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Jeanne's avatar
Jeanne H Community Member

To all freelancers looking for help

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. 

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.

 

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.

 

 

2,080 REPLIES 2,080
William T's avatar
William T C Community Member

Hello Shugufta,

 

Please write four compelling paragraphs for your Summary minus the emoticons with a focus on the first sentence since it appears in search. Also add a Project Catalog.

Dmytro's avatar
Dmytro S Community Member

Hi William T C.

I am new to Upwork, and I see that you have been helping others.

It'd be really great if you take a look at my profile and give me some advices on overview.

Regards,

Dmytro

Jeanne's avatar
Jeanne H Community Member

Dmytro, you need to go back to the top post, and read it, and follow every single link. Pay close attention to the Terms of Service and the Red Flags on Scams from Wes. The scammers can tell, just from your profile, that you are inexperienced and haven't read the policies and best practices for freelancers. This makes you a target for scams. The more professional your profile, the fewer scammers will approach.

 

Your introduction needs to be rewritten. The top line is all clients see in a search, and you have to write something that will tell them what you can do better than anyone else. No greetings, no explanation of your primary skill because it's prominently on your profile. Look through the searchable skills to decide what to use for your title.

 

Learn the rules, the scams, and how to protect yourself, because no one, including Upwork, will protect you.

Dmytro's avatar
Dmytro S Community Member

Thank you Jeanne H.

William T's avatar
William T C Community Member

Dmytro,

 

Please write four compelling paragraphs for your Summary minus the emoticons with a focus on the first sentence since it appears in search. Also add a Project Catalog.

Talha Waseem's avatar
Talha Waseem P Community Member

Learn by doing by carefully reading through the available materials, forums, and information if you want to succeed on Upwork. Working as a freelancer requires perseverance, hard effort, and self-reliance. Before requesting**Edited for Community Guidelines**assistance, put learning, skill development, and comprehension of the platform's terms first.

 

Jeanne's avatar
Jeanne H Community Member

What's going on, here? You have no profile, and your link is to an outside site, with another person's name. Why are you posting?

 

If you are not a bot, and you want to freelance, this is not the way.

Talha Waseem's avatar
Talha Waseem P Community Member

Dear William T C,

I'm a newcomer to Upwork and noticed your track record of assisting others. I would greatly appreciate it if you could review my profile and offer some advice on my overview.

Best regards,

plant learns

Nofisat's avatar
Nofisat O Community Member

Please, William, help me to review my profile

https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~0194f5ad0733af69d2

William T's avatar
William T C Community Member

Nofisat,

 

Please add a Project Catalog and rewrite the Summary in a more compelling way that engages clients to contact you for the Job.

Himanshu's avatar
Himanshu P Community Member

Okay sure i will add as per your suggestion 

Ritan's avatar
Ritan M Community Member

Hi william,

I am new here and done my first job. Can you advise about my profile please?

https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01ac8daeaa8bb14d52

Jeanne's avatar
Jeanne H Community Member

I looked at your profile, and you have work to do. Begin with a proper photo with a neutral background and your face centered. The current photo is too busy and loses "you." Don't have hats, sunglasses, AI, gif, animation, flashing animation, etc.

 

Your profile is much too short, and doesn't tell the client why they should hire you over the other numerous, highly skilled graphic designers. Expand on the content and form into paragraphs. I like the content that is there, so expand on how you are distinguished from the rest of freelancers.

 

The first line is all the client sees in a search, so make it a powerful one that makes the client believe you are the one for the job. As you have, keep greetings, names, and skills out of the text.

 

After you have made changes, use the post at the top to the links for Upwork resources to continue to improve your profile.

 

 

Jahangir's avatar
Jahangir S Community Member

You can try more and more and do a great job for your client. And try to submit a good proposal to the job post.

Shahzia's avatar
Shahzia B Community Member

Hello William,

I'd appreciate it if you could take a look at my profile and provide feedback on what might be causing the issue. I haven't received any single invitations from last year, and I'm trying to understand what could be the problem.

Jeanne's avatar
Jeanne H Community Member

Invitations have been down for most people, at least genuine, non-scam invitations. However, there is much you can do to improve your profile. Go back to the top pinned post, read it and follow all the links. They will take you to Upwork resources. Remove the lists, and form the text into paragraphs.

 

You have to use the first line to tell the client why you are the best choice, and be able to back up your claims with hard skills.

 

Your profile is full of graphics and emojis, and they all need to go. Use the information to make your profile attract clients and deter scammers. With some work, your profile will shine.

Iqra's avatar
Iqra S Community Member

Hi William can you review mine profile as well?

Jeanne's avatar
Jeanne H Community Member

First, change the background in your photo to a light, neutral color. Your face is lost in the colors.

 

Your skills title includes dissertations and thesis work, and you have this listed in multiple ways. Upwork does not allow academic school work. Academic work such as journal writing, research, etc. is fine, but you are going to get a lot of people who want you to write their dissertation or thesis and that is against the rules. Since you have all kinds of writing in your profile, you can shift to other work.

 

Form the lists into three or four paragraphs, and change the beginning  of the sentences so they aren't the same. With a little work, your profile will be excellent.

Umer's avatar
Umer F Community Member

Hi William T C.

I am new to Upwork, and I see that you have been helping others.

It'd be really great if you take a look at my profile and give me some advices on overview.

Best Regards,

UMER FAROOQ

Jeanne's avatar
Jeanne H Community Member

Umer, your profile needs work. Please use the post at the very top, read it, and follow every link. There are many steps you can take to improve your profile. First, use searchable skills for your title. The current skills will not find you any legitimate jobs, but only scams. The clients only see the top line of your profile. Do not waste it with names, greetings, or your skills title. That top line is your chance to tell the client why you can do the job better than anyone else. The rest of your profile is missing. You must have something there to show the client what you can do.  When you read the top post, make sure you understand everything about how to set up and follow contracts, the Terms of Service, and the Red Flags on Scams from Wes.

 

William T's avatar
William T C Community Member

Hi Umer,

 

Please use two Skills in the Title, write four compelling paragraphs for the Summary, and use all 15 Skills.

Arfaz's avatar
Arfaz C Community Member

Hii William
Please suggest me some improvements to my profile. 


Thnx

Dawood Patras's avatar
Dawood Patras M Community Member

 

Hello William

I hope you're doing well. You've always been there to help everyone. Could you please visit my project catalog and let me know what might be wrong with it?  I'm not receiving any new projects.

project catalog: https://www.upwork.com/services/product/marketing-amazon-keyword-research-keyword-research-amazon-ke...

Jeanne's avatar
Jeanne H Community Member

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.

Emir's avatar
Emir A Community Member

Hello William;
May I ask you to evaluate my profile and give me your suggestions?

https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/hakanemiratlas