Prior permanent employer will not permit me to post work samples

[f6fb8152]

Hi,
I have many years of experience in my field but my previous employer will not permit me to show work examples. How do I get a freelance gig without proof of work abilities? Is it acceptable to write documentation for a fictitious software application or to write a short essay on a subject of my choosing just to have some samples? Is it within the Upwork "rules" to bid very low rates or take beginner jobs on Upwork just to get some work samples?

Thanks,

Linda

[shefen · Accepted solution]

My field is web programming, the backend, not design. I too came here with lots of experience but unable to show any code I had created for employers and clients. On top of that some of the web sites I had worked on were no longer online. I did have one complex web site I could point to where my contribution was noted online and visible to anyone. So that helped. For a code example, I posted links to the source code for small demo that had been a pre-employment coding test for one of my employers. That would be the same as you creating writing samples. There's nothing wrong with this.

As for the "rules" about bidding, what you bid and the jobs you go after is up to you. I would advise against going too low. You're not likely to attract the best clients that way.  My initial Upwork projects involved fixing broken web sites or moving sites from one host to another. So they were quick tasks that sometimes led to the clients coming back to me for additional work.

Good luck and welcome.

[f6fb8152]

Thank you Sheila. Your reply is helpful.

Linda