@Dean M wrote:
Hello all - my name is Dean.
I signed up to Upwork at the advice of my future brother-in-law. After two refusals I finally got accepted. However, I feel like I am getting a bit frustrated by the lack of responses so far, as well as the work that I feel best matches my skills.
Is it something I'm missing perhaps? I don't have a large portfolio uploaded onto here - but that would be the reason why I am here; to expand and update it since I left University.
So I guess the question is guys - how did you start up? Is there a secret formula? Thank you!
It can certainly be difficult. For one thing, you'll be competing not just with people who are looking to build on what they did in school and establish themselves as professionals, but people who are already established professionals. All else being equal, think about whom clients are more likely to choose.
That's not an insurmountable problem though. But it makes what's already tough that much tougher. Chances are your percentage of acceptances to your proposals will be low, but if you're good at what you do, craft individualized proposals to fit the jobs you're interested in, present yourself well, etc., it doesn't have to be zero.
I don't think there's any big secret. But there's plenty of material here in these forums, including what has already been referenced in this thread, that can help. So it would be worth your while to explore.
One thing I noticed is that the pay rate you mention on your profile is really, really low. It may seem like the more inexpensive your services are the better chance you have (because wouldn't anyone prefer to pay less rather than more for the same work?), but paradoxically it can actually make you less attractive if you express a willingness to work so cheap. A lot of people will think it must be because you don't provide good work, and they'll pass you by.
