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]

So that's who raised the prices! Are you taking all the money for yourself? Please share with upwork because they have already fired all their support and even cannot hire adequate development managers.

😸

[#3]

Jeanne is not available. She's having a mojito on a sunny Caribbean beach, while enjoying that money 😂

[#4]

*takes a moment to have a sip*

Ahhhhh, this is the life!

Please do keep contributing!

[#5]

No! It's all mine! Mine, I tell you!

[#6]

NO, upwork is good place to start work you need to understand everything about the upwork 

[#7]

Thank you for sharing these kind of valuable stuffs.

[#8]

I see you are offering guidance.
Question:
European Union DAC7
Electronic invoice - an electronic invoice requires as mandatory to indicate the bank you will be paid by the client at. Funny no client of mine pays me... Upwork does... so this is irrelevant for the tax advisors and fails any what so ever financial check in the EU.
Two topics Upwork is hiding and being affraid to answer.
These 2 topics will make a lot of people either go away as the platform is shady or take desperate measures.

Last topic is:
Fee - upwork says they are the payment for intermediating contracts. 
I have a client for years since 2018 and for 5 years now Upwork keeps eating out my earnings from it, even if it provides NOTHING but an unwanted useless proforma service and a message board not of the best. The contract is one and the same for years now...

I would love to hear your thoughts.

best

Antonia

[#9]

I do not offer invoice or tax advice. However, what is the issue with the bank being named for a transfer?

If you don't want to use Upwork, examine your situation and see if the client can move out of Upwork for the $1.00 amount.

[#10]

FLance and 5-R are worse. That's one reason I landed here.
But U-works really needs to work on the verification issues I keep seeing and hearing about, To bad us HONEST folks have to suffer!

[#11]

Clients and freelancers can take their business outside of Upwork, anywhere they want, including privately, if they have been working together for at least 2 years, the client has to start the process and pay $1.00 There are a few other minor requirements.

There are other ways to earn besides platforms. We all need to be creative and think outside the box.

[#12]

Thanks for this very helpful post.

[#13]

Well satated and right on the money.

Most freelancers want a quick buck from thier livving room, and have not even worked in open society. They innundate the proposals with bull and cause chaos for those who rely on these gigs. They need to get a burger job first - then come here.

Thanks for your  post and continue to be a voice of reason - Dave

[#14]

I think the forums and support webinars with the masters are super helpful and informative

Helps to get freelancers "on track"

[#15]

Community Member

[#16]

Jeanne,

Today's business world ibelieves in  fast money for little work. I can be a millionaire being an influencer on U-tube. Yet 98% can't do a good video presentation.  I agree with your assesments above. Freelancing is not for the faint of hart or the lazy. And YES! You will spend a fortune in connects and proosal time to land jobs. THAT is the reality of this world.  Been here for 60+ years myself. Working a box store actually has better ROI AND insurance! You don't get THAT independently! ------- Always around for some senior mentoring and consultation. - Dave 

[#17]

Hello Dear,

I have completed my profile on upwork, I have uploaded portfolio with work samples, also added video introduction. 

Have been submitting porposals from a month but couldnt get any task assigned.

All my connects are also gone.

I suggest to view my profile and advise for any imporvements and also please refer me to recruiters for any tasks so that atleast I can start working here.

Thanks,

Qasim Mehmood.

[#18]

Other than a better picture it looks OK. BUt take heart. My results ARE THE SAME. I have posted elsewhere my reasoning. In a nutshell - to many emplyees at the hiring window! Like the great depression images!!

Good Luck

- Dave

[#19]

Your profile needs work. The client sees the first line of your profile, so don't waste it with your name, skills, or greetings. The client sees this in your profile. Use the first line to grab the client's attention. Tell them why you can do the job better than anyone, and make sure you have the hard skills to back it up.

If you haven't, read the top post, and follow every link. You will find no jobs and lots of scams as a writer who is not fluent in any language. You cannot be a professional writer unless you are native or bilingual in some language.  I urge you to assess your real skills, and redo your profile accordingly Data entry is a flooded field, and you will have a tremendous amount of competition.

[#20]

Please, help me to review my profile

[#21]

You can help yourselfe well  by just reading through the suggestions on the UpWorks site.  MOST of the links are available in the openning letter above.

f 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.

PLENTY of recomendations.

There are numerous great video on the tube too! Take the time - DIY!

Godd luck

-Dave

[#22]

I'm wondering why you quote me, word for word, and do not use quotes or acknowledgement? This is a problem I see with lots of posts. No one should copy another person's words, anywhere, without acknowledgement.

In case you are not aware, when you use someone's words, verbatim, you need to say so. It is not just polite, it is plagiarism. No matter where, when you plagiarize, it's stealing. I'm saying this because people can get into deep legal trouble if they do this in other venues, and with clients.

You can use italics, quotation marks, or just say "so and so wrote."

I post this because I have to be consistent. While you may know this, many do not, and when it pops up, if not addressed, those same people do not realize the problem. And there are some who do it intentionally.

Also, YouTube is one of the worst places for Upwork and freelance garbage. Far too many get rich and just fill out a profile, advice.

Edited: For new freelancers, YouTube can be a minefield. While there are a few good videos, most of them give terrible advice. For a newcomer, it can be very difficult to discern between the two. Instead of YouTube, freelancers need to read and understand the Terms of Service and the red flag advice from Wes first, and read through the forum and all of Upwork's resources before venturing into YouTube. Ask experienced freelancers for reliable and helpful programs, videos, etc. Too many jump into jobs without understanding how to use the platform.

[#23]

First, remove your name from the skills titles. It's in other places, and should not be in the titles. The clients see the top line of your profile in a search - make it sell your services. Don't use names, greetings or skills, tell the client why you can do a better job than anyone else. Make certain you have the hard skills to support your claims. An example, "I can create a more powerful widget, using my widget skills, for a lower cost." Tell the client what you will do for them with your white-hat SEO skills.

Some people use testimonials, but until you have more experience, stay with an attention grabbing sentence that says it all. It's difficult, but not impossible, to work until you have everything in that one, very brief opportunity to reach the client.

I would remove "local" from the skills titles, and you can add it to the text.

If you haven't, read the top post and follow the links. Learn and follow the Terms of Service and the Red Flags on Scams from Wes.

The text is far too long. Clients don't want to read that much. Reduce the amount by combining sentences and eliminating duplication. There are too many lists, so format them as paragraphs. I would limit the use of lists to one with three or four lines. You'll find resources to additional help in the links. 

Don't be afraid to make your profile your own. No client likes to see exact replicas in everyone's profile.

I receive many requests for help. Unfortunately, most of those freelancers have done little on their own. You did most of the work, and have shown you intend to be successful. Good for you!

[#24]

Jeanne,

I feel sorry for al the people who try to get work, but don't wantto research and do the leg work. Your suggestions are a great place for any newby to start. But I guess AI will be the next step in a "give-me-a-job" environment.  Not the "let ME FIND a job environment.

[#25]

Would you kindly look out my profile?
I am in a terrible moment right now... close to zero jobs for the past two months. I wonder if it's just the time period, but then again... it's never been this bad.

Here it is: https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/gustavocaperuttodamota

Thank you in advance.

[#26]

Hi Gustavo, same here. I am looking for an alternative to Upwork. I think it will get worse and worse in the next month.