To all freelancers looking for help

[#1]

I have always had freelancers come to me for help. In the last year, the river has swelled into an enormous ocean.

You don't need me; Upwork provides an enormous amount of information that few ever use. If, after you have gone through all the information I provide, you still have questions, that is when you ask additional questions in the forum.

If you think you will make big bucks right away, you are mistaken. The majority of freelancers never land a job because they have no skills and aren't interested in educating themselves. Others believe online freelancing is a path to full-time employment. It can be, but highly unlikely on this platform.

Freelancing is not for everyone. It means you are self-employed and must adhere to all regulations and laws governing responsibilities, such as paying taxes. Freelancing means you are on your own. No one has your back, including Upwork. If you don't follow the rules, no one will or can help you.

If you are willing to work hard, follow the rules and prepared to spend a lot of connects and proposals, you can be successful, as many are on Upwork. While so many fail, it is almost always due to lack of skills and treating freelancing like employment  where the employer will make sure you do the job correctly.

If you want to succeed, start with the Terms of Service, then read this from Wes. 

Then go here. Then here.  Next, check this site regularly for events such as webinars and other learning opportunities.

After that, go here for safety information, and then here. If you still need help, after you have gone through all the previous steps, you can find additional help here. This thread is dedicated to new freelancers. And here are announcements from Upwork that can help keep you up to date.

It will take some time to go through all the information. I'm not suggesting people should not post in the forum, I am suggesting before you ask questions and want help, you need to help yourself first.

From Prashant P: "And have relevant profile picture of your face.  Not some desks, or Mickey mouse, or full face covering." 

From Susan S: "And patience! Have patience! It takes a while to get started, even after going through all the information available."

From Martina P:  "Only one thing you forgot, namely telling people to use all 15 skills, if you have all 15 skills"

And with advice from Maria T, I will say, 

Refrain from personal messages, please read all the links I have added.

[#2]

geat post

[#3]

Thank you for this post.

[#4]

Hey 

i am zakaria, i'am new here,fist question is,how is look like my profile please? and the second,why my Gigs are still on pending?

i'm Glad for any response

[#5]

Hi can you check my profile also? I am looking for a job related to accounting or bookkeeping.

[#6]

Read the post at the top and follow all the links if you haven't before. I would add a bit to your profile on what you can do for the client. Also, you need to have examples of your work in your portfolio. If you don't have previous work with permission to use it, create something of your own to showcase your best work. Have multiple portfolio items. Write great proposals with engaging opening sentences.

[#7]

Please use the post at the top. There are many links to Upwork resources. If you hover over the link, you will see where it leads. The Academy has many useful courses and there are people to give you feedback on your profile.

You need to rewrite your introduction. Decide what real skills you have. I don't know anyone who is a translator and is not a native or bilingual speaker in any language. In addition, a client will not hire you to write and edit with all the errors in your profile. Also, you have no portfolio. If you want to be a freelancer, you have a lot of work to do.

[#8]

Right

[#9]

And spend hundreds of dollars a month on boosted connects to even get your profile seen.

[#10]

Lindsay, I'm not sure who you are replying to  (not your fault;  this is due to the weird way the forums have been reconstructed), but actually, this thread is not about the number of connects one is prepared to chuck at a job or at how much they cost. 

However, I have to say, that I wouldn't dream of buying "hundreds of dollars" worth of connects for a gig/gigs just to get an interview with a client who hasn't the budget to cover the cost of the investment.  Just sayin' ... 

[#11]

I believe she replied to the original post. Her reply is a semi-sarcastic addendum.

[#12]

I wasn't being sarcastic.

[#13]

You spend actual hundreds of dollars on Connects each month? That's where I thought the sarcasm part of the semi-sarcasm lived.

[#14]

I wasn't writing about myself, I was speaking in general terms.

[#15]

I was replying to the original post. The advice is great, but doesn't do freelancers much good if they aren't willing to spend good money on boosted connects. The system for freelancers may now be irreparably broken.

[#16]

It's your choice to boost or not. There is no requirement, and plenty of people choose not to use the program. You need to find what works for you. I do not boost, and see no difference in views, invitations, or hiring. Most recently, I applied for four jobs, one was viewed, and I was hired. No boosting involved. It's your choice, it's not mandatory.

[#17]

Thank you Jeanne. The article from Wes was extremely helpful; I almost got scammed! I Definitely understand the need for patience, but how do you sort out legitimate opportunities from scams? I want to establish my reputation on this platform, but every time I think I find a good job they want me to go off platform. Trying to do the research but not waste time as well...

Thank you!

[#18]

Because you are new, you are a target for the scammers. I would remove the part about being a marketing strategist, since your profile is about music. Also, add content to your portfolio. You need some way to demonstrate your skills. Also, any testimonials from previous students or clients would help. The more your profile is professional, the fewer scammers will bother you.

The best way to avoid scams is through knowledge. The more you know about how they operate, the better you are to guard against them. Re-read the advice from Wes and memorize it. I insist on a chat or video meeting through Upwork with all new clients. There are multiple reasons. It allows me to understand the client's needs: this is what the client wants, and this is what I will do. Often clients post bare minimum requirements for a job, but have very different ideas in reality. Also, by spending a little time with a client, you can get a much better idea of their intentions. There are other safeguards some use such as checking the time the client states with real time to see if they match. You will find additional helpful items by reading through the threads on scams. The biggest mistake freelancers make is going outside Upwork to talk, text, email or exchange monies without an Upwork contract. And finally, if you have any concerns or questions, bring them to the forum.

[#19]

Education and experience. Those are the only two methods. If you don't have enough of either to decide, then post your questions in the forums to leverage the experience of the community members.

And remember, sometimes scammy clients don't reveal themselves until you've delivered the goods, when they run off and file a chargeback.

[#20]

helpful information

[#21]

Thank you, Jeanne. Your post is very helpful, especially for newcomers like me. 

[#22]

Thanks Jeanne H its realy help

[#23]

Thanks for the information that was really helpful

[#24]

Thank you for sharing. This provided a lot of value!

[#25]

Thank you so much for sharing!

[#26]

You are right.

Thanks for sharing