What am I missing?

csayft · ‎01-09-2022

A Happy new Year 2022 to All.

I have created & verified my upwork account couple of years ago,

Since then I am yet to get any breakthrough in getting a decent offer.

I am currently working offline in a MNC Company, My plan is to swith to full time Freelancing with similar earlings, due to the time and location flexibility.

Earlier almost every month I have been exhausting all the free connects and even tried purchasing additional ones, I have tried lowering the experience or the quoted bids, but with no luck.

Experts could you suggest, What am I missing here?

gilbert-phyllis · ‎01-09-2022

What are you missing here? The fundamental differences between working for someone else and working as a freelancer. Freelancing amounts to operating a small business. In addition to your marketable core competencies, you need to bring (or quickly develop) skills in marketing yourself; vetting clients and projects for best fit; project management; client management; keeping an eye on your long-, mid-, and short-term business goals; readiness to frequently adapt your business model to changing market conditions; a thick skin and professional approach that enables you to establish mutually respectful, trusting relationships with clients while remaining personally disengaged sufficient that your own behavior and choices are always business decisions.

Setting up as a FL requires a different approach to positioning yourself and your services competitively compared to job seeking. Don't use your resume for your profile overview. Spend some time searching out FLs on the platform with credentials and qualifications comparable to yours, who are successfully landing and delivering the kind of work you want to do. Study their profiles and portfolios (if relevant). Your overview needs to focus on what you can do for your clients.

Good luck!

tlbp · ‎01-09-2022

Bash P wrote:
A Happy new Year 2022 to All.
I have created & verified my upwork account couple of years ago,
Since then I am yet to get any breakthrough in getting a decent offer.

I am currently working offline in a MNC Company, My plan is to swith to full time Freelancing with similar earlings, due to the time and location flexibility.

Earlier almost every month I have been exhausting all the free connects and even tried purchasing additional ones, I have tried lowering the experience or the quoted bids, but with no luck.

Experts could you suggest, What am I missing here?

Most experienced freelancers would recommend that you not leave your "real-world" job until you have enough steady freelance gigs to replace your income. Best practices would be to also have substantial savings to cover those periods when you are not able to land gigs. Your freelancing and marketing skills or only half of the equation--you are supply. They quality of supply does not matter if there is no demand. So, if clients aren't hiring, you can go hungry as a freelancer through no fault of your own. And, you will be competing against many other hungry freelancers.

It is good to have aspirations, but don't jump too soon.