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anas_irshad1
Community Member

unable to download a txt file attached with cover letter

I am new to upwork and just submitted my first proposal for a job, i have attached a .txt file with my cover letter but the problem is that when i tried to download the file to make sure that it is the correct file, it showed this message:

"It is not safe to download this file. If you really want to access this file please contact Customer Support."

 

if I am unable to download this file, then same will be the case for the client who will be looking at that cover letter.

 

please help me out with this and let me know if I am doing something wrong so I can correct myself before wasting anymore connects.

ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Hi Muhammad, 


All attachments and links transferred on Upwork are being scanned for potentially malicious content. File attachments such as Microsoft Office documents, Adobe .pdfs, images, etc., are allowed but still scanned for potentially malicious content. If the file appears to be malicious, it blocks the transfer and downloading by the recipient. In this case, your file was scanned for potential malicious content. 

 

We currently support Google Drive, Dropbox, WeTransfer, and OneDrive for file sharing, and I would recommend that you use these options. 


~ Avery
Upwork

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12 REPLIES 12
AveryO
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Muhammad, 


I'm sorry to learn that this has been an inconvenience for you. This security measure is in place to prevent users from spreading malicious viruses and/or malware to other users of the platform. 

I would like to note that there is no need to upload a cover letter, especially if the information in your txt file is the same information in your proposal. When you send a proposal to a potential client, you are requested to fill up the Cover Letter field, and the Additional Questions field (if there are any). However, it is your discretion whether to attach your CV to your proposals. If it's a concern that your clients may be put-off when they see that message, you may want to use alternatives - such as sharing a Dropbox/Google Drive link. 


~ Avery
Upwork

Hi Avery,

 

thanks for the quick response, I have attached the txt file that contains a google drive link to a sample program that the client required; just to stand out from others, and it contained instructions for using the program. the file had nothing other than a google dive link and few lines of text.

 

I have attached a screenshot of  the file for context.


Muhammad A wrote:

 

thanks for the quick response, I have attached the txt file that contains a google drive link to a sample program that the client required;


You did not write a custom program as part of your application, did you?

 

If you did (and you should not have,) then why didn't you include the link and the instructions as part of your cover letter?

Hi Petra,

 

I have provided the link to a sample program that i build in past that was very much similar to what the client required. and i have put some instructions for how to use the program.

 

I am new to the platform so I really don't know that I should not include such samples, but my only idea was to provide the client with a relevant past project so that client knows I can do the job and have more chances for getting the job.


Muhammad A wrote:

Hi Petra,

I am new to the platform so I really don't know that I should not include such samples, but my only idea was to provide the client with a relevant past project so that client knows I can do the job and have more chances for getting the job.


No, that's fine (you didn't create a custom sample specifically for the client to use), but why didn't you just write the link and the directions for use in your proposal rather than on a separate file?

Hi Muhammad, 


All attachments and links transferred on Upwork are being scanned for potentially malicious content. File attachments such as Microsoft Office documents, Adobe .pdfs, images, etc., are allowed but still scanned for potentially malicious content. If the file appears to be malicious, it blocks the transfer and downloading by the recipient. In this case, your file was scanned for potential malicious content. 

 

We currently support Google Drive, Dropbox, WeTransfer, and OneDrive for file sharing, and I would recommend that you use these options. 


~ Avery
Upwork
prestonhunter
Community Member

Muhammad:

Upwork is not a file transfer tool.

 

If you have specialized file transfer needs, then you should put the file on a server and provide the client with a link where they can download it from.

 

Although Upwork allows files to be attached to proposals, I personally NEVER attach files to proposals.

Upwork makes no guarantee that such file attachments will work as you want them to.

 

And as a client (who has hired over 80 freelancers) I never look at attachments.


Preston H wrote:

Muhammad:

Upwork is not a file transfer tool.

 

If you have specialized file transfer needs, then you should put the file on a server and provide the client with a link where they can download it from.

 

Although Upwork allows files to be attached to proposals, I personally NEVER attach files to proposals.

Upwork makes no guarantee that such file attachments will work as you want them to.

 

And as a client (who has hired over 80 freelancers) I never look at attachments.


I do, very often (attach files to proposals).

Though, I'm providing different type of work. I'm attaching short animations which are specific examples of what clients are after.

In my case, clients respond to that.

Most probably this doesn't apply in the 'coding world', still wrote this as an opposed opinion/experience.


Preston H wrote:

 

And as a client (who has hired over 80 freelancers) I never look at attachments.


I think that you must be an unusual client. Many clients specifically ask freelancers to attach samples to their bids because they don't want to go looking through everybody's profiles, and about half of the clients who have hired me personally said that it was because one of my samples was similar to what they were looking for. So, I wouldn't advise anyone that it's not important.


Christine A wrote:

Preston H wrote:

 

And as a client (who has hired over 80 freelancers) I never look at attachments.


I think that you must be an unusual client.


It's important to see things in context.

Preston's contracts are typically small (average contract value around half an hour of his time) and mostly his own personal stuff (presumably paid for out of his own pocket) and result in nothing being paid in a high percentageof cases.

 

it's not typical and that "shoot in the dark, something will get hit" approach will not work for most clients with more substantial or business-related projects.

 

florydev
Community Member

Muhammed,

 

You really should not be encouraging anyone to download and run executable files off the internet.  People may not realize the security risks involved but by asking them to do this it makes it seem like you do not understand the security risks involved, which makes you someone I would not hire.

 

It may seem important to you to show that you have built something similar to what they client has done but I think the more likely reality is that any potential client will not bother with it.  Instead take a screenshot of the result of the application if that's possible (assuming it does not have a UI to show).  I believe that is far more likely something a client would mess with.

re: "I think that you must be an unusual client."

 

As a freelancer, I have completed over 200 jobs.

 

I never use attachments when applying to jobs, and I don't think any of my potential clients expect me to.

 

I am not advocating a "one-size-fits-all" approach, but I think it is important to understand that attachments are not at all universal as something used with proposals.

 

It is going to vary with job niche.

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