UPWORK doesn't support new freelancers, We are being Ghosted

[rrdigitalagency]

I have sent more than 15 proposals but didn't get one chance even. If buyers looking for freelancers with many reviews, how can a new freelancer in Upwork get orders? 

Upwork should show the new users in proposals first than only it will be equal for all the freelancers. It's not fair. 

[richardrader]

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Riskhan A wrote:

I have sent more than 15 proposals but didn't get one chance even. If buyers looking for freelancers with many reviews, how can a new freelancer in Upwork get orders? 

Upwork should show the new users in proposals first than only it will be equal for all the freelancers. It's not fair. 

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Well I don't agree. Every experienced freelancer has been a newbie at some point and had to go through the same thing. Weeks and weeks with little to no contracts. If Upwork started showing new freelancers first, clients will see a bunch of profiles with no reviews or work history and encourage them to look elsewhere. With less contracts on Upwork everyone would lose, including those new to the platform. 

Instead be patient. Work on your profile and have hope. Put some materials in your portfolio. Show the client pieces of work you have done in the past. Make your profile stand out. If you need help or ideas you can ask for them. As soon as you do a few contracts and get positive feedback watch as you get more and more work. Work your way to be top rated. Once you do that, I highly doubt you will have the same viewpoint as you do now.

Just keep working at it - This is the way of the freelancer market. And welcome to the platform 🙂

[florydev]

It is actually semi-sort of random. It definitely isn’t based on experience or money earned on the platform because on a job I hired for someone who had booked 900k was in the other folder.
But you are just guessing and I’m going to suggest it is also possible your proposals are not good enough.

[petra_r]

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Riskhan A wrote:

how can a new freelancer in Upwork get orders? 

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By writing excellent proposals and by having a far better profile than you do. Your profile is exceedingly poor and would put clients off hiring you. Why do you claim to be "#1 Website Developer"? As a client, I see false dishonest claims like that and move on right away because I don't want to work with dishonest freelancers. Then you invite clients to "Check out my portfolio for some of my proudest work." - when you haven't  added even ONE portfolio item...

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Riskhan A wrote:

 It's not fair. 

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You know, there is no point claiming "It's not fair" when you haven't even made the slightest effort to make your profile even borderline attractive to clients. If you expected to stroll into this highly competitive marketplace, throw together a poor profile with no effort, and then lean back getting contracts thrown at you, you were very, very much mistaken.

[sivavranagaro]

Speaking about unfair. I'm here for about nine years. I had tons of jobs. My profile is okayish. 

However, I sent hundreds of applications in last years and got maybe three replies, really. All job I get now is from my previous clients. It's unthinkable that I'm not good for anybody new and that they all just skip my applications. 

[sjbercot]

You illustrate a great point Vesna. Even freelancers who have a solid work history and plenty of earnings aren't gauranteed new projects or clients. You said so yourself that your profile is "okayish." If you tightened it up and added a portfolio, you might see better returns when you're looking to fill your schedule. I know if I was hiring anyone in the design field, the first thing I'd want to see are examples of your work. 

[sivavranagaro]

How do you mean I don't have a portfolio? My own personal website or Upwork portfolio? Cos I do have portfolio on Upwork.

[tlbp]

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Riskhan A wrote:

I have sent more than 15 proposals but didn't get one chance even. If buyers looking for freelancers with many reviews, how can a new freelancer in Upwork get orders? 

Upwork should show the new users in proposals first than only it will be equal for all the freelancers. It's not fair. 

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Your suggestion does not indicate that you want fairness, you want favoritism for those who share your specific characteristics. 

[sergio-soria]

Not to mention 15 proposals are the same as nothing here. You will need to apply to a lot more jobs to get some answers. And your proposals also need to be very solid, especially if you don't have any gig done yet.

[gina-herrera]

This is silly.

I started using this site on July 31st, yet I already make more through here than I do at my full-time job. How did I do that?

1. Marketing techniques - my first few jobs I made sure were very easy skillset wise, produced extremely quickly, and completed for about 50% of my normal desired rate. This got me 5 stars very easily.

2. My profile is 100% complete, my description describes in full the benefits of working with me, and my visual projects shown are good quality.

3. Ensuring that my clients knew they were getting a deal (in my proposal I would say specifically that I cut my rates by such and such % since I was new to Upwork and it was an opportunity to get senior level work for junior level prices).

Since August my rates have tripled and I have more work than ever... So quite frankly it's insulting to read you asking for Upwork to play favorites after I created my own success here. Put forth more effort and good things will come, 15 proposals is nothing. I have 50 clients and I've submitted about 300 proposals, you win some and you lose more, it's the nature of the game.

[a_lipsey]

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Gina H wrote:

This is silly.

I started using this site on July 31st, yet I already make more through here than I do at my full-time job. How did I do that?

1. Marketing techniques - my first few jobs I made sure were very easy skillset wise, produced extremely quickly, and completed for about 50% of my normal desired rate. This got me 5 stars very easily.

2. My profile is 100% complete, my description describes in full the benefits of working with me, and my visual projects shown are good quality.

3. Ensuring that my clients knew they were getting a deal (in my proposal I would say specifically that I cut my rates by such and such % since I was new to Upwork and it was an opportunity to get senior level work for junior level prices).

Since August my rates have tripled and I have more work than ever... So quite frankly it's insulting to read you asking for Upwork to play favorites after I created my own success here. Put forth more effort and good things will come, 15 proposals is nothing. I have 50 clients and I've submitted about 300 proposals, you win some and you lose more, it's the nature of the game.

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Gina, you did the work to market yourself and build a business. It doesn't surprise me when smart people figure out the marketing, develop their wraparound skills, and build a solid business using Upwork as one of their tools. Unfortunately too many freelancers think they will just join and  it's Upwork's job to give them work. 

[renleach]

I too started here a while ago when it was Elance.  160+ jobs with a lifetime 4.9 rating.  Does Upqork want to welcome experienced and proven talentback?  NO.  I have the profile, portfolio, and all the hoops I jump through to give Upwork the assurances that I add to their pool of talented freelancers (even though my prior standing as a provider was meaningless for their current procedures). So I apply with my crafted proposals, thanks to the YouTube tutorials.  Then I start seeing the same thigs.

The clear majority of jobs that I submitted proposed never hired.  Even though I was selective with the projects I applied for, I would have over 40 open proposals at any given time.  Once or twice a week I will withdraw proposals that are over 3 weeks old.  I have seen the desperate beggars in the forums who accept unprofessional and unreliable clients, so long as they get that desperate opportunity.  Because Upwork doesn't care about its freelancers.  Rather, they take NO RESPONSIBILITY for their clients, and allow public and PRIVATE REVIEWS THAT IMPACTS A FREELANCER'S  **Edited for Community Guidelines**

So what does Upwork tell freelancers?  WE have to vet the clients because Upwork won't.  If Upwork makes its freelancers jump through their prescribed hoops to even appear eligible, then slaps this nebulous JSS handccuff on them, HOW ABOUT YOU DO THE SAME FOR CLIENTS AND DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU WILL ACTUALLY TREAT FREELANCERS EQUALLY TO THEM   how about a JSS score for clients.  Then Upwork can put limits to what they can post for until they have a certain % score?  If clients can do that for determining who can apply, why won't Upwork give freelancers the same professionalism of choice?

No!  Jobs remain open for 30 days - so even if you are a prudent provider who applies only after considerations, you will at some point run out of Connects.  But don't worry!  Here's a link to buy more!!!

Don't reach out to the Upwork folks, though.  They will start the same cut-and-paste comments that it is your fault.  Your proposal might need work.  Add more items to your portfolio.  And then you get to deal eith the Upwork-concocted JSS.  DON'T FPRGET TO BUY THOSE EXTRA CONNECTS.  My favorite thing to hear Upwork say is that burning money on jobs that don't hire is the cost of doing business.

Upwork doesn't care about YOU, the individual freelancer.  Sure, they market themselves as a place for "top freelancer talent."  But until they actually put freelancers an an even field, they will tell you it is your fault while lining up the next lemming to tell to jump off the cliff.

[jr-translation]

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Ren L wrote:

I too started here a while ago when it was Elance.  160+ jobs with a lifetime 4.9 rating.  Does Upqork want to welcome experienced and proven talentback?  NO.  I have the profile, portfolio, and all the hoops I jump through to give Upwork the assurances that I add to their pool of talented freelancers (even though my prior standing as a provider was meaningless for their current procedures). So I apply with my crafted proposals, thanks to the YouTube tutorials.  Then I start seeing the same thigs.

The clear majority of jobs that I submitted proposed never hired.  Even though I was selective with the projects I applied for, I would have over 40 open proposals at any given time.  Once or twice a week I will withdraw proposals that are over 3 weeks old.  I have seen the desperate beggars in the forums who accept unprofessional and unreliable clients, so long as they get that desperate opportunity.  Because Upwork doesn't care about its freelancers.  Rather, they take NO RESPONSIBILITY for their clients, and allow public and PRIVATE REVIEWS THAT IMPACTS A FREELANCER'S (B)SS rating.  

So what does Upwork tell freelancers?  WE have to vet the clients because Upwork won't.  If Upwork makes its freelancers jump through their prescribed hoops to even appear eligible, then slaps this nebulous JSS handccuff on them, HOW ABOUT YOU DO THE SAME FOR CLIENTS AND DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU WILL ACTUALLY TREAT FREELANCERS EQUALLY TO THEM   how about a JSS score for clients.  Then Upwork can put limits to what they can post for until they have a certain % score?  If clients can do that for determining who can apply, why won't Upwork give freelancers the same professionalism of choice?

No!  Jobs remain open for 30 days - so even if you are a prudent provider who applies only after considerations, you will at some point run out of Connects.  But don't worry!  Here's a link to buy more!!!

Don't reach out to the Upwork folks, though.  They will start the same cut-and-paste comments that it is your fault.  Your proposal might need work.  Add more items to your portfolio.  And then you get to deal eith the Upwork-concocted JSS.  DON'T FPRGET TO BUY THOSE EXTRA CONNECTS.  My favorite thing to hear Upwork say is that burning money on jobs that don't hire is the cost of doing business.

Upwork doesn't care about YOU, the individual freelancer.  Sure, they market themselves as a place for "top freelancer talent."  But until they actually put freelancers an an even field, they will tell you it is your fault while lining up the next lemming to tell to jump off the cliff.

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Stop withdrawing your proposals. Some client will take their time to select a freelancer and you gain nothing from withdrawing.

If clients are happy with your work, ask them to leave a feedback. You need a certain number of contracts with feedback to get a JSS.

You can see the ratings clients received from freelancers as an average (lifetime) score in the About the Client section of each job description plus the entire job history below the job description.

You video introduction presents someone else's service. You might want to spend some time and make a video about you and the service you provide. You actually want to spend some more time on your profile in general. Did you take a look at your direct competition?

[alexandernovikov]

Easily: bring your own clients to Upwork and get reviews from them.