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]

Thank you Jeanne H.

[#3]

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.

[#4]

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.

[#5]

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.

[#6]

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

[#7]

Please, William, help me to review my profile

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

[#8]

Nofisat,

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

[#9]

Okay sure i will add as per your suggestion 

[#10]

Hi william,

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

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

[#11]

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.

[#12]

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.

[#13]

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.

[#14]

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.

[#15]

Hi William can you review mine profile as well?

[#16]

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.

[#17]

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

[#18]

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.

[#19]

Hi Umer,

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

[#20]

Hii William
Please suggest me some improvements to my profile. 

Thnx

[#21]

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...

[#22]

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.

[#23]

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.

[#24]

,

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

[#25]

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.

[#26]

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.