, I'd appreciate it if you could review my profile and provide feedback. I'm eager to connect with new clients and deliver excellent work that exceeds their expectations.

Regards

Margaret

[bundie702]

Hello Margaret,

I'm afraid I know little about virtual assisting or data entry, other than data entry is a vastly overcrowded field here on Upwork and is the type of field where you can't really provide samples of your work. It is also a hearty breeding ground for scammers, so be very careful when applying for jobs and don't let anyone talk you into interviewing with them off-platform. Never do any work unless you have accepted a contract within Upwork and the job is funded. There is quite a bit of competition and your prospects probably aren't good because you really don't have a lot of experience and your profile is not remarkable (it's also rather vague...such as your claim to type "very fast" without giving an actual words-per-minute speed). You probably shouldn't expect much. That said, don't give in to despair. Upwork is full of uninformed freelancers who lost money to scammers because they were desperate to be "hired". Do your homework and learn how the platform works. 

One more thing. There's a missing apostrophe in a contraction on your profile. You'll want to fix that. 

[celgins]

Hi Margaret,

Welcome to Upwork!

Since you are new to Upwork, getting your first job can be a challenge. If you have not already done so, I would suggest reading through this thread by Jeanne H; it will give you some perspective on what to expect on Upwork. Then, be sure to go through several Learning Paths and Courses by clicking the Academy link.

For your profile, make sure it is 100% complete before sending proposals to potential clients. For new freelancers without a work history, you should talk about how your experience will help clients solve their problems. For example:

I am a Virtual Assistant and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with ______ years of experience providing outstanding customer service and meeting my client’s deadlines. I am an expert in transcription and data entry with exceptional administrative support skills, which has benefited my clients over the years. My clients have benefitted from my work because of my attention to detail, being highly organized, being a fast, superb typist, and my willingness to learn new skills.

Here is a quick overview of the services I provide to my clients:

• Data Entry
• Data Research
• Web Research
• Transcription
• Document Editing
• Scheduling
• Customer Service
• Event Planning
• Balancing multiple projects
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• More here…
• More here...

My goal is to exceed the expectations of my clients! If you need any of the services mentioned above, I will be happy to assist you.

Also, you may wish to capitalize each word in your title: Virtual Assistant.

And, if possible, add any services or completed projects to your Porfolio by telling a story. You can get tips for adding material to your Porfolio here.

Good luck!