Tips for Getting Started on Upwork

[#1]

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!

[#2]

This is really helpful, Thanks a lot!

Mike, can you also take a look to my profile? I would like to know how I can improve it

Thanks in advance! 🙂 

[#3]

Hi Ketevani,

Thank you for your message. I reviewed your profile and have some suggestions:

• Update your title to be descriptive about the services you offer rather than trying to list every skill you have.
• 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, not just quality adjectives about your work ethic.
• Some special characters are not displaying right in your profile. You may have copy and pasted the text. Make sure to carefully proofread your Overview before posting and do a spot check after posting.

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 hope this helps!

[#4]

Thanks a lot! 🙂 

[#5]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for great guidance for the new users in Upwork. I am active for almost two months and my profile is 100 percent and public. I have almost submitted 15-16 proposals in which I was confident to complete on time. But till date, no invitation received so far. Although I will keep on posting my the proposals but need an expert advise from you.

Thanks

Rajesh M   

[#6]

Hello Rajesh,

I checked out your profile and according to me you should focus on the following:

1. Write a better overview for your profile.

2. Add some more contents in your portfolio.

3. Write project dedicated cover letter for each project and DO NOT use a template.

4. Lastly, my personal tip: Only bid on those project where the bid numer is low, else you won't be able to compete the vast experienced majority.

I too walked on the same path as you and by following the above tips I've managed to win some jobs and have started my Upwork career.

Regards,

Har**bleep**

[#7]

Hi,
Thanks for the suggestions and will do necessary changes in my profile and
put better work sample for the portfolio. In the meantime, please clarify
my confusion that as my id is **Edited for Community Guidelines** but my name is Rajesh M.
Does it creates any confusion for the prospective clients regarding Id and
user name.
Thanks
Regards
Rajesh

[#8]

Hi Rajesh,

The client cannot see your username, they will only see your real name.

I hope this helps!

[#9]

Hello Mike,

Thanks for the reply. Anyways one more query how to achieve the Rising Talent badge. I have cleared the Upwork readiness test. Thanks.

Regards

Rajesh M

[#10]

Hi Rajesh,

I checked and it looks like you completed Upwork Readiness Test just recently. Please note that once you complete the Upwork Readiness test successfully and meet all the other requirements for the Rising Talent program, you should receive the badge within 48 hours. Let us know if you need our further assistance after 48 hours period is passed.

[#11]

Hello Mike,
Thank you for the freelancing tips. It was really helpful. I am new to upwork. Please can you review my profile and tell me if there's anything I need to change. I would really appreciate it. Thank you.

[#12]

Hi Bolaji,

Thank you for your message. I reviewed your profile and have some suggestions:

• 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.
• Other examples of information you can include are past accomplishments and projects, preferred working style, and your business’ values (e.g. I believe in strong communications or thorough upfront planning), industries or lines of businesses you have worked in before, and the types of clients you have worked with before (start-ups, solo entrepreneurs, large businesses, etc.). 

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 hope this helps!

[#13]

Hello, 

Thanks for the advice you provided. I will share my experience with the Success Score. 

My success score was 93% and this week it dropped to 86%. All my ratings and feedback from clients are excellent. 

Now I understand that a contract doesn't have to be left without activity. 

Upwork should really think about all the freelancers that are working part-time on the platform and sometimes the clients are the ones who left a contract open and make another one. 

When I contact them, they close the previous version, but usually, it's too late and now my rating dropped significantly and because of that, I am maybe not able to get new clients this month.

In addition, I always receive invitations on which I respond within 1-2 hours and every time except them, and my response time is under 24 hours. 

I try to be online almost all the time. So really think about the way you are calculating the success score. Sometimes a freelancer can have really bad reviews and still have a score of around 90-95%. 

Thanks for your time, 

Simona

[#14]

Hi Simona,

Thank you for your message. We appreciate your feedback about the Job Success Score. Remember, your JSS can change because:

• You receive poor public or private feedback from one or more clients.
• You receive very positive public or private feedback from one or more clients.
• A higher-value job is added to your score, and outweighs lower-value jobs.
• Jobs you completed in the past are no longer considered because they are outside the score's time frame.
• Jobs with no feedback or recent payment have become counted in your score, either because they were closed or because several months have passed since you received a payment.

I hope this helps.

[#15]

Hey Mike! 

I want you to check my profile and suggest me if anything I can improve. I'm freelancing services from 2016 and got good success on other platforms. Always I want to be on Upwork, I'm providing B2B services like hosting, VPS, email server setup with billing, and website with Litespeed and OpenLitespeed server (also I'm a contributor Openlitespeed and Cyberpanel and Cyberpanel VMM). Some of my skills available on Upwork. So I want to push myself on Upwork. can you please help me to improve my profile?
With regards,

Shailesh L (Ambtec)

[#16]

Hello Shailesh,

Thank you for your message. I have reviewed you profile and have some suggestions:

• 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 difficult to quickly scan and understand what your primary services and experiences are. It might help to organize it with paragraphs: for example, have your introduction paragraph, a separate paragraph for skills, and one for experience. In this way, you might emphasize certain areas, but use caution with adding lists of skills with few to no related work examples because clients may question the sincerity of your skills list. Another idea is to use bullets and other delineators to break up your profile/

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 hope this helps.

[#17]

Hi Mike,

I am new here and I have sent several proposals with an active one just yesterday. I feel that my profile is not attractive to clients. Please let me know any changes to be made to have it look more appealing. 

Thank you! 

[#18]

Hi Hazel,

Thank you for your message. I reviewed your profile and have some suggestions:

• Your email address is listed in your profile Overview. This is a violation of Upwork's Terms of Service. Please remove this. You may only communicate with clients via the Upwork platform until a contract is in place.

• 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.

I hope this helps!

[#19]

Dear Mike,

Please review my profile. And give me some suggestions on how to get more jobs and more invitations.

Advance thanks
Md.Rabiul Alam

[#20]

Hi Md Rabiul.

Thank you for your message. 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. 
• 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.
• Other examples of information you can include are past accomplishments and projects, preferred working style, and your business’ values (e.g. I believe in strong communications or thorough upfront planning), industries or lines of businesses you have worked in before, and the types of clients you have worked with before (start-ups, solo entrepreneurs, large businesses, etc.). 

Here are some additional tips for writing a great Overview.

I hope this helps.

[#21]

Hello Mike, Thanks for your interest to help new Freelancers like me. I would be glad if you can help me build my profile, Please reply me so that i can share my profile with you for review. 

Thank you.

Huzaifa

[#22]

Hi Muhammad H,

Thanks for your message. I have some suggestions for 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.
• Be clear on your expertise and mention specialized software or tools.

• 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. 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.

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 hope this helps.

[#23]

plase help me

[#24]

Hi Bijoya,

How might we assist you?

[#25]

Hi,

Is there any back office or any account that has a very little to no dialing hours account here in upwork? I have been working in BPO for over 10 years and its really draining.  Can someone help me to find a client? someone who is willing to give at least $8 an hour.

Please help.

Thank you.

[#26]

Hello,

I cleared the Upwork Readiness Test and My profile is 100 per cent complete. What else is required to get Upwork Rising Talent badge? 

Regards

Rajesh M