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]

Upwork now requires new freelancers to subscribe to Freelancer Plus for $20 USD/month or purchase 100 Connects for $15 USD to submit the first proposal. After you fulfill this requirement, you will also get the 50 free Connects that freelancers traditionally receive when signing up.

Also, I'm in 100% agreement with Jeanne's message below. You should not purchase Connects and submit proposals until your profile is updated.

[#3]

Hi! I'd be grateful for a quick peek at my profile. I have just started on Upwork, all the resources are ticked off, and I think I'm good to go but it can't hurt to double-check before I decide to invest in Connects. Thanks a lot!

[#4]

I can see you have put effort into your profile, but it can be a lot better. The first line is all clients see in a search, so it must be a powerful statement of what you can do for the client with your skills.  Will it increase their production? Lower the costs of materials? Increase viewership? Result in more calls to action?

The introduction is far too short. Use three or four brief paragraphs to describe how your skills, education, and experience combine to help clients. Explain more about what you do for the games, because it might give a different client an idea that will result in hiring.

I understand not being able to use work because of NDA's. Although in a different field, most of my work is under strict NDA's. Be creative and come up with more items for your portfolio. It doesn't need to be long or detailed.

On the jewelry side, I would look through searchable titles, and consider making a change to the skills titles. When I searched using your jewelry skills titles, the results were not great. There are better titles to use for your skills. I would focus on either the business side of the jewelry or the creation of the jewelry, because I feel you need to focus on one aspect to attract clients. You can change your profile at any time, so if you discover more clients are leaning in one direction, you can put your attention there.

With a little work, you can have an excellent profile.

[#5]

Thank you for your time and effort, reworking my profile will be way easier now. Much appreciated!

[#6]

Isn't upwork free?

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

 I can't find a job for free?

[#7]

Why would you think Upwork is free? This is a jobs platform. I suggest you spend some time researching and studying how to freelance before you jump in the deep end.

If you want to freelance, go back to the top pinned post, read it, and follow every single link. This is your complete profile -

I love to draw with pencils and watercolors, I love to create different characters in ZBrush drawing on a tablet. I really like this program. I like to design interiors, furniture and landscapes, and especially like to design gardens.

These comments are fine for social media, but all you will find here are scams. Having a professional profile is the best way to attract genuine clients and deter scammers. You are not prepared to freelance. I'm not being mean, I'm trying to help you. With millions of people on the platform with hard skills, you must be highly-skilled to compete.

I suggest you take a break from looking for work and assess what hard skills you bring to the marketplace. Your interests will never earn you a penny. Take some time to consider all of your skills, and whether they translate to online work. Perhaps you can find someone to mentor you in the art world, or you could trade work for lessons. Or, maybe you have other skills, but they don't work online.

Freelancing, no matter where you go or how you work, takes hard, marketable, in-demand skills, money to run the business, including connects, CV's, Internet, subscriptions, etc. It also takes time, patience, motivation, and again, those marketable skills. The only way around these facts, is to find an employer to take care of those costs for you.

[#8]

Sarchazm...love it. If it would only sink in to ......pick a word

[#9]

No sarcasm. Did you read my review? It's not sarcasm, half of the freelancers here really do think everything is free, and then get mad as hornets when they find they have to be responsible for themselves.

[#10]

Best advice in the house!
READ Jeanne's full document FIRST!

[#11]

link please

[#12]

Go back to the top pinned post.

[#13]

Hello Upwork Community members,

I am a Top Rated freelancer on Upwork and have met all the criteria for the Top Rated Plus status, except for the $10,000 earnings threshold. I currently have $9,500 in earnings, but my client has informed me that they will be leaving the Upwork platform, resulting in the closure of my contract before I reach the $10,000 threshold.

This situation is beyond my control, as it is the client's decision to leave Upwork. Given that I have fulfilled all other requirements, is it possible for me to still qualify for the Top Rated Plus badge despite not meeting the earnings threshold due to this unforeseen circumstance?

Muhammad Siddiq

[#14]

No.

[#15]

Hello there! 

Can I please get a review of my profile?

Thanks in advance! And thank you for this post. It's helpful.

[#16]

hello my name is ebrahim i am happy i need to work with you

[#17]

Take some time and go back to the top pinned post, read it and follow all of the links. Posting here for work shows that you do not understand how to use the platform. Until you do, you should not be looking for work. When you joined, you agreed to follow the Terms of Service. You need to understand what that means before working.

Your profile is barely there. Currently, you will not find jobs, but you will find scammers. I advise you not to accept invitations or apply for jobs until you understand all the rules, and have a complete profile. Scammers can see, just as I can, that you haven't done your job. This makes you a giant target for the scammers.

Data entry is a flooded field, and you are competing with many thousands of people, if not more. Your skills need to be excellent, and even then, the competition is very intense. Social media is in essentially the same category. You also list writing, but since you are not native or bilingual in any language, that will not work. Too many writers with excellent skills will win every time, because you do not have the skills. You list economics - what can you do with those skills? Or digital marketing? Remove writing and editing, because you cannot use translators or programs because you will anger clients and end up in disputes. I do not understand why you list social work, since you have no history or experience.

Take time out from looking for work to assess your skills. Honestly consider all of your skills. Do they translate to online jobs platforms? Everyone has skills, but not everyone can be a freelancer, or has skills that translate to online money.

If you decide you are ready to freelance, make sure you understand the Terms of Service and the Red Flags on Scams from Wes. These links are in the first post.

[#18]

Ignorance really is bliss, and dangerous too. People just want to put the minimum amount of effort into this platform, and expect sunshine and roses, without having to understand anything. Dudn't work like that, bud. Enough said.

As Jeanne said, get on board, or get out.

[#19]

that was usefull thanks

[#20]

How do i stay awake when I work in an IT company as business executive My role is straight forward bid on projects and generta leads but the thing is when I work on upwork and say I look Shopify and related ecomm projects the company demands that I qurate a story board and not focus on sending similar work links I have worked with on a differr=ent agency 

I mean I find it waste of time to write an essay for a simiple development job when I can share the exact work and explain as to what I did on this project and hopefully get lead 

My question for all is what should I do work like my company asks me ignor them and continue working like I used to do?

Also I have to beg them to buy connect for me to actually apply for the jobs

and all my proposals are undergoing agency so I can even add catalogs on that Id 

=======================================================================================

But now I'm using my own Id on  upwork and get to apply as an individual freelancer on jobs that I'm confiedent I can do with one of my friends and I aim to work independatenly by the end of this year and have that flexibility to work on my own terms and get a long term client to support my family 

I know if I can only make 1000$ usd in a month with taxes paid I'll be more than happy and satisfied

what do you all think

BTW I'm already a Post graduate who gave up on codeing when covid started and I haven't touched and lang till day but I still remeber bits about python and azure so I'm going to opt for online certification for python and get my skills back asap

well that's the plan but time is of essence at the moment I would really appriciate your guideance mind you I want to keep working with any agency till I get my first 1K$ from upwork then I might wait for 2-3 months and call it quits to work with any agency and do freelancing full time.

[#21]

How do i stay awake when I work in an IT company as business executive

I'm not sure if you are looking for tips or what, but it might receive answers in the "Coffee Break" forum.

Because you have been working at an agency on Upwork, you need to go back to the top pinned post and read it, and follow every link. You need to understand all of the rules before you freelance on your own. It's very different working for someone else, and being self-employed.

Do everything you can to increase your skills and offer current methods. Learn about your field until you are highly skilled.

Only you can decide if you want to continue in your current situation and for how long. Consider your options carefully, and proceed in the way that benfits you the most now, and into the future.

[#22]

chatbot

[#23]

Hello,

I have a question that others might also have but just haven't asked yet in this thread....Is interacting in the forums that interest the individual a great way to get 'noticed' for opportunities for freelancing or is it stifling our skill set? I believe the more you interact in things, the more that is noticed and can be transferred to your ultimate job as a freelancer or beyond. Thank you for your post and great knowledge on freelancing. Take care,

Rachael W. in Alaska (New Freelancer)

[#24]

Is interacting in the forums that interest the individual a great way to get 'noticed' for opportunities for freelancing or is it stifling our skill set?

Participating in the forum has no effect on your work on Upwork. The clients never see or know about your posts, and no one hires through the forum. You won't receive any attention from your activity in the forum, even if you have many upvotes or badges, it means nothing for freelancing, your business, your work, or getting clients.

There are some people who don't understand these facts, and try to get jobs here, which are promptly removed by Upwork. The forums are to learn and find answers, posting or responding to Upwork policies, posting or responding to posts or announcements, sharing ideas, and for some, to complain.

I don't know about the forums stifling a skill set, but I suppose if you waste enough time worrying about who said what to whom, as some do, it could definitely cut into time needed for the business.

I believe the more you interact in things, the more that is noticed and can be transferred to your ultimate job as a freelancer or beyond.

It depends entirely on the things. Even on sites such as LinkedIn, the majority of interactions where you have a job contact, does not result in a job. However, you know LinkedIn and other platforms are designed to make connections. The forum is not designed to make connections for jobs, period.

Nothing you do here will impact your freelancing, career, success, jobs, or money - nothing. Too many people believe rumors about how to get ahead on Upwork, like being in a group with a "guru" or posting a lot in the forum, or getting forum badges or using AI that gets you nothing but empty promises.

There are many platforms and sites specifically designed to create connections. Each should be evaluated, and always look at the return on your investment. You will find connections, of varying quality, on those sites, but not in the community forums.

[#25]

Taking help on Upwork for freelancers involves utilizing various resources and support options available on the platform.

1. Check the Help Center: Look for answers to your questions in the Upwork Help Center. It’s like a library with lots of helpful articles.

2. Talk to Other Freelancers: Join the Upwork Community to chat with other freelancers. You can ask questions and share tips there.

3. Ask Upwork Directly: If you can’t find what you need, you can talk to Upwork Support. You can chat with them or send them a message for help.

4. Take Courses: Visit the Upwork Academy to learn new skills. They have online classes that can help you get better at freelancing.

5. Read the Upwork Blog: Check out the Upwork Blog for useful tips and stories from other freelancers. It's like a magazine for freelancers.

Using these resources can make it easier for you to get help and improve your freelancing game on Upwork. 

[#26]

All of the Upwork resources and much more are in the links to the top pinned post. There are many more important aspects to check out and should not be missed.