To all freelancers looking for help

[the-right-writer]

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.

[the-right-writer]

Although you say you are not getting any new projects, there are no jobs at all in your profile. So, it is accurate to say you are not getting any projects.

When promoting projects, it's critical to not forget your profile. Your profile needs work to be professional, attract clients, and deter scammers. Clients aren't just going to look at an ad for projects, they want to see what you have done, or can do. The ad for projects is beneath all the other stuff, so they won't even see it until they go through your entire profile.

You need to start at the beginning, so go back to the top post, and read through every link. You are wasting the first line of your profile, which is all the clients see in a search. Tell the client why you can do a better job than the rest with facts and hard marketable skills.

Remove all of the checks/graphics/emojis and replace them with three or four paragraphs, that include the same information, without the lists. The links in the post will take you to various Upwork and community resources.

If you do not  understand the Terms of Service, learn them before you even consider a job. Also, learn the Red Flags on Scams.

I understand you are anxious to start making money, but if you want a successful career, without scams, you should complete a professional profile before you consider jobs.

[the-right-writer]

Shugufta, You need to go back to the top post, and use all the Upwork resources, not just the Academy. Your profile could be so much better. You are wasting the top line of your profile, which is all the clients see, unless they open your profile. You need to tell the client what you can do for them, better than anyone else. You have to sell yourself in that one line. In addition, remove the graphics/emojis and use paragraphs. Some short lists are OK, but limit them.

Some freelancers like project catalogs, others find them unnecessary, just like consultations. You have to decide what works best for your business.

There is a tremendous amount of competition from bots, farmers, and real freelancers. It's crucial your proposals sell the project in the first two lines, which is all the client see on your proposals. Make sure you only apply to jobs you know you can complete perfectly, and don't boost unless you know you are one of the top two candidates.

[zohaibsultan007]

,

Jeane, Could you please visit my profile and let me know about any thing missing in my profile. One more thing how i will optimize my profile to attract clients.

Thanks

[9123fc78]

Hey William,

I hope you're doing well. You have always reached out to help others. Would you mind taking a moment to look at my profile and share your valueable insights? I have noticed a decrease in the visibility of my proposals and lack of opportunities for new projects these days.

[the-right-writer]

There are many aspects of a professional profile. I can see you have time and effort into it, but it needs improvements. First, remove the color background from the photo and replace with a neutral one. Your profile is far too long. Form the shortened text into paragraphs. There are too many lists. Don't use graphics or emojis, unless they are related to your skills, and then use sparingly.

The first line is all the client sees, so use it to justify why you should be hired over others. Make sure you have the hard skills to back up your claims. For proposals, the client sees only the first two lines before deciding to read or ignore your proposal.

Although you can make improvements, it's difficult for anyone to find work on the platform, and being new and inexperienced only adds to the difficulty. Some freelancers are still doing well, but it's not as simple as Upwork, and the freelancers who round up gullible people will tell you.

In no way, are you responsible for the lack of jobs. You can make  improvements so you are ready to apply should you find a worthy project. Freelancers, like me, aren't applying often, because there are no jobs in our field that pay more than pennies.

The world has changed because of COVID, and the repercussions are still with us and unfolding. When Upwork removed all limits and skills tests, and allowed anyone to be a freelancer, the resulting flood  overwhelmed the platform, and clients left. The result is a platform with 20 million (some of them are inactive)freelancers and less than 900,000 clients. Opportunities exist, but they are not easy to find.

[9123fc78]

Thank you so much. i have made some changes according to your feedback pls check now

[the-right-writer]

You still need to change your photo. You are supposed to look professional. And you need to combine the lists into paragraphs. Use the links in the top post to connect to Upwork resources and profile examples.

[0b87abfe]

Hi, I'm sorry but I don't know how to write in the common chat. Today this happened to me. I did some translation and writing work. First they told me they paid me via Swift and then I received this email. Obviously I replied that I don't associate my account. in any system unknown to me, I think they don't want to pay me...can you help me? this is the text of the email ......Hello, Your Payment  To Your BANK ACCOUNT is currently on pending as your account has not been linked to our Payment Server) You will be required to link your account as this should ensure that payment to our workers are been secured. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO LINK YOUR BANK ACCOUNT TO THE COMPANY RECOMMEND PAYMENT SYSTEM.

Have you ever downloaded a mobile app and had to provide documents or other personal information to verify your identity?

If so, you have likely completed what is known as a Know Your Customer (KYC) check.

It may seem like a few extra steps, but they're in place for a reason - to safeguard your information from bad actors.

ACCOUNT LINKING is a due diligence standard for organizations in the financial services sector. 

This process helps prevent fraud, Below is an invoice of your payment cheque issued out from RHI to your BANK ACCOUNT via  NORDATSTADGLOBAL ONLINE BANKING HOW TO LINK YOUR BANK ACCOUNT TO COMPANY RECOMMEND PAYMENT SYSTEM 

1.AN IDENTITY CARD OF RECIPIENT WHICH IS YOU

2.A LINKING FEE OF $120 IS REQUIRED 

3.MOBILE PHONE NUMBER 

NOTE: This $120 Linking fee will be refunded alongside with your payment

Kindly contact the Company Project Director via the link

[the-right-writer]

You violated the Upwork Terms of Service, and you will not be paid. Not only that, but you can also lose your account permanently. You can't communicate or do anything with a potential client until an Upwork contract is in place.

Before you are scammed, again, go back to the top pinned post, read it and follow every link. Learn how to use the platform before you go near the job feed. You are completely unprepared for work here, and your profile shows this to everyone.

I fail to understand, when it's the freelancer's money, why people just jump in and don't bother to read or follow the rules.

[0b87abfe]

si in effetti sono iscritto da 2 giorni ....quindi puoi dirmi come devo fare per prendere un lavoro direttamente da upwork...grazie

[elisa_b]

You won't find ANY jobs if you don't:

1) Have real, marketable skills;

2) Work on your profile;

3) Learn how the platform works.

Start by reading Jeanne's initial post on this thread (the one at the top of each page, including every link) and take the Academy courses. Otherwise, you will be scammed/truffato AGAIN and AGAIN.

[9d44266e]

Hi I'm new here and I need some help to be acknowledged 

[71f3ca46]

Sir William and Mam Jeane,
I have seen that you are helping others start their freelance business on Upwork. First of all, I appreciate you for your efforts. Secondly, I want you to check my Upwork profile and give me some suggestions to improve it.
Thanks.

 

[655be748]

Thanks

[768a5ef4]

Thank you so much

[655be748]

Thanks Nazmul H

[655be748]

Thanks

[williamtcooper]

Faraz,

Please use two Skills in the Title, modify the Summary into 4 compelling paragraphs  (spam-like now), and modify the Employment entries into one sentence each. Thanks!

[a_musawwir_khan]

https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01e1cba23babe9fab4

I want you review my profile and give me some recommendations for improving this.

[williamtcooper]

Abdul,

Please reformat the Summary into four compelling paragraphs with a focus on the first sentence since it appears in Client's search and remove the emoticons. Also add a Project Catalog.

[the-right-writer]

You need to read the top post and follow every link. You are at risk for being scammed and need to learn all the rules. The better your profile, the fewer scammers will try to take advantage.

Unless your name on documents is spelled with all capital letters, remove it. It looks like you are screaming at people.

Your profile needs work and is too long with too many emojis/little graphics.

Learn about profiles and proposals before you look for more jobs. It will be worth your time.

[655be748]

Thanks William:

Your suggestions are very helpful to me and valueable for me. I am doing modifications in my profile for betterment. Thanks again William:

[williamtcooper]

Faraz,

You are most welcome!

[1281e8d6]

Hi Sir,

I visited your profile and found out that you are associated with a lot of agencies/ talent clouds. I want to know how can I join talent cloud ?

Sincerely,
Muhammad Umar

[williamtcooper]

Muhammad,

They were added automatically by Upwork as my client sales grew.

[655be748]

👍

[zohaibsultan007]

Could you please visit my profile and let me know about any thing missing in my profile. One more thing how i will optimize my profile to attract clients.

[dabe5cb4]

nice keep it up

[b0f2c41b]

Community member

[43c6c0f9]

Hi Jeanne! I hope you are healthy and Doing good. I am a new Freelancer on Upwork. In the past few months, I closed amazing contracts. 4 Contracts ended with 5-star Ratings and 1 has not given me any feedback. I am now on 100% and Top Rated. 2 days ago 1 client ended a contract with a 4.80 rating due to a misunderstanding. The client feel an error on his Site which is not because of me I also sent him the proofs. But He just ended the contract without saying anything with 4.80 rating. I am despondent about it and I am also thinking about my Top Rated Badge and my JSS. How would both of it affect my profile? How much JSS drops and Can you also Please have a Look at my profile and give me feedback about Improvements in it?

[the-right-writer]

Take a deep breath and don't worry.

The public feedback, including the stars, has little to no impact on your JSS.

A 4.8 is not bad at all, but it's the private feedback that counts. If the client was unhappy, that is a possibility they gave you a lower score.  However, being top rated should allow you to remove it, but there may be other requirements. Sometimes clients leave feedback and go their way. Often they don't leave feedback at all, but no feedback doesn't change your JSS.

No one knows all the components of the JSS. It is necessarily secret because freelancers would cheat. Here is a link to more information.

Make sure you have read the post at the top and go through every link, if you haven't. There are resources for keeping current and ideas on profiles and proposals. Consider all the advice, and tailor it to your specific business.

Do a search of searchable titles and find ones that fit your skills.

 "Helping businesses stand out" should be further down in your description.

The first line is all the clients see in the search, so you have to grab their attention. Instead of your current first line, you have to tell the client what you can better than the rest. Also, there is no need for greetings or your name in the description, as it is already quite visible, and it's a waste of the space.

Your profile is quite good! It shows you have worked hard to be professional and are serious about your business and success. With a few adjustments, it will be excellent.

[43c6c0f9]

Thanks a lot Jeanne!

[beatrizkapitana]

Hi Jeanne, I hope you'll review my profile as well. I am new in Upwork with <5$ earning

[the-right-writer]

First, go back to the top pinned post and follow all the links. Your profile needs work to attract clients and deter scammers. The skills title needs to be from the choices in the search engine. Virtual assistant is a flooded field, as is graphic designer. To compete, you will need excellent marketable skills and something to stand out in the crowd. Find something most don't provide, and enhance or develop the skills.

Your profile is far too long. Remove the emojis and graphics and put the information into paragraphs. Clients only see the first sentence of your profile in a search. Use it to tell the client why you can do the job better than anyone else, if you have all the requirements and can back up your claims.

Remove the "Hire me" at the end. Do not use it or anything like it in the profile or proposal. Use all of the resources through the post, and learn the Red Flags on Scams from Wes.

[7ec746d8]

Hi Jeanne,

Could you assist me in improving my profile ranking? Despite my efforts in implementing strategies to enhance my profile, I haven't seen the desired results. If you have insights or guidance that can help improve my profile's ranking, I would greatly appreciate your assistance.

Sincerely, 

Syed Hammad 

[bhavsinhsolanki]

Please examine my profile as I haven't had any employment offers in the last few months.
I tried everything, but it wasn't successful for me.

Can you please help me?

Awaiting your response.

Best wishes
Bhavsinh Solanki

[the-right-writer]

Please go back to the top and follow every link. You need to work on your profile. This is your opportunity to tell the clients why they should hire you. In addition, it is too long with far too many lists, and yet it still doesn't address the client.

Upwork continues to add anything that can spend connects, which is effecting every freelancer and client. It is much harder to break into Upwork freelancing than it used to be. Be prepared to send 100 or more proposals before you get a job. I am tracking the people I help, and even with real skills, it still takes dozens of proposals before landing a genuine job, if they ever find a job at all. Also, with so many scammer clients, there are fewer real jobs.

Learn all you can, improve your profile, portfolio, and proposals. Find a way to showcase your talent. If you are not interested in advancing your skills, you will be left behind if you are in a basic category.

[7ba56d1a]

Hello, Jeanne! What do you mean by "...if you are in a basic category"?

[the-right-writer]

If you are offering the lowest levels of skills or similar work, you need to find a way to stand out, and the best way is to offer something special.

Everyone needs to have additional skills to be successful here. There are so many millions of people here, you need something extra. Skills also need updated. For example, I am a writer. If I were competing with everyone who is a basic writer, I would probably have a difficult time because there are so many. I have always had specialties, and they serve me well.

Any category can be basic, whether writing, coding, or accounting. If all you do is the least possible, you will need to step up your skills. Also, it is not that appealing to the client.

If you are an accountant, find a way to offer specialties. Do you work with non-profits? Do you have extra skills that relate to the work?

It might not be directly related, but add a service that makes a nice companion element. Create a niche inside a niche. I have unique specialties within medical and health writing. I might add, these comments work just as well with work outside this platform.

To everyone: never pretend or lie about your skills, hoping to get a job. It is the quickest way to terrible reviews and failure. With the Internet, education is just a click away.

[768a5ef4]

Hi. Nice to meet you