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MichaelJ
Community Manager
Community Manager

Share your onboarding experience

Hi Community!

 

We’re always looking for ways to improve the experience of creating an account and getting started on Upwork. Who better to help us find opportunities than freelancers and clients who are new to Upwork? We would really appreciate your feedback on any challenges you faced while getting started on Upwork. This includes the signup process, creating your profile, submitting proposals, searching for jobs etc. We’re open to all feedback, but you can use these questions to guide your thinking:

  • What wasn't clear?
  • What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
  • What would have helped you in the beginning?
  • What have you learned that has made it easier for you to find work?

We look forward to your responses and helping to improve the experience of new users.


Cheers,
Mike
194 REPLIES 194
231edc1b
Community Member

I can't figure out how to get work through Upworks. It really very convulted.

Hi Richard,

 

Could you please confirm if you want to use Upwork as a freelancer and find work or do you intend to hire freelancers to complete work for you? I checked your account and, currently, you have a client account, you can add a freelancer profile to your account by following the steps here.

 

Thanks!

~Andrea
Upwork
asgddsgds
Community Member

There's a serious issue with new profiles applying.

The issue is getting your application declined over and over again without being told why.

 

The email that we get telling us "•Resubmit your profile after including other skill sets or work experience you might have left off•Acquire new skills or experience relevant to your field so you can become a more attractive candidate•Try submitting again in 6-12 months to see if we have new opportunities" does NOT help.

 

I've tried "including other skill sets or work experience" but i just keep getting declined without knowing why!

And after that my account becomes unable to post on this Community page so I cant ask why im getting declined. So I have to create a new account and then get my main suspended! And even THEN im STILL not being told on why i am getting declined or suspended.

 

The lack of communication is horrible. I just want to work on this website but I might have to move to freelancer.com

Hello,

 

Admission is highly competitive as Upwork receives more than 10,000 freelancer registrations daily. Not every application will be accepted. It depends in part on the needs of the marketplace. You can learn more about declined applications here.


Cheers,
Mike
d18d28f4
Community Member

Hello Mike,

 

I am struggling to use the site. I don't understand how it works and wish there was a step by step guide to set up. Having info in different subject boxes doesn't help new people understand what order they are supposed to do everything in. For example I had my first client and we agreed 4 hours work for e200. I didn't realise I was supposed to set a clock while I worked, the software won't let me add in the hours and we can't finalise the payment. She is frustrated that we cannot finish the job and have no idea what to do next. I have tried talking to various bots but they have no idea how to help me. I now want to unsubscribe to the stie - it's simply too un user friendly - but that's not obvious either. My client is a very tech savvy graphic designer and she finds it mind boggling too. Can anyone help me?

Best wishes

Nikki

 

Hi Nikki,

 

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. There are plenty of articles on the Upwork help pages that cover every aspect of the Upwork platform. You can check out the Getting started on Upwork thread and also, the Freelancing Resources board to help you with writing proposals, boosting your career, set rates, negotiate with clients, and so on.

 

Regarding your concern, as it's an Hourly contract, we always suggest freelancers to use the Upwork Desktop App to track time. As long as the hours you log with the app meet the Hourly Protection criteria, you will be paid for the time you invoice.

For more information about the app, you can check out these helpful articles:

 

You can also choose to add a manual time, but please know that the manual time is not protected by the Hourly Payment Protection. You can check out this help article for more information on how you can add manual time.

 

Let me know if you need further assistance.

 

Thank you.

~ Aleksandar
Upwork
kamranghaffor
Community Member

exactly 

ambiarun
Community Member

Hi my name is **Edited for Community Guidelines**. I am also new to UPWORK. Till now I got only one job that I completed successfully. But after that I am trying my best, but still could not get any job. My biggest challenege is submiting a proposal that could get me a job. And I am also  sending proposal at very affordable price. But still no one reply back to me.

ahhoney
Community Member

Hi Mike,
I am a newbie and got 60 connections after the approval of my Upwork account. Now my remaining connections are 35 and still not get any client. Tell me the reason or guide me on how I win the client, give me any tips to win a client. I am a Virtual Assistant at Amazon. I am on Upwork since 2018.
Thanks in advance.

I have very good onboarding experiences.

I am active on Upwork for 2 days now and I allready had my first client, job invitation and am communicating with other prospects daily.

I apply to lower paying jobs, since I understand that name and business should be builded bottom up.

I spended one month in building of my portfolio, so that helped me to create good Upwork profile.

Just today I finnished my Indetification live interview with Upwork representitve, it was a good and kind experience.

 

Thank you Upwork for your good services.

MichaelJ
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Muhammad Hanan,

 

Thank you for your message. It can take 20 or more proposals to win your first project so don't be discouraged. I reviewed your profile and have some suggestions:

  • Your title reads "Mobile Development" but no such skills are mentioned in your profile 
  • The beginning of your profile overview displays in prospective client search results and it’s your first 200-character pitch. So, your first sentence should include clear, relevant information about your primary skill sets and expertise.
  • Your profile overview is short compared to the average. Upwork’s research shows clients see it as a positive signal if the profile is well written and comprehensive. Therefore, consider crafting your overview as a pitch to prospective clients. 

    • Help clients understand your abilities better by listing information about your skills and experience in an original and creative way. 
    • Focus on how you can help clients achieve their goals. For example, expand on who you are, the services you offer, and what you’re most passionate about. 
    • Be clear on your expertise and mention specialized software or tools. 
    • If appropriate, let your personality shine through (include some excitement), and show your qualities and praise the work you do, instead of focusing on yourself.

To give a clear impression you’re the person the client wants to talk to, here are some additional tips for writing a great Overview.


Cheers,
Mike
petrovicmarija98
Community Member

Hi, 

I am new on Upwork and for now everything is ok - exept one thing.

I didn't get my 20 free Connects. I saw some suggestions for solving this problem, I asked upwork bot - but problem is still here. It would be great to have some instructions about connects. 

Hi Marija,

 

I apologize for the delay in my response. We'll have one of our agents reach out to you via support ticket in order to assist you further. You'll be able to access your ticket here.

 

Thanks!

~Andrea
Upwork
835c562b
Community Member

I believe that upwork made a big mistake by implementing "20 connects for beginners" policy.

It can be argued that this is a good method of weeding out low-skilled freelancers.

Let's calculate a bit.

What I've seen so far, most jobs require 6 connects to apply. A new user may pay not much attention to it and spend all his connects by applying to 4-5 jobs he found interesting. What are the chances that he will get hired? Considering that many jobs boast 10-15 applicants and that most employers will ignore freelancer without rating. What if he was unlucky to join upwork on weekend when less employers but more freelancers are active?

If a person doesn't want to pay from his credit card just to start working, does it indicate that he is low-skilled? Freelancers join platforms to earn money, not to spend.

However I would like to congratulate upwork on acqusition of Fiverr's Gigs model. I was trying to create a Gig there and it failed at the first page and support didn't react for 3 days already. Was glad to see that your engine works fine, despite being very similar to theirs.

tommydesign78
Community Member

my Upwork experience has not been great. i'm new to Upwork. i still haven't gotten anywork on this site. all i've done is pay upwork? please help.


@tommydesign78 wrote:

my Upwork experience has not been great. i'm new to Upwork. i still haven't gotten anywork on this site. all i've done is pay upwork? please help.

 

Michael,

 

You received some decent advice in this post: https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/Maximum-usage-of-being-a-Freelancer-on-the-Upwork-platfo...

 

As freelancers we are on our own, so the only help you'll get is good advice from well-established freelancers who have figured out how to make it work. All that said, The graphic design category is bloated/flooded, with many more joining every day.

 

Along with the thousands of experienced graphic designers you're competing against, there are many "designers" on this site who have no experience (and no business being here), but have figured out how easy it is to download and use artwork someone else created and call it their own. Just add a few words and voila, here's your logo. This usually plays out in the client forum when someone finds out their "custom" logo is being used by 20 other people. But that's another rant.

 

If you persevere, it may work out ... or not. Freelancing is not easy in the brick and mortar world, and even harder online, especially on a site with the numbers Upwork has. Upwork is not a joke, nor does it promise everyone will succeed. Spend a little time looking at long-established freelancers - you'll see that many do quite well for themselves. But they worked at it, and it doesn't happen overnight. For some, it never happens. Stay with it, take advice freely given, and maybe you'll get a break ... and once that happens, more usually follows.


 

allen-hurst
Community Member

Hi! I'm just in the beginning stages and having trouble getting my Linkedin profile uploaded to Upwork. How can I resolve this?

 

Also, I see there are many comments about people not being knowledgeable enough about the terms they agree to. It's always tedious to read through so much verbiage although it's extremely important. Perhaps Upwork could post a training video with a person emphasizing the key points of the terms.

 

Thanks,

Margo

Hello Margo, I wasn't able to do that. I had to retype it in the Upwork format. hope this helps.

-Tommy

aries221
Community Member

Agreed

jamro
Community Member

  • What wasn't clear?

It should be noted that I found the vast majority of things to be clear during the sign-up process, but I did have issues with uploading a profile picture and the identity verification process. My profile picture would not upload even though it met the requirements. It finally uploaded after I erased the background of the picture (which took longer than I care to admit), so there's a tip to fellow newbies. Furthermore, I could not verify my ID using the recognition software provided (mobile + computer), but it was verified via a quick and pleasant video chat with an UpWork staff member. 

 

  • What do you know now that you wish you knew then?

Connects are limited and are not automatically replenished every month; use them wisely.

The hardest part is landing your first job; it gets much easier from there (thus far at least). 

 

  • What would have helped you in the beginning?

Fully completing my profile before sending out job proposals. 

 

  • What have you learned that has made it easier for you to find work?

Tailor each job proposal to the client's description, and don't get too disheartened by a lack of offers (but do use it as an opportunity to improve your job proposals). I also met a very nice client who significantly helped me get started (there's an element of chance involved!). 

MichaelJ
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi James,

 

Thank you for your feedback! I think you made great points that will be helpful to new users. I did want to alert you to a change we made just yesterday regarding Connects. Freelancers on the Basic plan will now receive 10 free Connects per month as well as additional Connects when you are invited to interview and respond. You can learn more in this post.


Cheers,
Mike
jamro
Community Member

Hi Mike, 

 

That's great to hear; thank you for your reply. 

 

realmikenavarro
Community Member

Hello everybody!

 

Pretty good that Upwork Staff always look for growth opportunities from get started. My experience was precise and very easy to understand from first to last step and available resources. 

 

Thank you for your time in ask about. Best wishes for everybody,

Ready for new connections, clients, jobs, business, projects, and more,

 

Regards, 

ricejnice
Community Member

Hey Mike, 

 

How does a newbie getting noticed on Upwork if their profile is set to private? The options are "start earning again" (I'm new) or pay for a membership.

 

Also, I looked into submitting a proposal which cost 4 'connects'. With only 20 'connects' how are new freelancers on the site supposed to find projects or make money? (without paying upfront) Those odds don't seem favorable.

 

I realize Upwork is a popular site for freelancers, but from my vantage, it's not worth my time and effort.

What am I missing here?

AveryO
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Joshua, 


I have set your profile visibility to public as requested. You may read up on this help article for more information on why your profile was set to private. If you have more questions about it, please don't hesitate to reach out to us here.

 

I'm also sorry to hear that you find that it's difficult to land projects with the very limited Connects you have. We actually announced recently that we’re upgrading Connects to give you free monthly Connects and bonus Connects for interviews you win. Hopefully, this helps you win more projects on Upwork!

I also checked your profile and would recommend adding portfolio items, and/or certificates (if you have any) to beef up your profile. You may want to read up on the resources we have here to help you become successful on Upwork. Good luck!


~ Avery
Upwork

Avery, Could you look at my profile and give me some pointers?

 

Hi Michael,

 

I would like to suggest to check out these great articles from our Freelancer Resources to help you improve your profile. 

 

 

Thank you,

~ Nikola
Upwork

Your profile says it doesn't exist. Are you even part of Upwork?

I'm not sure why you're not seeing it. I was able to get it set up manually.

Hi Michael,

 

Thank you for following up. I would like to clarify that I am a part of Upwork team. You can find both Upwork badge and moderator tag next to my image. Here is a screenshot for reference.

 

Additionally, you can find more information about Community team members on this thread.

 

Thank you,

~ Nikola
Upwork

Can someone explain how this works for newbies? My profile is private because I "haven't earned money on Upwork". My options are "start earning again" (Ummm...  did I mention I'm NEW) or pay for a membership.

If I'm my profile is private no one can see me. If no one can see me...

 

I have 20 'connects'. My first proposal cost 4 connects, which amounts to 5 proposals a month. Those odds don't seem worth the effort.

 

So how do freelancers get projects on Upwork without a membership? What am I missing here?

 

Thanks in advance

 

 


Joshua R wrote:

My profile is private because I "haven't earned money on Upwork". My options are "start earning again" (Ummm...  did I mention I'm NEW) or pay for a membership

 


That's not what it says. You can also simply ask for your profile to be set back to public. Use the big green button on this page. 

 


Joshua R wrote:

If I'm my profile is private no one can see me. If no one can see me...

Nonsense. Clients you send proposals to can see you just fine. Other clients won't find you for the day or so it takes for your profile to be switched to public.

 


Joshua R wrote:

I have 20 'connects'. My first proposal cost 4 connects, which amounts to 5 proposals a month. Those odds don't seem worth the effort.


You sent ONE proposal? That's you idea of "effort"? You also don't get 20 a month but that's not even the point. 

 


Joshua R wrote:

So how do freelancers get projects on Upwork without a membership?


By buying connects individually and/or working with the network of clients they established along the way or a combination of both.

 

Hi, Good Evening.
My name us Arun Sharan. I am also newbie in this platform with just one
completed project. I am also struggling too much for getting my second
contract. I am sending 5-6 peoposals every day not a single client is
replying to me. I saw some YouTube videos of Tech bulls and Joshua Burns
and Lex Divile. They gave me some very useful tips and proposals writing
ideas to get the response from client. So you can also check their videos
to get some tips. You can also visit feeelancetowin.com website get e
wining proposals and 5 hacks from Danny Morgulies. He is a fa.ous
freelancers who is earning $30k in two years. Joshua Burns is also top
rated freelancers. His Youtube channel is there to assist you and all like
us.
f292fd42
Community Member

It would be nice to easily check the age of our upwork profile.

Hi Lance,

 

I’ve shared your concern with the team. One of our team members will reach out and assist you directly via a support ticket. 

~ Joanne
Upwork

Upwork,
Kindly review your "earning before verification" policy. A lot of my friends that had accounts as freelancers on this platform, closed their accounts already because they complained about spending money on buying connects almost every month with the hope of getting their first job but still don’t get it. Upwork has over 500k freelancers giving clients vast choices, no client either upscale or middle class would settle for a newbie freelancer that doesn’t have any earning, past job experience on Upwork or even a verification badge. I understand this policy was enacted November, 2020 but with what I’ve experienced around me I think it’s a bad decision. Except Upwork doesn’t need new freelancers, I think the policy should be reviewed.

Best regards.

Hayat Aliyu.
Hayat
e92e5c2b
Community Member

The only thing I wish was different with the onboarding process was that upwork would have allowed me to be verified before getting my first job. I feel as though it makes it that much harder to land that first gig by not possessing a verified badge to give some semblence to the client that I at a minimum am who I say I am. 

I have a super strong belief that these badges are something that only the most nerdy, picky clients ever pay attention to (and they are to be avoided in any case).

 

What matters is first, and foremost, your cover letter. If you have a brilliant cover letter that is specific and addresses needs of a particular client on a particular job, you can be Sunil Gupta from nowhere with zero earnings and no badges and you will get hired.

 

Badges and earning history is still good because it gets you into "recommended freelancers" list to clients so their journey to getting to talk to you is shorter.

andyworkhard
Community Member

I was very happy with my onboarding experience. I registered on the website a few weeks ago. But I completed my profile and identity verification today. It took less than a day to complete the identity verification and have UpWork confirm my information.

 

If I run into any problems I will update the post. The UpWork community website is a great idea. Very happy to be part of this community.

Welcome aboard, Andrew!

 

Thanks for sharing your awesome experience using Upwork Community!  Feel free to reach out to us anytime you need any assistance or advice.

 

Happy working!

~ Bojan
Upwork
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