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]

Hi I also need for you give me a chance to show my self I want a chance to earn money on this side

[#3]

Sumaira,

Please complete your Profile or you will not receive any Jobs from the site. Click the Academy link on the top of this page for instructions.

[#4]

You need to go back to the article on the top. It is pinned to the top by Upwork because it contains all the information you need to be safe and start your path on Upwork. Currently, your profile will only get you scammed. There is nothing there. Scammers know you haven't read or don't follow the rules.

Everything you need is in the article - read it and follow every link before you even consider looking for work. Pay special attention to the Terms of Service and the Red Flags on Scams from community member Wes.

Freelancing requires marketable skills, money to purchase self-employment needs (Internet, connects, etc.), patience, determination, and again, marketable skills.  It will take dozens, if not 100 proposals, before you get a job. This is the numbers we are seeing for new freelancers.

If you try to get jobs now, you will be scammed and lose it all. After you have read everything in the top post, if you still have questions, you can ask them here. BUT you must go through the entire post, links and all, to learn the rules first.

[#5]

**Edited for Community Guidelines** who can help me https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01ea8f8840353f5f82 

[#6]

What do you need help with? I suggest you read the top post because your profile is incomplete. It is a sign to scammers you haven't read the rules.

Be aware that you can't post jobs or names here without redacting all identifying words.

Post again if you need help, and someone will reply.

[#7]

I have 60+ in progress contracts and the client hasn't been given any more work for 6 months, and the client also has not ended the contract. Please let me know if the contract doesn't end and don't earn more than 6 months does it affect my JSS?

[#8]

Hi Anis,

Thank you for reaching out. The contract status- whether it's active, closed, or idle, does not affect your JSS. Your JSS will only be affected by public and private feedback on a closed contract. You can learn more about this here.

[#9]

Hi Annie,

I have one more question.

If I end a contract and the client never gives any feedback, does this affect my JSS?

[#10]

I'm not Annie, but the answer is no.

[#11]

Anis,

Make sure to close all completed contracts because both clients and Upwork's system can conclude that you are too busy for new projects.

[#12]

Can you point to where you found this information? How does Upwork's system "conclude" a freelancer is too busy?

[#13]

William,

I think I've come across similar advice before but it can be a bit of a catch-22 situation. I don't want a lot of jobs in progress on my profile, sure, but I don't want 50+ counts of "No feedback given" either.

So the question is, which is going to affect my chances of new jobs more?

[#14]

Mark,

Jobs should be closed along the way, therefore this type of situation should never occur. Basically that is the design of Upwork.

However, if you never close those jobs, you will always be at a disadvantage, whereas you will be at a one-time disadvantage if they are closed at once.

[#15]

Why will you never answer my sincere, polite questions?

[#16]

There is no penalty for having open jobs. I have clients who want the jobs to remain open.

That being said, that's an incredible amount of open jobs. I don't think I've seen so many open. I hope you are following a different path now.

If you want to close them, do a few at a time, so you have no feedback interspersed with good feedback. While your profile is important, some clients don't care much and are looking into the proposal, while others may focus on the profile. 

I would not suggest closing all of them at once, but it's your choice. Obviously, it doesn't seem to have harmed your career here, and clients are still hiring you.

[#17]

Thank you for this.

[#18]

Innocent,

Please write the Summary into four compelling paragraphs with a keen focus on the first sentence and add a Project Catalog.

[#19]

Please review my profile and let me remove the deficiencies.
https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01e1cba23babe9fab4

[#20]

Go back to the top and use the links. Pay attention to the Terms of Service and the Red Flags for Scams. Your profile needs work. Use the links in the post to use different areas of the Academy to learn about profiles.

The current one is too long, with too many emojis. You have to sell yourself in the first couple of sentences. Tell the client why you can do the job better than anyone else.

Learn about scams, because no one, including Upwork, will protect you.

[#21]

Hello good people, 

Would like to check in my profile aswell. After 20+ jobs applied and 50+ connects spent didnt get any job. So now lets look more in the reasons...maybe 🙂

[#22]

Hello Konstantin,

Please use two Skills in the Title, create four compelling paragraphs for the Summary, use all 15 Skills, add your Portfolio, and add a Project Catalog.

[#23]

Thank you William. except the Project Catalog think I complete the other steps. Will be glad if you can take another look.

[#24]

You are not ready to have a project catalog, you are only going to be scammed.

[#25]

I have no idea what you think having 15 skills listed is going to do for someone in this situation.

No one should just use 15 skills, as you advise.

People, only use the skills you really have. Adding 15 skills just to have them there does no one any good. If you manage to get a job with those fake skills, the clients are not happy when the product does not match the alleged 15 skills.

[#26]

Read the initial post by Jeanne. Do not skip any of the links provided. From your profile, it seems like you haven't dedicated a single minute to learning how to optimise it - hence, you spent your connects in vain. 

Take the Academy courses. And do not use all the 15 skills allowed. Only the ones you actually have.