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]

This is not the job advice thread. Why do you go back in time to post something the OP has no interest in? Why add in irrelevant posting when there are multiple threads that go wanting for help?

Why do you think someone with a 100% job score, something many even top rated freelancers throwing advice don't have and never achieve, needs advice on their profile, when they didn't ask for it? I know, you refuse to answer any questions from anyone you don't consider worthy.

[financemark]

............and then, after you have invested all of this time and effort, given UW 10% of your earnings, be prepared to spend 16 CONNECTS to continue !!!

Oh, and be grateful that you are even allowed on UW -- afterall, you are a freelancer and you are costing them lots of $$, dont you know!

[dvvid]

Hi, can someone tell me how to make my profile public from locked private? Want to start slowly switching to Upwork from another platform where I am in the preferred program and top 1% active workers but I saw that my profile is locked private for some reason (not sure how that affects my chances of landing jobs). 

[ArjayM]

Hi Bojan,

I have reset your profile back to public as requested. Submitting proposals doesn't always guarantee that you will get hired or get a chance to be interviewed, but you shouldn't give up on sending proposals to potential clients. I've pulled a few resources that may be helpful to you. Check out these articles to help you create a profile that stands out and improve your profile title and overview. For some great tips on writing proposals that win jobs, check out this article.

[dvvid]

Thanks a lot for doing it so quickly Arjay, appreciate the effort and commitment to making Upwork even better for all of us trying to find work here.

[salsham0065]

Hi Jeanne
I saw your posts and found them very helpful. I enjoyed your manner of helping others. You are a wonderful lady. I wish you success in all your life and I am sure it is.

[elronaldo]

...and click that 'inappropriate flag' sooner rather than later - if it smells fishy, let Upwork crew look at it.

[f7c78656]

Worst thing is having the experience for a posted job and having it removed only to see later on that the project was either a scam or just spamming job posts from different accounts. Some of us have the required experience for the positions we applied for but it's difficult to explain. I've been working in crypto for a while now and I've manager communities, developed businesses, a lot more but how do I add this or mention it? It's not like I took a screenshot of everything I've done in the last 7 years and some projects I worked for turned out to be scams so the proof of my success is gone. I'm an honest hard worker and I don't really know how to prove my worth other than be in the position and work. Not very good at selling myself.

[the-right-writer]

Selling yourself is a part of freelancing. I dare say for many, it is the least favorite part. I suggest you look online or in a library for information on how to market yourself.  There is a ton of excellent, free information so that can help. Marketing on Upwork is limited to your profile and proposals. Anything you can do to stand out in the crowd will help.

Your profile could use some work. Your introduction needs to be clearer. Focus on two or three solid skills and tell the client in your introduction how you will use those skills to do an amazing job. In your proposals, tell the client how you will do the job, specifically, better than others. Do not give them the work, but tell them how you will accomplish it.

[8aea7a2a]

That's very helpful information about marketing yourself and knowing their is material out there to help. Thank you!

[b120e479]

Dear Jeanee H ,

Your comments are very helpfull, can you please review my profile as well.

Best Regards

Amena 

[the-right-writer]

Amena, I can see you have put in a lot of work on your profile. Good for you! I would break up the list. Perhaps put part of the skills into words. A short list is OK.

If you put as much care into proposals, you should do well.

[b120e479]

Thank you for your kind words and encouragement! I appreciate your feedback and will strive to utilize my skills effectively in all aspects of my work.

[3730d3f4]

thanx ❤️

[smmehedi2015]

Hi Jeanne,

Really helpful and knowledgeable post.

Thanks for sharing

[99418b44]

Project prices on Upwork are getting too cheap.
Clients are ordering assignments while keeping prices down.
The price gap between Upwork and Freelancer is getting smaller.
If the price is low compared to the strong rule, isn't it worse than other freelance sites?
If prompt actions are not taken, Upwork's future are uncertain.

[b400f5c0]

Hi, guys!

I submitted a proposal, and the client accepted it. We have already discussed the project details, although it's fixed. However, on the second day, when I tried to reach out to the client to give him progress about the project he didn't reply. I'm not sure if he has seen my message or not, but when I checked the proposal, I noticed that the client only viewed it three days ago.

What do you think I should do?

[the-right-writer]

You don't need to do anything about the job. Keep working or looking for a job. Don't wait for a reply, because it may never come.

[ff6e3b72]

thank you it was very helpful, I am an absolute beginner and I really want to find my clients as soon as possible to help them

[williamtcooper]

Nataliya,

Please modify your Summary into four short compelling paragraphs minus the emoticons with a focus on the first sentence since it appears in the client search. Let us know in a month if that helps.

[98ecf70d]

Thanks for sharing and caring. 

[86c631fc]

Respected Jeanne. Please have a humble on my profile. 
Thanks

[2631eb57]

https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~019c481f2281c012d5

[ahamed-khalifa]

I have a contract with a client and this contract opened 2 months ago with the first milestone.
I was always sending him only the drafts from the done work by Upwork messages, not the final files and I have never submitted the work for this milestone.
The client asks for many modifications that require time, and he accuses me of taking a long time to do the work, and he sees that I am not accomplishing anything, and now he wants to cancel the contract. Although I made a lot of effort. What should I do to protect my UpWork account from slander, it is expected that the client will give me bad privet feedback, and this will affect my account. Should I close the contract by myself before the client, or complain him ?, what should I do to protect my account from slander?

[christopherbudde]

" and he sees that I am not accomplishing anything".  If you are making the changes he asks for then you are accomplishing something. Perhaps send a render that is watermarked somehow. Not my field. Strive to turn a bad client into a good client. Ask questions, communicate often. Never react to harsh comments. Listen carefully and think hard before responding. Don't be quick to cut and run. Good luck, Chris

[4e0ba935]

Really helpfull

[528941dd]

This is great. Thanks so much for this. 

[hrexpertit]

Hi,

Excellent information! It is right that Upwork is successful platform for many freelancers if you do work hard according to professional track and provide best service then you will gain good business from this place.

[198c25f7]

Hi I'm new here in Upwork but I am a freelancer on another site for almost 3 years and hoping I can get another offer. 

[ada1de6c]

1) First and foremost, take the time to create a strong and professional profile.
2) Next, start by bidding on smaller projects that align with your skills and interests.
3) Communication is key on Upwork. Respond to client inquiries and messages promptly, and maintain clear and professional communication throughout the project.
4) Remember, building a successful freelance career takes time and persistence. Be patient, and don't get discouraged by rejection or slow periods.
5) Lastly, take advantage of Upwork's resources and communities. Participate in forums, join relevant groups, and learn from other freelancers' experiences.

With dedication, professionalism, and a proactive approach, you can thrive as a freelancer on Upwork and unlock a world of opportunities for your freelance career. Good luck!

[528941dd]

Thanks Pavel

[karen_pahang]

Hi Jeanne! I hope you could help me with my issue. Im just new here in upwork. I did a Data Entry Job posted here but told me to contact them in Telegram. I finished my task and when the company ask me my bank details, I really expected the payment since I worked hard with the task in fact I finished it ahead of my deadline. And then suddenly they told me that payment cant go through because my account is not linked with their payment platform or something. And they ask me to pay $100 for account linking. I think this is a SCAM? 

[the-right-writer]

Yes,  it is a scam. You went outside of Upwork. You will never see a penny from the scammers. And if  you give them $100.00, you will never see that either.

Upwork is a jobs platform. No one pays to get a job.

Before you are scammed again, go back to the top post and read it. The follow every single link and read them or watch the videos.

As a self-employed freelancer, you are responsible for everything you do. No one, including Upwork, will protect you.

[b27cfa35]

That is DEFINITELY A SCAM. Sorry, Karen. Good luck going forward.

I cut this reply short. I now see Jeanne H's reply... 

[2779bde0]

If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Upwork doesn't tolerate things like that. Read the Terms of Service. You'll learn lots.

[6d800a84]

Hi there,
This post helped me a lot.

Thanks.

[ddc50ca9]

Hey,

I am new to freelancing and I am mid way learning from the resources in the first post.

Is it the right place to request a profile review? 

would love some feedback from fellow freelancers.

Best regards, 

Santosh

[williamtcooper]

Hey Santosh,

Please set your Profile to public so we can review it.

[muhammadqasi]

🤔

[codebreaker100]

Didn't get a job for years. i do not have much connects too