Aug 6, 2020 10:51:19 AM Edited Apr 26, 2022 05:58:19 AM by MichaelJ M
Getting started on Upwork can be challenging. Here are some top tips that can help you succeed.
Complete Your Profile
First, it can be very helpful to complete your profile 100%. It’s important to understand that there are certain sections that must be completed in order to reach 100%. You can even technically exceed 100% completion. The more fields you complete on your profile, the better your chances of winning work. Also, your profile must be 100% complete in order to qualify for badges such as Rising Talent and Top Rated. Check out this help article for more information on the numerous ways you can reach 100% or more completion. I also recommend this article about why a great title and overview can make a difference.
Set Your Profile Visibility
Second, we recommend updating your profile visibility. Once you’ve crafted the perfect profile, you’ll want clients to be able to see it. When setting your profile visibility, you have three options: Public, Only Upwork Users, or Private. If you set your profile to private, it will be excluded from the Upwork marketplace and search engines. This means clients won’t see you when they search for freelancers. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to set your profile visibility to Public or Only Upwork Users.
Submit Proposals
Third, submit proposals! This may seem like an obvious step, but it’s one that often doesn’t receive enough attention from new freelancers. By regularly submitting proposals for projects that fit your skills, you not only increase your chances of winning work, but you also prevent your profile from being automatically set to private, which can happen if you are inactive from the platform. As you submit more proposals, you will also learn what does and doesn’t get the attention of clients. Also, remember, that you may have to submit more than 5 proposals before you win your first project. Persistence is key. To help improve the quality of your proposals, I invite you to read about how to create a proposal that wins jobs and take in this proven advice from freelancers on Upwork. Also, check out this great article about How To Get More Jobs on Upwork in 2022!
Solved! Go to Solution.
Aug 30, 2022 10:59:19 AM by MichaelJ M
For help with your profile, check out this peer feedback thread and consider joining an Upwork Academy Coaching Cohort!
Aug 11, 2020 10:42:52 AM by MichaelJ M
Hi Gail,
The general (default profile) will be labeled "All Work" and will be a general introduction to the services you offer. Then you have your specialized profiles that focus on specific skills. So, yes, I would suggest creating a second specialized profile for admin support work. Also, don't forget to click "Publish" on your specialized profile once you have it how you want it (though it can be edited at any time).
While you certainly can create a client account and hire someone to assist you, the Community has a wealth of information. If you don't find the answers you're looking for when searching, don't hesitate to make a post asking for help or suggestions. We have a dedicated team as well as numerous freelancers who are ready and excited to help!
Sep 3, 2020 04:05:12 AM by Elis B
Sep 3, 2020 07:58:04 AM by MichaelJ M
Hi Elis,
Thank you for your message. It's ultimately up to you if you want to continue to offer both services on Upwork, but you're using the Specialized Profiles correctly. I do have a couple of suggestions for improvement of 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. 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.
I'd also suggest you check out these articles:
I hope this helps!
Aug 10, 2020 08:30:37 PM by Imad S
Hi Mike,
Can you please check my profile? My profile hasnt been discovered for a single time.
Where I have to be more accurate?
Requesting your kind feedback.
Regards,
Imad
Aug 11, 2020 08:11:50 AM by MichaelJ M
Hi Imad,
Thank you for your message! I reviewed your profile and have some suggestions:
Your written English skills are strong and you are easy to understand. However, I did see a few minor errors. If you'd like to add extra polish, you might want to consider using Grammarly (from Grammarly.com). I use this myself and really like it because it's free and it offers a Chrome add-on so it works in webmail, messages, proposals, and more.
I also suggest you check out this short list of articles I curated just for you:
I hope this helps!
Aug 11, 2020 11:14:55 AM by Fouzia F
Hello,
I am new to this platform. Although I have joined upwork 4 years before but started working on it now. Could you please review my profile? I have no idea how to get an order. I am reading all tips. Hopefully i can get soon.
Thank you.
Aug 11, 2020 01:06:43 PM Edited Aug 11, 2020 01:07:04 PM by MichaelJ M
Hi Fouzia,
Your profile is off to a great start. You did a good job outlining your services in the beginning of the Overview. This is important as this is the text that shows in search results. I provided a couple of suggestions below:
Your written English skills are strong and you are easy to understand. However, I did see a few minor errors. If you'd like to add extra polish, you might want to consider using Grammarly (from Grammarly.com). I use this myself and really like it because it's free and it offers a Chrome add-on so it works in webmail, messages, proposals, and more.
Here are some articles that I think might be of interest to you:
I hope this helps!
Aug 13, 2020 07:28:54 AM by Tia W
Hi Mike!
Thank you for the valuable insight! I'm a new member to Upwork and i'm currently trying to do my research before i start submitting proposals.
Would you be available to assist further in anyway? if so, feel free to contact me privately.
Thank you.
Aug 14, 2020 07:54:40 AM by Naureen Z
Mike you made my life easy I am newbie and I need to know all the things, thanks man
Aug 15, 2020 05:18:20 AM by Grant v
Hi Mike,
I've been on upwork for a little while now, and have gone through the steps you have outlined in your post. I'm sure that my concerns are not new, but I am a little confused as to how to get traction. I routinely submit proposals (almost daily) and have updated my terms to remain competitive. Yet I fail to get invites, my profile is never viewed, and my proposals go unanswered. While I don't expect that every thing I submit would be accepted, I do find it interesting that my success ratte for some time has been a big zero. I'm wondering if there is something I'm doing wrong?
Aug 17, 2020 11:56:11 AM by MichaelJ M
Hi Grant,
I responded to your private message with some feedback on your profile. It's important to understand that competition is fierce on Upwork. It is common to submit a great number of proposals. The average varies widely based upon a number of factors and tends to decrease as a freelancer earns experience (both because the experience is showcased and because you learn over time which projects to pick and which approaches work best). You are currently doing better than the average!
I did review your proposals and have some suggestions.
I also noticed you have a large number of contracts where feedback was not given. I would suggest asking your clients to close contracts, rather than closing them yourself, so that they are required to leave feedback. This will give prospective clients more confidence in your abilities.
I hope this helps!
Aug 16, 2020 05:14:59 AM by Bijaya Kumar R
Hello sir, I need your support. Could you please assist me?
Aug 16, 2020 10:47:45 PM by Rufaro L N
Greetings Bijaya,
How are you doing?
Yes sure, feel free.
What can I do to assist?
KInd Regards
Rufaro
Aug 17, 2020 12:00:06 PM by MichaelJ M
Hi Bijaya,
Thank you for your message. How may I assist you?
Aug 17, 2020 12:04:03 PM by Bobbie F
could you tell me how i can upload my illustrations onto my computer
thank you
Aug 17, 2020 12:05:52 PM by MichaelJ M
Hi Bobbie,
Could you elaborate a little on what you are trying to do?
Aug 29, 2020 07:35:07 AM Edited Aug 29, 2020 07:35:56 AM by Glad P
How do I browse other freelancers in my field to see how they structure their fees? Trying to decide how much to charge by the hour, by the word or page?
Aug 29, 2020 01:34:33 PM by John F
Aug 30, 2020 08:45:34 AM by Pat S
Thanks for this helpful intro, Mike. I am actually not new to Upwork. I started with both oDesk and Elance in 2014, so I pre-date the merge!
I have had a great deal of success finding work on another site, but I check back here once in a while. My freelance editing business has been full time for the past two years, and I earn about $30K a year. So even though I haven't been on Upwork recently, I do know the ropes.
I do have an issue with the way the job success score is calculated, though. As a seasoned freelance editor, I do have a respectable amount of repeat business, but if I had secured all my jobs here on Upwork, the percentage of ongoing and repeat clients would appear small. Why? Most of my work is on manuscripts and dissertations; most of those authors and doctoral candidates do not turn right around and write another book or another dissertation! I could give other reasons why my particular line of work does not lend itself to ongoing or repeat business. So I feel it is unfair to have this factor figure so prominently in the way the success score is calculated.
Also, as I have seen from other posts, not everyone leaves feedback. It's been my experience that my most significant clients are often the ones who are the least likely to follow through with feedback! I know they have been very happy with our partnership, but for some reason, this is a hurdle for them. So again, allowing this factor to figure so prominently in the way the score is calculated seems somewhat unfair.
Once when I had had just come back to the site, my score apparently jumped higher as soon as I came back. But this time, when in the process of writing bids, I only see on the bid page that I don't 'qualify' because my score is less than 90. But try as I might (go to my profile, ask questions, open a chat, etc.) I can't even find what my score is or where it is posted. Why is it so hard to find?
The jobs that show up here in my history are from the earliest days of my business, when I was willing to work for pennies, just to get started. I am in a very different place now, after having a lot of success and more than 2500 hours of service to clients in the last two years. But anyone who goes to my profile sees '34 hours' and all those penny jobs. The few reviews that have been left have been positive, but when you post that no review has been left after a job, that makes us look bad! Why not just list the review that have been written?
I'd also like to know how our score is 'calculated' (in quotes) after we have been inactive for a significant period of time.
I'm in the process of rebuilding my portfolio here - another factor that has changed significantly since I was last active here on Upwork. But I'm in the process of securing permissions, and it will take time.
Please tell me where I can find my score and how it is calculated after a period of inactivity. Any other tips you could offer re ways I could configure my profile to more accurately reflect my value and level of experience would be helpful.
Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this and reply.
Pat