Should I show my earnings, even If I have done some cheap work in the past?

[infusen]

I have the plus membership, so I can hide my earnings if I want to. I have done some cheap work in the past, because of certain circumstances and I don't want to show that work primarily because I don't want my clients to consider me a cheap or lower end Logo Designer. However, some of my clients end up being sensitive to the fact that I hide my earnings, so I am just really conflicted. Any help would be appreciated.

[smwhitaker]

Wasay, 

I think it's a personal choice. I show my earnings because I don't like clients to try and low-ball me. I like to use it as a way to demonstrate that I am a skilled writer who charges a fair rate for my work. However, when  I first started on Upwork, I took several lower paying jobs to establish myself on the platform. I did not, at that time, show my rates publicly. Again, I think it depends on how you want to approach it. 

[cartrellgeneral]

If I am not mistaken, your earnings become visible to the client once you submit your proposal.

[prestonhunter]

Would you go to a restaurant where the chef is famed and fabulous PIerre Awesomeville? Even though when he started his career he worked cheap at a diner?

Would you go see a movie starring Tess Superstar? Even though when she started her career she made only $35 a night in a small role in community theater?

[filip_knezevic]

Don't hide your earnings. Nothing to be ashamed of. Clients are fully aware new freelancers will often do jobs for cheap to get started.

I think some clients know this a bit too well, actually. 😄

[petra_r]

Hiding your earnings almost invariably has a negative effect.

Clients you apply to or work with see all your history anyway (you can't hide your rates from those) and hiding your earnings not only filters you out of some search filters, it also gives many clients a reason not to contact you.

[shoshanap]

I would keep showing your earnings.

At the begininng, I charged a low $75 for a logo, more recently I've charged even up to $800 for a logo. I charge whatever I feel like at that point in time and it's my choice, and if it's worth it for the client, he'll hire me, if not not.

I was almost NEVER questioned about my price based on my job history. Client don't care at all. 

Only once - 1 time out of 100s of proposals - a client started comparing my previous prices to what I offered.

So it actually helped my realise that he's not a client worth working with... In the end, after a long skype call with him after he agreed to a much higher price (3x more than he wanted), he ended up tellming that he'd only be able to pay after the startup proves itself...

It weeds out the bad clients. Even if the client really can't afford your price, a good client will tell you that he can't afford it and won't start comparing prices from your job history.